very disproportionate to the merit and demerit; and that it is quite natural that he, who in adversity had been so tamed, so humbled, so trampled upon, by unfeeling prosperity, should, when the tables were turned, seek his revenge, give "physic to pomp," and expose it to feel what he had felt:" in Sir James Burgess's play, "the very head and front of Luke's offending hath this extent, no more," if we except his failure to practise what he had preached about charity to his brother's debtors. And for only this, the brother, whom Sir James Burgess represents to feign a natural and not a civil death, is to "rise again," "push" Luke "from his stool," and restore his wife and daughters to their original grandeur; and, for any thing we see, to a worse oppression of his poor brother.

We have already detained our readers too long on this subject; but we were anxious that the right horse should be saddled with all the faults in the present play, which might be unjustly ascribed to Massinger, than whom there does not exist one of all our many excellent old dramatists, whose plays better deserve reviving, and would ask less trouble in the adaptation for revival. We shall just add, that Anne and Mary, who are in Massinger's play charac ters, are in Sir James Burgess's merely parts; and that, whereas they reject their suitors, in Massinger, they are inclined to accept them according to Sir James Burgess.

The shade of Massinger has therefore to complain of Sir James Burgess, that he has reduced his City Madam to as mere a shadow of its original, as the ghost itself is. The worthy baronet should not stop on his eagle-wing, or stoop from his epic dignity, to alter old plays: it is like an elephant attempting to creep into a mousehole. Let him cleave to the summits of Parnassus, and leave Massinger to such humble souls as are sensible enough to think, that if, in adapting him to the present stage, we are constrained to "lose" a few " drops of the immortal man," we ought, at least, to adulterate the beverage with no wash of our own: "the next time," said a proprietor of the present publication to his servant, "the next time you drink any of my wine, don't fill up the decanter with water."

The revival was preceded and closed by a new prologue and epilogue. The prologue was well written, but talked too flippantly and disrespectfully of our old dramatists, about their works not fitting our purer stage," and seemed to make a great merit of the honour done to Massinger, in the rescue of one of his plays from oblivion," by a bad company of players, at a little dirty hole

U 2

called

called the Lyceum. The epilogue was much in the style of Mr. Miles Peter Andrews, and received all its charms from Mrs. Edwin, its reciter.

The play was ill performed: Mr. Raymond is unequal to the part of Luke, although his subdued voice in the first scene interested us much for the sufferings of the character. Sir James Burgess, it is true, had, kindly enough for his friend, cut out much of the artifice and villainy of the part; but we know no actor but Mr. Cooke or Mr. Kemble, who could put an audience in full possession of so complicated a character. Mrs. Edwin looked too young for the mother of Miss Ray and Mrs. Orger; but she infused great spirit into the City Madam. Having no other praise to bestow, we cannot help observing how excellently well Mr. De Camp dressed his part. His first dash forward on the stage was truly imposing : why did he break the charm? The whole revival, indeed, was better dressed than acted; but the scenery and properties of this theatre would disgrace Messrs. Richardson, Scowton, and company.

KING'S THEATRE.

A species of O. P. signifying Old Performers, prevails in this house. By much offence to the delicate lungs of the nobility and gentry, they obtained Mons. Deshayes and his dame, and now they claim the right of calling for the restoration of Catalani. On Saturday, the 17th of February, the tumult increased to such a degree, that nothing was heard but uproar. Having succeeded in getting a Dancer into their Ballets, they think, and not quite so foolishly as in common, that their Operas might possibly be better if they had a Singer. The row continuing, a Mr. Reed, a fat gentleman, was rolled on the stage, who said something about Catalani being shortly expected in town, and that she should be treated with. Alas! poor Opera! Messrs. Taylor and Waters will live to say, "Brother, brother, we are both in the wrong," we had a good nest of fools, and we have overlaid them.

The Père Elizee, an inmate in the family of the Duke of Queensberry, was refused admittance, with his Grace's order, and what was still better, his Majesty's in the shape of half-a-guinea, because he had the boldness to do Mr. Taylor the justice to condemn his meanness and insufficiency. Lord Yarmouth is also proscribed. Any thing more audacious and insolent, has rarely been heard of, and in England never tolerated. Mr. Taylor will be brought on his marrow-bones, a pitiful second edition of Covent-garden manage.”

ment. Mr. T. is supposed to have fomented the O. P. strife, because they had engaged Catalani, and now he gets a taste of the punishment of his own Brazen Bull, for the neglect to do himself what he disapproved of in them.

On Tuesday, the 20th, no apology was made in person, but a sophistical one by bill, handed about previous to the performance, for the first time, of Romeo e Julietta, a new Opera-a sort of plat translation of Shakspeare. Nothing could be more dull. The Opera House fast sinking to a level with the Royal Circus, its Manager thinks he may follow the vile taste and gross absurdities already exhibited and practised at the latter, by Mr. Elliston. Wretched work!

THEATRICAL CHIT-CHAT.

Mr. D. S. Maurice, Minories, has written an expostulatory letter on the insertion of an article in Vol. VI. p. 390, about an O. P. dance at the Royalty Theatre, which he says is untrue. As it coines from one of the wise men of the East, we readily insert his contradiction.

