company with a tragedian of higher powers. It always will be so; and that is why the Italian Opera (complete in every department) is crowded while the Haymarket and Princess's are thinly attended.

The stage was formerly the theme of general conversation; and now it is rarely mentioned in society. Music (the universal language) is spoken of everywhere, and the Court takes it under its especial patronage. But why, when the Queen pretends to countenance the drama, does she have Charles Kean to play Hamlet. when there are so many tragedians superior to him? Is it a me. lancholy satire on the degeneracy of our actors? One can hardly wonder that the well educated have almost deserted the English theatres when they see nothing but mediocrity in plays of no interest or in old ones that have been repeated till every one is weary of them. In former times the greatness of a Betterton, a Garrick, a Kean, and a Siddons reconciled people to seeing Shakspere with not one absolutely great for ever; but now, actor, there is no resource but new plays and companies well selected. We cannot too often reiterate the fact that it is the want of novelty and excitement that keeps people from the theatres, and it is the enormous salaries of the actors that are the ruin of managers and the downfall of the art. Edmund Kean had £200 a week (for four nights); but even he for a constancy was not worth more than £30. Macready, imitating him, demands nearly the same, whereas £20 a week is all that he is worth. Phelps would require perhaps £25 a week, when his price should be £ 1 Wallack would want the same, an! Charles Kean has had £50 a night, like his father (but then he drew immensely), and now in one night earns as much as a better actor than himself (Bennett for instance,) does in a month. Anderson requires six times more than he ought to have; Miss Faucitt wants £15 a night, though she does not bring half that amount to the theatre, and con. sequently is not engaged; Mrs Warner will not take less than £25 a week; and so the drama dies, and actors do nothing.

Now this is most wonderful when money purchases twice as much as it did in the days of Garrick, who was satisfied with much such a salary as Graham receives! The price of admission is lowered-all things are lowered, but the demands of actors. Why did the stage once flourish? Because there were fine and great performers, good companies, no huge salaries, and the theatre was patronised by all classes. But in these days the cheap and nasty' system that prevails at the minors-vile melodramas, vulgar farces, bad companies, the indecency allowed in various shapes, on and off the stage, the extortion of box keepers, discomfort, and more to boot, are ample reasons for the decline of the drama.

COMPARISONS OF ACTORS.

No. 3.-VANDENHOFF AND H. WALLACK. The school of John Kemble is that for which we have been indebted for such tragedians as Young and Vandenhoff, while that of Ellistonmore mercurial and sparkling, has produced James Wallack. At the present time, the powers of Vandenhoff seem scarcely impaired by approaching age, but we fear that Wallack has seen his best days. The former has been the least popular of the two actors in London, but as a classical actor, he is certainly above Wallack who however was livelier and more versatile than Vandenhoff. The forte of Wallack has been in the higher kind of melodrama (the Don Cæsar de Bazan's &c.); but we believe he is good in lago, in which we hear he is little inferior to Macready and Vandenhoff, and he never was poor in any part at all in his line. Vandenhoff is not exciing, but he is frequently grand, strong, and massive. There is no grandeur in Wallack's tragedy; for he and he would be nothing beyond a country gen is not intense enough; put him into Coriolanus, tleman; but in the stern and haughty Roman, the other is at home. Vandenhoff is not an Ideal et

metaphysical actor like Macready, nor is he coarse observed once to us that he is the Campbell of and physical like Scott. A poet-friend of ours tragedians, and the remark was very apposite. Vandenhoff is in the old school which we are far from wishing to disparage, and did not originate one for himself. This is the distinction between genius of the highest order and talent. Still there is approximation to the creative faculty in Vandenhoff, which we do not find in Wallack. He never had so much dash and brilliancy; surrendering himself to a cool and sober judgment; but he grasped more intellectuality than Wallack, and without vivid, fiery imagination, and demoniacal passion (which was the Kean style of acting) he appealed not to the soul, but to the mind and heart. Vandenhoff is a fine elocutionist, and reads better than any one on the stage. He is not ambitious of making points' and is far severer in his taste than the majority of actors. There is nothing florid, nothing exuberant about him, but he is not cold or artificial.

