The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-10 00:00:00

CHARLES KEAN AND HIS` LONDON CRITICS

of true criticism, like the age of chivalry, is gone

The legitimate drama is neglected by parties interested in thi

gitimate ; and t

;edians, comedians, and

vocalists are now written down or up, in London, not ac-
cording to their demerits or desert, but as they retain, or are
identified with parties sensitively alive to extraneous and
fee-ling considerations. The criticism of the London press,
as a whole, is unworthy of perusal, otherwise than as matter
of composition ; and the reason is, that it is sectarian and

influenced in what it puts forth or suppresses, by pay or the

intrigue of party spirit. In this state of things, the rising
generation, whose opinion and judgment are unformed in
respect of great plays and talented performers, is not fairly
dealt with by the herd of critics. The public is cavalierly
treated : it now forms its own estimate of performances and
" stars," and leaves interested flatterers to their adulation,
and unpaid detractors to their spleen, unheeded, except to be
smiled at with the remark " Oh, yes ! we understand."
We have ever been of opinion that the best star-actor, in
any age, is he who, in his day, draws the best houses. It is
to no purpose that we can be talked at to the contrary. Taste
and fashion are incapable of mathematical demonstration,
and arc seldom, if ever, reformed by the laboured analysis of
special pleaders. What Mr. Macready is, he yet is, in spite
of the London press being for or against him ; and whether
Charles Kean be an intellectual performer or not, is a ques-
tion which it is too late in the day to agitate : its purpose is
seen by the public, who have made up their minds, and who
persevere in going—in crowds—to see him in well-known
parts. The Polytechnic of this month has an article, ably
written, as writing, cutting up Mr. Charles Kean's Hamlet,
and exposing the animus of a party writer, at war—less with
the popular tragedian than with the public, who, by their
crowded audiences on his nights of playing, show the useless-
ness of such isolated scolding and raving at merits which they
gladly pay to see the exhibition of, and cheer and applaud into
the bargain ! How, in the name of fortune, could or would a
prudent thorough man of business like Mr. Webster give Mr.
C. Kean a weekly revenue unless the public, who go along
with him in his engagements, enable him so to do, and by

the most convincing of all proofs of public appreciation—
liberal payment, and praise besides ? Some critics write and
abuse managements as if a management drove people into
- yes and fleeced them of money at the point of the
bayonet !

their tlieat

We question if all the writing at Mr. Kean, in some of the
papers in an opposing interest, has kept a single shilling out
of the Haymarket. On the contrary, it may have put it into
people's heads to go and see the phenomenon of " a bad actor,"
being •supported by crowds of all grades of a metropolitan
population, and at' the west end of London too ! Well, they
go ; and instead of agreeing with the critic, they join in feel-
ing double interest in the actor—who they think must be
somebody to be so abused and to be able to withstand the

Houses

. .
In his manners off the stage, Charles Kan is a gentleman :
and precisely what is his recommendation to good society, is
the secret cause of that perfect hatred which the vulgar and
low-minded cannot conceal that they are eaten up with to-
wards him. Those who win, may well laugh on the resource

of smiles and aprincely income. We have pleasure in quoting
the Morning Post's statement of Mr. Kean's reception, and
the house which he drew last Friday. Had the article been
a modern" critique" we should not have read it through ; but
as it reports what actually took place by an eye witness of
the facts, we have perused and herewith extract from it :
" H AYMARKET THEATRE. —MR. CHARLES KEAN'S
BENEFIT.—The congratulatory cheers which greeted the
beneficiaire last night, are still ringing in our cars. We
never remember to have witnessed a more signal triumph.
The stage, at the fall of the curtain, presented the appear-
ance of a vendange of bouquets. The horticultural fete
which is to take place this afternoon will not be able to com-
pete with the show of flowers; and well did Mr. Charles
Kean deserve the tributes which were so plentifully bestowed
on him by his fair admirers. As for obtaining a place in the
theatre, that has been out of the question ever since the an-
nouncement of Mr. Kean's first appearance in Macbeth.
The private boxes were crowded to excess, the dress circle
was densely thronged, and the upper regions appeared to
groan under the weight of the countless masses who came to
see the son's conception of this character. Throughout the
whole piece lie continued achieving a succession of triumphs.
It were in vain to attempt giving any description of the
almost supernatural effects produced by his utterance of the
few simple words—" It's no such thing." The varicus cos-
tumes worn by Mr. Kean last evening were some of the
most superb ever seen upon the stage. When he appeared
in the borrowed robes of majesty, his sumptuous and costly
attire was well worthy of a monarch. It consisted of a rich
crimson velvet gaberdine, over which hung a mantle of dark
green velvet, lined with ermine. His other costumes he de-
rived great assistance from, and was very ably seconded by
Mrs. Warner, who sustained the character of Lady Macbeth
with great spirit and energy. It is a somewhat ungrateful
task to tread the path which Mrs. Siddons had trod before,
but Mrs. Warner has successfully combated against the ar-
duous difficulties which beset this character. At the fall of
the curtain Mr. K. was loudly called for, and an announce-
ment given forth that the manager had entered into a fresh
engagement with Mr. Kean for nine more nights. This led
to a second ebullition of bravos.—Morniaq Post.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE

,-WEDNESDAY

ASSAULT AND

.OBBERY

Henry Smith was charged with having robbed and violently
assaulted a seaman named Obadiah Hardy, on Tuesday
night. _

It appeared that about twelve o'clock as Hardy was going
on board his ship which lay in the Victoria dock, he was met
by the prisoner, who instantly knocked him down by a vio-
lent blow which made him insensible. He was in the act of
running away with Hardy's hat and handkerchief, when in-
spector Clarke, who fortunately witnessed the transaction,
came up and prevented his retreat by taking him into custody.
On returning from the lockups, the inspector found Hardy
still lying upon the ground in a state of insensibility, and
procured professional assistance for him. He appeared in
court with his head shaved and bound up, and apparently
suffering very severely.

