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to do no difcredit to the profeffional reputation of her family. She fpoke the whole of the dialogue with a moft felicitous propriety, and was loudly and defervedly applauded. We have much to expect from this promifing fample of her talents, and doubt not when, by familiarity with the ftage, fhe has acquired a more graceful carriage and deportment, the will prove a valuable acquifition to the theatre.

On Monday, the 15th of September, Mr. Colman clofed his theatrical feafon in the Haymarket; and though we are fond of novelty that has the fpirit of genius and induftry to recommend it, we cannot help confidering it as one of the principal duties of a manager to maintain or revive the ancient claffics of our drama. In this view we were particularly pleafed that the manager of the Hay-market, before the clofe of his' play-houfe, with much vifible attention, brought The Fox of Ben Jonfon before his audience. The contexture of the piece, as prefented by Mr. Colman, appeared ftill more perfect than even as Old Ben left it; in confequence of the omiffion of the epifodical characters of Sir Patrick Wouldbe and his lady, together with fome other flight variations, and judicious tranfpofitions, which, added to the excellence of the performers, rendered a comedy, written on a more chafte and fevere model than thofe of Terence, not only endured, but even highly relifhed by a modern audience.

Our predilection for this antique relick of the old English drama has induced us to mention it rather irregularly, before taking notice, in our ufual manner, and according to the order of time, of the production of a new mufical farce, called GRETNAGREEN; a work, that may hereafter, like Fingal, create a literary contention among criticks to decide whether

it be Scotch or Irish; for it is, as we understand, the joint and feveral production of Mr. C. Stuart, a Caledonian, and the well-known Hibernian, O'Keeffe. It is highly laughable in the reprefentation; but how the jokes will read, we will not pretend to determine, till we fee it in print. It is impoffible, according to our cuftom, to prefent our readers with the prologue; not only because it is unpublifhed, but becaufe it will fcarce admit of publication; being composed of odds and ends of tunes from the Beggar's Opera, and made up of parodies on the words that go to thofe tunes.

The Spirit of The Fair Quaker maintained him in favour of the town to the laft, for with that comedy, and the entertainment of Gretna-Green, the manager concluded his feafon. After the play, Mr. Palmer came forward, and addreffed a moft numerous and brilliant audience in these words:

"Ladies and Gentlemen,

"The feafon clofing this evening, I beg leave, in the name of the manager and performers of this theatre, to make you their moft humble and fincere acknowledgements for your very kind protection and generous encouragement; and at the fame time to affure you of their future endeavours to teftify their gratitude, by the moft ftrenuous exertions to merit the continuance of your favour."

In order to manifeft the manager's future zeal in the public fervice, we join with others in calling on him, to exert himfelf as an author, a dramatic author; hoping that he will next year join his own literary labours to the care he beftows on thofe of others, and regale his guefts from his own ftock, as well as by catering from ancient ftores, or fetting before them the chance produce and common run of the market.

In Gretna-Green the following airs were introduced:

I Can fhoe a horfe, or kifs a lafs,
And nail two lovers firm as brafs,
I can knock about the can and glass
In bumpers 'till I'm meilow
Parents and guardians I dety,
Nay e'en the court of Chancery;
The widow's tear, the virgin's figh
I top like a good fellow.

Auld maidens I deteft,
Peevith, fretting,
Yet coquetting;
Bachelors can ne'er be bleft,
Snarling and backbiting.
All ye fair wards! but come to me,
I'll grant you Hymen's liberty
To live and fport with merry glee,

As mammy did before ye.

Then

Then, all ye bucks, and bloods, and beaux,
Bring each your girls, that are not foes
To wedding fhoes, and wedding clothes,
As daddy did before ye!

Auld maidens, &c.

I dance, I laugh, I pipe, I fing,

And merrily pafs the hours away: The fleeting hours new bleflings bring, That keep me ever blithe and gay. My food is hope, my drink is joy, My wealth a pure and lively mind; My happiness knows no alloy,

Unless when pity fays-" be kind!"

My fond heart sweetly basks in the bright beams of
hope;

Without it, thofe rofes and lilies would drop:
'Tis the fun that illumes this parterre of true love;
Without hope I fhould droop like the 'lorn turtle
dove.
[fell rock,
When my Jamie brav'd danger on Gibraltar's
Hope kept off the balls, made my heart stand the
fhock!

And drew him return'd in all victory's charms,
After conqu'ring his foes, to fubmit to thefe

arms.

Soon as a forward girl is grown
To fixteen years of age,
Our daughter is no more our own,
A lover's all her rage.

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THE THEATRE-ROYAL IN DRURY-LANE. Sept. 16. THIS theatre opened for the enfuing feafon with Mrs. Centlivre's farcical comedy of THE BUSY BODY, and Mr. Garrick's opera of THE QUAKER.

not but unite our wishes with thofe of the public, to court his return.

