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on many beautiful performances; yet it would seem from theory and appears from the effect, that instead of claiming the exclusive interest of scenic compositions, this passion should have been contented with a subordinate influence on the public stage. The most important effects on our happiness, produced by the social affections, are undoubtedly those, which retire to the solitude of domestic content or disappointment. It is not easy to suppose any thing less adapted for the exaggeration of dramatic effect than either. The repose and peace of the one, and the peculiar associations attached to suffering in the other, would seem to be least of all the natural subjects of the free exposure of the theatre. The stage is the only perfect criterion of dramatic performances, and let it be supported with the greatest purity and talent possible, one need only bring the question to this test to have it answered. The best acting, supported by the most willing sympathy of the spectators, can hardly support the love-scenes of any tragedy, and the moment we destroy the effect produced by the associations of delight in the poetry which we enjoy from having read the performance, this tediousness is converted into disgust. Not the Venus when in the dress and with the attributes of Alecto, as she was sometimes painted, seems less attractive than a dramatic heroine, whose sentiments and character are distorted and exaggerated to the proper stage effect. Accordingly, we find that this interest is seldom long employed successfully, but when in connexion or opposition to the more distinct and obvious motives and passions. Juliet has seen her lover but a few hours when his approaching fate from his public crime stamps his countenance, in her eyes, with the impress of the tomb, and Belvidera is first introduced as the pledge of her husband's fidelity to his treason against the republic. With the ancients this is even more extensively true than with us, and the political revolutions or religious destiny of the drama's persons sternly overrule the conflicts of the social passions. Much of this is to be attributed to their habits of private society, as to the reserve imposed on the female sex, which gives the effect of the irresolution of Hamlet to the timidity of Electra. It seems, however, if the unity and simplicity of the drama, which Lord Byron justly values so highly, are to be restored to the severity of the Grecian model, there cannot be a more obvious step than to bestow on the public and domestic passions their ap

the attempt, and never will.* But surely there is dramatic power somewhere, where Joanna Baillie, and Milman, and John Wilson exist. The "City of the Plague," and the "Fall of Jerusalem," are full of the best materiel for tragedy that has been seen since Horace Walpole, except passages of Ethwald and de Montfort. It is the fashion to underrate Horace Walpole; firstly, because he was a nobleman, and secondly, because he was a gentleman; but to say nothing of the composition of his incomparable letters, and of the Castle of Otranto, he is the "ultimus Romanorum,' the author of the "Mysterious Mother," a tragedy of the highest order, and not a puling love-play. He is the father of the first romance, and of the last tragedy in our language, and surely worthy of a higher place, than any living writer, be he who he may.'

99

* While I was in the sub-committee of Drury Lane theatre, I can vouch for my colleagues, and I hope for myself, that we did our best to bring back the legitimate drama. I tried what I could to get De Montfort revived, but in vain; and equally in vain in favor of Sotheby's Ivan, which was thought an acting play; and I endeavored also to wake Mr Coleridge to write a tragedy. Those, who are not in the secret, will hardly believe that the School for Scandal is the play, which has brought least money, averaging the number of times it has been acted, since its production; so manager Dibdin assured me. Of what has occurred since Maturin's Bertram, I am not aware; so that I may be traducing, through ignorance, some excellent new writers; if so, I beg their pardon. I have been absent from England nearly five years, and, till last year, I never read an Eng lish newspaper since my departure, and am now only aware of theatrical matters, through the medium of the Parisian Gazette of Galigniani [an English newspaper printed in Paris] and only for the last twelve months. Let me then deprecate all offence to tragic and comic writers, to whom I wish well, and of whom I know nothing. The long complaints of the actual state of the drama arise, however, from no fault of the performers. I can conceive nothing better than Kemble, Cook, and Kean, in their very lifferent manners, or than Elliston in gentleman's comedy, and some parts of tragedy. Miss O'Neil I never saw, having made and kept a determination to see nothing, which should divide or disturb my recollection of Siddons; Siddons and Kemble were the ideal of tragic action; I never saw ny thing at all resembling them even in person; for this reason, we shall never see again Coriolanus or Macbeth. When Kean is blamed for want of dignity, we should remember that it is a grace and not an art, and not o be attained by study. In all not supernatural parts, he is perfect; ven his very defects belong, or seem to belong, to the parts themselves, nd appear truer to nature. But of Kemble we may say, with reference o his acting, what the cardinal de Retz said of the Marquis of Montrose, that he was the only man he ever saw, who reminded him of the heroes f Plutarch.""

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ART. XII.-The American Journal of Science and Arts, conducted by Professor Silliman.

