captain Jephfon's Count of Nirbonne was
acted, in which Mr. Kemble sustained
the principal character. Such are the in-
trinfic merits of this noble production,
and fo fuccefsful were Mr. Kemble's
efforts in feconding them, that the piece
was reprefented thirty nights in the courfe
of the feafon, and put more money in the
manager's pocket than any play he has ever
yet brought forward. Since Mr. Kemble's
appearance in Dublin, he has performed
the following extenfive and laborious cata-
logue of parts:
Hamlet, Roman A&tor, Earl of Effex,
Othello, Earl Warwick, M. Antony,
Iago,
Romeo, Ofnan,
Richard III. Jaffier,
Macbeth,

Horatio,

Alexander,
Oreltes,

King John, Edward the
Morcar,
Bajazet,
Beverly

tion the example of his fifter, Mrs. Sid-
dons, then playing with Mr. Younger, in
the theatre-royal, in Liverpool,determined
him to try his fortune on the ftage.-The
part he appeared in was Theodofius in
Lee's Force of Love. His firft performance
induced Mr. Younger to engage him for
the support of the principal characters,
with Mrs. Siddons. In this fummer, Mr.
Kemble produced a tragedy, founded on
the ftory of the Roman general Belifarius.
This piece recommended him to the friend
fhip of the author of the life of Petrarch,
to whom he foon after infcribed an elegant
poem, called the "Palace of Mersey."
About this time, Mrs. Siddons accepted
an invitation to play at Bath, and Mr.
Kemble became the hero of the theatre-
royal in York.-Here he gave the town a
comedy called, "Oh! it's impoffible."- Shylock,
He next altered and revived Maflinger's
"New Way to pay old Debts ;"-and the
year after, publifhed a small collection of
verfes, under the title of Fugitive Pieces;
he likewife tried a new fpecies of enter-
tainment in the theatre at York, confifting
of a repetition of fome of the most beauti-
ful odes from Mafon, Grey, and Collins,
and the reading the tales of Le Fevre and
Maria, from Sterne. His fuccefs in this
arduous task, and the eftimation he held
in general, cannot be described more fatis-
factorily, than by giving an extract from
the character published of him in the York
Annual Regifter." With all his faults,
we cannot but confider Mr. Kemble as a
phænomenon in the theatrical world.
His Hamlet is, on the whole, a moft maf-
terly performance.-After this, his best
characters indubitably are the Roman
Actor, Bireno, and Demetrius, they are
unexceptionable, inimitable--In delivering
odes, Sterne's ftories, &c. he is happier
than any perfon in our recollection."-
Mr. Kemble left York to perform fome
tights in Edinburgh, where he was re-
ceived with all the applaufe he merited.
It was in Scotland I first saw him, and I
recollect that his delivery of a lecture he
compofed on Sacred and Prophané Ora-
tory, while it proved him a critic in his
own profeffion, obtained him the reputa-
tion of talte with men of letters.

It fhould feem that Mr. Kemble was
now engaged by Mr. Daly, to play in
Dublin; for in the enfuing winter I found
him announced from Edinburgh, to make
his first appearance
at the theatre in
Smock-alley, in the character of Hamlet.
-How he was received, and how fre-
quently this play is repeated, every hody
knows. As his admired sister has in Lon-
con, he has made tragedies once more the
fathion in Dublin. Barly in this winter,

K. Charles,

Ofmyn,

Leon,

Sir, G. Over

reach,

Demetrius,

Black Prince, Philafter,
Oroonoko, Achmet,
Henry V.

And the Count of Narbonne.
I omit his characters in comedy, for they
are of very little moment, and, to fay
the truth, infinitely below the notice of
fuch a performer: indeed comedy is by
no means his forte. Mr. Kemble's appli-
cation to the ftudy of his profeffion is
manifeft from this lift. The public tefti-
fied the fenfe they had of his uncommon
merit and affiduity by crouding to his
benefit in an nnexampled manner; while
Mr. Daly, who deferves every thing of
the town, by liberally returning him
the half of his charge for the theatre,
paid a very handfome compliment to his
extraordinary talents. Mr. Kemble's re-
putation has reached the managers in
London, and he is engaged to play next
winter at the theatre-royal in Drury-lane.

