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QUATORZAIN.

INSCRIBED TO MISS SARAH MORGAN, OF YATTON-COURT,

HEREFORDSHIRE.

I hate the pompous architectural pile,

The massive columns and the fine-wrought gate;

I hate the courtezan's delusive smile,

And all the gorgeous trappings of the great :
But dear to me is the sequester'd spot

Where Zephyr gambols in the sunny glare;
Where rears its head the unassuming cot,
For native Innocence sojourneth there!
Far more delightful is th' " unvarnish'd tale"
Than the smooth jargon of the squeamish throng:
And far more sweet is Philomela's wail

Than Catalani's meretricious song:

But trebly dear must ev'ry pleasure prove

When Friendship listens to the plaints of Love! Crafton-street, 3d Oct. 1808.

HORATIO.

SONNET.

From the bland concave of a sky serene,
Mild shone the pensive regent of the night;
And as I wander'd o'er the mountains green,
Thy features, Sarah! glanc'd before my sight!

Below me roll'd the rivulet along,

While gentle Zephyrs on its margent lay;
All round was mute, save little Ariel's song,
That died in "mingled melodies" away!

"Now is the Season-said I to my soul

"For noble, serious, philosophic ken;
"Now Fancy, loosen'd from the world's controul,

"Can leave the dreary solitudes of men,

"To seek those spheres, where, lost in sweet surprise,

"Thy Spirit, Blackshaw ! strikes her ravish'd eyes!"

Crafton-street, 23d Sept. 1808.

HORATIO.

PROLOGUE

TO THE NEW TRADITIONARY PLAY, ENTITLED
"THE MYSTERIOUS BRIDE,"

As performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane.

WRITTEN BY LUMLEY ST. GEORGE SKEFFINGTON, ESQ.

SROKEN BY MR. PUTNAM.

WITH anxious mind, with agitated breast,
By ev'ry terror forcibly impress'd,
Our Bard to-night, exalted in his views,
Resigns the comic for the serious muse;
Beneath her banner variously displays
Passion's mere spark extended to a blaze;
While moral ardour kindles into birth
The firm in honour, and the pure in worth!
Here Virtue hails, contending claims above,
The tear of Pity on the cheek of Love!

Our Bard no longer treads on Fairy land,
Where Fancy, like a despot, holds command;
No longer now endeavours to excite

I deal grief, and fabulous delight;

Still less attempts, with vigour, to transmit
Wit strong as genius, genius bright as wit;
While learning rears, with animated haste,
Reviving elegance, and rescued taste.
He simply offers, unadorn'd by art,
One touch of Nature on a gen'rous heart *.
Though pageantry, though magic, he forsake,
Though "Sleeping Beauties" here no longer wake,
Yet shail it still decidedly appear,

That Love, when noble, never slumbers here.

Hearts like your own with clemency can feel;

To hearts so gifted now we make appeal ;
Each party then shall equal pleasure share,
He that solicits mercy, You that spare.

*This is an allusion to the character of Miesco.

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SEPTEMBER.

THE LONDON THEATRES.

DRURY-LANE

27. Mysterious Bride (4th time). Three and the Deuce. Justice Touchit, Mr. Penley; Peregrine Single, Mr. Elliston Pertinax Single, Mr. Elliston; Percival Single, Mr. Elliston; Humphrey Grizzle, Mr. Mathews; Frank, Mr. De Camp. Emily, Miss Boyce; Phoebe, Mrs. Mathews; Taffline, Mrs. Bland.

29. Wonder. Isabella (1st time), Miss Boyce; Flora (1st time) Miss Mellon. (Never Acted) THE FORTUNE TELLER. The Overture and Music by Mr. Reeve. The Characters by Messrs. Bannister, Wewitzer, Mathews, Gibbon, Smith, Powell, Penley; Mrs. Mountain, Mrs. Bland.

OCTOBER.

1. Rule a Wife. Leon, (1st time) Mr. Elliston.-Weathercock.

4. Rivals. Captain Absolute, Faulkland, and Mrs. Malaprop, (1st time) by Mr. Elliston, Mr. Siddons, and Mrs. Sparks. Lydia Languish, Mrs. Orger, (from Edinburgh; her 1st appearance on this stage).-No Song No Supper.

6. The World.-Deserter. Henry, (1st time) Mr. I. Smith; Louisa, Mrs Corri (her 2d appearance on any stage).

3. Rule a Wife-Ella Rosenberg.

10. Romeo and Juliet. Romeo, Mr. Elliston; Mercutio, Mr. Bannister. Three and the Deuce.

11. All in the Wrong-Caractacus. 13. Rivals Caractacus.

15.

Inconstant-Three and the Deuce.

17. Busy Body.-(Not acted for 5 years.) Blue Beard. Abomelique, Mr. Raymond; Ibrahim, Mr. Mathews; Selim, Mr. I. Smith; Shacabac, Mr. Bannister, Hassan, Mr. Penley; Fatima, Mrs. Mountain; Irene, Miss Lyon; Beda, Mrs. Bland.

18.

West-Indian-Blue Beard.

20. Beggar's Opera. Macheath, Mr. Johnstone; Lucy, (1st time) Mrs. Bland. Blue Beard.

22. The Stranger. Stranger, Steinfort, and Peter, (1st time) Messrs. Elliston, Holland, and Mathews; Mrs. Haller, Mrs. Mudie, (from Windsor; her first appearance on this stage); Countess, (1st time) Miss Boyce.-Ib.

24. A Bold Stroke for a Wife-Ib.

25.

Constant Couple. Colonel Standard, Mr. Putnam; Angelica, Miss Ray-Ib.

