Thoughts upon the present Condition of the Stage, and upon the Construction of the new Theatre. pp. 43. Price 1s. 6d. London, 1808.

Ir does not become a corps of reviewers to maintain opposite sentiments, in the same number of their work: scenes jn different kingdoms are prohibited from appearing in the same act, on the theatre; -how then can we, who have gloried in the morality of our age, a few pages before, coincide with this ancient gentleman (and we believe ancient writer too,) who boasts of the decorum of times past, and lays very serious misbehaviour to the charge of time present?

supper in his Rake's Progress. What parent can conduct his wife and daughters through this sty without trembling with the fear, that, though those sights are to them shocking and horrible to-day, they may not be so to-morrow? An audience, that went to the play to hear and see, would quickly interfere with these orgies.

The scene was hardly ever disconcerted by noisy quarrels, blows, or such indecencies as we now witness.

Women of the town were never permitted in the boxes below stairs, with the single exception of the beautiful Kitty Fisher, whose appearance occasioned great dismay among all the frequenters, male and female, of the hitherto unpolluted front boxes.

As the subject is of great importance, we could have wished that some professional man of eminence had favoured this Yet we have not the choice of postpon-writer with assistance, on that part of his ing this subject; as we conjecture, from the rapid movements of the bricklayers and their labourers, that the new theatre will be roofed in before our next is put to press, unless our printer bestir himself quick! quick!"' In this dilemma, the writer shall tell his own tale: nobody is bound to suppose that we believe it.

He complains, in the first place, of the "outrageous size of our theatres," in which an actor can neither be heard nor seen.

This accounts (says he) for what appears to be a nost vitiated taste of the public in the endurance of those childish pantomimes, Blue Beard, &c. on the very boards where Shakespeare and Otway once stormed the human heart. But this, in fact, is not such a sign of perverted taste as it is of a prudent toleration of Blue Beards, kettle-drums, or the distant view of big-bellied virgins of the sun; for if the manager did not provide these, he could give the audience nothing.

pamphlet which proposes to insure the safety of an audience, under an apprehension of danger. Mr. Sanders, who published a Treatise on the Construction of Theatres, would have been an acceptable coadjutor. The only proposition made by our author is the following: the public to pay the extra expence.

To the two galleries, and the lowest tier of boxes, three distinct rooms or corridors should be joined; these should be arched, and the floors stuccoed. An additional solid staircase to each tier should be flung open to facilitate the escape of the multitude, on the appearance or apprehension of danger. Under the conviction that the moment such places were reached, all peril would cease, a fair hope might be entertained, that these staircases would be descended with little dangerous precipitation, whereby some of the worst calamities might be avoided, the terrible accidents that happen from pressure, and one unfortu A graver evil also is caused by the outrage-nate being falling over the other. ons size of the playhouse. With nothing to We have on former occasions stated fix the attention or touch the feelings of the generality of those who frequent the theatre, our opinion on further facilities for exit the constant and indecent interruptions from to a disturbed audience: we insist, that a ladies of easy virtue, and their paramours, substantial wall should separate the theatre are not resented as they ought to be, or as from the corridors; that the doors for egress they would be, could we suppose Garrick should, some or more of them, be opened and Mrs. Cibber arising from the dead, to the audience every night: many parts again to charm us, and treading a stage also, that are now made of wood, as pilof reasonable dimensions, and on which lars, and other supports, and even win their powers conld be understood and appre- dow and door frames, should be of iron; tiated. Should the internal part of the as they are in the linen manufactory at theatre have attractions to keep those who pay at the door, in their places, the lobbies would Shrewsbury, described in a preceding arnot be filled with profligates of every descrip-ticle, page 489. The building itself should tion, familiarizing the yet uncorrupted and modest to scenes of such meretricious impudence, hardly exaggerated by Hogarth in the

also be insulated, and situated where the crowds issuing from it, could stop a few minutes, on occasion, in safety and at ease.