Wallack plays to his audience, and his stage business is undignified; the other; affects carelessness sometimes, but still is of the stately school. The old playgoers often prefer Vanden hoff to any one now living, but the younger mien generally admire the new style, which is opposte to the classical, and is more subtle and analytical. Wallack has a distinct and clear articulation, but he has not taken so much pains with his elocution as Vandenhoff. When we saw him last at the Princess's he was a handsome man, but too much daubed with paint. He is scarcely of the middle height, and Vandenhoff is somewhat above it. They are nearly of an age, and must have been more than a quarter of a century on the boards. We should like to see them both again, for they are decidedly good actors if they are what they were a few years ago. The impression that Van denhoff's Creon made on us, on the first night of the representation of Antigone has never been effaced. A stirling and legitimate aetor like

Last week was produced at this theatre, Shakspeare's King Henry the Eighth, and although from the numerous audiences it would seem that the public are satisfied with it, we do not recollect a play which has given us less satisfaction. Mr. Phelps is never very great in Shakspeare (we except his Hubert) and as Wolsey we cannot praise him. His first part indeed, was good, but oward the end was a notable falling off. Miss Glynn was in our opinion very poor as Catharine, her evident attempt was to copy Mrs Siddons, her attitudes seemed taken from Harlowe's cele. brated picture, as was her costume (a very incor rect one by the way) her dying scene was forced, strained, and bad; and the little applause she obtained was entirely owing to her ci-devant tutor, Chas. Kemble who acts the part of clacquer from the boxes in a manner very obtrusive. The King of Mr Bennett, was loud and boisterous, nor can we praise him, although his conception of that most edious character was as true as the majority. Mr Dickinson was Cromwell, and his acting with that of Mr Younge (Lord Sands), Mrs Marston (Lady Denny) and Miss Cooper (Anne Boleyn), was very fair, and in parts excellent; it is to be hoped that his voice will in time grow more strong and powerful. Mr Hoskins as the Earl of Surrey also deserves honourable mention. Nothing could be worse than Mr Gladstone's representation of his part, and the minor characters were poorly filled. And now a word about the costumes; with the exception of Henry and Wolsey, Mrs Marston was the only person correctly dressed. Not long before Mrs Siddons acted, Garrick played Hamlet in a bag wig, therefore those little sins, were not noticed, because costume was not studied, but now when volumes are written and prints are so easily procured, we have a right to demand correctness. Mr Dickenson in a sort of Hamlet dress, might, for the matter of being dressed correctly, been habited as a Highlander, and the majority of the ladies as Jeannie Dean's, nor do we quite see why this is. Mr Phelps ought to see to this. We had forgotten Mr Marston's Buckingham, which was a nicely rendered chaAfter the first piece, Morton's comedy of Speed the Plough,' slightly compressed followed which was nicely acted throughout. Mr Green wood's benefit was really one in all senses. Miss Cooper took her first benefit on Monday, and also Mr Hoskins on Wednesday. Both, we are glad to say, answered very well.

racter.

PAVILION.

On Monday night, the romance of 'Amy Robsart, but the admirers of Mrs. E. Yarnold's acting were or Kenilworth Castle' was announced to be performed doomed to disappointment, as an apology was tendered on her behalf, on account of severe indisposition, in consequence of the illness of Mr. Yarnold. The drama entitled 'The Charcoal Burner' was substituted in which Messrs. Gaston, Rignold, Hudspeth, Artaud, and Mesdames Atkins, and C. Wharton were quite 'au fait.' The Soldier's Pet' followed, Emilie, Countess de Renville, Mrs. E. Yarnold, who quite enchanted the numerous auditory by her life life aoting. She enacted the part of the simple girl with great truthfulness, and as suddenly changes to the high born lady. Mr. Rignold as Oscar the poor soldier was also very efficient. Mr. Hudspeth, although he has been so short a time here, has become an immense favourite from his drollery and almost unri valled comicalities. We must not omit to mention in terms of high encomium the manner in which the band performed selections from Donizetti's opera o • The Daughter of the Regiment' and Overtures, & c. incidental to the piece, The Floating Beacon'

concluded the performances: Mr. Rignold was the true British tar under the technical cognomen of Jack Junk : : we consider him almost equal to Mr. Cooke, and that is saying a great deal. Mr. Gaston was seen to great advantage as the villain Angerstoff. Miss Atkins was very pathetic as Mariette. The panto mime is to be entitled The Fish and the Ring, or Harlequin Johnny Horner and the Fayre Mayde of Stepney.' Why does not the house close on Wednesday, as others do, to give the company some opportunity for recreation ?

