22 selection from Meyerbeer's celebrated popular opera Les Huguenots,' embracing the Choral of Luther: the Romance, Piff, Paff, Puff, the Rataplan, the grand trio, Tu m' aime, the Benediction of the Poignards, grand Finale, and chief beauties of this chefd'oeuvre. During the season a new French quadrille, by M. Jullien, will be produced, founded on the Netional airs of France. The lessee has also secured the services of the eminent contralto singer, Miss Miran, for whom several new songs have been composed. In short the tout ensemble' is such as cannot fail to be most gratifying to the true lover of good music; and we may anticipate the theatre will be nightly filled to overflowing. AMERICAN. We have in our possession a letter frem New York, dated October 11th: the contents are interesting and shall be publisned next week. In the mean time we give publicity to the following:-Macready was playing at Niblo's theatre: he had appeared in Macbeth and Othello, and was announced as King Madame Anna Bishop and the Monplasir Lear. ballet company were d-lighting the visitants of the Park. The Broadway theatre has lost the services of Mr. Collins the Irish comedian, he having concluded a successful engagement and was to be succeeded by the Seguin opera troupe. Mr. Hamblin is playing at the Bowery his performance in the Iron Chest' is Mr Burton's theatre is spoken of as being first-rate. still the scene of mirth and jollity. REVIEW. THE LITERARY PIONEER, published at the Court WALHALLA, SALLE DE VALENTINO, LEICESTER Lessee begs respectfully to acquaint the public This is one of those cheap penny weekly periodi-T that these premises, having undergone extensive alterations and considerable improvements, at an expense of some thousands, and having been rendered capable of accommodating upwards of 2000 Persons, are open every evening. THE SALON Has been adorned in the highest style of decorative art, by Mr. to the Public. THE LIGHTING, The Lessee trusts, will give general satisfaction. Fourteen Chandeliers of the most costly and magnificent description have been made expressly by Messrs. Apsley Pellatt & Co. cals which amaze us with their cheapness. It seems scarcely possible to furnish such a quantity of original matter, and the choicest selections, all varied, instructive and amusing for so small a sum, scarcely adequate to purchase the mere paper, without reckoning the cost of articles, time and the expence of printing. rangements are of a character that cannot fail to be satisfactory But these works are issued on the principle that more good is done to the public by a large circulation of knowledge and entertainment whose price does not prevent it from being obtained by tho poorest reader, than by a high price which cuts off the many and limits the supply to the few. Therefore for the sake of the million, we hail the appearance of these cheap periodicals, and in particular we would recommend the one before us, because though it has no very ostentatious ornaments to set it off, it possesses something better, the charm of utility. Writers of genius are engaged to furhish its contents; and we know the Editor to be a gentleman who adds to a highly cultivated mind all the valuable stores that experience and Is selected from among the most eminent Musical Professors, observation can bring, We consider the Literary Pioneer the best of the cheap pennyworths. ADVERTISMENTS. 1Now Publishing in Penny Numbers or Complete for Sixpence. FIREWORKS, DETONATING BALLS, &C. also AND FIRE BALLOONS, ARTIFICIAL FIREWORKS, AND MANY OBSER LEMBELLISHED {WITH FIFTY ENGRAVIN A NEW REFRESHMENT SALOON A SPACIOUS GALLERY Has been erected for the convenience of those visitors who may THE ORCHESTRA UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HERR REDL, Doors open at a quarter-past Eight.-Dancing to commence st TO AMATEURS AND OTHERS.-W. T. Simpson of Drury Lane, has opened a dramatic class at the Queen's Square Assembly Rooms; a new and elegantly constructed stage, splendid Dresses and appointments. Entrance fee Sr. and la. per week, covering all expenses, including Dresses, Books, Bills, Cards of admission, &e. Practiced amateurs will find this an excellent opportunity, engagements being provided for them in the provinces, should they have scient ability a small fee to the Agent expected: address to Mir Sampson, care of Mr Boteler, 8 Theobald's Road, Red Lion Square. a MEMOIR OF MR. F. VINING. with no less than twenty-one sons and daughters, An unlucky incident, however, brought his triumphs to a close. It was during the run of Der Frieschutz. We can fancy with what impish' delight our little gentleman dressed himself for his part: big with the thoughts of his grotesque appearance, and strong in anticipation of his waving torch! But there is a right and a wrong in all things, and stage carpenters are demon ring was brought too forward, and, upon the not exempt. Owing to a pressure of business, the fall of the act drop, our unfortunate little devil' found At the early age of sixteen this gentleman made his first appearance on any stage, in the juvenile part of Young Norval, for his brothers benefit at Gravesend, his success in this character determined him to make the profession his study. He remained under