The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-08-29
fTbe Gnquirer.
RICHMOND, 2stb AUGUST.

RICHMOND, asb AUGUST.
To wake the foul by tender arokes of art,
Ie raiie the genius, and TO mend the heart.
10 make mankind in csnfcious virtue bold
Live DER each fcene. and be what they behold:
For this, the tragic Mule fra ,rod the Gage
Pope.
On Monday night, Mr.. COOPER PLAYED
the character of Othel'o; and Mr.. GREEN
that of Iago, in Shskefpeare's E" OTHEILO.
THE MOOR OF VENICE" -
1t is impollb'e to run through every particu.
lar fcene, inwhich Mr.. COOPER fhone pre.emi
nent. nun might count over her beads fe
ven hundred fold, before the Genius could be
completed. Every icene, every fpeech, every
fentence of the drama, in which Othelio bears
part, would have TO be exhauted. Not thole
paiiages alone, which fell from his lips, would
be quoted, bur tnote which were calculated
to call forth the emotions of Othelio. 1t is
in this under play of his character; it is at tho(e
points OF the drama, where every member but
the tongue fpeaks the emotions of the man.
that he more than ever towers above his COM
petitors. When Cooper fpeaks, it is impofIi-
BILE not to devour every found which he utters ::
when Cooper liltens, his eye, his lip, his fore
head, his fingers are almof adequate to fuppy
the ceti2ton of his voce.-It is enough then, that
paiiing over the innumerabe graces of his per-
Torrance, we note fome of his mott prominent
beauties as the pages of the play rapidly roll
beneath our fingers.
In the Sword-icene with Brabantio, the calm,
ielt-balanced intrepidity of the folder broke
forth, when he commanded all tumult to ceaf- ::
Were it ny cue to fight, fhould have known it
Without prempter."
In the feDate- fcene, his apologize fpeeches
werepronounced with the full force ofconfcious
and triumphant innocence. Every word fcem-
ed animated by the emotion, which he felt !;
like " each particular hair, upon the fretful
porcupine." When he defcribes his firh dif.
covery Of Defdemona's love, each feature of
his face ieemed again to sliRen with the recoI
lected JOY. But there was fweetnefs, a foft-
NETS in his tone if it feared to fling tho hifto
ry or his love abroad into the world, 4 n,eltin.
cadence as if infpred anew by the memory of
his early love, when he poured forth the word
. plant" in the folowin. palIase, which h.e
die defcription
-" which oblerving,
Took once plant hour, and found good means
o draw from her prayer of earnea heart"
The mUtic of his voice as he pronounced the
word &c wonderful" was fveet as Apollo,s lute ::
Twas pitiful, twas wandrous ptiful!
II was blended expreiiion of the tender af
toniihment of Defdemona when fhe heard his
achievements, with the modehy of the
folder who narrates them.
In the Fracas-fcene, where he Gathers Caffio,
his powers of command were amply pourtray-
ed.
-" What in town Of war,
Yet wild, the peoples hearts brim-fulI of fear
TO manage private and domeftic quarrel
' In night, and on the court and guard of fafety
" 'fi, monitrous. Say, Iago, who began't
His command was irrefiftbe and the fic-
titious lago was compelled to obey.
But it isin thofe fcenes where the birth and
progrefs of his jealoufy is evolved, where fill
heiitating between the native unaffected honef-
~ of Defdemona, and the artfui evidences of
her guilt that are accumulated by the villain
Gus lago, one while reiaP(ing into the conf
deace OF love, & at another reluctantly yielding
beneath the plaulible circumstances of fufpici-
on, until his imagination completely rides az
cend1nt and he determines that Defdemona
fhonld die; it is amida this uproar of the di-
certified and fublimated pa1ions, that the mind
of Cooper difplays all its theatric treafures.
In that much-Celebrated pahage, in the irft
fcene of jealoufy with Iago,
Perdton catch my foul but do love thee
contrary to Sheridan's opinion and the mon
forcible expreiion of the line, Mr.. Cooper
placed the empbalis on the word " love :" in
nead of &" do" " The emphaGs on the latter
Vays Sheridan) marks the vehemence Of his af-
fiction much better, than any emphais on the
verb love" could"
In the fame fceGe, when Iago frt touched
upon the fpring of all his wocq, by pronouncing
the word " jeaIeufy;" Cooper roared above
himfelf Every limb, every fratare feemed to
be aEonized on the rack But it was his eye
alone, haggard, wild, prois9ed to the earth,
and dimly burtmg through his knitted eve
brow, that f$sd amoR every gaze. The Pit,
who caught the full force of it's exprefioa,
burr into the Ioudeft plaudits.--iIis Judgment,
however, pdufes in its fufpicions, and it ebbs
back into the confidence of rccoe9ed love:
" No, Iago,
& I'll fee, before doubt; when doubt, prove /;
In the fcene, where IAgo works upon his i
imagination by the aid OF the Rrawberry hand e
kercbsf," the agitated fufpence of his mind
gives way to the deepening horrors Of Sefpera-
ton. With what fad recolie Etious, did Mr.. Coop
er reliuquilh the once pleafng icenes of" o.
thello's occupation 20
Oh now, for ever
Farewell the Tranquil mind, Farewell content
Farewell the plum, - troops, aud the big war
" That make ambition virtue Oh, FAREWELL