Jan. 9. Man and Wife; or, More Secrets than One.-Robinson Crusoe. 10. Id.-Id. 11. Id.-Id. 12. Id.—Id. 13. Id.-Id. 14. Id.-Id. 16. Id.-Blue Beard. (See Dec. 23.) 17. Id.-Robinson Crusoe. 18. Id.-Id. 19. Id.--Blue Beard. 20. Id.-Robinson Crusoe. HAY-MARKET. Dec. 21. Othello; Othello, (first time,) Mr. Young.-Double Wedding.-Portrait of Cervantes. 22. Town and Country.-Double Wedding.-Arbitration. Dec. and tide in his favour throughout. At all times vile in the taste of his habiliments, Mr. Elliston is also unlucky-his favourite everlasting breeches his little white indispensables, so indispensable on this occasion, were missing.-When did he ever see an officer in a full-dress naval uniform, with half boots and pantaloons? Mr. Wroughton's Faulkner was, through the successful diligence of the Author, in inventing a being with motives which never could have actuated him, supremely dull and ridiculous. More of these salutary animadversions might be made, but we can take a hint :-Mr. Arnold has taught us, according to the elegant language of the accomplished Helen, that" though you may lead a horse to the water, you cannot make him drink,” and his fellow labourers have long left us without a doubt on the subject. Mr. Mathews's Ponder is what is called a character he is a quaint fellow, who is always thinking, or thinking that he thinks, or rather saying "I think." It was frequently entertaining, but a part worse dressed we never beheld. It was mean without being characteristic. He spoke the Prologue, and Mrs. Jordan the Epilogue. The latter is particularly contemptible, but the audience were too well pleased and good-humoured not to laugh at every thing. The production of this Comedy certainly makes Mr. Arnold shine amongst his ininor contemporaries, but the figure he cuts, yields, as we gather from Lord Bacon, a melancholy prospect:-" He that seeketh,” says he, "to be eminent amongst able men, hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public: But he that plots to be the only figure amongst cyphers, is the decay of a whole age." HI-VOL. V.* Dec. 23. Venice Preserved *.-Double Wedding.-School for Authors. 26. Id. †-Mother Goose. 27. Town and Country.—Id. 29. Jane Shore 1.-Id. 30. Busy Body; Miranda, (first time,) Mrs. H. Johnston.-~ Id. 31. Exile.-Id. Jan. * Mr. Cooke was neither "fine, gay, nor hold-faced," in Pierre. The part of Belvidera was acted by a Mrs. Beaumont, from the Glasgow Theatre, who is sister to Mrs. Mudie, and of course aunt to the little fright, that caused the reputation of the young Rosciùs to miscarry. She possesses the family beauty, with rather more than the family talent. It is said that her sister proposed to the Drury-lane Manager, to run them against each other, and thus divide the town. The Manager, though he doubt. less remembered the contest of Garrick and Barry, in Romeo, was so blind to his own interest as to disregard the hint. Another report states, that she never intended to take an engagement, or any thing else in London, except a little fame to make her shine brighter in the country. + Mr. Pope acted Pierre in lieu of Mr. Cooke. The latter is unequal to the part; "of two evils chuse the least." We had rather have the Pope than the Pretender. + Mrs. Beaumont was more at home in Alicia than in Belvidera. The latter is a part of real pathos, the former of unmeaning rant. Both houses, in their Harlequivades, are content with revivals. This economical arrangement reminds us of French and English privateers agreeing not to attack each other. Mother Goose has been needlessly lengthened two scenes from the last year's pantomime. The performance was not over till twelve o'clock. Grimaldi's Clown is by far the best in our memory. Laurent has great merit, but with more agility is less characteristic; Grimaldi was, however, his pupil. The tricks of the latter seem the result of mischievous malice; those of the former of school-boy hilarity. What with the largeness of Drury-lane, and the smallness of the Haymarket, poor Harlequin suffers all the torments of the captives of Procrustes. "In medio tutissimus ibis," said Apollo to young Jehu, his barouche-driving son-We hope he will repeat the adage from the top of Drury-lane, in a voice sufficiently loud to be over. heard by Mr. Smirke, junior, before he has erected the new theatre. NOTE. 1809. Jan. 2. Hamlet; (Mr. Young.)-Mother Goose. 3. Beaux Stratagem.—Id. 4. Iron Chest.-Id. 5. Busy Body. Id. 6. Speed the Plough.-Id. 7. Poor Gentleman.-Id. 9. Revenge; Zanga, (first time,) Mr. Young.-Id. 11. Macbeth; (first time) Mr. Young.-Who wins? 13. Gamester; Beverley, (first time,) Mr. Young.-Id. 16. Merchant of Venice.-Mother Goose. 17. Provoked Husband; Lord Townley, Mr. Young.-Id. 19. Exile.-Prisoner at Large. 20. Gamester.