the management of Mr Trotter for nearly four years, and through the recommendation of Mr Eyre, then one of the Drury Lane Company, and also belonging to the little Haymarket, he procured an engagement at Bath and made his debut as Darimel in The Point of Honour,' his reception was adequate to his most sanguine wishes. Not being however, able to obtain those favourite parts, which are generally monopolized in provincial theatres, he remained on the Bath stage only for a period sufficient to recommend him else where, and sought better practise in other companies. At length he became the principal light comedian and juvenile tragedian at the Theatre Royal Norwich, which position he maintained for twelve years, having played a most varied range of characters with very considerable eclat, Charles Surface, Benedick, Rover, Harry Dornton &c. Hamlet, Romeo, Jaffier, Bever-himself shut out from the society of his kindred imps, ley, the Stranger, &c., these latter parts he acted with the celebrated Miss O'Neil repeatedly, from whom he had the gratification to receive high praises His fame at Norwich induced Mr Bimond to re-engage him for Bath, where he again appeared as Benedick, his reception was most enthusiastic, and from that period he became one of the greatest favourites of the Whilst here, a most valuable gold watch &c, was forwarded to him from Bury Saint Edmunds, by the playgoers of that town, who had subscribed to it, "in testimony of his merits as an actor and a man.' Amongst the subscribers names was some of the first in the county: Marchioness Cornwallis, the Ladies Saville, Mrs Rushbrooke &c. Marquis of Bristol, Lord Bayning, the Rev. C. J. Blomfield, (now Bishop of London) &c. In the year 1823 he entered into an engagement with Mr Morris of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, for three years, and made his first appearance in Young Rapid to the celebrated Liston's Old Rapid, and succeeded eminently, from this time he has been constantly before the London public, and is now acting at the Olympie theatre. Bath audience. MEMOIR OF MR. JOHN DOUGLASS. Mr. John Douglass, the subject of this memoir, was born in the year 1814, on St. Patrick's day in the morning;' and is, consequently, in his 35th year. He made his 'first appearance' on the busy scene of life' in Lambeth Walk, where his father, now, perhaps, the oldest inhabitant householder in the neighbourhood has resided for upwards of 60 years. Douglass Sen. (now in his 75th year) is the father of a very numerous progeny; having been blessed 2 and left alone to his glory and-the audience! Great the laughter from all parts of the house! With his was the consternation of the unlucky demon-loud head under his arm-torch in hand-he makes a bold dash for an exit; but lo, and behold-there sat the dread prompter-another dash for the O.P., no exit there-alarmed by the repeated plaudits of the audi ence, he returns, and with a nimble spring he clears the prompter, and falls into the arms of the-stage manager! Out of the frying-pan into the fire, and so theatre. It was too late however, to remove the penit was. Our hero was immediately removed from the chant: and some time afterwards, we find our young pantomimist transformed into a director of legitimate amateurs at Walworth: in conjunction with whom, he took thirty-two benefits in one year, at the Sans Douglass' troop, and was rivalled by another, led to Souci in Leicester Square. This body was known as histrionic honours by that clever low comedian, Mr. John Herbert. who was at that time, young in the profession. Between these troops, the spirit of rivalry ran so strong, that it became an invariable custom with them, to fill the house on their rivals' nights, and most energetically hiss them through the entire performance. managerial tact, which has been so fully developed in We now find Mr. Douglass displaying much of that his subsequent career. He became lessee of the late Westminster theatre, which answered amazingly under his management. From Westminster, he removed to the little theatre at Marylebone, and in a short time we find this theatre elevated by his industry to a Owing to the urbanity and skilful arrangements of position never gained for it, by any previous manager. Mr. Douglass, a strong public feeling for the Drama was created in this neighbourhood, and the landlord was wise enough to erect the present Marylebone and which under his management, for many years, Theatre, of which Mr. Douglass became the lessee, was nightly the resort of gratified thousands, and the scene of triumph for most of our popular actors. Having received several offers, Mr. Douglass was inion of the legitimate drama, under the direction of duced to let the theatre to Mr. Watts, for the produc Mrs. Warner; a most disastrous campaign ensued. The new lessee being minus several thousand pounds at the end of his first season. Mr. Douglass now enjoyed his otium cum dignitate, occasionally playing in some favorite nautical drama, at the principal London theatres. Of Mr. Douglass' merits as an actor, we can safely state, that he is, without doubt, the best sailor on the stage. We do not fancy your walking gentlemen tars;' give us the free, rolling. rollicking, rough-handed, open-hearted