Mr. Kenible is a natural, and an original actor. His understanding puts him in full poffeffion of his author's fpirit, and often enables him to give fcenes, particularly Shakespeare's, a new and more emphatical grace, than I have ever known imm parted to them by any other performer. His voice is thick, yet diftinct; not powerful, yet, by fkilful management, it feems generally capable of all neceffary variety. His tones are leaft of all adapted to the expreffion of extreme tenderness, or violent grief; though fometimes they have reached both fuccefsfully; but oftener, the former paffion raifes them into a fort of whine, and the latter finks them into a fmothered and inaudible murmur. There is hardly any fuch thing as fpeaking accurately of his deportment. In the fame character, it fhall be free and graceful one night, and the next, confined and difort

ed.

ed. I cannot imagine the caufe of this disparity, but truth is truth, and I fay of Mr. Kemble's action, that it is as graceful and as ungraceful, as any man's I ever faw in my life. His countenance is most powerful. The paffions live in his features. Who can think it acting, when he exprefies fear in Hamlet, courage in Henry V. joy in Sir Giles Overreach, horror in the Count of Narbonne, fufpicion in K. John, jealoufy in Othello, and grief in Demetnus? Here, his face amply compenfates for the defect of his utterance. Who can ft unmoved, while he paints the affemblage of these raging paffions in the madneis of Orestes? I shall add no more; for whoever has feen him repeating Collins's Ode muft know, that all I can fay on this feore will fall fhort of what he justly merits.

To fpend one moment on particular characters-in Hamlet and the Count of Narbonne, Mr. Kemble feems to rife above himself; and in many others he is fuperior to any body elfe, particularly in Sir G. Overreach, Demetrius, Beverly, Oreftes, Richard, Macbeth, and the Earl of Warwick. In a word, he is the beft actor that has graced our stage for many years; and, which is more to his praise, his private conduct is as worthy, as his public talents are extraordinary.

A Tour through the City of Dublin and its
Environs in 1782.

WITH

ITH an intention of vifiting every place of note in this great metropolis, we began our tour at the Royal Hofpital, at Kilmainham, early in the morning of July the 15th. 1782, being Monday morning. Our obfervations in our progrefs we committed each evening to writing, refolved to request a place for them in the Hibernian Magazine, a work univerfally read throughout the nation It may appear ftrange to publish the defcription of Dublin in a work printed in this city; but if we confider that a perfect defcription of this capital has never yet been printed, and that few, even of the inhabitants are fully acquainted with every public building, charitable inftitution, &c. our admiration must change, and we shall then wonder no perfon has yet given an impartial account of it. It muft appear admirable, if duly confidered, that we fall bear people in Dublin talk familiarly of the monument in London and St. Paul's church, who never examined the many places worthy of note in this great and opulent city.

The Royal Hofpital was founded by king Charles II. on the fite of the monastery of St. John of Jerufalem, about one Enguh

mile without the Western gate of the city : but by reafon of the great increase of buildings, it is now juft at the Western extremity of it; fifty-eight acres of land were granted to this hofpital, which tract is now handfomely planted and laid out in walks, much frequented by the populace of this part on Sundays and holydays. The Hospital is finely fituated on a rifing ground, near the river; it forms a large quadrangle, within which is a court grown over with grafs; two walks crofs each other at right angles; in the center is an handfome column fupporting five globe lamps; round, three fides of this court, the lower part of the building forms an handfome piazza; above are apartments for 400 difabled and fuperannuated foldiers: the 4th fide of the fquare confifts of a large hall, where the men dine; and an handfome chapel; over the centre of this fide is an elegant fteeple and fpire: The whole expence of this building was upwards of 20,0col. but at this day would in all likelihood coft three times that fum.

From hence we proceeded to the gaol and court-houfe of the county of Dublin, making together an handfome building, with a front of hewn free-ftone.

Leaving Kilmainham, we afcend MountBrown to James's-Atreet, and from thence, through a lane, we arrived at the City - Bafon. This noble refervoir is about half a mile in circumference; round it is an handfome grafs walk, with a thick, cut hedge at each fide, and trees at equal diftances; an handfome Chinefe bridge goes over it at one end. From which we proceeded to the grand canal: This canal, when finished will doubtless be one of the fineft in Europe; the fides are planted with elms for many miles, and at a small dif tance from the bafon, there is a bridge, of one very large arch, the elegance of the architecture of which is much admired; it is adorned with a stone balluftrade, like Effex bridge, which thall be hereafter described; the banks of this canal, as well as the bafon, are much frequented as public walks.