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LITERARY PROSPECTIVE. Mr. Alexander Walker, Lecturer on Physiology, &c. has issued a prospectus of a new quar. terly work to be called The Archives of Universal Science; the grand object of this work will be, by giving in detail all those subjects which other journals embrace, and by involving also all those other subjects of sc ence which they do not embrace; to exhibit, either in valuable original communications or in critical analyses of every work containing new and important observations, the progress which all the sciences and arts are every day making throughout the world; and further, also, by assigning, to each discovery, its place in a natural arrangement, to appreciate its value, and point its influence upon Sciences, and its application to the Arts.

the

The Medical and Chirurgical Society of London will shortly publish the first volume of their Records. It will contain some very valuable contributions from practitioners of first rate eminence in the metropolis.

Mr. G. Burnett has in forwardness for publication, in two duodecimo volumes, The Beauties of Milton's Prose, with preliminary remarks and criticisms. It is the prime object of these volumes, to give au extensive diffusion to the sentiments of Milton, by selecting such of his pieces as deserve to have a permanent influence on public opinion; thus connecting the prose writings also of our great poet into a popular classic.

The Board of Agriculture proceed in their design of completing the County Reports; Berkshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, and Derbyshire, are in the press and are expected to appear before Christmas.

A novel from the pen of Mrs. Hanway is in the press and will make its appearance before Christmas; it will be entitled, Faulconbridge, or a Devonshire Story.

The Translation of the Scriptures into the Persian Language, so long in preparation, and by many thought to be abandoned, has been for some time in the press, at Newcastle upon Tyne, and is expected to be ready for publication in the course of the year 1809. It will form an elegant quarto volume.

Mr. Carmichael has in the press a second edition much enlarged, of his Essay on the Effects of Carbonate and other Preparations of Iron on Cancer; with an inquiry into that disease. Among the additions are a number of interesting cases, a disquisition on the uses of the oxide of iron in the blood, and remarks on such diseases as depend on its excess or deficiency, or in any way bear a relation to Cancer; with an attempt to answer the queries of the Medical Society in London,

for investigating the nature and cure of that complaint.

Mr. John Murdoch, of Hart-strect, has nearly completed a work which he intends to publish by subscription, to be entitled, The Dictionary of Distinction, which is to consist of three alphabets; containing, 1st. Words the same in sound but of different spelling and signification, including such as have any similarity of sound; 2d. Words that vary in pronunciation and meaning, as accentuated or connected; 3d The changes in sound and sense produced by the addition of the letter e : the shades of difference being pointed out and noted as in Walker's Dictionary.

The author of the Military Mentor is preparing for publication three volumes of Essays on the Art of War, and on Modern Military Tactics.

A new edition with additions, of the Dialogues on Chemistry, by the Rev. J. Joyce, is nearly ready for publication.

The Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Percival Stockdale will make their appearance early in next year. They will include many anecdotes of the illustrious men with whom he has been connected; the work will also abound with social, moral, political, and religious observations, and contain a particular account of Marseilles, Gibraltar, and Algiers, at each of which places he had resided.

Mr. George Montague's Supplement to his History of British Shells is nearly ready for publication.

The Rev. R. Nares will shortly put to press a Dictionary of the Middle Language of England, or the Age of Shakespeare, on the plan of Johnson's Dictionary.

Dr. C. Burney has nearly completed, as the Cambridge press, his very learned work on the Chorusses of Eschylus, and it will soon be published.

Mr. Plumtre, of Clare-hall, has in the press Four Discourse on the Stage, preached lately at Cambridge.

A new edition is in the press of Quarle's Meditations, called Judgement and Mercy for Afflicted Souls. It will be a reprint of the first edition of 1646, with the errors of the press corrected. The introductory part will contain a Life of Quarle, by his widow Ursula; testimonials of his character and talents; with specimens of his poetry and prose. The whole will form a handsome crown octavo volume, to which there will be affixed a beautiful engraving of the author's head from the original by Marshall.

