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the stage: surpassing Mr. Kemble, Mr. Macready, and Mr. Kean, in that respect; though he is less original than those gentlemen in his style of acting, and rather follows the line of the elder Kemble than strikes out one for himself. His excellence lies more particularly in such characters as Pierre, Chamont, and Colonna (in Mr. Shiel's play of Evadne), where there is a dash of bluntness mixed with the passion of the parts; and in some of the musical or high-sounding lines of Shakspeare his voice has frequently great power. We do not like his comedy so well as his tragedy, though his manners are really those of a gentleman. His style of speaking has well been called "oriental:" it is gorgeous, sweeping, sonorous, and musical, with less attention than many others bestow on minute points, but exceedingly imposing in its general effect. As we shall frequently have occasion to notice Mr. Young, we forbear troubling our readers with more on the subject at present.

DRURY LANE.

"Overflowing and delighted audiences nightly recognise and acknowledge the Coronation as the most correct and splendid exhibition ever produced on the British stage," are the words of Mr. Elliston, who invades the old privilege of the summer theatres by keeping open his huge playhouse, when it would have been much more liberal to close the doors. We hate all the puffing and red-letter ostentation of this theatre; but we dislike much more that Mr. Elliston (who, when he was lessee of the Circus, talked stoutly about the great theatres and their illiberality) should be allowed to "lord it o'er his betters:"—for so, at present, the Lyceum and the Haymarket are and to show a grasp ing disposition, to the detriment of his rivals. It has always heen customary for Covent Garden and Drury Lane to close their doors during a certain period of the year; and within that period other smaller theatres exercised their art. Last year, Mr. Elliston, under some pretence or other, kept Drury Lane open during a great part of the recess; and now he keeps it open during the whole recess without any excuse at all. We confess that we do not like this. We admire "fair play;" and it does not

seem to us fair play for Mr. Elliston to break in upon old established custom, where the infraction tends to benefit himself and to do injury to other people. There is "something rotten in the state of Denmark."

With regard to the Coronation, we beg to observe, that Mr. Elliston's red-letter intimation is not true: overflowing audiences do not attend to recognise either one thing or another; but, on the contrary, audiences of a very moderate, and sometimes meagre amount, meet at Drury Lane to witness the "fantastic tricks" which are there played off, and to see Mr. Elliston himself in a crown and royal robes, and bowing and aweing the candle-snuffers and call-boys, who gaze in dumb and profound admiration at every movement and expression which their master thinks proper to commit. Mr. Charles Kemble (whose grace on ordinary occasions few people will dispute) makes the king somewhat too lofty; and Mr. Elliston is not lofty enough, nor has he that evenness of manner which becomes a monarch. In other respects his Coronation is worth seeing: his trumpeters are important, and his bishops are awful: the lords and ladies are-so so, but the champion is a host in himself. His plumes are as high as those in the Castle of Otranto, and look altogether as full of peril. We wonder how Messrs. Carberry and Co. the plumassiers (for Mr. Elliston gives us the names of his tradesmen and "artists," down to the makers of the brass-wire) contrived to fix together upon one simple head such a towering forest of ostrich plumes-but so it is: Mr. Collett (for he has declared himself to our Lion's Head) rides over the pit, in steel and feathers, with an air that would have been thought imposing even in the fields of Cressy.

Before we dismiss this subject we may remark, that the play-bills inform us that "every person engaged in the preparations for the 19th of July," has given his advice on the subject of the " splendid exhibition" at Drury Lane. This means, we presume, that Lord Gwydir and Mr. Fellowes, and the rest of the noble exhibitors, have given their opinions on the Brydges-street pageant; and hence it is, of course, that its exceeding correctness has arisen.

