The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-09-12

~ Z, - - I.+.Hi - 80. 10 y e.
I There is nothing. which so much deter
mines the taste OF the Manager. or the sue
CESS OF his labours as the choice of his dramas.
What an immense scope is left to his seiec-
tons, both in the varieties OF scenes which
are exhibited. and in the different lights in
which these are hit off by different authors
Some display the effects of Lone Others
the torture OF jeQLonsy-somet the madden
| ing energy OF .dnibition---.tnd others, the
| ridiculous or fatal effects of fashionable vices.
These are infinitely diversified by their ex-
hibtion. The age of Charles Cd has man
ncriSni OF its own, peculiarly distinct from
that of 1900. Beaumont and Fletcher mis-
take lewdness for love, and scurrili,y for wit
1.-The genius Of Sheridan and Holcroft is
chaste. attic. descriptive of the feelings of the
heart. or the ruling follies of the day. '
t. The Manager shoulA select the finest pro
ductions of Sheridan. Cumberland Holcroft.
Colman, Moreton--eVery DIANA that is re.
commended by the lustre of its sentiments,
the elegance of its dialogue, the keenness
or its wit, the. beauty of its plot and the ri
dicule Of fashionable follies
re- Every thing should be exploded, which
partakes of the indecent, the gross, the sour.
riious or the'buitoon. Where the Manager
persists In soisting these uponthe stage, they
should be Kissed ard hooted off by the audi
cnce. Thus, what shall we think of the Enter
tainuent exhibited on Friday night of g For
tunes trolic - where tn = audience was
entertained with such iow-lived expressions.
as "feasting bellies, and filing CUTS 90
:. Let them repeat the affecting, though not
always the appropriate lines of Johnson's
Prologue. delivered at the opening cf Drury
/ Lane in 1747.
~ = Yptr (,spe f,,.
| TIE Stage 6nt eckoes back hc 3ubEc poicc;
| The Dramas fdsvs, the dramas patrons efpe,
For zpe that G0e to please, must Please 10 Hve.
| .5lhe company, who now grace the boards
OF the Richmond Theatre, are worthy of
public encouragement The Manager de-
serves our thanks for his exertions and his
care. The Scenery is uncommonly elegant
! he Music is extremely fine. The Play
erS' seneraily speaking. good !
In the whole range of he DrdptaUs Per.
SONG Mrs. Placide is our favorte-her voice
sweet, pathetic and so expressive, that you
can scarcely mark the emtihaSis OF her
worts--her eye brilliant and penetrating
| her countenance, robed in all the varie
ties OF the passions-her gestures, so hap
ply attemperedto the part, which she repre-.
| sents-her full understanding OF her cha
racter--her never ceasing attention TO the
scene III which she is engaged-her never
forgetting, that she is on tho stage, and yet
her always playing her part SO naturally, as
to make as forget it-stamp her with the
| reputation Of being one of the best actresses
which has ever adorned the Theatre of Vir-
gina. She is in many respects similar to our
cid favorite, Mrs. West AS the celebra-
ted Mrs. Merry vas. she is deficient III the
portability and grace of herS0n but who
| can control the operations OF nature
has she then no fault p She has a few
which may be easily illustrated bv the fable
OF Menus. This laughing God was an eter-
nal Satyrist upon the inhabitants OF the skies.
Jupiter determined TO see, whether he would
not disarm him of his ridicule, commanded
his daughter Venus TO array herself in all
her charms, and appear before the dread
tribunal of the laughing God. The Goddess
| obeyed with blushing difiidence and trem-
| bling solicltude. Momus was confounded by
the excellence which stood before him-he
| surveyed her over and over with critical ad-
miratlon---'at length, turning to the ITEM
bling beauty. he dismissed her with this pa
negyric: go, Child, and tell your father,
that you will do very well; ouly your slipper
| creG&S u Httfe TOO mAch. I've NAV pass
the same encomum on Mrs. Piacide only
her tongue does not creak enough. Her voice
1t sometimes so low, that its sweetest accents
do not reach the listening ear. Her manner
tao, is sometimes erkrapagant and un u;,tu-
raj.
| Mrs. Green has touched this horizon but
once tins season; but she was soft, interesting,
& plctureSque-more artlcSs, and far more
unaffected than we have ever seen here.
Mr. CauLfetH has strong Hagit powers !;
noble and commanding person fine voice
his greatest danger lies in ''tearing the
passion all 10 rags % in travcstying the seri-
Gus into the deeply tragic. He overcharges
the picture with too much colourng =, ..
veracts his part beyond the modesty of ma
ture; as the Representation of Reulen Glen
roy too strongly demonstrated. L ct these
exuberances be Corrected.
Mr.: Clarke deserves every credit for the
ZEAL with which he labourS to serve the
public. No mans part is better committed
to memory--No man better feels his cha
racter. His representation of Rosalv in the
Hunter of the Alps was to the life; but his
voice, though strong, is often harsh, untuna-
bic and grumbling. He can certainly naodu
late 1t better than he does; as well as soften
down the angular movements of his arms
His improvement since he last visited the
Richmond boards, is at least an earnest of
the amelioration which future perseverance
and energy may infuse into his acting.
! Mr.. For is good in many parts His
| m "a tiDn nj Robert in tho 4 1,,,s