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THEATRICAL CRITICISMS.

The following critiques were published, from time to time, during the winter of 1808, in a weekly miscellany, called the Times; they were there printed in numbers, under the name of the "Theatre."

"Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice."

THE interesting Drama of "Adrian and Orilla,” has been performed thrice in succession, with correctness, ability and applause. It is a Play formed on the German model, and abounds with poetick description; yet it is enlivened by occasional coruscations of wit, and addressed to the feelings by many masterly touches of nature.

Of the respective performers we do not pretend to offer a minute examination; but so strongly impressed are we with the uncommon accuracy and force of the representation,that we are willing to subscribe, without cynical deduction, to the merit of most of the principal agents in the scene. Verbal criticism is extremely useful to the stage, in correcting the vices of

pronunciation, or the errors of emphasis; but in this extraordinary instance of excellency,

"We can't catch words,-and pity those who can!”

In such cases, where the examples, of merit or defect, are general, one comment, well defined, is fully as competent to the just purposes of praise or censure, as an elaborate dissertation on points of effect, which the author never conceived, or a stop-watch lecture, from the doctrine of pauses, on the difference between a comma and a colon, which many of the performers do not understand! Our remarks, therefore, shall be composed of extracts from the "brief chronicles" of criticism.

Mrs. Stanley's performance of "Orilla," exhibited new and almost unexpected proofs of the diversity as well, as power of her genius. In courtly or arch Comedy, where taste requires elegance of dress, language and deportment, and wit needs a skilful archer to give wing and direction to her arrows, the palm of preeminence has long been conceded to her by the general consent of all critical or fashionable tribunals. But in "Orilla," she combined such expressive simplicity with such well-delineated tenderness, that we could not but feel the conviction, produced by her loveliness and interest in the character, that she could never fail to excel in all tragick personations of love or sympathy, in which the picture is drawn from existing images; or rather, in which nature is permitted to walk the stage in her own decent and graceful apparel, untortured by the bodices of folly, or the stilts of declamation! It is in point to add, that, in London, her

"Juliet," and "Cordelia," were considered good specimens of this species of tragick excellence.

Mrs. Powell has not, within our recollection, claimed so high a rank in her profession, as in "Madame Clermont." No character could be better adapted to her powers, and in none has she ever appeared with more commanding or endearing influence. We cannot bestow a more unequivocal proof of our admiration, than by acknowledging, that the denouement of the Play owed its interest and impression to her exertions.

Mrs. Shaw gave the prattle and the pride, the jibes and the jeers, of the vain, talkative "Githia," with great vivacity

and effect.

Mr. Caulfield gratified our wishes, and exceeded our hopes. We never doubted his conception or his energy; and, on this occasion, we make a most courtly bow to his memory! But, without reverting to those lapses of retention or defects of study, which have sometimes obscured his fame, we are now willing to tender him our respect and praise.

Of the "Count Rosenheim," by Mr. Usher, we shall not retail the censures we every where heard; but shall beg him to reconsider the part; for, at present, his conception is as much out of character, as his dress. Neither of them came from the Count of Saxony!

Mr. Fox's "Adrian" had more of

passion, than distinc

tion. It is his common fault to blaze, without directing his fire. Yet, as there are some beings in the theatre, and sonorous ones too, who cannot kindle upon any occasion, we confess we are delighted with a scenick explosion, even if it have

no other object, than the emancipation of fixed air! But, without a jest, or what is more, without chymistry, (for even her power has nothing to do with such volatile particles, as escape from analysis,), we candidly allow, that Mr. Fox in one or two scenes, deserved high credit for his spirited execution. Yet it is to be regretted, that his glow of sentiment, and pitch of intonation had no variety. Fiery and unaccommodating, his enthusiasm perceived no diversity in the situations and characters, with which it was concerned. He breathed love, and blustered heroicks, in the same tyrannick style; and,

"Void of distinction, marked all scenes the same."

We are tempted to depart from our rule of general observation, by an instance of the nicest discrimination, we ever witnessed on our stage. It occurred in the scene between "Orilla" and her father, in the second act, when he insists on her marriage with "Altenburgh." To ascertain the beauty of a particular touch in a picture, its relation to the whole should be considered. At her first interview with the Prince, in reply to her father's praises of him, she says, "You prepared me, Sir, to admire, respect, and love him."

"Alt. To LOVE me Orilla!

"Orilla. (with simplicity) Yes, like a second FATHER!"

In the ensuing scene, a delicate relation is had to this expression of her filial affection to the Prince, in contradiction to that sexual passion, which is the source of the nuptial union.`

"Rosen. The Prince Altenburgh destines You to become his wife.

"Orilla. Father!

"Rosen. Nay, I am not jesting; on my life 'tis true.

"Orilla. Oh! Sir, spare me, forgive me; but indeed, I cannot-marry-Altenburgh."

We have never known an example of more correct empha sis. The nature of her esteem for the Prince is distinctly illustrated according to the true sense of the author. We should not have remarked this, but that such delicate traces of excellence are too minute for common observation.

"Non seipsum, sed vitia ejus excidit.”

THE spritely, entertaining, and epigrammatick comedy of "Rule a Wife and have a Wife," has kept a distinguished and honourable possession of the English stage, through many successions of taste, revolutions of fashion, and generations of wit. It is the joint production of Beaumont and Fletcher, who, as in their lives and affections they were inseparable companions and inviolable friends, have been, in their works, very justly denominated the Orestes and Pylades of the poetick world. The conduct of the plot is most industriously busy; the features of the characters are well diversified and defined; and the colours of the colloquy are strikingly adapted to the design of the sketch, and, tempered with the correcting dilutions of Garrick, sufficiently chaste. This play, therefore,

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