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be too much to pronounce it impos sible that this play could ever have been, or ever can be better got up than it is at present, we must be permitted to avow, that remembering the pleasure it afforded us, the very thoughts of the possibility of its be ing better performed, excites impa tience and displeasure. Terry's Panglos was above all praise-Mrs. Pearce's vulgar assumption of rank and consequence as the new made Lady Duberley, was admirableMrs. Barker threw the expression of artless manners, and natural feelings into the character of Ceeily Home spun; whilst Oxberry's affectionate temper and rustic honesty as Zekiel Homespun, would have rivalled the best performances of Emery. But Liston and Jones-Liston's vulgarity as the new made lord-his old chan dler's habits-his self-enjoymenthis satisfied laugh- his thorough sensual drollery, form a piece of act ing which we cannot conceive can ever be surpassed:-Jones's rapid transitions of feeling and of purpose, according to his change of rank, were given with exquisite skill: his half-restrained impatience to get rid of his old rustic companion, Homespun, was given with great effect; but the aukwardness of divulging to Homespun that Cecily was no longer a fit match for him- the writhings of his face and body as he at last brought out the hint that the marriage ceremony might be dis pensed with, were proofs of histrionic talent which would do honor to any stage. The comedy of She Stoops to Conquer, has been got up with almost equal talent. Liston's Tony Lumpkin is unique-his acting was so excellent, that we could not even regret that he is rather too old to look the boy under age. The manner in which he snatches the letter out of the lady's hand, and expresses his mixture of astonishment, impatience, and reproach, at her holding the defeat of his drinks ing club to be a trivial matter, was, a real touch of nature, which brought its full measure of applause from the audience. Mr. Terry was at home as Mr. Hardcastle, whilst Mrs.

Chatterley, as Miss Hardcastle, was fascination itself, We wish the club companions of Tony had been a little better drest-an excise-man may surely have clean linen and a good coat, and yet look vulgar enough for Tony's friend. These plays lose much by their change of manners and circumstances incidental to the improvement of society. In Goldsmith's day, the highway-man scene was reckoned one of admirable humour, but the apprehension of highway robbery in travelling, is now a thing so out of date, that an author might as well make the plot of a tragedy turn upon a £20,000 prize in the lottery, as to introduce such an incident as highway robbery in a regular comedy. We have been led so far by our feelings on these two plays, that we have hardly space to say what is necessary on the revival of the play of the Hypocrite. This piece is rather a paraphrase than a translation of Moliere's Tartuffe. In Dr. Johnson's day, the Hypocrite was in great vogue, and as it was then considered little else than a party piece an auxillary to the establishment against the increasing sects of those dreaded leviathans, Wesley and Whitfield. But the sentiments of society have latterly so much changed upon this subject, that the play ought to be modified to meet the habits and manners of the present age. It is said that Terry, the substitute for Dowton, in the character of Cantwell, is too dirty and coarse to win upon a person of rank like Lady Lambert; but we must recollect that it is this very coarseness that shews the high degree of religious infatuation in her ladyship, who is taken with even poor Maw-worm, In the same manner, when the gluttony of the Tartuffe is related to his patron it only draws from him a piteous "Le pauvre homme," in short, no excess of vulgarity or of sensuality is too gross for infatuation of this sort. The Hypocrite is an amusing play-Mr. Liston is, we think, much better than Mathews as Maw-worm, if he is not so natural, he is infinitely more droll and amusing.

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

That almost prodigy, Miss Clara Fisher, on whose merits we expa

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tiated in our last Number, has concluded her engagement at this

