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contrast in print with the Gentle man whose brilliancy has heretofore illuminated the dramatic region of this Miscellany. We have neither his keen wit, his playful humour, his tact, nor his discernment in these matters. In short, as we said before, we are a very good kind of a good-for-nothing sort of a person, a little "too wise to walk into a well," but if we did, cannot swear that we should be lucky enough to find Truth, even there. However, notwithstanding our manifold disqualifications for this task, and our insurmountable objection to be shone down (next month) by our brother luminary, in whose sphere we now dare to twinkle,-the wise Editors of this Magazine selected us, in spite of ourself, and as the poet says "recusantem catenas," to fill this department; sealing up our miserere mei lips with an imperative-Fiat! "E'en Jove himself must yield to Fate," said we, and accordingly (to speak in the phrase of the profession),—

bent up,

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat growling all the time like Cerberus at a fresh batch of ghosts come to disturb his infernal slumbers :-So the reader must not be surprised if we snarl a little.

THE HAYMARKET THEATRE.

We look upon Liston's face in the light of a national misfortune. We consider, what we must own to be his happy infelicity of feature, a serious injury to the public stage. We are decidedly of opinion that by the admirable scenic effect of his physiognomy, he has inadvertently precipitated the fall of drama amongst us, or rather, that the last blow has been given to English comedy, by the exquisite comicality of his visage. These assertions appear at first sight paradoxical: but we are not so ambitious of dubious reputation, as to maintain untruths merely for the sake of exhibiting our ingenuity or our impudence. If our readers can so command their muscles as to consider seriously and dispassionately the influence of Mr. Liston's countenance upon authors, actors, himself, and the community in general, they will find the real paradox to consist in holding an opinion opposite to ours, viz. that Comedy is not degraded by

playing to the eye instead of to the mind. In the first place, writers for the stage, depending on this phenomenon of a phyz, neglect all legitimate means of pleasing, all rules whatsoever by which comedy is distinguished from the very lowest species of buffoonery,-that which depends on grimace. Not that we mean to say that Liston is a grimacier: Munden and Farren are much more celebrated for this species of mechanical humour. Indeed, any grotesque contortion of muscle is perfectly superfluous with Liston; any variation in the natural position or œconomy of his features would make him uglier, perhaps, than he is, without making him a whit more laugh-at-able. But the changes and different phases of his countenance have naturally the effect of grimace; and what Munden does laboriously, this actor does involuntarily. Hence, the whole endeavour of our playwrights is directed to exhibit, not their own wit, if they happen to possess such a rare commodity, but Liston's face under new and ludicrous aspects; the sum of their energies is applied to present us with, not a fair exaggeration of human nature, as it is found displayed in the various follies and foibles of mankind, but some fantastical mockery, some gross caricature of real existence; or, rather some burlesque extravaganza, which has no prototype in real existence, where Liston, in a pair of unmentionables coming half-way down his legs, a waistcoat of the pattern of my grandmother's chintz bedgown, and a flaxen wig with the tail turn'd up behind, shall set the audience in a roar without opening his lips. Pope (translating the complaint of Horace) complain'd a century ago in the same strain that we do, and perhaps as ineffectually :

Booth enters-hark! the universal peal: "But has he spoken?" Not a syllable. "What shook the stage and made the people stare?"

Cato's long wig, flower'd gown, and lacquer'd hair!

The sublimest dramatical exertion of the season is a piece designated Sweethearts and Wives, which has kept almost uninterrupted possession of this theatre during the whole summer; yet if we examine this production (certainly the least deficient in

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intrinsic merit of those lately brought objectionable ; he squinted, grinned, forward), even with the most indul- and disfigured his countenance in gent eye, we shall be obliged to numberless ways, all very well cal. place it very low indeed on the scale culated for the medium of a fair and of mediocrity. Its chief and perhaps the aperture of a collar, but totally sole excellence consists in the dexte- unworthy of a loftier stage than the rity with which Liston is fitted with bottom of an inverted tub or a beera character, and the felicity with barrel. which various attitudes are contrived The influence of Liston's face upon to exhibit this “ figure of fun” to himself is obvious to the most superthe best advantage. There is little ficial eye; relying upon the witchery of nature and less of wit in the piece; of his looks, he neglects all the gemany of the actor's best jokes are in- nuine points of action which are not sipid on paper; and, in reading the specifically adapted for a display of book, it may be said of the most ef- those anomalous charms which em. fective hits which the author has bellish his countenance, and brings given Liston an opportunity of mak- into play points which are altogether ing,

