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10.

12.

Provoked Husband.-Ib.

False Alarms, or My Cousin, (first time.)-Deaf Lover. 13. Ib.-Spoiled Child.

Ib.-Tekeli.

Ib.-Children in the Wood.

14.

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20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

26.

Ib.-Tekeli.

Ib.-Who's the Dupe.

Ib.-Tekeli.

Ib. Children in the Wood.

Ib.-Tekeli.

27. Ib.-Humourist.

28. Assignation (first time).-Lying Valet.

29. Honeymoon. Tekeli.

31. Travellers.-Children in the Wood.

Feb. 2.

3.

4.

False Alarms.-Tekeli.

Rivals.-Ib.

False Alarms.-Emily, or Juvenile Indiscretion, (first time).-Deaf Lover.

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Castle Spectre.-Tekeli.

Haunted Tower.-Emily.-Wedding Day. 14. Jealous Wife.-Tekeli.

16.

Travellers.-Fortune's Frolic.

17. Busy Body.-Emily.-Irishman in London.

Neither of the theatres has produced much novelty during the past month; but as we wish to preserve a regular journal of the performances of both houses, we have included the month of January, that the year may not be incomplete. To bring the representations down to the period from whence we mean to date a more exact and detailed criticism, we shall offer a few slight observations upon such pieces in the above list, as have been produced this

season.

The ENCHANTERS; or Harlequin Sultaun, is a pantomime hastily patched together for the Christinas holidays. The performance bore all the marks of this haste. The actors had no knowledge of the business; the tricks were stale, and the scenery was heavy and unmanageable. TEKELI is a Melodrame, altered from the French by Mr. Theodore Hook, and adapted to the English stage with ingenuity andsuccess. The interest arises from the "hair-breadth 'scapes" of a noble warrior, who endeavours to rescue his country from the cruel gripe of its oppressors. It has already been played forty nights. The music is by Mr. Hook senior, and is in his best style.

FALSE ALARMS is an Opera by Mr. Kenny, the author of that excellent Farce, Raising the Wind. In the present piece he has not been very successful; but the music of Mr. Brabam; the novelty of his performing on the piano forte, which in truth he touches with a masterly finger; and the attraction of his song, "Says a Smile to a Tear;" have carried the Opera through many representations, much to the advantage of the theatre. On the music of this Opera we will make a few observations. It is the joint production of Mr. Braham, and M. P. King, and possesses much taste, fancy, and expression. The song we have a'ready mentioned, and the duet between Mr. Braham and Signora Storace, most delightfully executed, are very pleasing and elegant compositions The overture by Mr. King, is scientific, but not well calculated for the purpose for which it was intended. The song by Miss Duncan; the a'r allotted to Mrs. Bland; and Mrs. Mountain's Harp song, also possess much merit in point of composition; but Mr. King's music in general is of too sombre a cast for an English theatre. He indulges too much in harmony to produce pleasant melodies. His accompaniments are overloaded, and prevent the performer from giving the proper effect to the songs The comic part of the music is very indifferent. No composer will ever succeed eminently in this respect who does not make the style his peculiar study. The comedy of ASSIGNATION it is painful to us to mention, because we must say that it is the production of a L dy of distinguished worth and genius, the author of the Recess and the Chapter of Accidents, which was dismissed from the boards with contempt, and merited the disgraceful treatment it received. EMILY; or Juvenile Indiscretion, is a Ballet by Mr. D'Egville, composed for the purpose, (which is fully accomplished) of exhibiting the graces and cleverness of Miss Gayton to the best advantage. The character she sustains, is a kind of Little Pickle, and the whole idea seems to have been suggested by the Spoiled Child.

COVENT GARDEN.

Jan. 1. Birth Day-Arbitration, or Free and Easy-Harlequin and Mother Goose, or the Golden Egg, (fourth time.) Tempest.

2.

3. Merry Wives of Windsor.

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** Harlequin and Mother Goose was performed on all of the above evenings.

HARLEQUIN, and MOTHER GOOSE, is the best pantomime we have had since Harlequin Oberon: its attraction still continues, and seems likely to run through the season. Mr. Dibdin and Mr. Farley, are the ingenious gentlemen to whom this piece, so excellent in its kind, is attributed. The music by Mr. Ware, is appropriate: the overture sprightly and effective. A Master Smalley sings a song with a power of voice that is surprizing; but this lad is too fond of imitating the great singers; this artifice catches the applause of the million, but it is really ridiculous, and the boy sings shockingly out of tune; a simple air should be given to him, and, with good instruction, he might do something.

The TEMPEST is a revival by Mr. Kemble, with additions from Dryden and Davenant, as tasteless as indecent, and totally subversive of the, simplicity of Shakspeare's drama. Mr. Kemble's pronunciation of the word "aches" in this play, has confounded. the ignorant, and made wiser folks smile.

"Fill all thy bones with a-ches: make thee roar."

We shall say a few, and but a few words, upon this much contested point. The word aches, has been generally used as a dyssyllable by the poets, 'till within the last century. Examples

innumerable, might be produced, if necessary, to prove that Mr. Kemble is right, in dividing the word into two syllables, and giving a soft sound to the ch. Right certainly, with respect to Shakspeare's metre, and the usage of his time: but certainly wrong, as violating the practice of the present day, and indulging himself in a piece of foolish pedantry, without necessity, and without merit. Shakspeare employs the plural noun we believe only twice more throughout all his plays-his use of it is uniformly dissyllabical.