Theatre. She took her leave in the character of Panglos; and however astonishing may be the performance of such a character by a female child, we can hardly approve of any attempt so extravagant. We must take leave of Miss Fisher until her re-appearance, by giving our opinion, that if her histrionic merit " grows with her growth, and strengthens with her strength," she will be one of the first actresses in Europe.-A new Melo-drama has been brought out at this Theatre, under the name of Gordon the Gypsey.-The story has all the qualities adapting it to a Melo-drama, and of which the dramatist has judiciously availed himself. The piece has good music, good scenery, and abounds in those incidents and situations, which rouse the feelings, and make the heart palpitate with fear and alarm for the fate of the hero, and the manner in which he may extricate himself from his dilemmas, and escape the "moving accidents by flood and field." Gordon is the son of a Scotch laird, owner of Drummond Keep, an inaccessible fortress on a rock, hanging over a lake.-Gordon's father is murdered by his friend Cameron, who possesses himself of the Keep, in which he resides, with his only niece. His son having been obliged to fly the country, as one of the Jacobite rebels, Gordon has become the leader of a band of gypseys, and, discovering the mode of ingress into Drummond Keep, he is resolved to effect his entrance, to personate Cameron's long-lost son-to espouse the niece, to whom he is attachedand then to wreak his vengeance on Cameron, for the murder of his father. He succeeds in gaining admission into the Keep, and in imposing himself upon Cameron as his son; but being pursued by the King's troops, he is obliged to precipitate his plans, and, in the act of plunging old Cameron into the lake, he is shot by the soldiery, who were in pursuit of him. This is the outline of the story, which may be seen in the tales of Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd. Mr. Cooke performed the part of Gordon, and looked terrific.-His fine figure and vigorous action remarkably adapt him to such characters; his waving the burning bush to call his gang to his assistance, on

the night when he discovers the entrance into the Keep, is characteristic and awful in the extreme.Wilkinson, as a sort of Bonifacethe toper landlord of the Blue Sheep's Head, was irresistibly comic. His contest with M'Iron, Gordon's rude lieutenant, was ludicrous enoughbut our praise extends only to Mr. Wilkinson, not to his character, which is one of the most pointless we ever witnessed. The piece, on the whole, was deserving of approbation, and it was favourably received by the public.-The longpromised five-act play, from Gil Blas, was brought out on Thursday the 15th. This is an attempt to dramatise the whole novel of Gil Blas, and to represent the hero, from his leaving his uncle, the little fat licentiate, Gil Perez, to his decline of life, at 52, and upwards, the ratios of age being as 17, 25, and 52. Souls of Corneille and Longinus, what a liberty with the unities! Shakespear's King John is regularity and condensation, compared to such a chronological drama.-Miss Kelly was the Gil Blas of 17-Pearman was the Signor Gil Blas of 25; and, finally, Mr. Bartley was the Gil Blas of 52. This novelty alone, of suecessively personating one character by a female and two males, might lead us to pronounce a priori, that the piece would be either very good or very bad. It has, certainly, proved a very flexible piece; for on the second night of representation, it was reduced by one hour and a half. The first and second Acts carry Gil Blas through the supper at Penalz, with the tall, long-sworded bulley, whose very look frightens the poor lad into paying the bill.-Then we have his capture by the robbers

the cave of the robbers in the wood, and his escape with Donna Mercia. This ends the first two Acts, and may be said to end the play of Gil Blas,-for the three succeeding Acts not only have nothing to do with the story, but all identity of character is lost, and the remainder of the play is absolutely worthless. Gil Blas of 52 is no more the Gil Blas of 17 or 25, grown older, than he is in the Gil Blas of 52, given to us in the novel, or than he is Hamlet Prince of Denmark. But it would be use

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HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY, JULY 22.-The royal assent was given by commission to the Marriage Act Amendment Bill and to several other Bills.-The Marquis of Lansdown expressed his wish that his Majesty's ministers would continue their efforts to induce the governments of Europe to acknowledge some general principles, which might form the basis of measures calculated effectually to suppress that iniquitous traffic, termned the slave trade. As an address to this effect had been recently presented to the Throne by the House of Commons, the noble Marquis would confine himself to merely expressing these views upon the subject.-The Prison Laws Bill was ordered to be read this day three months, the Lord Chancellor expressing his determination to bring in a Bill next session of similar provisions, except the penalties. The Bill was then read pro forma.

