The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-04-26 00:00:00

1E SI ATF.SMAk

DRURY-Li:IYR E.ITRE.
Mr. Keen made his al pearance in Leer on Monday
I
night, for the first time, to as audience n hick indica-
ted, by its immense slumbers and brilliant appearance,
how much the public had expected from his efforts in
that character. We, in common we believe with the ,
thousands who entered the house, did so under the
confident anticipation of the highest dramatic treat ..f
the present age. These excited feelings, doubtless, con-
tributed to produce the disappointment we experienced;
for disappointed we certainly were. Leer had been
played on the sister-boards a week ago with partial
success, by Mr. Bonru, but the performance con-
tained beauty and deformity so promiscuously mingled,
that not the redeeming powers of the one could
allay the offending spirit of the other. We did not
expect that Mo. Kcse would he all perfection; for we,
dreamt of seeing him assume the dignity of a
monarch ; hat we thought in every thing else, Leer
would be his Own. he choleric temperament of the
old loan, stimulated and maddened by his wrings--
the impassioned vehemence with which he utters his
curses and his invocations, compounded as they
are of language beautiful as mild—the seeming coin-
ings of porde phrensy•--the distemper of his brain,
rapidly itsereasing in violence until reason is quite
overthrown, and the last paroxysm of madness
erects the maniac on the ruins of the King—
then the exhausted powers of nature drooping under
their own 4krts, and gradually sinking the wretched
victim to that soft and quiet calm, during which fie
listen, to the iaviags of Edger—his recoznition and
love of Cordelie—the soul-melting language in which
he endeavours to express his fondness, and his contri-
tion fur having slighted her love. In all these we
doubted not, for a moment, but that SHARKSPEARICI
Leer would be before us. We shall never dare to
hope it again. 'I he Lear of our closet is not to be
realised. The associations of time and scene vi hick
harmonise so purely with the action in our imagina-
tions, all vanish on the stage. Notwithstanding, by
the bye, our Manager produced, on this occasion, a
storm of stJetus„ in which the trees rocked to and fro;
and as soon as the poor King had got out of the way,
a tremendous flood rushed in, to the utter danger of
Edier's hovel, which seemed on the very point of being
carried away by the overwhelming torrent. In the first
scene Mr. KEAN fell into anerror. to which be afterwards
applied a more than radical reform. He played much
too young,and evidently detected himself in the fault ; for
during a greater part oit he subsequent performance, the
fear of re-committing it seemed to cramp his energy, and
to detract very considerably from his success. Now
this conception, we contend, is wholly erroneous. It
is in his calm moments alone that Leer should be the
old man, and in those alone did Mr. Klux make him
young. His marines. and his rage are both unna-
tural, and therefore not to be represented by the com-
mon 'lateral powers which we should attribute to a
man of eighty. They are morbidly excited, and their
paroxyms aro the Alert of morbid sensibility. The
tuind is wrought to the highest pitch of desperation,
and the bodily strength is increased tenfold. Thus
Mr. KIAWS finest and most effective points were those
1w which isElisrst die vet Tia interned to Moot hint
down. and nabbed done from soodleerity to perfection.
For last:ate, the eerie of Generil was d. livered with an
intensity of fbeling, ',expressive of the bitterness of
heart which prompted the supplicant, that we could
almost imagine every prayer granted as it was
asked. la the scene with Regis, also, his excellence

was beyond conception ; most particularly when raving
against Couril and consoling himself with the vain
hope that Regan still loves him, he suddenly perceives
Neat, and. exclaims " IVAo etoek'd say masa t" But
this scene ended the triumph of the actor. After
that his oldness was mere imbecility ; his exertions
comparatively became weakness; and the third and
fourth acts were decidedly tame. Th • meeting with
Curdetio was a redeeming effort, and again roused
as to delight ; but the effect was only transient.—
We never saw a curt.tin drop on a character of
SIIAKIIIIIMIRE, and represented by KLAN, where less
enthusiasm was displayed by the audience.
Mr. Rat has returned to these boards, and was re-
ceived with that welcome which his high talent merits.
lie played Edger most effectively. Mr. HAMS. IN did
not render the character of Edgiest', so prominent as
we think he might have done. Mr. DONTox was an
excellent Ear/ of Kent. Mrs. WENT, as Cot-tidies was
particularly interesting, and produci•d repeated peals
of applause throughost her performance. The
tragedy is brought out with magnificent splendour,
and, we trust, will repay the Manager for his liberal
*strains.

It is expected that the King will hold a Levee in the
coarse of next week, for the purpose of receiving the
congratulations of the Nobility and Descry upon his
Majesty's aecessiou to the Throne.
Yesterday the Dukes of York and Sussex paid their
respects to the King.
The Duke of York held a Levee yesterlay, at his
Office in the Horse-guards, as Confinanderin-l'hief.
Yesterday the Duchess of York was a great deal
better.

The Duchess of Kent. arcompauied by the Princess
Alexandrine, visited the Duchess of Clarence Yesterday.
• _.

'fag DVCOSIS o► GLOM EATKICIII BlfTU•uay.--Yes-
terday being the anniversary of the birth-day of the
Duchess of Oloneester, in the morning her Royal
Highness received t►e personal congratulations of the
Doke of York, Prince Leopold, the Princess Sophia
Matilda, and a number of private friends; most of the
other branches of the Royal Family sent letters of
convatnlation. tiloucester-house was throsred during
• - .

the day with Nobility, Uentry, and persons of distinc-
tion, to leave their names. 'I be Princes Astute and
a party dined with the Royal Duke and l)uche•s.
In the evening a grand ball and supper wws gives at
the Argyll-room, in honour of the day.
The beseitsof the performers at the Dublin Theatre.
who have been unemployed during the whole of the
season, in consequence of Dublin not having a place of
theatrical anstuteintnt open, commenced on Monday las?.

sew Welch blelo-Drama, entitled
the Mite Barite Meer. was produced oa bloaday
at this Theatre; it is a tale of the olden time well
told. replete with interest and eerinitric:ty, slid, aid
by beautifal scenery sad souse pleaeing ot,t.ir, bids
fair :o rank high in public estimation.