Star.
London, England, 1822-03-19 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Last night Mr. Kratkr appeared for the first time
in the character of Sir Pert inax Macsyccrphant, in
Macicti a's satirical Comedy of The Man of the
World. The high reputation of Mr. KEAN, and the
novelty of the Play, which has been so long and so
often on the shelf, for want of a proper representative
for the principal character, and the curiosity to see
KEAN quit Melpomene for Tbalid, created much ex-
pectation in the Public, and attracted a crowded
audience. This Comedy, written by MACKLIN with
much acerbity against the Scotch, possesses little
merit, but that of exhibiting the means by which an
ultra man of the world (for, to the honour of human
nature, there are not many who would resort to such
means as Sir Pertinaz) makes his way to wealth and
honours, and for the severity with which the author de-
claims against pretended patriots and politicians in ge-
neral. When it was first produced, Macassar assumed
the hero, because, we presume, he could not find any
other actor possessing that " discrimination" which,
he told our old friend Cuantes NlATtrews, was so
indispensable to an actor. On his death, The. Man
of the World was laid as:de, until GEORGE FR EDE-
RICK COOKE stamped the part of Sir Pertigaz will) a
popularity as imperishable as it is disadvantageous
to his successors. KEAN, " ho dares what man
dare," has ventured upon it; and if he is not all that
could be wished, he is, perhaps, the only person that
could in the present day render it even tolerable. But
KEAN did much more; he not only gave sudden ef-
fect to some passages from which nothing had been
expected, but there were sometimes nearly whale
scenes in which he manifested perceptions of striking
originality, and a flexible and easy enunciation of the
text, unusual in a person accustomed almost exclu-
sively to declamation. Even where the tone of the per-
former bordered somewhat upon the declamatory, it
rendered the character more piquant, and more true.
His first interview with his son, when he feproaches
him with his unfilial wish ; and his chuckling with
delight over the prospect of a title and three boroughs
—for only sending down: " six broomsticks," was
given with satirical force and discrimination. The
history of his life, and the means by IA bids he had
risen in the world, through the " instinct o interest,"
—his searches for a wife in all the kirks and conven-
tides, until he succeeded, were admirably told ; but
his " booing" was somewhat faulty : it had more the
grace of a polished courtier than the sub-ervience of
one who " could never stand straight in the presence
of a great man !" The quarrel with his son ibr not
drinking to excess with Lord Lumbercourt—the sur•
prize and rage on receiving his son's refusal to marry
Lady Rodolpha—and the joy with which he gloated
over the supposed exposure of Constantia in the
letter, were all in the finest style of acting; but
the concluding' scene, in which exposure, morti-
fied ambition, and disappointment, all combined
to render him desperate, baffles description, and can
only be conceived by,those who have witnessed the
last scene of Sir Giles Overreach, as exhibited by this
powerful actor. KEAN is not very perfect in the
Scottish dialect, and it was easy to see how great a
restraint it imposed on him in many instances. Miss
BOOTH, who played Lady liedulpha Lumbercourt
with admirable spirit, had, on the contrary, studied
the dialect too closely, and was sometimes scarcely
intelligible to those who have not 11::.1 the advantage
of being born" beyond the "Tweet." COOPER'S Egerton
was a manly, correct; and gentlemanly piece of acting.
The Comedy was received throughout with.. the
loudest applause, and given out for repetition this
evening, amid the cheers of the most crowded and
elegant audience we have seen this season. .

A few nights ago some daring ruffians boarded a West* brig
lying in the River Thames, oil Pickle Herring Stairs, afd (unper-
ceived by the crew, who were asleep) they succeeded in rubbing
the vessel of fifteen chests of tea, and two bales of goods.
Saturday night the neighbourhood of Whiney. Suffolk, was in
alarm from a destructive fire at Whitley Ilall, about l o'clock,
the seat of STEPIIIO4 HOWARD LOFT, Esq. The flames were first
discovered in the eastern wing by a Luton postboy, who gave
the alarm; before the necessary ussitAance could be procured the
house was ou fire In every part, and in less than two hour., it was
a heap of ruins. A female domestic broke Ler Li; in c4capii:;;
from the Arum.