Star.
London, England, 1829-11-14 00:00:00

LORD MAYOR.

The Aaa of Goce long since in Rngland's past,
The Stumm Asa but little time did last ;
MUSS rul'd the roast, and 811'd an ample page,
Then came the Civic Chief of lam( Aaa.
Lord Tuousom 'a (1) gone ! now PAP/a (2) fills the Chair.
To show what mrta• Britons are.
Success to trade! exalt the Civic Sag!
Live men of aaaaa •CRILOIT, and the Rao! (3)
(I) Alderman Tnomsom, an ironmonger.
(2) The Loan Maros, a stationer.
(3) The rag—Cotarres name for a Bank-note.

THE THEATRES.

THE ADELPHI AND •• BILLY TAYLOR."

From the sublime to the ridiculous, the transition is
brief as thought :—and front the intellectual enjoyment
which can be felt—and only felt—in witnessing some
gifted personification of Sit a X ESPEA Iles glorious and
inspired imaginings, to the very bathos of Iltirletta,
there is no true medium in scenic representation. In
acting, as in poetry, neither Gods, nor men, nor
columns, tolerate insipid mediocrity. If the moral ex-
cellences of thellrama, therefore be denied us, let us find a
temporary solace in looking upon the sinzulaities of
mankind, and catching them in whatever form they
present themselves to us.—lt has been the fashion of late

r-
amongst the " Sir Oracles" of Cliticisai—the attachts
of the " pen and paste fraternity" to he great houses—to
decry that most pleasant of all rleasant little Theatres,
the ADF.LPITt, as a " minor," whereas it has attained
a triumphant majority in popular estimation ;—and its
performances as unclasiical (monstrous assertion!)
when in point of fact, these very performances
present us with the sole remaining vestiges that,
like the atoms of an antediluvian world, recall the
wonders of that ancient school of Comedy, " of which"
as DRYDEN tells us, " ARISTOPHANES was Chief,"
whose purpose was "not so much to imitate a man, as to
make the people laugh at some odd conceit. Thus when
you see SOCRATES brought upon the stage, you are not
to imagine him made ridiculous by the imitation of his
actions, but rather by making him perform something
very unlike himself: something so childish and absurd,
as by comparing it with the gravity of the true So-
CRATES, makes a ridiculous object for the specta-
tors." We cannot illustrate this position more forcibly
than by referring to " the last new novelty," so properly
set forth in the bills of Billy Taylor—in which that
" perfect gentleman" is " placed in situations so ludi-
crous, that his gentility, like the gravity of the true So-
CRATES, makes a ridiculous object for the spectators."
To analyze with critical acumen, this most popular nau-
tical burlesque Barletta, would be—
" To smooth the lee, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper light
To seek the beauteous eye of Heaven to garaish—
A wasteful and ridiculous excess !"

If it be not" in Cambyses' vein," we know nothing of the
matter ;—nor can we sufficiently commend the modest
merit of its " talented author" following the example of
OUT great dramatic poet—" Who," says Doctor PERC Y
in his Essay on the Ballads that illustrate Shakespeare,
" has occasionally quoted many ancient ballads, and even
taken the plots of one or more of his plays fro:n among
them,"—and paying homage to his mighty master—by
flights of fancy which remind us of some of his
most enchanting passages—such as the garden
scene and other brilliant and striking situations
in Romeo and Juliet, and VIOLA'S sweet tale of
love. The effect of a character so full of interest as the
Hero, combining all the agreeable dalliance and unso-
phisticated simplicity of youth, with the tenderest pathos
of passion, in the hands of so accomplished and senti-
mental an actor as ions REEVE, may be so much more
easily imagined than described, that we leave the task
to the sympathetic sensibilities of the reader; but we
must notice one little sally of his amiable eccentricity—
the imitation of KEAN in the first act, which was excel-

lent—we had almost said inimitable. As for the rest—
he never rested ;—but loved " not wisely but two well"—
fought with fury—danced with dexterity—died with
dignity---and revived with rapture ; and all amidst
the rapturous rejoicings and loud laughter of a
brilliant, numerous, and deeply affected audience. The
gentle JULIET was worthy of her Romeo—and MARY
WAGSTAFF of her BILLY TAYLOR :—the talent of
Mrs. FITZWILLIAM needs no eulogy—the baker's
daughter needs no puff.—Mr. 0. SMITH did honor to
that much injured body of men the ancient " Char-
lies ;" and " the last of the watchmen" met his
fate with an heroic constancy, and manly fortitude,
worthy " the last of the Goths." \Ve feel, that
with all our anxiety to do justice to the classic
pretensions of the ADELPIII, we have fallen short of its
deserts, and of our own notions of its unequalled pre-
tensions to the admiration of the learned, and the uni-

versa' support of an enlightened public—in an age when
whilst " the schoolmaster's abroad," such a dramatist as
Mr. BUCKSTONE may be found " at home" in its " aca-
demic shades." It is not the least of Mr. BUCKSTON E'S

merits, that he has so profitably, as well as practically,
illustrated the very judicious observation of A ono);
that " an ordinary song or ballad, that is the delight of the
common people, cannot fail to please such readers as are
not qualified for the entertainment by their affectation or
their ignorance; and the reason is plain, because the
same paintings of nature which recommend it to the most
ordinary reader will appear beautiful to the most refined."
BILLY TAYLOR has drawn crowded houses throughout
the week ; and having been " pressed into the public ser-
vice," the public very properly presses to do service to the
liberal and enterprising patrons of dramatic talent—the
matchless Managers of the ADELPRI—the Adelphi of
Imitators—YATES and M ATIIEWS ••••-MA TB EWs and
YATES.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.-Miss KEMBLE re-
peated the character of Juliet last night, for the 18th
time, and went through it with her accustomed spirit
and effect, receiving in every scene the warm and general
applause of a crowded audience. In the Operatic En-
tertainment of Home Sweet Home, which succeeded the
Tragedy, Miss FORDE sustained the interesting character
of Madame Germance, and sung all the songs of the
part with taste and ability. Miss H. CA WSE made a
lively and efficient Florine, and the performances ap-
peared to give the greatest satisfaction...
DUBLIN THEATILE.--BRAIIAM will have to tax his
powers to the utmost to satisfy the taste of the musical
cognoscenti, after the strong excitement lately pro-
duced by the Italians. We, however, hear, from all
quarters, that he is in the fullest possession of his great
capabilities. We find many new names in the bill,
and many more are engaged, and will appear in the
course of the week. The operatic strength of the Com-
pany is unusually great. The Lessee is right here ;
Opera is, and ever will be, his staple commodity ; and
the Dublin audience will never be tired of musical per-
formance, if they are supported by an effective company.