man-of-warsman, such as we used to read of in our boyish days; a true Agamemnon! Such, in fact, are the sailors of Mr. Douglass. We are happy to see that he is again in management at the Standard, which he has raised from a clear stage and bare walls, by his liberality and skill into one of the most compact and elegant theatres in the kingdom. He is surrounded by, perhaps, the best company in London. and is nightly receiving a rich reward for his enterprising spirit, in the crowded audiences, which flock to witness their exertions. Long may he hold his present biding place (which, but for him, had been no more the actor's with profit to himseif, and increased gratification to his patrons. Mr. John Douglass married early in life, a very charming actress and amiable lady, who has presented to her husband, a family of eight boys and girls In private life, he is ever the kindly open-hearted man, devoid of all unnecessary pride, with a proper sense of the feelings of others, and a hand open as day to melting charity. May he live long in the bosom of his family, and continue to prove himself, as heretofore, the actor's friend. (NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. ALL COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE EDITOR MUST BE AD BY FOR- creased determination. We promised at our com mencement, a periodical which was then a desid. eratum-one, that containing all the theatrical intelligence, authentic and supposititious, of the week, both in town and country, at home and abroad, should be impartial in its criticisms of the acted and unacted drama, and independant in the tone of its original essays, or leading articles. The greatly superior circulation of this journal, over and above that of all its compeers, assures us that the public has appreciated our efforts, and is satisfied that our performance has exceeded our premise. For, in aldition to all, we have given every week the portrait of some popular acter or actress in character, with a memoir com piled from the most authentic source-having thus completed a biographical gallery of all the living performers who are in the least degree celebrated for talent or utility. This must be owned to be a highly curious and interesting feature, which is peculiar to our work, and which will be found invaluable as a chronological record of cotemporary stagers, their persons, lives, and merits. Our original articles have been contributed by writers who love the drama for its own sake, and who have sought to illustrate its history and phi losophy-its uses and abuses; above all regarding it as a moral institution. Thus have our pages contained all the information and instruc. tion that could be deemed at all interesting to the lovers of the drama-turning the subjebt over every week, like a Kaleidioscope, and shewing it in every variety of respect and of colour. If Truth permits us, we know not why we should hesitate to say that the THEATRIOAL TIMES is a repository of knowledge, valuable alike to authors actors, managers, and the dramatic public gene. rally. Nor is this knowledge of that ephemeral SHARP-We intend for the future to devote a space to Musical Intelli- description called news,' which lives but for a gence; the department will be confided to the care of a gentleman A QUAVER-We will shortly notice what you complain of. THE THEATRICAL TIMES. Having reached our 131st No. without depending on any support, except that which the intrin sic merits of our weekly budget might raise for us, and indeed without receiving any, save that; we hope our readers will indulge us with a retrospective glance at our career-and will pardon us if we evince some degree of exultation at the past, not imputing it to vanity or egotism, but to the conscious satisfaction of having done our duty, and to a cheerful sense of that encourage ment which prompts us to renew and continue our exertions with vigour unabated, and with in. week, and then is superseded by fresh intelligence but it may be deemed worthy of being remembered after it is read, and put into a library, as a book of reference, or for the service of succeeding readers. In accordance with this, we have gathered 'all the back Nos., to be bound in sets and sold as Standard volumes, to those who desire a complete history of the Stage during the period in which this periodical has been issued. If there is one part of our conduct mhich we look back upon with more pleasure than another, that uncompromising tone of independence Whic.! have maintained throughout our labours in s little journal. The reader will easily perceive that we have not been biassed by any undue influence, whether in the shape of fear or favour. Indeed we have been thought by some timid or cringing mortals, to be rather too bold and honest in the expression of our free, unbought, and unbribed opinions. The truth is, expecting nothing from managers, save the pri vilege of entree,' which has never warped our impartiality, and which to the credit of the managers who have granted it to us, was never, we believe, given with that_view-seeking nothing from actors; but their ingratitude for serving them-nor from author's; we have been guilty 126 'great' tragedian: in mine he is something be- no base truckling or