Geraldi Duval, the Bandit of Bo

hemia. After what we have felt ourselves compelled to say touching the manager of Drury Lane, it would have given us pleasure to have told our readers that this "new dramatic piece" was worthy their attention; but it is not. The drama, although founded on a tale of Mrs. Opie, which has its foundation in a fact, is tortured by the dramatist so as to appear horrid and improbable. Geraldi Duval, the hero of the piece and of the story, is spoiled in his infancy; and by the time he arrives at the age of sixteen or seventeen, he is a fine flourishing instance of what mismanagement is able to produce. His prepossessions and his prejudices are strong and unopposed; and his pride thrives in proportion as his insolence is encouraged, or, which is the same thing, unchecked. He fancies various things, and obtains them; and, amongst others, he has a fancy for a young lady of rank, whose inclinations, however, do not lie towards M. Duval; on the contrary, she has a penchant for some other gentleman. This induces her to slight Geraldi, who, on his part, resolves to wash away the offence with her blood. He in fact makes an attempt upon her life, which fails; and (instead of being hanged as he deserves) he is sentenced to prison for a long period of time. From this imprisonment he escapes; and though years have elapsed, he pursues his victim again and again, with all the "old original" vengeance that first stimulated him to murder. After several other attempts in vain, he is again seized, and suffers death. The original Geraldi Duval is still, we believe, in prison, spinning out his punishment. When he was apprehended, he is reported to have said, Je te retrouverai un jour, and Mrs. Opie, and the Drury Lane dramatist, acting upon this hint, have imagined a variety of new atrocities, which, if ever the culprit survives his incarceration, he may be perhaps tempted to justify or exceed. The author of the play is said to be a Westminster scholar; this is enough to bespeak our indulgence; though we would rather that his taste should have led him, like his school-fellow Mr. Walker, to take the higher ground of the drama.

Rosina is, as our readers know, a pleasant simple afterpiece, and con

tains some exceedingly pretty songs which Miss Povey executes delightfully. We do not think that this young lady has received her full share of admiration. Her voice is very fine and rich. Madame Mara, we understand, said that it was the finest voice which she had heard in England; and her experience and taste are entitled to some attention. The young lady who played Phabe sung her songs very agreeably; and Knight,

His

Ever merry, ever young, made an excellent William. quarrel scene was admirably hit off; his little jealous strut is quite a copy for an artist, and the box on the ear sends him spinning round like a teetotum, to the exceeding amusement of the wicked Phoebe, and of our laughing friends in both the galleries. Mr. Cooke acted Belville, but not to our taste; and a man of the name of Meredith (we believe), dressed like a brewer's drayman, spoiled the Irish rustic with great effect. Connor used to act this part in a fine style at the Haymarket, last year; but not so acteth Mr. Meredith. We wish that we could say a few words in favour of Mr. Barnard's Captain Belville. He seems a good-natured man, and fills all his parts respectably; but the gay, the gallant, is not for him; he is nearer Horatio than Lothario. He is fitter to give a turn to a precept than to instruct us by his example. Yet we have seen him play a waiter, or a bustling landlord, much to our satisfaction; and on the whole, with the exception, perhaps, of Cooper, he is the brightest star of the company which Mr. Elliston has enlisted for our summer's improvement and delight.

Five Hundred Pounds is a slight farce, in which Nonplus, a spendthrift, gets into debt and difficulty, and, in order to extricate himself, determines to alarm his uncle, Subtle, out of the money which he wants. In the prosecution of this laudable scheme he disembodies himself, and takes upon him the functions of a ghost. Subtle, who is averse to spirits (at least of the impalpable kind), makes a precipitate retreat on the appearance of his ghostly nephew, and in his hurry drops his pocket book, which contains the sum that Nonplus has occasion for! There is a lady, and some love, superadded to

this frail outline; but we will not trouble the reader with either the one or the other. We may observe, however, that the gentlemen who write farces think it incumbent on them to make their heroes as little like gentlemen as possible. They are generally successful in their amours; and are rewarded at the end of the piece, although they may have committed, in the course of representation, half a dozen actions that would have sentenced them to a last look at St. Sepulchre's.

THE ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

This lively little theatre goes on merrily. Miss Kelly is the soul of the place; and the fluttering of Wrench, and the strong rugged humour and pathos of Emery, never come amiss to us.

The Cure for Coxcombs is a didactic afterpiece. Wrench, who is gentleman, coxcomb, and soi-disant artist, incited more by the beauty of Mrs. than the hope of rivalling either Raffaelle or Correggio, introduces himself to her presence, with an agreeable confidence that is peculiar to himself. Here he prevails on her to sit for her portrait; and while he is daubing it with all the effect and self-satisfaction of an empiric, he mingles with the strokes of his pencil those pleasanter touches of compliment which are so well known to relieve the tedium of sitting, while they diversify the toils of the artist. At last, the painter's compliments deepen into a declaration of love; and then it is that the lady, who waits for her husband's return home, inflicts upon the unhappy penciller that sort of admonition which no one but he who has deserved it can appreciate. It effects, however, a cure of that tendency to gallantry which

led the hero of the piece into his dilemma; and hence the title of The Cure for Coxcombs. Wrench played exceedingly gaily and delightfully; some may think he is too "slip-shod at times, even for farce: we think not.

