Star.
London, England, 1829-10-10 00:00:00

THEATRICAL PORTRAITS.

At a moment when public opinion is powerfully ex-
cited by the efforts so laudably made to rescue the
Drama from the prostration to which it seemed rapidly
hastening, we select from " The Cheltenham Mail Bag"
—a work little known we believe to any of our London
readers—the following sketches of sour., of the lending
Art's:•s of the day :

KEAN.
—" Vanguard! to right and left unfold!'
And, first of buskined Chiefs enrolled,
I hail thee, Kann!—thy reckless soul
Unawed may hear the thunders roll :
Come, or with brow of clouded gloom,
Like the dark spirit of our doom ;
Or eye, whose penetrating glance
Beams bright with mind's intelligence
Of troubled aspect—in tby look,
As in a seer's mysterious book.—
Of bitter thoughts, of hopes gone by,
And of a blighted destiny,
I seem to read ; and tracing o'er
Each page of feeling's deepest lore,
Confess thee master of a spell
Whose magic charms obey thee well.
Still let thy mind, whose untired force
Sustained thee in thy rugged course,
Endure vile envy—spleen—and hare—
And live assured of happier fate.
CHARLES KEMBLE.
flail, Kzarst.a! yea—by the All Hail!"
Yet in my welcome, bear my wail :
Last scion of that towering tree

That bloomed for immortality !
Last grace and guardian of a name

By Genius consecrate to Fame!

" Last of the Romans!"—oh, that " kit,"
That desolate monosyllable,—cast
A gloom o'er the Dramatic Sphere

Whose brightest orbs no more appear!
Where be the kindred spirits• now—
The rival glories—born to wear
The tragic crown on either brow ?
Alt, where ?—and Echo answers " Where!"
—Klima! in thee we seek in vain
The sterner attributes to trace
That should their regal pomp sustain—
The grandeur and "the pride of place!"
No divided wreath for thee
Was woven by Mstroasens,
Who bent her cypress leaves to twine
With myrtles from THALta's shrine :
And, as she bound them on thy brow,
And bade thee to both sceptres bow—
Laughing behind her mask—she sail.
" Tnataa's sway no more I dread,
66 Since, by our blended magic charmed.
" Her gallant'st votary I've disarmed :
When he at either Court appears—
Alternately in smiles and tears,—
In my most sombre Palace, lo !
A smile shall gild the cloud of woe ;
And in her sprightliest drawing-room
His sunshine shall be tinged with gloom :
" And thus—mysterious alchemy !
" Great genius blended we shall see
a With graceful mediocrity!
" The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's eye ;
" The Thespian, State's expectancy ;*
Th' observ'd of all'—did impulse warm—
', With her bright glow that' mould of form !'
•' The glass of Fashion !'—out, alas I
66 He had been Nature's perfect glass,
" Were there more quicksilver of mind.
a ...Reflective power of soul—behind."
YOUNG.
In " sable suit" YOUNG enters next—
His eye-brows purs'd—hls lip projected—
As some new beauty of the text,
Or classic reading, he'd detected.
But whilst he comes upon the sight—
Fresh from a band-box every night,
In declamation coldly chaste—
What more can critic taste require ?
Passion—soul—sentiment—and fire !
Ne'er be it mine to mock true taste
By paltering with such partial praise
As yields to YOUNG the tragic bays.
Though bright the moon, and radiant glows
In all the light the sun bestows,
To me the Moon's reflected beam
Falls cold and cheerless on the stream.
Thus, cold in YOUNG—the borrow'd light
Of Remits's genius meets my sight.

• " Together at the Muse's side
Her tragic Paragons had grown—
They were the children of her pride,
The columns of her throne !

And undivided favor ran
From heart to heart in their applause,
Save for the gallantry of man
In lovelier woman's cause."—Compbeles Ads.

Mr. O'Co left Dublin ou Tuesday morning,
whither he had only arrived on Sunday, for the county
Waterford, to attend a meeting connected wtth the repre-
sentation of that county to be held at Dungarvan.
The late Lord Joni Tow NSII EN D, whose good hu-
mour was proverbial, was dining one day at a friend's,
where, among other servants, the coachman waited at
table. In handing a sauce tureen, honest John unluckily
spilt part of its contents over his Lordship's clothes, who,
instead of showing any displeasure, jocosely said,
" John, you should take care never to grease any thing
but your wheels."
Lo RD MAYOR ELECT.—Apprehension exists that
Mr. Alderman CROW DER will retire from serving the
office of Chief Magistrate for the ensuing year. A few
days since the worthy Alderman sent to the City Law
Officers a request that he might be allowed to resign on
occasion of his health; and it is not as yet known what
course will be adopted by Mr. Alderman CROW DER.
Mr. RICE, who for many years discharged the duty of
Chairman for the county of Kerry, is in a very delicate
state of health. It is feared he cannot long survive.
His relative, the patriotic Member for Limerick, will, by
his death, it is thought, come into the possesion of a
large fortune.
ATTACK ON MR. PEEL.—We have elsewhere given
an account of the reception Mr. PEEL met with at Hinck-
ley. A correspondent, who was present, says :—" The
cad was in a terrible fright lest the stockingers should
first break his carriage, and then the windows of the inn,
which they threatened to do unless he received their de.
putation. Peel's servant stood at the door of his master's
apartment, and informed them that he would not, nor
could not, see them. Then,' exclaimed one of the de-
.puties, he shall not leave the town ; we are starving, and
must see him ; his free trade has ruined us.' A further
altercation ensued ; but finding the deputation deter-
mined, they were at last admitted to an audience."—
_Leicester Herald.