From the Canal we returned to James'sftreet, in which is fituated the City Workhouse, or Foundling Hofpital; which as a building is no way remarkable, being very plain, but in fize it fomewhat refembles a fmall walled town: we here faw feveral hundreds of boys and girls, employed in different manufactures; they were all clad in green, with red cuffs:The ufefulness of this inftitution is well known; foundlings from all parts of the kingdom are received here, and it is even faid many are brought hither from England; yet the fund for fupporting it is

A 2

railed

different parts of the city, is here very confpicuous. The fituation of this church is very low, with regard to the rest of the city, which takes off much of the grandeur of its very tall fteeple and spire.

From the church we proceeded to the palace of St. Sepulchre, the feat of the archbishop of Dublin, (having past the Deanery houfe now rebuilding). This is a large Gothic building, of a mean appearance to the freet, but very elegant within. This part of Dublin is a liberty, under the archbishop, independent of the civil government of the city.

The church of St. Kevan is a neat building, without a fteeple; it is a chapel of eafe to the parish church of St. Peter. St. Peter's parifh is of fuch prodigious extent, though there are two churches in it, two or three more feem much wanting it seems very strange, that the many Bobility and gentry in this parish have not built a church among the new buildings eaft of Stephen's-green.

The parish church of St. Peter, in Aungier-freet, is a large, plain building, not remarkable for elegance of architecture; like most of the churches in this city, without a steeple.

From hence through York-ftreet, (entirely rebuilt within a very few years, in a regular and fuperb manner) we proceeded to Stephen's-green, without doubt the fineft fquare in Europe; being about a mile in circumftance, and containing an area of about 25 acres. The houfes in this fquare are in general very superb, but a want of uniformity is vifible. The gravel walks round the green are shaded with trees of a stately growth, and very thick foliage; within thefe walks is a beautiful level lawn, in the centre of which is an elegant equeftrian statue of his late majelty. The walks of this Green are much reforted to by the principal inhabitants of the city.

From hence we proceeded to the Magdalen Afylum for penitent prostitutes, conducted after the plan of that in London, but on a much lefs fcale.

Leaving the Magdalen house, we contioned our walk to Merrion-fquare; which if ever completed according to the plan, will without doubt, equal any thing of the kind in the British empire. The North fide of this fquare has been finished feveral years in the highest tafte, forming along row of stately houfes, lofty and niform, carried on with hewn ftone as far as the First floor, the upper part of trick.

One front of the palace of his grace of Leinster, with an handsome lawn, forms great part of another fide of this square.

This fuperb building is entirely of hewn ftone, containing a range of windows in each of the three ftories; the principal front, highly adorned with ruftic work is concealed from Kildare-freet by an high wall; but the front towards Merrionfquare is open to view; an bandfome lawn, planted with fhrubs, lies between the fquare and the houfe. The apartments are noble, and highly finished. The fituation of the houfe is fuch as justly entitles it to affume that infcription on one front of Buckingham houfe in St. James's. park, rus in urbe. From the windows is a fine profpect of the harbour, and the fine improvements contiguous.

Leaving the palace of Leinster, we furveyed feveral elegant buildings belonging to different noblemen and gentlemen; but to particularize any, where all have thewn fuch exquifite tafte, would be unjuft; and to pretend to defcribe all, would far exceed our abilities; and doubtless fo long a repetition would tire rather than amuse the reader. Every treet in this neighbourhood is elegant, fuperb, and regular; this part being the refidence of many of the nobility and principal gentry of the kingdom. Stephen's-green, Merrion fquare, and a great number of very grand ftreets in their vicinage, lie in the parishes of St. Peter and St. Anne; yet it is very furprising, that though fuch an exquifite tafte is fhewn in the private buildings, the churches of both these parishes are without fteeples.

(To be continued.)

A general Bill of all the Christenings and
Burials in and about London, from
Dec. 9, 1781, to Dec. 10, 1782.

N the 97 parishes within
the walls,

In the 17 parishes without
the walls,

In the 23 out-parishes in
Middlefex and Surry,
In the 10 parishes in the
city and liberties of
Westminster,

Chrift. Buried.

Total males and females, 17101
Total males and females,

Males,
Females,

17918

Decreased in the burials this year,
Whereof have died,
Under two years,
Between two and five,
-Five and ten,
-Ten and twenty,

5320

1221

536

629 Between