FRIDAY, JULY 26.-Lord Redesdale presented a petition from the Rev. George Bugg, complaining of his having been dismissed successively from three curacies, and left destitute with a wife and four children, by the bishops of Winchester and Lincoln, under 36 Geo. 3. cap. 83. sect. 6, and 57 Geo. 3. cap. 99. sect. 47. No cause had been assigned for this dismissal, and no complaint had been made against the petitioner's moral, religious, or canonical conduct. The petition prayed the repeal of the aforesaid sections of the Acts.-Ordered to lie on the table.

MONDAY, JULY 29.-On the third reading of the Irish Constable's Bill Lord Holland reprobated the Orange processions on the 12th July to commemorate the victory of the Boyne. - Lord Liverpool expressed his strong disapprobation of such processions, and declared that ministers were taking steps to put a stop to such proceedings. On the third reading of the Alien Bill, Lord Holland, in an impressive and eloquent speech, declared the Bill to be a violation of the immutable principles of justice; uncalled for by the circumstances of the times; and indelibly disgraceful to the cha racter of this country, His Lordship stated that great abuses were committed under this Act, and amongst other cases he instanced that of Las Casas, whose papers had been seized in a most unjustifiable manner. Adverting to Buonaparte, his Lordship spoke of the highest individuals in Europe, who had pronounced Napoleon to be the greatest character of modern history, in which sentiment he fully agreed; and he thought the treatment of the ex-emperor by this country calculated to throw disgrace on the national character, and to render infamous to posterity, the name of those, who had been instrumental in such measures against a great but fallen enemy. Lord Bathurst defended the Alien Bill, when it was read a third time, and passed by a majority of sixteen.

FRIDAY, AUG. 3.-The Lord Chancellor brought in a Bill to amend

the Bankrupt Laws, but owing to the lateness of the sessions the Bill was read pro forma and ordered to be printed. By this Bill a person is allowed to declare himself a bankrupt by filing a declaration of bankruptcy.

MONDAY, AUG. 5.-Lord Holland presented a petition from Mr. Robert Gourlay, complaining of injuries he had suffered from the government of Canada, the constituted authorities of which province had banished him by a summary jurisdiction.

TUESDAY, AUG. 6.-Parliament was prorogued this day by the king in person. All the passages leading to the House were crowded at an early hour, and the arrangements made for the admission of persons to the Painted Chamber and other situations in the House, had the effect of preventing any confusion. At about twelve o'clock the doors were opened, and all the places allotted to the public were immediately occupied. The body of the House presented, as usual, a display of brilliancy and fashion.

His Majesty, immediately on his arrival, took his seat on the throne, when the Commons were forthwith summoned to attend, and on the arrival of the Speaker and members of the House of Commons, the Speaker proceeded to read an address to his Majesty, in which he took a review of the proceedings of the Session.

When the Speaker had concluded, his Majesty delivered the following speech:

**My Lords and Gentlemen,-I cannot release you from your attendance in Parliament, without assuring you how sensible I am of the attention you have paid to the many important objects which have been brought before you in the course of this long and faborious session. I continue to receive from Foreign Powers the

strongest assurances of their friendly dispost

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tion towards this country; and I have the satis. faction of believing that the differences which had unfortunately arisen between the Court of St. Petersburgh and the Ottoman Porte are in such a train of adjustment as to afford a fair prospect that the peace of Europe will not be disturbed.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,-I thank you for the supplies which you have granted me for the service of the present year, and for the wisdom you have manifested, in availing yourselves of the first opportunity to reduce the interest of a part of the national debt, without the least infringement of parlia

mentary faith. It is most gratifying to me that you should have been enabled, in consequence of this and, of other measures, to relieve my

people from some of their burdens.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,-The distress siderable portion of Ireland, arising principally which has for some months past pervaded a confrom the failure of that crop on which the great sistence, has deeply affected me. The measures body of the population depends for their sub. which you have adopted for the relief of the sufferers meet with my warmest approbation; and seconded as they have been by the sponta. neous and generous efforts of my people, they have most materially contributed to alleviate the pressure of this severe calamity. I have the satisfaction of knowing that these exertions have been justly appreciated in Ireland; and I entertain a sincere belief that the benevolence and sympathy so conspicuously manifested upon the present occasion, will essentially promote the object which I have ever had at heart, that of cementing the connection which subsists between every part of the empire, and of uniting in brotherly love and affection all classes and descriptions of my subjects."