HAYMARKET.

Venice Preserved.-A young debutante, of the name of Brudenell, has made her appearance at this theatre, in the character of Belvidera. She is lady-like and gentle, and expresses the softer emotions agreeably; but she is not adapted to the higher walks of tragedy; and she would be lost in a conflict of the stormier passions. There must be something greatly marked in a countenance to give us truly all the fluctuations of grief, and to tell the story of profound despair ; there must be a power of eye, and a depth of voice, and a dignity of gait, beyond the ordinary graces of women, to strike us on the stage. Miss Brudenell has few of these requisites. She is, if we may venture the word, too feminine; for, though it is desirable for an actress to picture all the gentle movements of the spirit in tones and looks as gentle, she must, nevertheless, have some sterner qualifications for the tragic chair. Mr. Conway played his old character of Jaffier very respectably, and in some parts very well; and Mr. Terry acted Pierre with that decided good sense and spirit which he shows in every thing. If there was any thing to object to, it was that he was too bitter almost for the part of Pierre; he did not "round it off" quite enough.

There is a clever little comedy from the pen of Mr. Kenny, called Match Breaking; but we must speak of it hereafter.

REPORT OF MUSIC. No. XX.

"All the world is out of town," and, therefore, so is music also; and it is well for the provinces that the metropolis, sometimes, is thus evacuated by those who demand the gratifications afforded by high science; since this demand would otherwise go near to deprive the residents of the body of the empire of all chance of

the progression in art that is to be drawn from the hearing of fine musical performances. For though individuals do continually visit London, and do there attend the best concerts, such single and isolated advantages could never have half the effect of a grand county meeting. A whole town, and not only a town-a

county, and perhaps even more than one county, receive from such, to them rare assemblages of talent, a simultaneous stimulus to improvement, which interest, example, conversation, and a thousand other nameless motives, bring into the fullest play. The rays are thus concentrated into a focus, from which their collected heat is thrown with a degree of force that accomplishes far more than could be done by any other contrivance. Thus the love and practice of music are mainly propagated in smaller circles, and produce not only individual solace and social enjoyment, but many advantages to trade, to charity, and to science, at a comparatively trifling expence. A little patronage from a few great names is, perhaps, almost the only thing necessary: and the subject is well worthy the attention of those who watch over and promote the progress of civilization, not less than of those interested more particularly in the cultivation of music.

These introductory remarks are drawn from us by the succession of county meetings which are just be ginning. Salisbury, this year, has taken the lead; and is to be followed by Worcester and Chester. A festival meditated in Norfolk has been given up for want of public support. The Salisbury meeting was well attended. Madame Camporese and Mrs. Salmon, Ambrogetti, Vaughan, W. Knyvett, and Bellamy, were the principal singers; and it is a curious fact, for it shows the diffusion of language as well as of music, that the Italians bore away the greatest share of the popular applause. That the style of Camporese, wherever style is in the slightest degree understood, should attract admirers is no matter of wonder, particularly when she is compared with such a singer as Mrs. Salmon, who, however, generally wins all ears by her beautiful tone, and her exquisite, delicious facility. But every note from Camporese goes to the heart, in spite of an intractable voice which is a little passée. We confess, we like to know that soul gets the better of solfeggi. The humour of Ambrogetti completely relaxed the minds of his audiences; and, in his Presto, Presto, Signori, on the last night, he danced about the orchestra, scolded the band, and

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shook hands with Lindley at the
conclusion, with such irresistible
glee, that he was dismissed with
thunders of applause. The sacred
performances were received with
less boisterous, but not less heartfelt
approbation. Vaughan was a parti-
cular favourite. Mr. Card, from
Norwich, played a flute concerto
with considerable success. Lindley
was, as usual, wonderful, delightful,
and supreme, as an instrumentalist.

The Ninth Number of the Quadrille
Rondos.-This series of lessons has
been very well sustained; and the num
ber before us, although not equal to
those which have preceded it, has
yet a title to many of their excellen
cies. It has, apparently, been the
intention of the composers who have
been engaged in these publications,
to give them sufficient elegance and
brilliancy to satisfy performers of
some attainment, and yet to place
them within the reach of more mode-
rate powers. This has certainly been
effected; for, in the one respect,
they cannot fail to afford amusement,
and, in the other, improvement. In
the present rage for quadrilles their
very title will attract and recommend
them to notice. Mr. Kiallmark, in
number nine, has chosen a subject of
which we confess ourselves weary,
namely, the Barcarolle; but we
know this is not the case with the
rest of the world.
been a favourite; and it will not be
It has always
less relished in its present shape.
It is light, pretty, and extremely
easy.

