American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-09-16
WILMINGTON, TUESDAY, l6 SEPTEMBER 1928

duce the name of Shakespeare into the best society
would beyond doubt, be voted great bore by the
Corinthians and the young ladies ton. The the
aires consequently in possession OF the vulgar,
who can relish nothing but speciacles or broad car
features country gentry that come TO town, are
taken thither by their fashionable friends, because
it is sort oil out lheway place, where their awk-
wardness and old-lashioned dresses cannot disgrace
them; and strangers driven thither by the despe.
rate hend Ennui, which is native of London,
I though baptized in French and hoyers night and
day over this cave OF spleen These last, what.
ever they may think say on the subject can have
little or no influence in correcting the taste OF the
! town.
/ "fhe result is es might be expected The taste
i Of the mob must be consulted, as by the mob the
theatres are principally supported. Every species
I of monster, moral and intellectual, legged and
i lour-legged, riots on the stage Horses dogs,
sacks, elephants, camels and dfomedarles the
heroes Of the drama, that have often been temp
ted 10 cry out with the excellent mayor OF Quin-
borough, "Give me play without beast, charge
sIyou."
"These exhibitions Of quadrupeds take prece-
dence all others, and command the most outra
Igeous plaudits Of the discriminating audience. The
next in public attention is the melo drama, where
passions expressed by the 6dders, and the author
lis saved the trouble Of attending to low matters. All
he has 10 do is to produce striking situations, at all
, ofcommon After these comes the legitimate
comedy, as the excellent critics call it, which owes
all its effect to drunken Irshman sailor, two or
three nondescrpt and original monsters, not 10 be
found earth nor in tie waters under the earth
smart hero compounded OF the opposite extremes of
S harem scarera imprudence and profound sentiment,
4 together with sentimental young lady, always
S ready 10 make fool of her parents. The dialogue
$ must consist in cant phrases, gross slang, offensive
i double entendre, and inflated sentiments on the part
: OF the young aoy-as also her lover, whenever he
It has time to be in love. Afourth class plays very
much approved ofby John Bull at present. are those
n absolutely not written by any body. They consist
of the united abors of the panters the mech
ancs the scene shilters and the "Great Unknown"
IS whose works are regularly dramascd by an indus
!. rious journeyman playwright. They are made up
Of all the most striking incidents 9th novel po
S, EN-, crowded thick as hops and umbled together
4 pretty much at random. The whole machinery Of
these aragocs is held together by the folders. who
e whenever the playwright is at his wits ends, or on
l. the verge Of absurdy or impossbiity, flourish their
10 bows, and thunder away in the very nick OF tlmes
ID while the lucky wight escapes under their cover TO
IN the next incongruity. The audience, which in
London always goes to sleep while the music is play
ing, forgets what last and the next scene COM
j mences with all the advantages of an utter oblivion
Id of the past The nice taste of the mob is thus per-
lie ecy satisfied, in Witnessing quick succession oil
IN striking Incidents without the Necessity OF tilose
fatiguing efforts make them appear probable, that
ot have thrown such obstacles in the way OF many
IN dramatic authors.
ne "But the most popular OF all those inspired wri
all ters who have lately assisted the resurrection Of
o. tragedy, is Mr.. Maturin, an Irish clergyman who
b. is in the region Of fiction, what Counsellor Phillip:
on is in that OF law. There is certainly Of tht
oil smoke Of genius in this writer and where there il
oil smoke, they say, there must be fire. But Seems
cal to be sort Of clumsy, unpurposed, and indscimi
rn nate faculty, engendered in horrors and nestled ii
ire the same cradle with the great raw head aut
&C. bloody bones'' of the nursery. 1t seems Away
Mt aboring with some mighty godhead, and yet produ
ut ces nothing but shapeless monsters. Devoted to
lg mere accumulation of horror upon horror, eStraya
Isl gance upon extravaganza his efforts seem those
led the cyclop Polyphemus the result oil energy an
in blindness combined. His genius appears in fac
entirely devoted to the saluary purpose ofexcitin
an people, like the citizens Of London, the geneele
portion of whom are so used to boxing matches, an
H. the lower classes to executions, that their biunte
he sympathes can only be awakened on the stage b
M the most disgusting exhibitions ofextrayagan hor
sts rors."
H British frigatc lately brought to England froi
-. India, present to the king from the Naoob
Dude, of several articles, valued al 200,000L. 4
r nong them is sword set in diamonds, belt,
" sword knot of diamonds and other costly jewel
the WIN an 'a'u y, ga 80, av,on, a.
u" nearly the size OF an egg. The ship has al
brought out Bird of Paradise alive, 1T being Il
list altempt Of the kind which has been made wi
a'ic success and as present TO the PrIncesse;s bu
wy aud COW Of small white breed, which the Hudo
Az worship.
an, Letters from Vera Cruz of the 9Th Of Angus