Tom Dibdin is at daggers drawn with the Managers of Covent, having mounted the ramparts, a forlorn hope, in defence of his wife's merits as an actress. We know none worse in town, though there may be many at Brummagem. We advise him to send her into the country, or to keep her at home (she's a good homely woman) to play for his private amusement.

MODESTUS has written a long letter to us, on what he calls "Theatrical indecencies," which is itself too indecent to print. Speaking of the dress or undress of the female performers, he conjures Mrs. SPARKS to wear more clothing about her neck and shoulders, and not so sedulously to endeavour to inflame the passions of the spectators." If we had not reason, from the general character of the letter, to believe that the author is serious, we should think that he meant some quibble on Mrs. Sparks' name, but, as it is, we can only pronounce Mr. Modestus one of the most inflammable, tinder-hearted, gunpowder-passioned, beings in existence !

Mr. Brandon's name appears, as usual, at the bottom of the bills; he is of course restored to office.

Mr. Elliston is about to apply to the House of Commons, for a licence to speak at the Circus. If he fails in that project, we recom mend him, before he plays Macheath again, to get an Act of Parlia ment to make him able to sing.

OLYMPIC PAVILION.

A grand spectacle, called Cormac and Swaran, and an excellent Pantomime, have kept this theatre in continual requisition ever since our last notice. The Ballets at the Opera House do not exhibit so much taste and invention, and they are certainly not possessed of a tithe of the entertainment and amusement of these performances.

1 OLD DRURY.

"The most numerous meeting, ever collected, of the Renters of this Theatre, took place at the Crown and Anchor Tavern yesterday. Our readers may recollect, perhaps, that at the last meeting, certain particulars were referred, to be settled in concert with the Proprietors', the Trustees', and the Renters' Committee. The subject before the meeting of yesterday was, therefore, to consider the Report of their own Committee, which was distinctly stated by Mr. Hosier, the Chairman of the Committee, and the Chairman presiding at the meeting. Nothing could exceed the cordial unanimity with which all the resolutions, adopted by the Committee, in concert with the Proprietors, were received. As a proof of the liberal spirit which pervaded the meeting, it is worthy and fit to be recorded, that, when J. Kingston, Esq. M. P. proposed, that a further addition should be made to the stated annuity, to be in future secured to the Renters, out of the presumed profits of the new undertaking, the proposition was unanimously rejected, though Mr. Kingston, upon the first suggestion of it, gave his immediate consent. Mr. Hosier, however, the Chairman, who has acted with indefatigable zeal and perseverance in the common cause, said, that he would state the question, though the honourable proposer had left the room, and the proposition had not been seconded; but, for his own part, he thought the Proprietors had acted so fairly, sincerely, and so justly, that he could not consent to any further pressure upon them. He felt the disinterested liberality of Mr. Sheridan, in so readily giving his assent to the proposition; but liberality on his part ought to be met with corresponding liberality on the part of the Renters. It was manifest that every thing was done for the Renters, compatible with the re-building of the Theatre; if any such surplus should arise, as Mr. Kingston supposed, in God's name! let Mr. Sheridan, who has acted so fairly towards all constituting the present meeting, and who has announced his intention of retiring himself wholly from the concern, when he has

seen its fair creditors duly satisfied, have the power of making over any such surplus to his son and his infant family; and do not let us, satisfied as I think we ought to be, grasp it from him, even with his own consent.-(Loud and general applause.)

Mr. HEATH, the Barrister, agreed with every word and sentiment that had fallen from the Chairman. He would, however, second the motion, in order that a direct negative might be put on the proposition.

The question was accordingly put, and, to the great honour of the renters, unanimously negatived.

All this augurs well, indeed, for the resurrection of Old Drury.

The meeting next proceeded to the consideration stated in the Trustees Advertisement, respecting the application for a thirdtheatre; and here again a unanimous resolution was entered into, to oppose, by all legal and constitutional means, so cruel and un-. principled an attempt to induce the Crown to countenance a plan of such ruinous and extensive injustice.

The thanks of the meeting were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting did not separate till after candles had been called for."

The above account of the meeting is taken from one of the sever ral papers, the British Press, Morning Post, &c. in which it was inserted, and probably paid for, as we find it in all verbatim the same. We have no remarks to make on the subject at present, except, that the words which we have put in Italics, strike us to be in the very richest spirit of humorous irony. Mr. HOSIER is a wicked wit.

NEW THEATRE.

House of Commons, Feb. 8.-Sir James Shaw presented a petition, signed by the Lord Mayor, Joshua Jonathan Smith, and others, praying for leave to bring in a bill to raise a loan of 200,000l. for the purpose of erecting a new Theatre.

The newspapers tell us, that the King referred the above petition to his Privy Council, they to the Crown Lawyers, and the Crown Lawyers thinking too much was asked, when a Charter was ree quired, had, by their opinion, put an end to the hopes of the peti tioners. From what quarter this paragraph came, may easily be guessed. Mr. SHERIDAN has, however, as it is said, made overtures to the Committee for the erection of the New THEATRE, and exer pressed a wish to become a Proprietor!..