Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-02-27

proper subject for such an Office.
: MR.. CooPER's FAILURE.-The failure of
Mr. Cooper, in London, has excited more than
ordinary interest, ameng the theatrical people
Of the United States, and bis friends are full Of
speculation on the subject. They contend, that
he was not fairly treated, and that John Bull,
had conspred to damn him, ere he reached the
chalky cliffs Of old Albion This we do not
believe, and are very much disposed to believe,
that Mr.. Cooper had fair, land an unprsjudicod
trial.
We say this with great sincerity and candour,
and not from any hostile feelings for an actor,
who for many years, was tho favorito Of the
American dramatic people. From our child
hood, upwards, we have been accustomed to
witness the dramatic efforts of Mr.. Cooper,
and although we ever considered him superb
or actor, when confined TO a particular range
of business, we mover admired him, as the rep
ressntative of shakspeare's heroes. In this
particular department of the drama, TO our
mind, hs always failed, and the more SO in his
latter days, when age, and physical debilites,
impaired his native prowess. His Macbeth,
we always considered absolutely intolerable-
his Romeo and Hamlet, but little better; and
it was only in the Icons, the Zangas, Duke
Aranzas, Penrudocks and Copper Captains,
that wS liked him. In thus passing judgment,
we may have boen singular. and injudcious,
but such has been our. judgment, and we have
moro than once expressed it.
The simple fact is, Mr.. Cooper has been
spoilt by his friends; = they have rated him too
high; and, satisfied with their encomiums, and
depending entirely on their judgment, he has
of late, acquired habits Of incidence, careless
ness, and false security, which have ruined
him in the eyes of all others, save those of his
partial friends Mr. Cooper, may have been a
great actor, but to our mind, his readings and
conceptions of Shakespeare, have ever been in
accurate and bad. We are sorry, however,
that he has failed among his own courtrymen
Among Englshnen--and for his sake, we
could Rave hoped, that he would not risk his
fame before an English audience.
The following ccount ofthe reception of Mr.
Cooper, is from the London Morning Chroni-
Gle.
" Mr.. Cooper is man, apparently on the
shady side Of ffty,' so that he has arrived at
the full possession Of his powers, such as they
| are. He stands about five feet nine inches
high, rather corpuent, and with full ruddy
countenance, not capable Of much expression,
either in force or variety. He was received
| with general applause, and went through the
earlier scenes with degree Of approbaiion.-
They wanted that appearance Of reflection and
thought that ought to be given to them; and
the snperannuated agency Of the witches, pro-
duced little impression upon him. His solo-
quies were rather laborious than judicious, but
the dagger scene was perhaps the least object
ionable of them, and had some admirers. Dis
appreciation began TO manifest itself in the
middle Of the second act, and tho mode in
which Macbeth tipped out to behold the dead
body Of Duncdn,aiter the arrival Of .Naeduf,
| occasioned u little laughter. For some time
the misses and applauses kept pretty even pace,
but the former at length decidedly got the
start; and it was quite evident that the per-
former was not competent TO the task he had
undertaken. Cries of 'Of, OFF, we're heard
| towards the close Of the third act, when Ban
guo's Ghost was, as it were, driven hom the
stage by his murderer; and from this period to
! the fall of the tain, the opposition increas-
ed. II is needless and useless for us TO point
out particular passages or scenes of failure, or
To quote instances of mistaken emphasis. Mr.
Cooper's emphasis is alwsys, if we may so call
it, mono onous, and he has apparently no cor
rect knowledge Of the terms put into his mouth
In the last part Of the tragedy. he staggered
and rolled about the stage with almost an ap-
pearance Of intoxicaton; his combat and death
were both clumsily and incifcently managed;
and after he had fallen, the house sent up a
shout" loud enough to waken the dead, if he
had been really SO, and would not listen to
another syllable"
Several Of the papers of this country, the
advocates Of Mr. er,-and why they are
his advocates they cannot tell-very unjustly,
and idly ascribe hir failure, to the opposition of
Mr.. Kcan's friends, and to underhanded meas
uros rcsorted TO by Mr.. Kean himself They
also say, that Kcan employed the London
Press, to oppose Mr.. Cooper! This is absurd
y ridiculous. Mr.. Kean, was never hostile TO
Mr.. Cooper, and Il he wore %, il Is we'll knorn