insignificant, only because they are The jest is lost unless he prints his face more favourable to his powers of or rather his whole person. If it looking his audience into laughter. were possible to print Liston's face in Witness, for instance, his Pigwiggin: a parenthesis after every joke, it cer- He drinks a glass of wine-water with tainly ought to be done by those who infinite humour ; but when he is poia are anxious that their piece should soned, exhibits no humour at all! In have any of that effect in the closet truth, so far from degrading his abiwhich it has on the stage. But this lities to the study of his part, he is not the only evil which the malig- makes a part for himself; and reprenant ascendancy of Mr. Liston's sents not the character as it is written good-humoured phyz produces a- for him, but his own version of it. mongst authors; not only do pro- Thus, to consider Liston as an actor fessed stage-writers neglect nature is to consider him as what he seldom and propriety to sail into the ports of gives himself the trouble of being; Gain by the light of his countenance, but to consider him as a very comical but others, who have a turn for the fellow is to consider him as what he drama not yet indulged, either follow cannot help being. these profitable but unworthy exam- Finally, the public at large has ples, or, in despair of succeeding by contracted a lower and more farcical legitimate methods, give up the pur- taste, from having frequently witsuit altogether.

nessed Liston's performances, and Again, his brother actors, observing from the gratification it is impossible the miraculous effects produced by not to find in them, however deficient this unrivalled specimen of “ Na- in intellectual humour. For our own ture's handy work," and finding buf- part, we must confess, that though foonery a much easier science than we have many times gone to the chaste representation of character, Haymarket with a firm determination have in many instances degenerated to shame the audience out of their into mere face-makers; they either bad taste, by the gravity of our viimitate Liston with much about the sage, we have exactly as many times same happiness that monkeys do men, broken through all our resolutions, or, at the least, endeavour to excite laughing abundantly and ten times the risibility of the audience by bur- louder than any one in the theatre. It lesquing their parts in something of is for this very reason that we are inhis manner. Harley is rather a well- clined to regret Mr. Liston's appeare looking man, yet he is perpetually ance on the stage; he has spoiled the attempting to carry the theatre by a public taste for genuine comedy. We coup de visage ; and, instead of a very are, therefore, never so prone to break tolerable performer, converts himself out into lamentation as in the midst into a very indifferent grimacier. His of our laughter, or to fall into a me.. personation of Nehemiah Flum, a lancholy reflexion as in the height of knavish Quaker valet in Gay De- our mirth. As if Thalia had not alceivers, a piece lately produced at this ready sufficient opposition to enhouse, appeared to us particularly counter, Mr. Liston must lend his

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THE ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

countenance to the general conspiracy the manner in which she kicks her against her.

heels as she leans on the back of the Fish out of Water, the only other Miller's Judgment-seat, were exquinew piece brought forward since our sitely natural. It is particularly, in last number at this theatre, is an ad- these minor traits of character that mirable illustration of what can be this judicious actress excels. done without wit, character, plot, Mathews, as Dick Cypher, in Hit sentiment, or language, by the mere or Miss, gave infinite satisfaction to force of situation. The whole merit a full and glowing audience. Two of this piece consists in the choice of fancy songs, for the giving of which a very absurd but highly ludicrous this gentleman is celebrated as far as plot; a Cook and a Secretary are en- the Antipodes, we believe, elicited gaged at the same time in the same their usual tribute of approbation. family, and by a mechanism very Indeed, even in private company, forced and improbable, each gets the we, who are so' old-fashioned as to other’s place. The difficulties and dislike all these things, have been awkward dilemmas into which the pestered to no trifling degree by the Cook and the Secretary are thrown, changes continually rung in our ears by their different misemployments, on the merits of this performance. excited the loudest approbation, and Mr. Mathews's admirers seem inmaintained the piece in spite of some spired with a little of that enthusiasm out-of-door opposition.

which he so vividly represents as

prevailing at a horse-race; they acWe were more gratified than we tually, appear jumping out of their have been for a very long time, by the skins in ecstasy and delight when his acting of a Mr. Rayner, at this little name is mentioned. theatre. His performance of Giles,