WE should think ourselves much to blame, did we allow any vague notion of the delicacy to be observed by periodical works in noticing each other, to prevent our asking the attention of the American public to Mr Silliman's Journal of Science and the Arts. There is no occasion to enter critically into a survey of its contents, nor does the scientific public among us stand in need of our testimony to its respectability. But as a work, which does honor to American science, and as a vehicle of imparting to the world the scientific speculations and discoveries of our countrymen which is held in honorable esteem by the philosophers of Europe, we cannot but express the hope, that this journal will attract a greater patronage than our community has hitherto done itself the credit of bestowing upon it. We should find it hard to name a literary enterprise in America more likely to be an instrument of raising the reputation of our country abroad, in those departments to which it is devoted. There ought to be, moreover, and we doubt not there is, a class of readers large enough in the United States, who are sufficiently versed in philosophical studies to find pleasure and instruction in the pages of such a journal. And if its plan and objects prevent it from assuming that popular form, which would recommend it to wider favor with the miscellaneous class of readers, we would still beg leave to commend to the consideration of those of them who feel an interest in the intellectual character of our country the strong claims on their patronage of a work of this kind, and the sort of duty which, in our judgment, devolves on all who have the ability, to promote the success of a publication like this, the rather for the abstract and scientific character which a portion of its contents must necessarily assume and which costs it a share of popularity. We should augur ill for the cause of elevated studies among us, if nothing can succeed with our reading community but miscellaneous, desultory literature, studiously fashioned to the taste of the day. At the same time, we would not be thought to intimate, that the Journal of Science is of an arid and repulsive cast; but judging from the numbers published, we can venture to promise our readers much information from its pages on various topics with which no well educated man, of

any profession or taste, can advantageously remain unacquainted. We beg leave to extract from the last number of his journal the preface to the third volume, which will assist our readers in judging to what degree it is desirable, that an ncreased patronage should be extended to this work.

The third volume of this work being now completed, all concerned in its success will naturally wish some account of its situation and prospects. The experiment of an original American Journal of Science is novel, and it is but reasonable to allow sufficient time to the community to become informed as to the nature of the enterprise before we can expect them to feel interested in its prosperity. The question whether it is to be supported by adequate pecuniary remuneration, is not one which can be hastily decided. It must require several years from the commencement of the work, and the editor, (if God continues his life and health,) will endeavour to prove himself neither impatient nor querulous, during the time that his countrymen hold the question undecided, whether there shall be an American Journal f Science and Arts. Another person may conduct it better, and to such an one, the task would be, without hesitation, resigned. But it is due to our numerous and highly respectable band of contributors to say, that no successor, however meritorious, can hope to be better supported. That the Journal is appreciated abroad, in a manner gratifying to its friends, is sufficiently evinced by the numerous extracts from it in the periodical scienific works of Europe, by the readiness to exchange, evinced by he Editors of foreign Journals, and by letters on the subject, addressed to the editor of the American Journal, from scientific and literary men abroad. Among them are the names of the late Dr John Murray of Edinburgh, of Dr Thomas Thomson, now Regius-Professor of Chemistry &c. in the University of Glasgow, of Mr Tilloch of London, editor of the Philosophical Magazine, of Mr Julien, editor of the Revue Encyclopédique, and of Mr Brongniart, both of Paris; of Professor Germar and Sweigger of the University of Halle in Germany, and of Profesor Berzelius of Stockholm. From one of these private commuications, we shall presume so far on the indulgence of the author, and of the public, as to cite a single paragraph.*

Dr Thomson, speaking of the first five numbers of the American Journal, (which were all that he had then seen) says; “I hail t as a commencement of American scientific periodical works, and have no doubt from the valuable matter which you have already

One other passage is selected from Mr Brongniart's letter. [See p. 18 of this Vol.']

presented countries i inconsisten illustrious

our contrib brated Pro Island of S said recent that the Sc in their hig to Asia and But, on interests of the fact, tha far, in a pec first volume have expend printing and supposition for quantitie But it is s

year, has bee and, as it no of the mater Nothing has work; to th uted their g and the scien decided favor With this s ject, after ex discourageme in our labor, will more fait shall have clea support our un May, 1821.

New Series

presented us with, that America will rival the most scientific countries in the old world." The citing of this passage would be inconsistent with decorum, were not the commendation of this illustrious author, and teacher, and editor, chiefly the property of our contributors, and but in a small degree our own. The celebrated Professor Ferrara of the University of Palermo in the Island of Sicily, speaking on the subject of American Science, said recently to a friend of the editor, that he "did not doubt that the Sciences and Arts would, before long, pass to America in their highest perfection, and that we should ere long succeed to Asia and Europe, in the literary empire of the world."

'But, on the other hand, we are now bound in justice to the interests of American Science, not to withhold from its patrons the fact, that the two first volumes of this Journal have been, thus far, in a pecuniary view, losing concerns. The proprietors of the first volume have not yet received back the money which they have expended-nor is the editor yet repaid, simply for the paper, printing and engraving of the second volume, and that upon the supposition that all the money is collected from the contractors for quantities.

But it is some relief to add, that the patronage, during the past year, has been gradually, but on the whole regularly, increasing, and, as it now stands, will probably just about cover the expense of the materials and mechanical labor of the the third volume. Nothing has ever been paid for contributions to the pages of the work; to the honor of our scientific friends, they have contributed their gratuitous labors with cheerfulness and perseverance, and the scientific public, both at home and abroad, have already decided favorably on their productions.

With this simple statement of facts, we now dismiss the subject, after expressing our determination, notwithstanding all discouragements, to proceed, cheerfully, and with good courage, in our labor, contented also to relinquish it whenever others will more faithfully and successfully perform it, or our country shall have clearly decided that it does not approve, or will not support our undertaking.'

May, 1821.

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