The house has undergone no other alteration that what confifts in embellishment. The devices from the antique, which ranged along the boxes, are wholly obliterated, and in their ftead appears a ground of French grey, ornamented with feftoons of flowers in relief. The ceiling is painted in ftone colour, to have the appearance of a dome, through the central aperture of which a beautiful fky is feen. The boxes are lined with crimfon, and the cufhions covered with the fame colour.

Mr. Linley commenced his managerical career with The Bufy Body, in which Mr. Lee-Lewes, from CoventGarden theatre, made his appearance, for the first time, at this theatre, in the part of Marplot. This gentleman is fpoken of as the fubftitute for Mr. King in fome characters; but the lefs of that great actor will be fo much felt by all lovers of the drama, that we can

Our Melpomene, Mrs. SIDDONS, is once more reftored to the English ftage. We have always entertained the higheft ideas of her abilities, and venture to prophecy, that the returns to the full enjoyment of her former patronage, ftill the unimitable, and unimitated SIDDONS!

The newspapers have given very difcordant accounts of her fuccefs in Ireland. Several of them have hazarded accounts for which there was no foundation: many have been biaffed by prejudice. For this reafon, we have, with fome trouble, obtained the following defcription of Mrs. Siddons, and of her brother, Mr. Kemble, from a gentleman of no common penetration in theatrical bufinefs, who has attended their exhibitions on the Irish ftage, and feems to have formed very juft notions of the powers and abilities of this great actress. We are perfuaded, that every impartial fpeétator will af fent to the critique which his letter exhibits.

M 1 2

Το

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON poffeffing every point of tragic perfecMAGAZINE.

DEAR SIR,

YOU defire to have an account of Mrs. Siddons, both with regard to her fuccefs, her capabilities, and her exertions. I fhall write with the utmost freedom, and I hope that my decifion will be allowed fome weight, as I have frequently been prefent at her exhibitions, and watched her every movement with eager attention.

In Jane Shore, in the Grecian Daughter, in Belvidera, and in Isabella, I have feen her repeatedly; once only in Califta, and in Zara, in the Mourning Bride. She has confined herself to thefe characters here, as the did in London.

She has been wonderfully followed; and the voice in praise of her powers full as general, and as vehement, as it was in your metropolis. We too have had, I can affure you, our fainting fits and our hysterics. Yet, fince you defire an unbiaffed account, I muft confefs, that I cannot, in my own mind and heart, fubfcribe to her univerfal and unrivalled excellence. My judgement may be deemed unimportant; but I have always endeavoured to exert it for myself; and I now fpeak from my feelings.

Some very great excellencies, I do think that the poffeffes: in others, fhe appears to me deficient. Her performance, in general, to me appears appuyé. She does not fhade her characters: every part of them feems to stand equally forward, except where the poet has rendered it an abfolute impoflibilitv.

I am not unused to the melting mood," and have been frequently affected to tears by other actreffes: by Mrs. Siddons very rarely. So that, as far as my own feelings go, I muft pronounce, that her talent does not lie in the exciting of these emotions.

This criticifm, however, fhould be whispered in as low a tone of voice as Sir Jofeph Wittol was to deliver Bluff's challenge: for it will be thought rank herefy on both fides of the channel. No one is permitted to question her

tion.

To a woman of good fenfe, as the must be, I cannot fuppofe that this undiftinguishing praife can be really flattering. She furely cannot, in any great degree, efteem thofe who bestow it fo lavishly.

Of all her characters, fhe pleafes me moft in Zara. The various paffions of it, jealoufy, rage, disdain, and paffionate, tumultuous love, are fuch as by nature, in my opinion, fhe is beft calculated to exprefs:-though, at the fame time, it must be allowed that the can accommodate herself to any. The laft act of her Jane Shore, and the mad fcene of her Belvidera, are certainly moft aftonishing fpecimens of theatrical abilities; though, perhaps, the latter is a little too ftrong and terrible. A woman, I think, on the ftage, as well as in private life, fhould ever keep the loveable in view, as much as pofiible.

One of Mrs. Siddons's great excellencies, is her unremitting attention to the bufinefs of the fcene. She acts while fhe is filent, as well as while the fpeaks. Her by-play, to ufe a theatrical term, is fometimes ingenious, fometimes ftriking, and, I believe, always proper.

I am very much pleased with the correctnefs and tafte of her drefs; and with what is more material, the grace and fpirit of her action. In impaffioned paffages, I have frequently thought it beautiful, and productive of very great effect.

