ON THE DEATH OF A LADY.' AH, envied lot! above this toiling scene, Now, in the bright empyreum of love, Oh! if below departed shades descend; If, in yon heaven, they know the deeds of earth, And watch that orphan babe thou gavest birth; Plymouth, 14th Dec, 1805. J. NORRINGTON, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY, JAN. 21. The Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Ellenborough, Lord Hawkesbury, and Lord Dartmouth, took their seats before the throne as Lords Commissioners. The Commons having been summoned, attended below the bar, when the Lord Chancellor read the speech which his majesty had addressed to both houses. THE SPEECH. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "In pursuance of the authority given to us by his Majesty's commission, under the great seal, amongst other things to declare the cause of his holding this parliament, his Majesty has directed us particularly to call your attention to the most decisive success with which Providence has vouchsafed to bless his Majesty's arms at sea, since you were last assembled in parliament. "The activity and perseverance of his Majesty's fleets have been conspicuously displayed in the pursuit and attack of the different squadrons of the enemy, and every encounter has terminated to the honour of the British flag, and the diminution of the naval force of the powers with whom his Majesty is at war; but the victory obtained over the combined fleet of France and Spain, off Cape Tra falgar, has manifested, beyond any exploit recorded even in the annals of the British navy, the skill and enterprise of his Majesty's officers and seamen; and the destruction of so large a proportion of the naval strength of the enemy has not only confirmed, in the most signal manner, the maritime superiority of this country, but has essentially contributed to the security of his Majesty's domini ens. "His Majesty most deeply regrets, that the day of that memorable triumph should have been unhappily clouded with the fall of the heroic commander under whom it was achieved, and he is persuaded, that you will feel that this lamented bat glorious termination of a series of transcendant exploits claims a distinguished expression of the lasting gratitude of the country; and that you will therefore cheerfully concur in enabling his Majesty to annex to those honours, which he has conferred on the family of the late Lord Viscount Nelson, such a mark of national munificence, as may preserve, to the latest posterity, the memory of his name and services, and the benefit of his great example. "His Majesty has commanded us further to inform you, that whilst the superiority of his arms at sea has been thus uniformly asserted and maintained, he has not been wanting in his endeavours to apply the means which were so liberally placed at his disposal in aid of such of the powers of the continent as evinced a determination to resist the formidable and growing encroachments of France. He has directed the several treaties entered into for this purpose to be laid before you; and though he cannot but deeply lament that the events of the war in Germany have disappointed his hopes, and led to an unfavourable issue, yet his Majesty feels confident, that, upon a review of the steps which he has taken, you will be of opinion, that he has left nothing undone on his part to sustain the efforts of his allies, and that he has acted in strict conformity to the principles declared by him and recognized by parliament as essential to the interests and security of his own dominions, as well as to the general safety of the continent. "It is a great consolation to his Majesty, and one in which he is persuaded you will participate, that although the Emperor of Germany has felt himself compelled to withdraw from the contest, his Majesty continues to receive from his august ally, the Emperor of Russia, the strongest assurance of unshaken adherence to that generous and enlightened policy by which he has been hitherto actuated; and his Majesty has no doubt that you will be fully sensible of the important advantage to be derived from preserving, at all times, the closest and most intimate connection with that sovereign. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "His Majesty has directed the estimates for the year to be laid before you, and he has commanded us to assure you, that they are framed upon that scale of exertion which the present situation of the country renders indispensible. His Majesty fully relies upon your granting him such supplies, as, upon due deliberation, the public exigencies may appear to require. "It is his earnest wish to contribute, by every means in his power, to alleviate the additional burthens which must necessarily be imposed upon his people; and with this view, he has directed the sum of one million sterling, of the proceeds arising from the sale of such prizes made on the powers with which he is at war, as are by law vested in the crown, to be applied to the public service of the year. cr My Lords and Gentlemen, "His Majesty is most fully persuaded, that, whatever pride and confidence you may feel, in common with him, in the success which has distinguished the British arms in the course of the present contest, you will be sensible how much the events of the war on the continent, by which the predominant power and influence of France have been so unhappily extended, require the continuance of all possible vigilance and exertion. "Under this impression, his Majesty trusts that your attention will be invariably directed to the improvement of those means which are to be found in the bravery and discipline of his forces, in the zeal and loyalty of every class of his subjects, and in the unexhausted resources of his dominions, for rendering the British empire invincible at home, as well as formidable abroad; satisfied that by such efforts alone the contest can be brought to a conclusion, consistent with the safety and independence of the country, and with its rank amongst the nations of the world." MEMORANDA DRAMATICA. DRURY-LANE. DEC. 16-The YOUNG ROSCIUS, on his first appearance thts season in Young Norval, was greeted with very loud applause; but several attempts were made, in the early part of the tragedy, and before his entrée, to prevent the play from proceeding. This opposition, (whether it arose from individuals who thiuk but meanly of Master Betty's talents, or from a wish to put an end to the rage for child-acting) cannot, on any principle, be justified. To drive rudely from the stage, a youth, whom last season they welcomed with an enthusiasm beyond all precedent, and shouts of continued applause, which still ring in our ears, would certainly be unjust to his merits, and by no means consistent or honourable on the part of the public. The wonder has been, and still is, that a BOY of such an age should act so well. If misjudging people, or too-partial admirers, have considered him as combining all the qualities of a perfect actor, and eclipsing all his contemporaries and predecessors, the fault and the folly are theirs. Their hyperbolical praises should not be suffered to affect his real desert; nog ought we to visit upon his head the impotence and impudence of that swarm of children which his success has let loose upon every theatrical town in the kingdom. We are bound to "speak of him as he is," a youth of fourteen years of age, and, as such, he is an object of admiration and astonishment. We have now seen him in twelve of the most arduous characters in the drama; Achmet, Norval, Frederick, Octavian, Romeo, Hamlet, Richard, Osman, Tancred, Gustaous Vasa, Macbeth, and Orestes; and we scruple not to repeat the general opinion which we gave of him on his first appearance before the public-" MASTER. BETTY is a wonderful boy!” JAN. 9.-The theatre was not shut, as at the other house, on account of the funeral of Lord Nelson; but, as a solemn tribute to his memory, a CENTO was performed, adapted to the occasion, from the sacred music of Handel, &c. Braham and all the principal singers in the house were employed; and the ef fect was extremely interesting and solemn. 22.—Mr. Cherry's long-expected operatic drama of the Travellers; or, the Fascinations of Music, was brought forward on this evening. The enter tainment is rather of a novel nature. It is in five acts. The scene of the first is laid in China, of the second in Turkey, of the third and fourth in Italy, and of the last in England. It could not be to shew the progress of music, as has been stated by many, that this plan has been adopted; for no such attempt is made. It was rather chosen for the opportunities it afforded of displaying that variety of characteristic music, habits, and scenery, so indispensible in a modern opera, and so certain of attracting the multitude to the theatre. Zamphimira, Prince of China, is permitted by his father to travel through the countries we have mentioned to observe their laws, manners, and customs. He is accompanied by Koyan, Mindora, the mother of Koyan, and Celinda, his sister. The latter, who is in love with the prince, assumes the disguise of a page. In Turkey, Zamphimira violates the sacred haram of the Grand Seignor, and is committed to prison, from whence he is rescued by the contrivance of Celinda. In Italy he excites the jealousy of a nobleman, and Celinda proves her affection once more by saving him from assassination. In England, Mindora finds a husband, and Koyan and Celinda a father, in Admiral Lord Hawser, who, twenty years before, having been wrecked on the coast of China, married the daughter of a Mandarin, but had been compelled to quit her and return to England. From this outline the inconsistencies of the piece will be apparent; but we shall not try Mr. Cherry by rules which we