The Guardians Outwitted, à cutin the Miller's Maid, was certainly down comedy, gave Mathews an opthe best thing we have witnessed portunity of exhibiting his inimitable (excepting Othello, last season) since versatility in the different characters poor Emery's death. In the last of a coxcomb peer, a Dutch merscene, where he utters an unwilling chant, an old steward, and a young 'benediction over Phebe and his suc- Quaker; all assumed by the hero of cessful rival, his acting had that ef- the piece, Colonel Feignwell

, for the fect upon us which we often and purpose of carrying off his mistress. in vain wished to experience from a Hypocrite, in Greek, means an acTragedy; it fairly, and to the dis- tor, or one who undertakes a cha

racter different from his own; and grace of our vocation we confess it,

certainly, in this liberal sense of the Drew iron tears down critic's cheek.

word, Mathews is as omnipotent a The character was supported hypocrite as we have ever met with. throughout with a degree of nature, Too Curious by half introduced one judgment, and feeling, which we of our prime favourites, Wrench, as a have seldom seen attained on the Busy Body. Marplot was, however, stage. We know nothing whatever certainly not a chef-d'æuvre, either in who this Mr. Rayner is; but we point of delineation or representathink we know something of what tion: the author and actor were he will be. He has his enemies, it about on a par of mediocrity in seems; so much the better. They their several provinces. Indeed Mr. only blow his fame through a trum- Wrench did not do either the piece pet of their own; however discordant or himself justice, for he had not the clamour, the public will soon been at the trouble of getting his run to see the reason of the noise. part; and he had besides an invisiHis only competitor, at least on ble competitor, who, to use a vulgar these boards, is Miss Kelly, whose phrase, “ took the words out of his Phebe, in the same piece, is, of course, mouth," viz. the Prompter. Mr. familiar to most people as a specie Wrench was little more than a loud men of excellent acting. Her awk- echo to the whispers emitted by his ward bashfulness, when required to duplicate behind the scenes. This decide between the rival clowns, and is not as it should be.

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FRANCOIS VILLON.

EARLY FRENCH POETS.

The praise bestowed by Boileau writers who excelled in what they on Villon, and still more the pains call Badinage, for which I do not taken by Clement Marot, at the in- know any adequate term in our lanstance of Francis the First, to edit guage. It is something between wit his poems, would lead us to expect and buffoonery. Less intellectual great things from them; but in this and refined than the one, and not so expectation most English readers gross and personal as the other, in will probably be disappointed. For reconciling, it in some degree neutrawhile Alain Chartier is full as intel- lizes both. To an Englishman it is ligible as Chaucer, and Charles Duke apt to appear either ridiculous or of Orleans more so, Villon (who insipid ; to a Frenchman it is almost wrote after both) can scarcely be enough to make the charm of life. made out by the help of a glossary. One of the chief causes of Villon's Even his editor, Marot, who, as he popularity must however have arisen tells us in the preface, had corrected in the great number of French famia vast number of passages in his lies whom he has mentioned in his poems, partly from the old editions, two Wills, generally for the purpartly from the recital of old people pose of ridiculing certain individuals who had got them by heart, and who belonged to them. A list of partly

from his own conjectures, was these, containing upwards of eighty forced to leave several others un- names, is prefixed to these two touched, which he could neither cor- poems. rect nor explain. One cause of the His “ Petit Testament," which difficulty, which we find in reading was written in 1456, be supposes to Villon, is assigned by Marot, in a have been made on the following ocsentence that shows his knowledge casion. Being heartily tired of love, of the true principles of criticism. and thinking there was no other cure “Quant à l'industrie des lays qu'il for it but death, he represents himself feit en ses testamens pour suffisam- as determined on leaving this world, ment la congnoistre et entendre, il and accordingly draws up his will. faudroit avoir esté de son temps à

His « Grand Testament " was Paris, et avoir congneu les lieux, les framed in a more serious conjuncchoses et les hommes dont il parle ; ture. In 1461 he was committed to la memoire desquelz tant plus se prison at Melun, together with five passera, tant moins se congnoistra accomplices, for a crime, the nature icelle industrie des ses lays dictz. of which is not known. But whatPour ceste cause qui voudra faire ever it were, he intimates that he