toadyism, and have on all occasions spoken the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We have sought to advance no interest, neither our own nor that of others, at the expence of truth and justice. We advocate the interests of the drama for the public good, believing that the public good may be enhanced by the drama; but it must first be clean sed from the mercenariness of managers, the vanity and self.seeking of actors, and the timeserving servility of certain authors. The chief value of the THEATRICAL TIMES consists in its fearless and manly outspokenness on these points. We say what we think of managers, from Webster, downwards of actors, including Macready; and of the gents of the Fast' school, the enemies of the legitimate drama. We shall continue to do so withou caring for the imbecile or corrupt cry that would tax us with the temerity of thrust-lieu, the strong feeling of the King of the Com We are mons, and above all in the fear, pride, humiliaing our head into the lion's mouth.' tion and agony of Werner, that Macready rises confirmed in this resolution by knowing that our opinion agrees with that of the public-though to excellence: here he is on his throne-in these characters he may rank with Kemble in Coriolasome portions of the press, and a few private inWe are no mannus, Kean in Shylock, and Cooke in Sir Giles dividuals may differ from us. Overreach but of course I agree with J. W. that worshippers or partizans. it is not so difficult to play Bulwer, White, and Byron, as Shakspeare and Massinger. Macready is a metaphysical actor-the Schiller or Coleridge of tragedians, with a poetic sense that sometimes rises to grandeur, but without the fire, the passion the power, and sublimity of inspiration. He is a great artist, a profound student, a man of the highest possible talent, but limited genius. Kem ble was a mannerist also, Kean had no repose, and with two or three exceptions, there has been no faultless actor. Writing in times when the drama is said to be on the decline, we have an arduous task to fulfil; because we feel convinced that this decline is owing to nothing but the abuses and corruptions that have crept into our theatres; and until these are reformed or rooted out, in vain shall we look for a healthy, honourable, or prosperous drama. Therefore it behoves every lover of the stage to point out the evils which afflict it; and nut to do this only, but to show the remedy. It shall be our endeavour, and we trust to see a beneficial result. Having survived the many attempts, both open and secret, to injure us in public estimation, having been tried by the most severe and yet just of all tests, that of time; it is our wish to make the THEATRICAL TIMES still more worthy of pub. lie support. In particular we are desirous to double the attraction on our frontispiece, by giving a whole scene from some popular play including the principal characters. To enable us to do this, without an increase of price, we have thought that a little extra support for a few weeks, would launch us, and that then we could sail prosper. ously on, by virtue of nn increased circulation, Accordingly, we think of taking a benefit at one of the theatres; but of this more in our uext. : I sometimes compare our living authors and actors with each other, and perhaps may be allowed to suggest a comparison to J. W. which will assign their several positions to some of our best or most popular tragedians. Knowles and Macready stand first, and have so stood for years in the opinion of the best judges; Talfourd and Vandenhoff (who however are not popular) have much ef kindred talent and may rauk in the same category Brooke (a brilliant executive artistthe most successful failure I remember) is not unworthy to be classed with Bulwer, who is a mere tinsel dramatist; and Lovell and C. Kean have much in common about the same degree of popularity and the same amount of cleverness and stage trick. B Art and genius are progressive. To one man the former is given without the latter, and 'vice versa.' There may be genius of the highest order withou art, and consequently it fails, while art, without genius, is uniformly successful up to a certain point. When the two are united, as in a Garrick, a Siddons, a Betterton, we have a perfect performer. Probably these three were as much above Macready as he is superior to a mere MACREADY, J. W. AND THE DRAMA. SIR. Although I have never been a blind admirer of Macready's acting, and have not denied his faults of søyle, his mannerism, and disjointed elocution, I cannot suffer the article of J. W. on the subject of our first living actor's merits, to pass without entering a protest against such dis-imitator of himself, but few now living are able All to judge in either of the instances I adduce. paraging criticism. I know is that the more I see of Macready the more I am impressed by his merits. Mr Macready is a scholar, a thinking man, an artist, and a gentleman; nor can I think so meanly of him in other respects as your contri. butor. In the opinion of several authors, critics, and habitues' of the theatre Macready is a Old people and middle aged ones have uniformly been prejudiced in favor of the actors they saw when young. This is natural enough bes |