'The prisoner made no defence, and he was committed for
trial at the nest sessions.

RIOT AT THE ALMS-ROUSES.
A car driver, whose name we did not hear, was brought up
on a charge of having created a riot at the Alms-houses,
Mount Pleasant, and annoying the inhabitants. The defen-
dant's mother, it was stated, is a blind woman, residing in
one of the alms-houses, and on Tuesday he demanded money
from her to spend in liquor, and when she told him she had
none, he committed the offence complained of. He was
ordered to find bail to keep the peace for three months.

OBTAINING MONEY UNDER FALSE PRETENCES.
Thomas Linnacre, a porter, was placed at the bar on a
charge of having fraudulently obtained 8s 4d in the name of
his master, William Price, a cart-owner. The prisoner had
been engaged for one day only, to take fifty barrels of flour,
and he asked for and received the above sum for his master,
without any authority, and appropriated it to his own pur-
pose. He was committed to the sessions.

THURSDAY.
ALLEGED ROBBERY AND MURDER

Thomas Cox, a seafaring man, was placed at the bar on
suspicion of having been concerned in a robbery and mur-
der, on the high seas.

Mr. Dowling stated that about a month ago, a vessel,
called the Chebar, which had sailed from this port for China,
he believed, put back in stress of weather. Captain Small-
wood, the commander, was missing when the vessel arrived,
and on inquiry being made, it was stated that he had either
fallen or jumped overboard through the cabin window. Sus-
picions arose that he. had been thrown overboard, as he had
been on deck giving some directions just before he was
missed, and a portion of his property was wanting. The
prisoner was steward of the vessel, and he (Dowling) should
be able to prove that he had lately pawned the captain's
gold watch, and some of his clothes. The prisoner was ap-
prehended only yesterday, and therefore, after hearing the
evidence, he should apply for him to be remanded.
Mr. Henry Stuart said he was a watchmaker, and resided
at No. 170, Park-lane. On the 10th May, 1839, he sold
Captain Smallwood of the ship Chebar, a gold watch—the
watch now produced. Since that period, upon the captain's
return to Liverpool he had cleaned the watch for him.
Mr. Rushton.—When was that?

Mr. Stuart—AbouttileWeiinning of the present year, but
he could not recollect the exact time. It might be five
months ago. Captain Smallwood took the watch away him-
self, and witness saw it in his possession the third evening
before the Chebar sailed.
Mr. Rushton, asked what proof there was of the prisoner
being the steward of the vessel?
Mr. Dowling replied that Mr. Stuart was able to prove
that fact.
Mr. Stuart proceeded to say that he was on board the Che-
bar with Captain Smallwood the fourth day before the vessel
sailed. On that occasion he saw the steward, and the pri-
soner was the man.

Mr. Rushton.—How do you know that ?
Mr. Stuart said Captain Smallwood invited him to go
down and see his ship which was anew one. He went down,
and the prisoner was in the cabin. Capt. Smallwood asked
him what he would take a glass of, and witness chose brandy.
The prisoner brought it to him, and some biscuits at the
same time. He was acting as steward.
Mr. Rushton enquired the destination of the vessel.
Mr. Dowling said it was Singapore.
Mr. Rushton.—When did she sail?
Mrs. Penny, a relative and heiress of Captain Smallwood,
said the Chebar sailed on the 16th April this present year.
Mr. John Bond, pawnbroker, of Scotland-place, was next
called. He stated that yesterday he received a circular from
the police describing_ a gold watch which
was supposed to
have been stolen. He immediately looked over his stock,
and found the watch produced, and which Mr. Stuart had
identified among it. It had been pledged with him for the
first time, on the 16th May, by a person named Ann Kilian.
It was never taken out of his shop, but several times snore
money was lent upon it to Ann Kilian. The last transaction
relative to it was with the prisoner at the bar, on the 10th
June last, when he came and borrowed .E 2 more upOn it.
Five pounds had been lent previously, and .
this made
The prisoner described himself as the owner of the watch,
and he produced the duplicate.
Mr. Dowling stated that the 16th May, when the watch
was first pledged, was the very day the Chebar put back. He
Shad as
ood some
clothes. evidence to produce as to a portion of Captain
ma's
Mr. Bond said he produced a waistcoat which had been
pledged at his shop by the prisoner's wife. He knew her to
be his wife. His young man took it in, but he was not in
court to-day.
Isabella Walker, a sempstress, said she made the waist-
produced by Mr. Bond, for Capt. Smallwood, a
coat just
short time before he sailed the last time. She had a piece of
the same cloth with her'now ; and was quite sure this
was the
waistcoat she had made.
Mrs. Penny was next called, but her testimony carried the
case no further.
Mr. Dowling said the prisoner was brought to him yester-
day, and he cautioned him that he was not bound to answer
any questions which might be put to him. Witness then
asked him if he could account for his possession of the watch.
He replied that it was his own property, and had been given
to him by his aunt who lived in Barbadoes, in the month of
August last, and that she had bought it in Grenada.
Mr. Rushton.—ls the captain dead ?
Mr. Dowling.—Yes, sir.
Mr. Rushton.—How do you know that?
Mr. Dc' ling.—Because lie did not come back with the
vessel, and the statement of the crew was that he had been
drowned. Mrs. Penny was able to prove that.
Mrs. Penny.—The captain did not come hack in the ves-
sel. He was drowned, they said, by jumping through the
cabin window.

Mr. Dowling added, that he recollected reading something
in the paper about a very mysterious affair of some captain
jumping oveboard. The captain had been seen immediately