@uvre de longue durée, ne was tempted into it by his mistress, preigne son soubject, sur telles choses who afterwards deserted him. He basses et particulieres." Les Euvres remained in a dungeon and in chains, de François Villon, à Paris, 1723, on an allowance of bread and water, small 8vo. “ As to the address with during a whole summer, and was which he has distributed his lega- condemned to be hung; but Louis cies, in the poems called his Wills, to XI. (who had then newly succeeded understand it sufficiently one should to the throne), in consideration, as have been at Paris in his time, and it is said, of his poetical abilities, have been acquainted with the places, mercifully commuted his punishment the things, and the persons of whom into exile. He is, perhaps, the only he speaks ; for by how much more man whom the muse has rescued the memory of these shall have been from the gallows. The hardships he lost, so much less shall we be able had suffered during his confinement to discover his dexterity in the dis- brought on a premature old age ; but tribution of these bequests. He who they taught him, he says, more wiswould

compose a work that shall dom than he could have learned from last, ought not to choose his

subject a commentary on Aristotle's ethics. in circumstances thus mean and par- Travail mes lubres sentimens ticular.” The truth is, that Villon appears

Aguisa (ronds comme pelote)

Me monstrant plus que les commens to have been one of the first French Sur le sens moral d'Aristote.-sb.p.14.

une

"Trouble has sharpened my lubberly thoughts (before as round as a bullet); showing me more than the comments on Aristotle's Ethics could have done." The first place at which he found a refuge was Saint Genou, near Saint Julien, on the road leading from Poitou into Bretagne. Here he was reduced to such extremity, that he was forced to beg his bread; and if the fear of his Maker had not restrained him, he declares he should have put an end to himself.

There is little known of what happened to him afterwards. He probably met with some lucky turn

of fortune; for Rabelais mentions his having been in favour with Edward V. of England, and his dying at an advanced age.

From what has been said of the peculiar vein of his genius, the reader will perceive, that it is scarcely capable of being fairly represented in another language. His happy turns of expression, smart personalities, and witty inuendoes, would tell very indifferently at second hand. Α short ballad out of the Grand Testament, being more general, may be attempted.

Ballade, des Dames du Temps Jadis.

Dictes moy, ou, ne en quel pays
Est Flora la belle Romaine,
Archipiada, ne Thais

Qui fut sa cousine Germaine ?
Echo parlant quand bruyt on maine
Dessus riviere, ou sus estan

Qui beaulté eut trop plus que humaine ?
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?

Ou est la tressage Heloïs?
Pour qui fut chastré (et puy Moyne)
Pierre Esbaillart à Sainct Denys
Pour son amour eut cest essoyne.
Semblablement ou est la Royne,
Qui commanda que Buridan

Fut jetté en ung sac en Seine?
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?
La Royne blanche comme ung lys
Qui chantoit à voix de Sereine,
Berthe au grand pied, Bietris, Allys,
Harembouges qui tint le Mayne,
Et Jehanne la bonne Lorraine
Que Angloys bruslerent à Rouen.
Ou sont ilz, vierge souveraine ?
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan ?

Prince n'enquerez de sepmaine
Ou elles sont, ne de cest an,
Que ce refrain ne vous remaine
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan ?

BALLAD, OF THE LADIES OF PAST TIMES.

Tell me where, or in what clime,

Is that mistress of the prime,
Roman Flora? she of Greece,

Thais? or that maid so fond,

That, an ye shout o'er stream or pond,

Answering holdeth not her peace?

-Where are they?-Tell me, if ye know;

What is come of last year's snow?

Where is Heloise the wise,
For whom Abelard was fain,
Mangled in such cruel wise,

To turn a monk instead of man?

Where the Queen, who into Seine

Bade them cast poor Buridan?

-Where are they?-Tell me, if ye know;

What is come of last year's snow?

The Queen, that was as lily fair,

Whose songs were sweet as linnets' are,
Bertha, or she who govern'd Maine ?
Alice, Beatrix, or Joan,

That good damsel of Loraine,

Whom the English burnt at Roan?

-Where are they?-Tell me, if ye know;

What is come of last year's snow?

Prince, question by the month or year;

The burden of my song is here:

Where are they?-Tell me, if ye know;
What is come of last year's snow?

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