Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-04-30
PROVIDENCE.

! misery Of the world, is positively involved IN
dramatic representations, and as We are not
of an opinion that the planetofy system would
10 destroyed if Theatre. did not exist, we
have not on former occasions devoted so
many Of our columns to dramatic concern
mcnts, as some ofour cotemporaIies We are
however, warmly attached to the stage, and
love to see it cherished and protected; but
then. that Lore, has rot induced rs to notice all
that has been thrown at us, by the editor Of
the Boston American Traveller, with refer
encc to tho DIANA in tina, city; and for thus
ncglecting him. ho has thought proper to cast
at US the annexed remarks, which are contain
ed in his paper of last Friday. They a.c of
very grars and dignifed nature, and we shall
notice them in noics, which will be appended
to the tail of the article.
"BiHy Blake. The editor of the Literary
Cadet, in spite OF The laugh OF all tie sensible
| plly-gocrs IN Providence, continues his semi
weekly chapters TO prove tha, this OUtcdSt OF
| the fremont Theatre is the best player IN
! America. ri With all the gravity nnagina-
| Bile, he asser that "as a comedian, he has no
superior on the oontncut!' ri THIS same
critic, who would cxalt ad sidera, his idol Bill
| ly, last year thought Macrcady a heavy, stiff
performer, and not much above medocrity!
| [3l De gustijus, &c. But the most amusing
idea in the Cadets BiQkeiGna is, that toe have
| undertaken to inlure the "eohedltn 5 ierHt!
ton. "Reputation" [i] indeed! Why the
| fellow long since forfeited all claims TO this
term. A player who has been banlshcd from
one theatre for his beauty; who has repeated
| lV InSul ed tln "A ulIpnrn of anOtIpT. md lN
| their unanimous voice been expelled lis walls;
| who, furthermore, makes il a practice TO take
himseD of, and cheat his honest crcd.tors,can
| have, we should suppose, but few claims upon
| the good opmion OF the public. ~
By the way, we have word for our friend
| of the Cadet. Why have YOU not, in u prompt,
manly manrcr, acknowledged that the report
of Gil!ert's leasing tie fremont [G] Thca'ie
first had tangible shape in your columns; and
further corrected the gross misrepresentation
! relating to Mr.. Cooper's engagement in tins
ci'y; which, after 1t appeared among your
loaded matter, knowing as NC did is !i!slty,
we took the liberty TO ask you to amend:
ri As 80 orr having contondod that Mr..
Blake, is one of the best light comedians otthe
country in "spite of the laugh [laughterl of
all the sensible play-gocrs in Providence" wc
deny having done so, and for the information
of our friend OF The Traveller, We shall say,
that with reference 10 the merits of this goH-
,eman, the visitors of our Theatre, lave cx-
pressed bat ono opinion, and that IS IN his IA
yor. Since he has been with us, he has sus-
tanned the reputation OF an accomplished actor
as well as that Of a gentleman.
ri 1t is true, that we have said and that
to "w,h all the gravity imaginable" if the gem
tlenan of the Traveller wishes TO have il So
that Mr.. Blake 'as comedian, has 10 superb
or on the continent" Such is our opinion and
until we are convinced that that opinion is not
founded on facts We shall continuc to express
il, in defiance of the critical structures of the
gentleman Of the Traveller. In this, we were
foremly suppored,by the editor Of the Travel
Ter, who no, four months ago, was not only an
admlrer of Mr.. Blake but his sycophantic trum-
peter.
[3l As for the opinion VIC formed and eX-
pressed in relation to Mr.. Macrcady's enact
ing, it was worth quite as much as that which
was formed and expressed by those papers, who
were in the pay OF the Theatre, and dared not
utter a word that was not laudiiory, and who
continued to puff that gentlemar, for the consid-
Grafton ola free ticket, and who in fact, never
had an opinion ofther own, on any subject, {,
and, who make it rule TO pua or censurc, ac-
cording to the instructions of a manager.
We had the hoaor if you please, Of seeing
Mr.. Macready several times; and although we
heard packed audiences applaud HIM to the
skies we did not Ike him; and to our mind,
he appeared cold, stiff, studied and Io:mal;-
a mere mcchan.cal actor, who performed as
Ben Johnson would say
"iy line md ly rue,
| Like many fuoi,
without feeling, and without oyncing, any
particular talent, OF real passion. But we
were probably too dull to discover his mighty
merits; certainly VIC were too Independent to
worship him as Dramatic God, simply be-
cause he was imported from London, and had
bowed TO His Britanuc Ma lcsIy, iom the
stage Of "Old Drury." We had an opinion OF
our own, however, whether it was right or
wrong, and we yenturcd 10 express it. Had
Mr.. Macready, been u native born citizen OF
the United States, we doubt if he would have
received the exiravagant cncomiuns which
were bestowed upon hm by the Editor OF the
| Boston American Traveller, and his cotcmpo-
rares, at the instance of, and in compliance
| with, the dlciation of british managers, OF
| american Theatres. Mr.. Macrcady was
pullod into the good graces Of the American
public, long ere &C landed on these shores f;
for, long before he left the "fast anchored |
Isle," the press tcemcd with his praises, aud |