Star.
London, England, 1809-12-23 00:00:00

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

We were entertained yesterday evening, at ti.:;
Theatre, with a revival of SHAKESPEARE'S Tragedy
of King Lear.
Of Mr. Kvau.r.'s representation of Lear, we do nlt
think so highly, as of some other leading portraits
by SHA KISPRAK4 that we have seen him personate.
It appeared to us, generally, as an attempt that was,
in its nature, contradictory to his physical ability,
which rather squares and assimilates wih what i;
grand, or stern, or terrific, than with what is trurlad
pre-eminently with tenderness. We do not me::a by
this remark to convey an impeachment on Ins it:dp.
ment, so much as upon the tendencies of his or,:;
zation. He has not the power to assume an intw-
tion that would be in perfect accordance witia an e•-
pression of. Lear's deepest miseries.
In his delivery of the celebrated curse stn,.:,
daughter, we could not approve of the monotonou;
manner with whichhe addressed himself to HEsvEN,
It was urged to us in his defence. in the Theatre,
a wounded parent, when speaking in the paroxysm .;
a sublime rage, would not, or could not, <mem". Lo
the &vision of sounds. We have seen and heard Sir
GARRICK in this scene, when, by the magical COIT-Li-
nation of his varying voice and matchless eyes, Le
touched every string that vibrates near the heart,
the oppressive throbs of sensibility in the audicisce
were lightened by a common flood of tears.
When there was necessity for a recurrence to L.,.
fading dignity of the Monarch, Mr. KEmeLE
more happy in his ezertioi4. When he reprove:, ..7.12.
daughter Generill, in the second act, he deii-:ered
following lines with a pathos, mingled with the flas z:
of a king's and a father's anger :
mist upon thee,
Th' Patented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee.
Old fond eyes, lament this cause again ;
I'll pluck ye out, pd cast ye With
The waters that ye lose to temper clay.
No, gorgon, thou shalt find, thit I'll
Resume fife shape, *hick thou dust think
I have thrown off for ever."

That our objections to Mr. KEMBLRIS manner, in
Lear, may not appear as exclusively directed, we
must obserie, , that neither Mr. HENDE4SONI Mr.
Dicom, Mr. Coolf.s, ncr Mr. POPE, ever gave us a
true idea of the part. Mr.• gARRICK was the only
Actor vyho embraced and communicated all its beau-
ties, and even Mr. BARRY may be said to have only
approached to that species of perfection.
Mr. C. IFSIBLE was infected with the usual fault of
all the Pelseirs that we have seen, for the last 20 years ;
namely, that of fixing the greater part of his attention
on the assume d lunacy of the character! Mr. RgDDISR
was the only person who properly gave due attention
to each disposition of Edgar ; foralsliough he was wild
and fantastic as Mad tom, yet on the msunption of his
genuine demeanor, he wai not less spirited as a gentle!
man. CRESSWELL the substitutefot Coors in Kent.
We know not the cause of this alteration, and only
know that the public gain nothing hy the change i
though the present possessor of the part exerted himl
self in a very respectable manner. .4dennrni was ably
sustained by Mr. i3atrwrow ; and the three Dukes of
Cornwall, and Basgsniely, by Messrs. CLaiis-
worn, J2FFERIES) and Finn, with as noble airs as
any in all the nese French Calendar.—Mrs. Hum
mann played Goaere ; Mrs. St. LEGRR, Began
and Miss Bluerowt Cordelia, in a very satisfactory
manner ; the latter looked beautiful, and the former
two put as much of the tg devil's daughters" int,)
their countenances as their handsome features would
permit. The Play was, throughout, -received with
1 great applause; and during the night not a vlstize
of the late disturbances appeared. 0. P. has ins-
, solved, like the baseless fabric of a vision, atid lac
not a wreck, except poor BRANp(DF, behind.
The dresses were new and superb, and the scenery
was appropriate and well executed. The direction of
the Storm, m the third act, was the best ordered that
we have ever witnessed, either abroad*or at home. It
was not confined to the mere rumbling of thunder,
and rosin coruscations, but had a major and -a minor
character, that were well adapted to the gloozr And
horror of the sceae !
' The Farce of Th! Waterman concluded the delight-,
ful entertainments of this evening, and Itict.moil
charmed us with The Bay of &way 0 ! in which he
was rapturously encored. Mrs. DAVENNRT, Miss
Bovrote, BLANCHARD, and Lis,toN, were very happy
in their exertions to please, and, while bursts of
laughter proved their cc:laic powers, the watt:lest
plaudits rewarded them.

East-Grinstead Fair,* on Monday, (which is the
last, and one of the largest Sussex Uirs in the year,)
was exceedingly well supplied with IsiVelch and Scots
runts, with country beasts, horses, and hogs. The
beasts, generally, met a brisk sale at goOd prices ; but
the horses, excepting very fine ones, were little in de-
mand. The town never experienced a greater want
of beds, even when the Assizes were held there, than
on the night preceding the fair, when many were dri!
yen to the necessity of quitting the town, to seek beds
•
at other places.
It impossible to present to the Juvenile mind a
more refined treat than by visiting the celebra:ed
Museum, just opened, in the Great R.Poni, No. 22,
Piccadilly, a collection which excites the admiration
of every visitor. It was this day honoured by !:er
Royal Highness the Princess Ciimmorre of WALF.S,,
accompanied by Lady DECLIFFORDi and the Bishop t. 4
SaLisaunir, who spent a considerable time in
ing this splendid Exhibition. Several of the Nubility
have, we understand, presented Articles of Vint:, tq
the proprietor, among which Sir Josses BaNKs
just contributed some extremely valuable curiosii.;l
SPowritio--.The Cottesmore hounds had a hard ruts
on Fridaylast. They unkenneled a fox at Woodlehead,
Lincolnshire, and run him for two hours and fitty
minutes, with scarcely a check ; indeed, the only one
they received was through Reynard's taking shelter
(as he thought) in a drain near Ashwall, but he wa.
immediately followed by an excellent terrier, who
burst him out at the other end of the drain, whey
the homuis • were ready to receive him ; but, strange
as it may appear, he leaped upon the backs of the
bounds, escaped thenrcompletely, and ran into groini4
tie4tr Belvcar Castle. At this momoit 'ambert, the
huntsraan,- and one of thewhippers-in, were the only
011011 S present. Many excellent horses wsre4em-
Pletelr done up long before that time : a Waluable.
Ono died the mount the servant pulled the saddle off
in 4 stable, at obi George inn, Stivaprd.