know he meant to violate. His object was to amuse the pub→ lic, and this is not to be done in an opera of the present day, without being guilty of a thousand extravagancies shocking even to the taste and feelings of the writer who commits them. We leave the Travellers therefore, (who, it is allowed, see strange things" and tell strange things too), to reconcile their adventures to common sense as well as they can. Two or three observations, however, we must be permitted to make. One applies to the subject itself, the novelty of which presents many dramatic dificulties. In every country a new story is to commence, and new characters are to be introduced. There is therefore no continued interest. The amorous character also of the prince does not recommend him to the esteem of the audience. In Turkey he falls in love with a lady for her singing: Celinda is jealous. In Italy his admiration is excited by another lady who sings a song: Celinda is jealous again. This is a twice-told tale, and Mr. Cherry might easily have avoided the repetition. The scene in which the Italian Marquis receives, in his own breast, the dagger he had designed for that of the Chinese Prince, is only transferred from the Wife of two Husbands and Hawser and his wife and children have been seen in almost similar circumstances in Wild Oats; for instance, Sir George Thunder, Amelia, and Rover. Mr. Cherry, however, if he has not given us much novelty of character or incident, has performed his task altogether in such a manner as to please the public, and to allow him to be pleased with himself. His opera is showy, busy, and diversified. The sentiments are put into good language; the songs are HVOL, XXI. pretty well written; the sailor's fulsome compliments to the English character are loudly applauded, and the blunders of the Irishman set the audience in a What writer of operas can desire more? roar. The music is by Corri. With the exception of Braham's first air, which he sung with a taste, a pathos, an expression, that has never been excelled; his "Trumpet sounds a Victory" in the fourth act; and the songs by Mrs. Mountain, most charmingiy given; we did not notice any thing very striking or original in point of composition. The scenery of the first act is splendid almost beyond example; and there is a fine view of the cabin of a man of war in the last. Of the dresses it is almost superfluous to speak. In every piece they are now as superb as expence can make them. COVENT-GARDEN. DECEMBER 23.-An extraordinary circumstance took place this evening. Mr. Hargrave, having received some tokens of disapprobation from a part of the audience, while performing Barbarossa, retired to his dressing room at the end of the second act, and quitted the theatre. An apology was soon after made, and Mr. Chapman read the remainder of the character. It was in this part that Mr. Hargrave was so roughly treated, on the night of Master Betty's appearance last season. We do not blame his conduct on the present occasion. His feelings were, no doubt, severely wounded: but we regret that the partial disapprobation he experienced should have prompted him to a measure, which will, perhaps, for ever prevent his return to the stage. As an actor, he had strong and often painful peculiarities, but to these the public were growing accustomed; and in some characters, particularly in Old Norval, Lusignan, Suffredi, the Duke in As you Like it, &c. his judgment, feeling, and energy gave uncommon satisfaction. 28.-Gustavus Vasa.-This tragedy was the first play prohibited by the Lord Chamberlain under the licencing act. After it had been in rehearsal three weeks, the representation was forbidden. "To shame the rogues," Mr. Brooke printed his play, and the subseription amounted to £.1000. It does not interest much on the stage, now that it has been permitted to visit it; but the sentiments are nobly patriotic, and the diction poetical in the highest degree. The character of Gustavus is purely declamatory, and not calculated to produce much effect. The genius of Master Betty shone vividly in some of the passages; but the part is, in every point of view, improper for him. Arvida possesses more dramatic interest, and Mr. H. Johnston performed it admirably. 30.-Harlequin's Magnet; or, The Scandinavian Sorcerer.-This splendid pantomime, invented by Mr. T. Dibdin, and prepared and produced under the superintending taste of Mr. Farley, is founded on the northern mythology, and abounds with magnificent scenery, and surprising transformations; as the following fable will, in a great measure, attest. "Nor, a powerful sorcerer, has, with the assistance of infernal agents, made war upon the votaries of Odin, with a view to get into his possession the person of Fylla, a beautiful princess, of whom he is enamoured, but who detests him, and is contracted to Harald, a young knight, who loves and is beloved by her |