Giordani, arranged as a rondo for
Heart beating, a favourite air by
the pianoforte by T. Cooke.
lesson is intended for learners; and
This
has greater merit than we usually
find in this class of compositions.
The subject is good; and is arranged
in a spirited style. The passages,
though extremely simple, are calcu-
lated to afford beneficial practice.

tions, by Klose, is of the same de-
The Psychean!! Waltz, with varia-
scription, though inferior. The va-
riations are upon an unmeaning sub-
ject, and are common-place. Varia-
tion five will give good exercise
to a young hand; and perhaps the
whole piece is sufficiently pretty to
attract the performers for whom it is
intended.

Mr. Rolfe has published twelve

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progressive pieces for the pianoforte. They are of the easiest description.

Mr. Kiallmark's Divertimento for the harp and pianoforte is a very agreeable duet. It is adapted to very small acquirements. There is no great choice of easy duets for these instruments; and as such it will be found useful.

Fantasia on the favourite air Di piacer, by Pio Cianchettini. There is one fault which pervades the whole of this fantasia-an over-indulged imagination. It is impossible to follow Mr. Cianchettini through his flights of fancy: the ear finds no resting place; and although there are many sweet and beautiful passages, they cloy from their constant recurrence, and fatigue from want of connexion. None but the composer himself, we are well aware, could do it justice. We have seen many meritorious works from the hand of Mr. Cianchettini; and as his composition now suffers merely from a redundancy of images, time, there is little doubt, will cool the ardour of his fancy, and render him eminent.

Mr. Burrowes has published the twelfth number of his Caledonian airs, which completes the set. It is an agreeable conclusion to a very nice collection of pianoforte lessons. They are all in the form of airs with variations; and, consequently, a test of the composer's power of invention and imagination. Scotch music is always a favourite; and amongst the airs Mr. Purrowes has selected will be found many old friends of tried excellence.

Fantasia for the Pianoforte, on Mozart's Air E amore un ladroncello, by J. H.Griesbach. This gentleman is a pupil of Mr. Kalkbremmer, and a young composer, the piece before us being only Op. 2. It is, however, a highly creditable composition, and would do honour to an older master. The selection of the subject is a proof of an elegant mind, and Mr. Griesbach has adorned his work with many graceful and melodious passages. solo for the bass, at page 6, is exThe tremely good; and we distinctly trace the school in which he has been trained in this and many other instances. We are happy to congratulate Mr. Griesbach on his success in

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this early application of his talents to musical compositions.

We now turn to a Sestetto for the pianoforte, two violins, viola, violincello, and bass, by Mr. Kalkbrenner himself. It partakes of the leading characteristics of Mr. Kalkbrenner's style; strength combined with grace this gentleman's compositions a com and originality. We seldom find in mon-place passage. His manner is peculiar; perhaps more so than that of any other modern writer. We have always thought it requires a general acquaintance with this composer's style before it can be really understood and enjoyed; and we attribute it to the fact that it stands alone. We are also convinced that the more it is studied the more highly it will be appreciated. In the present work we particularly admire latter is very expressive. Indeed, the minuet, trio, and adagio. The we consider the whole piece as amongst productions. Mr. Kalkbrenner's best

Amongst the selections of this month are a third duet, by Watts, from Il Barbiere di Siviglia; the second book of Mr. Latour's arrangements from the same opera, both with a flute accompaniment, ad lib. and the second book of airs, from Il Turco in Italia, by Mr. R. Lacy, also with a flute accompaniment, ad lib.

little interest; the best of them is
The vocal pieces are few, and of
Father, accept the humble praise, an
arranged sacred song, by Mr. T.
Cooke, who, by the way, has also
published his music to the Corona-
tion spectacle at Drury-lane. The
tributary stanzas, and music, from
same ceremony has also called forth
other hands. Mr. Danneley, of Ips-
wich, has printed a bravura and cho-
rus, Hail to our King; and Mr. Har-
ris, a sort of cantata, Bright Star of
Brunswick's royal Line, of which
their overflowing loyalty is the prin-
cipal recommendation; and this has
commodity enough.
been found sometimes a good saleable

Mr. Harris, was made, we presume,
The Laburnum Tree, a song, by
for Vauxhall; since it is by no means
equal to his duets, and other pro-
ductions we have seen of that cast.

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