Mess. Mathison and Mason of the Secre

tary's Office, East-India House, will publish the third of December a new edition of their East-India Directory, with great additions and alterations, corrected up to November 20, 1808, by permission of the Hon. East-India Company.

duction (if we are right, by-the-bye, a translation from the French) of Mr. Hook, jun, and certainly will rank him as a tolerable adept in preparing clumsy tricks for pantomimes; it was said, by the previous puffs in the newspapers, to have been touched by Mr. Sheridan. If so, he must have performed the operation when he was either in a gal vanized state, or fast asleep. The music is by Mr. Hook, sen.-the less that is said of it the better.

Although we cannot praise either the author, the toucher, or the composer, yet we will not refuse our commendations to a trio equally important, since the decline of dramatic literature; we mean the scene-painter, the machinist, and the tailor; whose splendid labours we hope to behold in some other piece rather more marked by common sense, as we can have no doubt that the drama of the Siege of St. Quintin will ere long give up the ghost, and as their respective performances will do quite as well for any other piece, when, to express ourselves à la militaire, the siege has been raised!

A duet taken from The English Fleet was admirably sung by two boys, Masters Durousset and Huckle, pupils of Corri.

KING'S THEATRE.

On Thursday evening, Nov. 10, a new melo-dramatic opera, called The Exile, was

......

.... Mr. Pope.

Mr. Incledon.
Mr. Munden.
Mr. Liston.
Mr. Fawcett,

Mr. Young
Mr. Cresswell,
Mr. Murray.
Mr. Chapman.
Mr. Jefferies.

Fable.-Egmont and his Countess, Adri-performed for the first time at this theatre, of ana, fall into the hands of De Courcy, the which the following is the Dramatis Personæ. governor of St. Quintin, by whom they are Count Ulrick immured in separate prisons: Egmont, in a Count Calmar cold subterraneous cave, the entrance into The Governor.. which is covered with a ponderous iron grating. Baron Alliradoff De Courcy is enamoured of the charms of Servitz.... Adriana: and endeavours to win her affections Duran from her husband, and fix them on himself. Patriarch His stratagems are, however, frustrated by Rimski Adriana, who gains to her interest her keep- Yermach.. ers, Bertrand and Rosa de Valmont, from Welzien whom she contrives to procure the key of Empress Elizabeth.... Egmont's prison; extricates him from his Catherine confinement, and shuts up De Courcy in his Alexina....... stead. Egmont, by the help of his son, who Sedona...... is also a prisoner, obtains the pass-word, Anna................... deludes the guards, returns to his commander-in-chief, and afterwards executes the attack and expulsion of the enemy from St. Quintin,

It is distressing to our feelings that we can not praise this first essay made by our theatrical caterers to honour the Spaniards, and their noble cause; but to attempt to speak of the merit of this piece would be to subject ourselves to write what we could not believe, and at once to insult our own understanding, and that of our readers, by recording the story of a mere abortion. It is the pro

Mrs. St. Leger.

Mrs. Dickons.

Mrs. H. Johnston.

Mrs. Gibbs.

Mrs. Liston.

Fable.-Count Ulrick is banished to Sibe

ria, by the Prince Lowenstern. He followed thither by Sedona, his wife, and his daughter, Alexina.-Romanoff, the nephew of the governor of Tobolskow, frequently visiting the wretched family at their retreat, a mutual attachment takes place between him and Alexina, which his uncle suspecting, with a view of compelling him to marry the niece of Prince Lowenstern, banishes him beyond the frontiers, and endeavours to force Alexina into a marriage with Welzion. manoff assumes the name of Daran, goes to St. Petersburgh, and, in the disguise of an

Ro

and probability of incident: a mere holiday shew, interlarded with nonsensical songs and bad jokes. "But," says the author, "beef and mutton are the objects "of my ambition; and perhaps I would as "soon gain them by bad jokes as by good jokes; because, if, BY ACCIDENT, I

mined to write very bad pieces, for fear he should, by accident, write a good one.-We are afraid this accident will not befal either Mr. R. or any other of the present fashionable play-makers; not having any sterling about them, they are in no danger of being damned by such comparison.