Kemble, her brother, is engaged at Drury-lane. Every one must be ftruck with the refemblance between them. The likenefs does not confift merely in features and manner, but in the formation of their minds. Their conceptions feem nearly allied. In his performances, he frequently difplays great ingenuity: fometimes, as he appears to be defirous of thinking for himself, there is room for criticifm. On the whole, his acting powers, in my opinion, are more diverfified than thofe of his fiiter; and he poffefles talents far beyond any performer whom we have feen for fome years paft. To

thefe

thefe he joins uncommon induftry; and as he is a man of education, and engaging manners, I truft, that he will

fucceed when he appears before a London audience.

I am, dear Sir, your's, &c.

THEATRE-ROYAL, IN COVENT-GARDEN.

Sept. 17. THIS evening the opening of Covent-Garden theatre difcovered feveral alterations, which have been made in the houfe. The feats in the galleries are as commodious as can be wished. The avenues to the boxes on each fide have alfo been enlarged by a removal of the flaircafe, which now afcends nearer to the lobby, and the fpace which the ftairs formerly occupied is made into a recefs. The boxes up ftairs are confiderably enlarged, by the paffage being thrown into them; this improvement will prove of confiderable benefit to the audience, as the doors, from their continual opening and fhutting, have always been found to occafion complaint. The feats in thefe boxes are alfo made more commodious; and being railed along the back, the company who occupy them are not liable to the least inconvenience from those who pafs and repafs along the interior paffage.

The performances of the night were the opera of LovE IN A VILLAGE, and TRISTRAM SHANDY.-Mrs. Johnson,

A. P.

from the Theatre-Royal in Dublin, appeared in the part of Rofetta. She is little, but her figure is neat, and her deportment lively: her conception appears juft, and the speaks articulately, and with expreffion. In respect to her vocal abilities, there is no firmness in her voice, but the upper tones of it are the beft, and it may be faid she fings agreeably.

Several candidates for theatrical fame

are expected to come forwards, during the enfuing month. Dublin, Norwich, Bristol, and the other country theatres, have been gleaned, and as the harveft, in many of thefe places, has been fruitful, the public may hope for fuch treats as will difcover neither a famine in the land, nor any want of variety in the courses.

We fhall give fhort and impartial accounts of new performers, and new pieces, as they appear. Our next number will contain a defcription of the Kembles, and of their reception from the London audiences.

THE MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER.

FRIDAY, Aug. 15.

affault, with an intent to commit an unnatural

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Eleanor Turnbull, theft; William Elwin, and Thomas Watfon, alias Wilion, for horte-ftealing, received fentence of death; and Francis Squires, for theft, to be tranfported seven years. Robert Story was fince executed.

SATURDAY, 16.

At the affiles for the county of Suffex, five prifoners received fentence of death, viz. William Fuller, for ftealing a horfe-John Beach, for entering a dwelling houfe, and ftealing thereout wearing apparel-Robert Hewes, alias Later, for ftealing a mare-and Thomas Jones, and Robert Partons, for a burglary-John Moore, for ftealing two watches, to be confined twelve months to hard labour-William Burchell, to be publickly whipped.

At Bury affifes, Richard Smith, for highway robbery, and Elizabeth Hart for breaking open a dwelling houfe, and ftealing a fearlet cloak, received fentence of death, but were reprieved. The Rev. William Aldington, indicted for an

but the judge, convinced of his deteftable practices, fentenced him to pay a fine of 100l. MONDAY, 18.

At the affifes for the county of Norfolk, and city and county of Norwich, Robert Fox, for highway robbery, and Charles Plumb, for theepftealing, received fentence of death. Plumb was reprieved; Fox was fince executed. TUESDAY, 19.

At the Newcastle affifes George Alexander Rofs, alias George Christie, for Forgery, received fentence of death.

At the affiles for the county of Northumberland, William Fairbright, for telony, received fentence of death.

There was a very heavy thunder storm, with much lightening, at Liverpool: alattock of corn in Bootle was fired by the lightening; alfo a rick of hay in Ford: a cow was killed in the neighbourhood of Walton, and a woman struck dead in a little cottage in Wallbrook-Moor, in

company

company with a man and a child, who were unhurt: all thefe villages lie contiguous to Liverpool, between four and five miles diftance on the north fide.

WEDNESDAY, 20.

At Shrewsbury aflifes, Thomas Charles, for being concerned with divers other perfons in riotously pulling down and deftroying a certain dreffing-mill, near Ludlow-Henry Foulk, fenior, and John Sambrook, for fheep-ftealing-James Pritchard, for stealing a mare- -John Fox and John Rogers, for a robbery-and John Moore, otherwife Watkin, for stealing a bay gelding, received fentence of death.The fix latter were reprieved, and Thomas Charles was fince executed. Six were fentenced to transportation for feven years, and feven to be whipped and impriforied.