Then the Lord Chancellor, by his Majesty's command, said

"My Lords and Gentlemen,-It is his Majesty's royal will and pleasure, that this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday, the 8th day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the 8th day of October next."

After which the Speaker, with the Members of the Commons who accompanied him on his entrance, retired from the bar. As soon as they had withdrawn, his Majesty rose, and attended by his numerous suite, returned to Carlton House.

His

Majesty seemed in good health and spirits, and went through the ceremony of the day with his accustomed dignity.

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the House. The following sums were then voted for the expenses of the English establishment: 310,0001. for the out-pensioners of Greenwich Hospital. 30,0001, for courts of justice in Westminster Hall. 12,5001. to liquidate the claims of her late Majesty's creditors. 4,5001. to the commissioners of inquiry into the revenue of Ireland. And 12,7841. to two American Loyalists.

TUESDAY, JULY 23.-Mr. Canning presented a petition from Liverpool, complaining of the losses sustained by trade in consequence of the depredations committed by pirates under the South American Flag.Lord Londonderry replied, that the government had had communication with the Spanish ministry for the purpose of suppressing the evil. Mr. Lennard moved for the correspondence which had taken place between Mr. Zea, the Columbian deputy, and our ambassador at Paris, as well as with our government at home.-Lord Londonderry replied, that an acquiescence with the motion would be interfering with the prerogative of the Crown and the responsibility of ministers; and on a division the motion was lost by a majority of thirty-five. In a Committee of Supply Mr. Smith observed, that in the English Post Office, producing a revenue of 1,300,0001. there had been in the course of a number of years only twenty-one defaulters, their defalcation being 9,5001. whilst in the Irish Post Office, yielding only 55,0001. there had been 275 defaulters, occasioning a loss to the public of 19,0001.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24.-In a Committee of Ways and Means 16,500,0001. were voted to be raised by Exchequer Bills for the service of the year-and in a Committee of Supply various sums were voted.

THURSDAY, JULY 25.-Mr. Hume moved several resolutions expressive of his disapprobation of our financial system, and went into long details to shew that by our financial mismanagement the country had unnecessarily increased its debt. The motion was opposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and finally negatived.-Mr. Wilberforce moved an address to the King, expressing the approbation of the House that slave labour had been Eur. Mag. Vol. 82. 1822.

prohibited at the Cape, and recominending that the Hottentot population should by education and religious instruction be rendered available to our colonists. Address carried.— Mr. Wilmot moved an address to the king, praying that a commission might be issued under the great scal to inquire into the state of the Cape, the Mauritius, Ceylon, and the Leeward Islands. The debate on the motion was adjourned.

FRIDAY. JULY 26.-Mr.Vansittart brought in his Superannuation Bill, for compelling clerks in government offices to establish a fund, to provide for themselves when superannuated. The bill was strongly opposed by Mr. Canning and by Mr. Calcraft, who quoted passages from the letters of Lord Sidmouth to the King, declaring the bill to be contrary to every principle of common honesty and good faith.-The bill was finally

carried.

MONDAY, JULY 29.-The Superannuation Bill was again read, having undergone several amendments.

The report of the Committee on the Claims of the Calcutta Bankers, was brought up.-The Smuggling Prevention Bill was passed.

TUESDAY, JULY 30.-A Petition from the Merchants of London was presented, complaining of the depredations committed on their trade by the South American Privateers.— Sir George Cockburn stated, that these vessels bore a national character and flag, and it was difficult to treat them as pirates.-Mr. Bright observed, that the vessels were, to all intents and purposes, piratical; and the United States of America did not hesitate to treat them as such.-Petition ordered to be printed. -Mr. Wilmot brought in a Bill to unite the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 31.-On the third reading of the Appropriation Bill, Dr. Lushington complained of the inadequate provision that had been made for the late Queen. She had arrived in this country without plate, house, or equipage, and these, he contended, ought not to be deducted from her Majesty's allowance of £35,000. per annum.—Mr. Hume supported the same argument, and was replied to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.-Mr. Van

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