Indian, gets into the service of Baron Altra-ply the want of originality of character, doff, nephew of Prince Lowenstern, and accompanies him to Tobolskow, whither the Baron is journeying to claim the hand of Catherine, the governor's niece, whose affectjons were already devoted to Count Calmar, by whom she is beloved. Romanoff assumes a ferocious aspect, and a deadly hate to the Exile and his family, and completely blinds were to write one STERLING comedy, the governor as to his intentions, and, jointly "I know to a certainty I could never write with Welzien, is entrusted with the execution "another; and therefore I should be damned of the Empress's orders; in pursuance of" by comparison." Thus it appears, from this which Ulrick is dragged from his retreat, and beef and mutton logic, that the author will imprisoned in Tobolskow, and they are sent" cudgel his brains no longer," being deterin pursuit of Alexina, who has set out, accompanied by Yermach, a faithful domestic, 10 St. Petersburgh, to solicit her father's pardon. He completely frustrates the vindictive designs of Welzien, and Alexina reaches the neighbourhood of Moscow in safety. The rejoicings of the inhabitants announced the succession of Elizabeth to the throne of Russia. Alexina rushes into the presence of her new sovereign, and procures, through the means of the disguised Romanoff, her father's pardon, and immediately departs for Siberia, without waiting for the deed of pardon to be completed: by which means she is again subjected to all the bitterness of sorrow, and is compelled to marry the supposed Daran. The governor at length receives the royal mandate from his court for the liberation of Count Ulrick, and by it becomes acquainted with the villainy and disgrace of Prince Lowenstern, which reconciles him to the union of his daughter with Count Calmar Daran throws of his disguise, appears as Romanoff, claims Alexina for his bride, and the Exile is restored to his former honours.

This piece is the production of Mr. Reynolds, and has been described by the paid for puffs in the newspapers, as of the first order." We therefore hope such of our readers as have witnessed its performance, have improved the opportunity of judging for themselves, what a modern piece of the first order" consists of. For our part we found it, in point of literary merit, like Gratiano's Jeasons, not worth the looking after. But we were not much disappointed, as from a nere opera we do not expect any thing like, sense or reason-no, not even from a new grand melo dramulic opera, interspersed with comic-tragic-buffoon pantomime; all which ingredients may be here discovered, with the usual characteristics of spectacle, processions, dancing, &c. intended to sup

Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice his reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff you shall seek all day ere yon find them; and when you have them, they are not worth the search. SHAKESPARE,

The character of baron Alltradoff, seems to have been drawn for the purpose of delineating and ridiculing the prevailing taste for publishing books of travels, tours, &c.but from the author's not supplying him with a spark of wit, or discriminating satire, he proved a mere non-entity, and had nothing to recommend him to cut a figure withal but what the taylor and the whisker-manufacturer had furnished him. He is called a peeping traveller, and the military governor of Tobolskow is represented to be a dancing governor.

The performers did no injustice to the author; they powerfully supported his pantomime and buffoonery, from the dancing governor to the filial Alexina, But the principal attraction was the first appearance of Mr. Young, who seems to be possessed of talents that, with industry and attention, bid well to place him advantageously in the public favour; and we shall be much disappointed, if, in process of time, he does not become a firstrate actor; provided he has fair play. But let him beware of flattery, nor ever lose him. self by applying to the vile usage of newspaper puffs, as the managers do, to make their trash pass current. If he is determined to be respectable in his profession, he must, upon due consideration, abhor the stipendiated parasites of the players as much as if they were bespattering him with calumny and degradation, because he did not pay up to their price-a practice we know to have been often used by reptiles about the press, to the disgrace of its freedom, and fair and manly criticism. Mazzinghi, some of which is very pleasing, The music is the production of Mr. particularly the pantomine part. For a specimen of the songs our readers will recur to our article POETRY, p. 574.

* Vide Panorama, Vol. IV. p. 89, for Mr. Reynolds' Defence of Bad Writing!