A thunder ftorm damaged feveral houses at Briftol: it was attended with a heavy ftorm of hail of a very large fize.

THURSDAY, 21.

A violent form of rain, attended with feveral loud clips of thunder and flashes of lightening, fell in the afternoon, at Whitchurch, in Hampthire. A body of electrick fire entered the gateway of the White Hart inn, and paffing into the kitchen, where were the landlord, and his wife, a maid-fervant, a gentleman, a pallenger in the Salifbury diligence, with the driver, the whole company except the driver, were ftruck down, and deprived of fenfe and motion for fome time. Paffing from the kitchen to the parlour, it instantly reduced a great part of the wainscot to afhes, thivered the chimney-piece to atoms, and made its way into a wall near the chimney, full two feet deep, where having forced out the brick-work, it paffed to the gateway, fplit one of the pofts in pieces, and continuing upward, in an oblique direction, enurely destroyed the roof, throwing down an immenfe weight of tiles, &c.

At Warwick aflifes, C. Haddon, for horfeftealing, and Benjamin Willoughby, who was tried lait atlifes, but his fentence left to the determination of the twelve judges, received fentence of death; also one for theep-ftealing, one for horte-ftealing, and a woman tor fhop-lifting, who were all reprieved.

FRIDAY, 22

At Croydon Allifes, Henry Simmonds and Martha Baker, for the murther of a tradelman in Mint-street-John Hatch, a pawnbroker, for tealing a filver waiter-Wm. Lucas, for a highway robbery-John Lawfon and W. Holmes, two midshipmen, for a footpad robbery--T. Lamat, for horle-flealing, and four for footpad robberies, received fentence of death. Simmonds and Baker were finee executed.

At Maidltone affiíes, the following nine perfons received fentence of death, viz. John Maddifon, John Gorham, William Steel, alias William Smith, James White, and James Wright, for highway robberies--William Mizon, for horfeftealing-William Thompson, and John Williams, for burglaries--and William Davis, for tealing a lamb.-William Mixon, James White, William Thompfon, John Williams, William Davis, and James Wiight, were afterwards reprieved.

TUESDAY, 26.

This evening we had fome of the loudest claps of thunder ever remembered in London. By noting the interval between the flath and the explosion, and calculating according to the number of feet which found travels in a fecond, the

cloud whence the ftorm iffued has been com. puted not more than 150 yards diftant from the earth The concuffion of the air was fo great, that it rent part of the building in the King's Bench Prifon, and broke feveral windows.

The fame ftorm was felt at Leeds, but confiderably carlier in the evening, attended with hail and heavy rain: the lightening fet fire to feveral fheaves of corn at Roundhay, and entirely confumed them; and feveral trees were fhivered to pieces.

Two horfes and feveral cows were ftruck dead by lightening, the fame afternoon, near Nottingham.

WEDNESDAY, 27.

A violent ftorm of thunder and lightening fell at and in the neighbourhood of the Devites: aman and girl, with their dog, happening to be on Whitway-Heath, about three miles from that town, were all ftruck by a flath of lightening. The man recovered, but the girl and dog died inftantly.

Thomas Eadon was capitally convicted at the aflifes held at Wifbech, for the Ifle of Ely, tor wilfully fetting fire to feveral out-buildings at Littleport, which, together with a large quantity of corn, cattle, and farming utenfils were totally destroyed, to the amount of 1000l. and upwards.

THURSDAY, 28.

About two o'clock in the afternoon, the river Swindale, which runs through Market Brough in Westmorland, was fuddenly fwollen to an unufual height, and in a few minutes increafed ta fuch a flood as had never been teen there. This ancommon rife was fuppofed to be occationed by a heavy thower of rain, and hail-ftones of a prodigious fize, which fell amongst the mountain's a mile above Brough, and which foon collecting, forced a pallage through fome mofies into the river. On receiving this inundation, the river became quite black, had a moft naufeous and offenfive fmell, and rolling down a vaft body of water, with great rapidity, tore up by the roots vait numbers of large trees. All the battlements and troughs which conveyed water to two cornmills were entirely destroyed, and the mills rendered ufelefs. All the tone wells and fences adjoining the river were carried away by the torrent, and great apprehenfions were formed for the fafety of the houles which stood near it. The road leading to Church Brough is greatly injured, and other contiderable damage done.

At Carlifle affifes John Hinde, for fheepftealing, J. Sproat, for tealing a cow, Arthur M'Grieve, for ftealing a mare, and William Penwick, for theft, received fentence of death.

FRIDAY, 29.

The fouth-weft pinnacle of the fteeple at Gretton, near Harringworth, in Northamptonfhire, was ftruck by lightening, and tell through the leads into the church, which was damaged to the amount of about 100k

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