Till he threw the book down, and in passion thus stormed:

"Was ever poor lad with such horrid stuff duped? Did you e'er see a work so horribly stupid?" "The work, (replied Richard) to be sure, is a bore,

For I've yawn'd o'er its pages-as you've done― before.

But when you ask gravely, if such dull stuff I've

seen,

Yes I've read its review in a late magazine.)
A dull book, to be sure, of all witticism,
Is the dullest, except a dull criticism:

Of unseason'd gruel, this is a luke-warm dish,
A second time serv'd to a stomach that 's
qualmish ;

This book makes you gape, while o'er it you're

poring,

But the Boston Review quite doz'd me to snoring."

THE DRAMA.

ENGLISH THEATRE.

THE rage for childish performances in the English metropolis seems to have subsided. Infant Rosciuses however still spring up in different parts of the kingdom; each succeeding one being far superiour to the last. Master Frederick Brown lately appeared at Liverpool, and played Douglás, Octavian, Hamlet, &c. In the last character his fame is said to be "established beyond the reach of rivalship."-Nov. 23. Miss Mudie, a child of seven years of age, made her appearance

at Covent Garden. Marks of great disapprobation began to appear in the second act; and before the close of the fourth, control and opposition by the friends of the child were ineffectual. In the midst of the tumult the child, with the utmost assurance, came forward, and thus addressed the audience:

Ladies and gentlemen-I have done nothing to offend the company sent here to hiss me, and I hope you'll turn 'em out.

The audience however would not permit the child to go on; and the part was finished by another person.

On this subject Mr. Holcroft thus expresses himself. "To criticise a child, or to wound the wounded, would be equally unworthy; we have only to congratulate the town on these symptoms of returning sanity."

RUSSIAN THEATRE.

FROM MR. CARR'S NORTHERN SUMMER. Soon after our arrival, we visited the grand Imperial theatre, or opera house, called the Stone Theatre, which stands in a large open place, nearly in front of the marine garrison, formerly the new gaol, and the Nicolai canal. At four angles in this spacious area, are four pavilions of iron, supported by pillars of the same metal, resting upon a circular basement of granite, within which, in winter, large fir-fires are constructed, the wind being kep off by vast circular moveable shutters of iron, for warming and screening the servants of those who visit the theatre in the winter. Previous to the erection of these sheds, many of those unfortunate persons were frozen to death. The government, attentive to the lives of the people, has interdicted performances

at the opera, when the frost is unusually severe. The front is a noble portico, supported by dorick pillars; the interiour is about the size of Covent Garden, of an oval shape, and splendidly, but rather heavily, decorated. The lower tier of

boxes project from the sides, at the back of which are pilasters, adorned with appropriate decorations, richly gilded, above which are three rows of boxes, supported by corinthian pillars, each of which, as well as those below, contain nine. persons. Nothing less than the whole box can be taken. It frequently happens that servants stand behind their masters or mistresses in the boxes, during the performance, and present a curious motley appearance. The Imperial box is in the centre of the first tier, projecting a little, is small, and very plainly decorated. The pit has seven or eight rows of seats, with backs to them, in which a commodious portion of space for each spectator is marked off by little plates cf brass, numbered upon the top of the back seat; this part is called the fauteils. Such is the order observed here, and in every theatre on the continent, that however popular the piece, a spectator may, during any part of the performance, reach his seat, in this part of the theatre, without any difficulty. Behind, but not boarded off, is the pit and the parterre. The price of admission to the boxes and fauteils are two silver rubles, little more than five shillings. There are no galleries. The massy girandoles, one of which is placed at every pilaster, are never illuminated but when the Imperial family are present, on which occasion only a magnificent circle of large patent lamps is used, descending from the centre of the roof; at other times its place is supplied by one of smaller dimensions, when the obscurity which prevails induces the ladies to appear generally in an

undress. Although this gloom before the curtain is said to be advantageous to the effect of scenery, yet the eye is saddened, as it runs its circuit in vain for forms adorned with graceful drapery, the glittering gem, the nodding plume, and looks of adorned beauty, that give fresh brilliance to the gay galaxy of light. This theatre is furnished with a great number of doors and passages, reservoirs of water, and an engine, in case of fire, and with concealed flues and stoves, to give it summer warmth in winter. It is always strongly guarded by a detachment from the guards, as well as by the police officers, who preserve the most admirable order among the car, riages and servants. It is not an ungratifying sight, after the opera, to pause at the doors, and see with what uncommon skill and velocity the carriages, each drawn by four horses, drive up to the grand entrance under the portico, receive their company, and gallop off at full speed pockets are very rarely picked and accidents seldom happen.

Owing to the size and quantity of decorations, and the spacious arrangement of the boxes, I should not think the theatre could contain more than twelve hundred persons. Its receipts have never yet exceeded one thousand six hundred and and eighty rubles, or two hundred and forty pounds. How different from a London theatre, which, on a crowded night, is lined with faces, and the very walls appear to breathe!

The first opera I saw was Blue Beard, performed by Italian performers, the subject of which varied but little from the representation of it in England The catastrophe was finely worked up, and drew from the Russians successions of enthusiastick acclamation. Do these sentiments of tenderness, these noble notions of retributive jus

tice, denote an immutable barbarism? The processions were in the first style of magnificence, the dresses and ornaments were very costly, and it is not unusual to introduce, on these occasions, one thousand men, selected from the guards for the expression of their faces, and symmetry of their figures, to swell the scene of pomp. The orchestra was very full, and combined the firstrate powers of musick. The scenes were handsome and well managed. A room was formed of entire sides, and well furnished; and a garden was display with all its characteristicks. The emperor contributes very munificently to the support of this theatre; and all the machinists and workmen are his slaves, they are all under admirable discipline. The introduction of a tree into a study, or fringing the top of a forest with a rich ceiling, scenick blunders which frequently occur on the English stage, would hazard the backs of the Russian scene-shifters. This theatre has a very beautiful set of scenes, which is never displayed but on nights when the Imperial family honour it with their presence. The silence and decorum of the audience cannot but impress the mind of any one, who has witnessed the boisterous clamours of an English audience. curtain ascends at six o'clock precisely. after-piece, as with us, only now and then a ballet, succeeds the opera, which is generally concluded by nine o'clock, when the company go to the Summer Gardens, drive about the city, or proceed to card and supper parties.

The

No

This theatre is as much dedicated to the Russian Muses, as to those of more genial climates. In this respect Catherine II. pursued the plan of domestick policy, so wisely adopted by GustaYus III.; but the plan, since her demise, has never been encouraged by the higher circles. A Russ