26. Inconstant.-Ib.

Sept. 27. The Mysterious Bride was roughly treated this evening, and Mr. Russell, who advanced to speak the Epilogue, could not prevail on the audience to listen to him; although the play was acted three or four times last season, on benefit nights, with vast applause : such is the caprice of public opinion! The Three and the Deuce, which followed it, is another instance of it. It has been twice damned; on its original representation at the Haymarket, and afterwards on its revival at Drury-Lane; and now it is received with reiterated shouts of applause. What may have effected this change we know not, unless it be the acting of Elliston, which is, in truth, exquisite.

89. The Fortune Teller. The following are the Dramatis

Persone:

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Lady Worthland, becoming heiress of a large estate on the death of her uncle, and having heard, by her father's steward, James, of the ill conduct of Lordly, superintendant of the manor, towards the tenantry, resolves in disguise to pass some time on the estate before she publicly claims it. Under the character of a poor relative of Francis, she is placed in the family of Blackthorn, an honest farmer; an attachment takes place between her and Edward Blackthorn, son of the farmer, a youth of polished manners. She endeavours to conquer her passion and reject his suit. In consequence of which he enlists in the army. The Lady relenting, determines to visit the camp, which is formed near her domains, under the feigned character of a Fortune Teller, in hopes to prove the sincerity of her lover. In this she succeeds, and contrives to have a commission conveyed to him; this occasions his visiting his father's cottage.

Lordly, a wealthy, proud, and overbearing man, wishes to procure the lady's hand for his son Joe, an illiterate booby, who disregards his father's mandates, being more inclined to vulgar sports and the company of clowns-Lordly unwarrantably dismisses Blackthorn from his farm, pretending it is the order of Lady Worthland, who now appears in her real character-Edward, as his father's representative, waits on the lady to express their submission to her will-an explanation takes place-Lordly is disappointed, and the lady presents her hand 'to Edward.

It is to be lamented that such charming music as Mr. Reeve has composed for this piece should have found so bad a vehicle: but we hope it will still delight the public ear through a more amusing and fortunate channel. The managers, who kept back the Opera for two or three seasons, no doubt predicted the poor Fortune Teller's fate. The piece was dismissed from the boards on the first performance.

OCTOBER

·4. Mrs. Orger has a pretty person, of which she is not unconscious; but her theatrical talents are below mediocrity. We are yet willing to believe that she may appear to better advantage in some other character. Captain Absolute has not had so good a re presentative since Palmer."

6. Mr. I. Smith, who performed a few nights last season, again came forward as Henry, in the Deserter, and was most favourably received. Mrs. Corri's Louisa cannot so safely be commended.

22.

Mrs. Mudie will repeat the character of Mrs. Haller. She may be in fuller possession of her powers on a second performance; and, as we wish to judge as favourably of her as possible, our remarks shall, for the present, be suspended.

KING'S THEATRE (COVENT GARDEN COMPANY).

SEPTEMBER.

26.

Douglas. Glenalvon, Mr. Barrymore.-Rosina. Rosina, (1st time) Miss Bolton

28. Beggar's Opera-Portrait of Cervantes. 30. Grecian Daughter-Poor Soldier.

OCTOBER.

3.

Macbeth-Portrait of Cervantes.

5. Hamlet-Quaker. Steady, Mr. Bellamy.

7. Stranger NEVER ACTED; A New Romantic Melo-drama, in two acts, called The Forest of Hermanstadt; or, Princess and No Princess. The Overture and Music by Mr Jouve; the action of the Melo-drama under the direction of Mr. Farley. The characters by Messrs. Thompson, Brunton, Farley, Blanchard, Liston, Chapman, Jefferies, King, W. Murray; Mrs. H. Johnston, Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Davenport. The dances by Master Oscar Byrne, (his 1st appearance these two years) and the Misses Adams.

10. Macbeth-Ib.

12.

13.

-lb.

Hamlet-Ib.

Man of the World. Sir Pertinax Macsycophant, Mr. Cooke

14. Stranger-Ib.

17. Macbeth-Ib.

19.

20.

1.

24.

Merchant of Venice. Portia (1st time) Miss Norton.
Gamester-Who Wins?

John Bull-Portrait of Cervantes.

Richard III-Poor Soldier.

25. Mourning Bride-Flitch of Bacon.

26. Man of the World-We Fly by Night.

The managers of Covent Garden lost no time in securing this theatre for their performances, and on the 26th of September it opened with Douglas and Rosina. The house was completely filled, with the exception of the private boxes, which can only he opened by consent of individual proprietors. Previous to the tragedy, Mr. Kemble came forward, and was of course received with a burst of applause from every part of the theatre. His address was to the following effect:

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

"I am so oppressed by my feelings and gratitude for the reception I have just received, that I must trust to you to give me credit for what I ought to say on this occasion. My presenting myself before you was to entreat your indulgence for any deficiency of scenery and decorations there may be in the performances we may bring forward for the amusement of the public; be assured that this indulgence shall be claimed as seldom as possible; and that every exertion will be made by the managers to produce entertainment worthy your patronage." He begged leave to assure the audience, that all the persons concerned in Covent-Garden theatre were now in active employ; and that no pains or expense would be spared by the proprietors to erect another theatre, worthy the patronage of a British public; which he hoped would be ready for their reception in September next.

26. Mr Barrymore, in the absence of Mr. Cooke, lent his assistance in Glenalvon, and was warmly welcomed by the audience. We were in hopes that he had been engaged for the season. Such an actor is much wanted in this company.

Oct. 7. The FOREST OF HERMANSTADT is taken by Mr. T. Dib

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