Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-01-01
The Theatre-Mr. Jamison-Mr. Forrest.

We attended the Theatre Tuesday evening to
see what we had never seen, Goldsmith's delight
full Comedy of "She stoops to Conquer" acted
to see if Mr.. Jamison sustained his high rcputa.
ion-to laugh ourselves, and to enjoy the inspir.
ing laugh Of the house at Forests humor, the
favorite of the town.
We were really mortified TO see so thin house
to acting so excellent, and could not but wonder
at the taste Of People who, seeking amusement,
run together in crowds TO witness the Humbug of
Clairvoyance, as unnteresting as spurious, and
pass by an entertainment so innocent SO rational,
so instructive and amusing as the representation,
by actors of talent, Of one Of the finest old Come
dies in the English language.
Mr.. Jamison, Notwithstanding the damp neces.
sarily thrown upon the DramatiS Persona by emp.
~ boxes, played the part Of young NARROW with
great spirit and success. His mdu rails homie could
not, we think. have been better exhibited by even
Liston. Tony Lum?kin was played well by For
rest, Old Hardcastle by Mr.. Huntley, and Miss
Hardcastle by Mrs. Potter.
We repeat our surprize that the really excellent
representation Of a sterling old Comedy like "She
stoops to Conquer" should have been so wretch.
eddy attended One fault may be in the Orches.
tra's combining itself chiefly TO scientific pieces,
instead Of playing popular airs, melodies and bal.
lads, which strike a chord in every bosom: while
the scientific music gratifies the cultivated ear
only--that is, ono in a hundred Just as the
quack accounted TO DR.. Fordyce for having so
much larger practice than that celebrated Qua.
ker Physcian-the wise employ you, the fools
employ me Now, did we frequent the Theatre,
we should be content that the Orchestra thought
US fools for the preference, f they would only in
dulge us with music we could comprehend and
feel, and not dose us with what we neither feel
nor comprehend and the masses agree with US.
The after piece was new thing to us, called
the "IIlustrious Stranger" and Forrest shone
brilliantly in the principal part. An obscure
Londoner made supercargo Of a merchantmen, is
ship.wrecked on an unknown Island in the Japan
csc ssas. One Of the customs imposed by the reli-
gion Of the country is, that when the wife dies
the husband Is to be buried alive with her, and
when the husba nd dies, the wife. At the time Of
che arrival Of the Londoner the King was exceed
ingly anxious to marry his daughter the Princess,
for certain reasons Of state-but Ms her health
was not very good, the natives could not be indu-
ced even by a royal bride TO incur the risque Of
being buried alive But the Englishman was
looked upon as the "Illustrious Stranger" ofwhoso
arrival Oracles had told lie was carried before
the King, who receives him with distinction, and
after brief courtship, rs married TO the Princess,
all the while being kept in ignorance Of the Gus
tom Of the country. The princess drOops, and
her end yisibly approaching, the Londoner learns
b. he FIRST time, of the custom mentioned. His
coDsie'~alion is described with the most power.
hd b"mor, Nod was acted out by Forest up 10 the
life. when 81 dies after few days, and the
Isondoner is ledi1 PRECISION, dressed his grave
bsbiliments, TO be entomsed alive along with her,
she conic effect exceeds any oower we possess
90 describs. For our part, though Aot merrily IN.
clined elder, We felt and acted as ID. Johnson
~ad hs de- ia hepripe Foote's fao at table 70, the
frssi~o--'ihs dog was 20 oO~icet that al'ho'