"A-ches contract and starve your supple joints" (Timo1.) "Their fears of hostile strokes, their a-ches, losses. (ib.) But the necessity of a rigid adherence to the intention of Shakspeare, will be a poor plea from Mr. Kemble, who in this very play of the TEMPEST, has admitted the most barbarous innovations; who accents Coriolanus upon the second syllable, for no earthly reason that we can discover, but because Shakspeare invariably places it on the fourth; and who scruples not, whenever he thinks fit, to set up his own wrong readings against the undisputed and indisputable authority of the great bard himself. On these grounds we think Mr. Kemble might have omitted the passage altogether; have substituted a synonime in the room of a-ches; have inserted the particle "to," between "make thee" and "roar;" or have covered the hiatus in the metre, by dwelling on, and giving the word double time, like a note in music; any of these methods would have been preferable to his tooth-breaking, ear-grating aitches. Shakspeare's text cannot be altered-lex scripta manet-hut something must always be conceded to universal custom.

We have noticed that "for something or for nothing," when the TEMPEST has been acted, the bills have announced the characters as before; while the cast of the plays for a week onward, is par ticularized below. A play bill has always been considered as a guide to the audience present, at least it was so in Garrick's time; but now it merely refers them to a previous performance which they have not attended, or a future one which they have no desire to see. It is like inviting a man to an auction, and theu putting into his hand a catalogue of the articles that have been sold.

ARBITRATION, is a FREE AND EASY farce, by Mr. Reynolds, supported with inimitable spirit by Lewis; and the DESERTS OF ARABIA, an operatic romance by the same lively and ingenious writer, decorated with all the pomp of the stage, and furnished with some pleasing music by Lanza.

*Several novelties are preparing at both houses; particularly the Curfew, by the author of the Honeymoon; and a comedy from the elegant pen of Mr. Morton.

THE COUNTRY THEATRES, &c.

The COUNTRY THEATRES are justly entitled to our attention, from the importance they have acquired of late years; the respectability with which many of them are, and all ought to be conducted; the obvious justice of noticing merit wherever it may display itself; and the propriety of affording a channel for the animadversions of those who have a local right to offer their sentiments with respect to the regulations of the provincial mana gers.

We shall always be ready to hear both sides; and unless we find the parties indulging in wanton scurrillity, we shall allow them the privilege of expressing themselves freely. Brevity however is indispensible; and we must premise to our Correspondents, that the liberty of curtailment will be unreservedly assumed by us. We begin with the SCOTCH Stage; Dublin; Bath; Manchester; Liverpool; Norwich, &c. shall be attended to in their turns.

EDINBURGH.-The Company having gone to Glasgow to pass as usual a few weeks after Christmas I shall merely make a few observations upon it generally, no opportunity having offered for detailed remark, or particular criticism.

The inhabitants of Edinburgh gave all due encouragement to the Theatre the few weeks it was open; though I have not heard that those who had once gratified their curiosity by seeing the best company out of London, as our managers call it, are much in the habit of repeating their visits.

Some genuine talent has no doubt been gained, but it is equally. true, that by the defections of last season, much has been lost to the Theatrical Stock. Of the very meritorious exertions, and the various excellencies of that most promising actor, Mr. Megget, I shall hereafter say a few words; of the merits of Mrs. Young no one is ignorant. Archer is I believe what is called a fair actor, and a person of the name of Vining, possesses some degree of cleverness, and even a little judgment. But the old women of Mrs. Jones, the countrymen of Turpin (in that department inferior to few) the usefulness of Mrs. Turpin, often respectable, sometimes excellent, never contemptible, in almost every department; the outre old men of Hollingsworth, the correct delineation, and very reputable execution of Mrs. Mason, who wanted only figure and face to entitle her to high professional rank—ALL these are either totally wanting, or most inadequately supplied. Hence it is the opinion of some not inimical to the individual talents of the new company, that as a whole it is less complete than the generally despised one of last season.

Of Mrs. Young, my opinion is this. In all she attempts her judgment is apparent; her mental accomplishments evidently preponderate over the gifts she has received from nature. Perfectly mistress of the scene, her eye is never fixed, nor is her attention directed, but to their proper object. She looks and walks precisely as she ought. Her voice naturally good, is under the most perfect discipline; her recitation is clear, distinct, and precise, her tones fill the house in all its parts; her manner is correct, and most impressive. No one can deliver the sense of an author with more propriety and effect than her; as in the more mechanical department of her profession, such as dressing, the accuracy of her judgment is peculiarly distinguished. Still the parsimony of Nature is perceptible. That delightful ease of deportment, that facinating vivacity of action, and gaiety of manner; that versatility of character sliding insensibly from one of its features to another, those nameless graces which seize as it were by storm upon the heart, and captivate the reason in spite often of the judgment

-These seem denied, in a degree at least, to this respectable Lady. On the contrary, a small share of stiffishness, (pardon the phrase) of preciseness, or, if you will, over correctness, seems to me, in her comedy, pretty apparent. Much of her Lady Teazle exhibits

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