The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-11-27 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

DitURY-LANE.-Mr. RAE performed //amtet, for
the third time, on Wednesday night, at this theatre, and
his exertions were received with the applause which
they deserved. Mr. RAE is an interesting actor;
and without any of that imitation which approaches
to servility, has sufficiently imbibed the spirit of
more practised performers, to eiihibit the part with
. effect : but it may be questioned whether he has not
already tried it often enough for his fame. The tra-
gedy of Hamlet, unrivalled as it is for moral beauty
and poetic phrase, is unfortunately drawn into such
length, that the spirit of an audience is worn out,
in its unremitting awl unending excellence. The
penalty of this ttedium falls, with sure vengeance,
upon the actor; and the fatigue of the five acts,
and the five hours, is inevitably thrown from the
play, by which no pretender to taste would yen-
tare to confess that he was exhausted, on the un-
lucky representative. Even this may be borne,
while it is considered merely as a trial for a debut;
but further experiments are too perilous to he wisely
hazarded. From the efforts which Mr. RAE has
already made, we are inclined to augur favourably
of those which are to fix his rank on the stage.—
Since ii r. liestsLes withdrawing, we have no first-
rate Tragedian ; and ttuch as the admirers of the
Drama in its excellence, must regret the loss of
powers m Inch left so little to be required, there is at
Ileast a large opening for succession, if not for ri-
valry. An animated countenance, a graceful per-
son, an articulate, if not a peculiary striking voice,
are among Mr. ItAE's obvious qualifications. With.
gut those, eminence is-absolutely unattainblo ; with'
those, the common diligence of an attentive, and
the common comprehension of an intelligent man,
can scarcely fail of secoring a strong interest with a
public, who are at no time slow to interest them-
selves for those who come forward with honourable
and legitimate pretensions to their favour.

COVENT-GARDEN.—Tancred and Sigismunda was
the performance of last night. Tattered, Mr. limy ;
Sigismanda, Mrs. Jonssros. We have already
spoken of Mr. BETTY, and, as he is " ever and anon
the same," it can scarcely engage the attention of
nor readers to know how often he elevated, or how
often he dropped, his voice,—how often he " tore
the passion all to tazters,"—or how often he left his
auditors to irresistible slumber. The play, though
founded on one of the most powerful stories of ro-
mance, and wrought by the skill of a man whose
verse eras full of the finest spirit of eloquence, is
still heavy. A hasty passion for the unities, was
among the follies of authorship in that day ; and the
drama which the author produced has now for its chief
merit. that of making the greatest possible number of
oppressive harangues, with the least possible change
of place. Miss COOKE. M as the confidante; and it is a
sufficiently humble praise to say, that she did all that
was requisite for her moderate part. Her appear-
ance is prepossessing, and favouritism is easily won
to such a fate and figure : but she has some defects
so easily remedied, that we cannot avoid suggesting
there,—and so lightly affecting her real merits, that
we may observe upon' them without the c:fance of
giving pain to one with whom our criticism would
wish to deal es gently. I44is Cooney voice has a
strange propensity to whining, and there cannot be
one more prejudicial to its etket. A slight degree of
attention might also remkod her, that co?fidiade as
she is, she is expected to be decidedly a lising, and
breathing, and moving being. The soft sorrows of
an automaton, however they may surprise us at the
ingenuity which dressed and set it out before us,
find but little sympathv ; and Miss COOKE, to make
us share in her antic:thous. must give us some plainer
evidence of her being susceptible of human setisa-
. lions, before she can draw upon our's. MES../03:4
STON'S performance deserved peculiar praise. in the
scene where she discovers the deception of the letter,
she was impressive and subduing in no common de-
gree. The strong simple sincerity of her acting was
a most striking and most unlucky contrast to the la-
borious vehemence of her unmanageable lover.

The Tellers et the Exchequer are said to have made
atender of one-thin' of the emoluments and profits
enjoyed by them as Tellers of the Exchequer, during
the continuance of the war.

The Address icto be moved in the Muse of Lords
by the Marquis of QUEENSRURT—in .the House of
Commons it is to be moved by Lord Cwrz and se-
eouded by Mr. litur Davis, junior.
We understand that 10 sail of the line, 15 fri•
gates, and 20 large gun-brigs are to be fitted for the
Aperican statioa directly. Le Rhin, 34, now in
Plymouth Sound, is one of the frigates. The Ad-
miralty- have adopted the regulation of increasing the
crews of the 44 gun frigates with 40 additional hands,
the 32 gun frigates with 3() additional hands, and
gun-brigs in proportion; to meet on equal terms the
large American frigates.
Part of a fleet from Newfoundland, under convoy
of the Antelope, with Sir JOHN DUCKWORTH oh
board, is arrived in the Channel.
Sir SIDNEY SMITH is arrived on the station of the
British fleet off Toulon, where the gallant Knight is
to act as second in command under Sir EDWARD
PELLEW. We understand from the same letters
that the French fleet in Toulon, is extremely formi-
dable in numbers, and that the ships are in excellent
' condition.

......
Rear-Admiral BEDFORD is appointed Captain of
the fleet in the North Sea under Admiral Your:a.
The rumour of BONAPARTE'S death is still report-
ed, but without the least symptom of authority. It
is with him as with every one who has the conscious-
ness of deserving private enemies ; he is under the
incessant alarm of assassination; and takes mea-
sures to avoid the exposure of his person. Ile has
loaded pistols and stilettos ever on his table and in
his holsters, and whenever any person approaches
him in his apartment, the name is pronounced aloud
from officer to officer in the outer rooms, that he may
be put upon his guard before he enters.
Madame MARA had a house in Moscow, which,
with the furniture, was consumed at the time of the
conflagration. She is now in St. Petersbuigh, and
enjoys perfect health.
Saturday a seaman, belonging to the Impregnable
man of war, lying in the Downs, while furling the
sails, fell from the fore-top-sail yard-arm ; and, his
head striking the sheet-anchor, occasioned his imme-
I diate death.