-Mother Goose. NOTE. SA merry Christmas, and a New Year more unhappy than the bitterest enemy could desire, have prevented the writer's minute attention to the theatres. It is, however, to be regretted on the part of the public, merely as it relates to the performances of Mr. Young, who has appeared in Othello, Macbeth, Beverley, &c. This neglect shall be reme. died as early as possible. At present we can only say, on the authority of several discerning friends, that Mr. Young has acquitted himself so much to the satisfaction of all good judges, that if Mr. Elliston had seen him, it would have made his face some three inches nearer the longitude of tragic measure, since Mr. Young appears to have confirmed a remark made by old Sheridan, that Mr. Graham had done more mischief to Drury-lane Theatre, by missing this tragedian, than he is likely to do good to it for these ten years to come. Mr. Elliston has no great powers of mind, or advantages of study, and vanity is the best character of his ambition, which only raises a man up, the more effectually to break his neck. Mr. Young, on the contrary, has a "clear spirit," and has “ scorned delights, and lived laborious days." He is said to have that towering ambition, which Milton so finely describes as the "last infirmity of noble mind," and if it be so, he is secure at every point of elevation, to which his genius may raise him. The actor, who plays merely for his pay, is unworthy of his hire, as well as he who, like Mr. Elliston in Tragedy, can be flattered by the applauses of those, whose judgment is on a level with his own. KING'S THEATRE. The Opera, under Mr. Taylor's management, and M. D'Egville's Ballet-mastership, opened, after several delays, on the 6th of January. The entertainments were new.-A comic Opera, called Il Cuppriciosa Pentita, and a Ballet, intitled, Les Amours de Glauque, ou la Vengeance de Venus. In the former Madame Collini made her debût. Her acting is very spirited and interesting, which is by no means the character of the Opera itself, and this want of life and gaiety, seems entirely owing to its being comic! As a singer she has nothing of the Phoenix about her, but she displayed a voice of considerable capacity, and without much execution has a manière which is very prepossessing and agreeable. Fioravante's music lacks variety. That admirable Buffo, Signor Naldi, has again accepted an engagement. We are so pleased with his return to us, that we shall not look into the return he makes to Mr. Waters, who paid him a salary of 500l. last season, on his promise not to engage with Mr. Taylor. Some people may call this ingratitude—but they think very differently of these things in Italy! In the Ballet we have Mons. Vestris and Madame Angiolini. This Vestris is no Apollo, but a little clumsy gentleman, with a face quite beyond all expression. Without being much indebted to the Graces, he is, however, a surprising dancer. Madame Angiolini is in every way pretty, as a woman and as a dancer. M. D'Egville, conceiving himself in the region of Fable, has taken a variety of liberties, consistent with his situation. Glaucus *, who should have a fish's tail, is made a dancer, and what was thought burlesque by Mr. Colman, when he makes Daggerwood say, "That's new, an audience never saw the moon behind a cloud," is beat hollow by M. D'Egville, who makes the audience see the clouds behind the sun. The whole, however, went off with approba tion. OLYMPIC PAVILION. We have still to return to novelty. A new Ballet of Action, The Polish Tyrant, and a new pantomime, Prophecy, have been produced since last month. The latter is full of whim and drollery, while the former, with Mrs. Astley in the Woman of Ten Thousand, (her part by nature,) exhibits some of the most graceful and expressive action in dumb show, that ever was beheld. Since this representation, the house is constantly full. THEATRICAL CHIT-CHAT. Mr. Arnold's Comedy is called "More Secrets than One," the second * Deshayes. is, as we hear, that he has received considerable assistance in the composition of the piece. Mr. Coutts, the banker, has given 1007. more to the Theatrical Fund, for the relief of decayed actors. The aged amateur shews an extraordinary deal of mettle in this pursuit. He who feels so much for other decayed actors, will, we hope, in his need meet with assistance himself. The first stone of the new theatre in Covent-Garden, was laid on the 31st of December. An account of the ceremony will be given in our next Number. A new Opera-House is talked of. Drury-Lane. Secretary Charles Ward, Esq. has an Opera forthcoming. The character, we have heard of it, justifies us in saying, that the music of the ingenious Mr. Bishop, is to endeavour to put this genuine piece of the Bourd in motion. PROVINCIAL DRAMA. THEATRE-ROYAL, EDINBURgh, dec. 1. MR. EDITOR, ALLOW me to offer a few remarks upon the opening of our theatre for the present season; indeed, I should not have been so quick in my communication, but I feel it my duty to give this early account to check imposition, and prevent my honest countrymen from being duped by the bills of the day, which are certainly displayed with great pomp. I shall, therefore, begin with the first held up to our view, 4 Cure for the Heart» Ach, with Catharine and Petruchio, and a Pas seul, by Miss Norton, from the Opera House. first display in the bills is our old friend Mr. Dwyer, his first appearance these two years, in the character of young Rapid; to make fresh remarks on this gentleman would be superfluous, I shall only observe he is no less an actor than when he left us. The second is a Mr. Dalton (Frank Oatland) from the Theatre Royal, Brighton, his first appearance in this city. I shall be very brief in my remarks on this gentleman; his figure is trifling, a most unmeaning countenance, and when he wishes to give expression, he puts on a sort of grin, as if he smelt something disagreeable; this, added to a most horrid monotonous voice, with a slight defect in his speech, forms a strange mixture of every thing that is unfit for the stage. The first of the females held up to our view, is a Mrs. Dalton (Miss Vortex) from the Theatre Royal, Brighton, her first appearance in this city; this lady I presume is the partner of the above gentleman, although I remember her in some of the strolling companies in England, about sixteen years ago, by the |