Provincial Theatricals

ARBROATH. (Manager Mr J. W. Anson.)-After very successfully visiting Perth and Dundee, we have this week been favoured with the appearance of the much noted Mr G. Brooke; the houses as they deserved to have been, were crowded to excess, and his impersonation of Sir Giles Overreach, Claude Melnotte and the Stranger has left an impression here, not easily to be effaced, his last scene of Sir Giles Overreach in particular was truly terrific, his engagement has been most capitally played, he was admirably supported by one scene of triumph, the pieces one and all have been Mrs Anson as Margaret, Pauline and Mrs Haller; this lady has greatly distinguished herself by her very natural and ta ented acting. Mr Stoddart as Marrall was particularly happy, and Mr Anson seemed to revel in Justice Greedy, as also in some very lively farces he has kept the house provoked with laughter,

་

BRADFORD. [Lessee, Mr. John Mosley.]-On Monday, Fair Rosamond' and Valentine and Orson;' Orson, Herr Teasdale. Tuesday, Alice Grey' and Jack Robinson and his Monkey;' Mushapug, Herr Teasdale. Wednesday for the benefit of Mr. Coefield 'Faith. who was rewarded with a very good house. and Falsehood,' Our Mary Ann,' and 'The Forty Thieves.' Thursday, Amodeous,' Boarding School,' of Mr. L. S. Thompson Sen., and under the patronand Valentine and Orson.' Friday for the benefit age of the Freemasons, Secrets Worth Knowing;' Old Nick. Mr. Thompson, and Jocko; Jocko, Herr Teasdale. The excitement of the Election for County Member militated against Mr. Thompson's success. On Saturday, The Floating Beacon,' 'Jocko' and Don Juan.' The theatre will be closed next week, for the production of the pantomime.

Miss Kelly gives two Readings from Shakspere next week, at the Music Hall, Leeds; Othello' and The Merchant of Venice.'

COLCHESTER.-Mr. Davenport's company of comedians concluded a successful season on Friday last. The performances during the stay of the company, have given the most unqualified satisfaction (to respectable audiences. Miss Davenport, in all her characters, elicited the most enthusiastic and deserved plaudits; and bids fair to be a dramatic gem. The dancing of Mr. and Miss Maskell exceeds anything of the kind upon the Colchester boards for many years; and the acting of Miss Ward, and Messrs. Melville and Clarance, exhibited throughout very considerable talent. The piece selected for Mr. Davenport's bene fit on Friday night, was Buckstone's popular drama, The Green Bushes,' in which Miss Davenport admirably sustained the character of Nelly O'Neil. The afterpiece was the laughable farce, called The Middy Ashore;' at the conclusion of which Mr. Davenport came forward, and delivered his farewell address for

the season.

DUNDEE.-The alterations and improvements are nearly complete, and it is announced to open for the winter season, Dec. 30, the announce bill is a very rich one, some capital additions have been made to the company, and Mr W. Burroughs appears on the 30th DUBLIN. [Lessee, Mr. Calcraft.]-The lovers of ballet, and those of real Irish humour, have been gratified during the past week, by the appearance of Malle. Thierry and Signor and Signora Ferrante in < La Rosiere,' and Mr. D. Leonard in some of his most successful representations of stage Irishmen. The latter gent'eman was always a favourite with the frequenters of Hawkins-street, and we are induced to think that his present engagement will prove more profitable than any former one. Last season, it will be remembered, he produced an original drama, called The Foster Brothers,' which was well received; this piece has been revived, and has gone off with great eclat. Mr. Leonard's performance of Phelim O'Carolan is a gem of its kind, and entitles him to praise, both as a dramatic author and actor. The other pieces presented have been, His Last Legs,' White Horse of the Peppers,' Born to Good Luck,' 'Irish Attorney,' King O'Neil,' and Man and Wife.' A pantomime is in preparation, for which Signor Boleno is engaged as Clown.

EINBURGH.-Mr. Anderson and Mrs. Warner take their benefit at this theatre to-night in the plays of The Winter's Tale' and Catherine and Petruchio.' They have appeared successfully in the following plays, viz., Othello,' The Gamester,''The Honeymoon,' Lady of Lyons,' 'Macbeth,' &c. Last night, the plays were The Merchant of Venice,' and 'The Lady of Lyons; Mr. Anderson as Shylock and Claude Melnette, and Mrs. Warner as Portia and Pauline, played their respective parts in an admirable style; Bassanio and Launcelott Gobbo were ably performed by Messrs. Wyndham and Lloyd respectively. farces of Poor Pillicodddy' and 'Mrs. White' have been produced with great success. Miss Laura Addison is engaged for six nights, and will make her first appearrnce on Monday as Juliet in Romeo and uliet.'

The

VICTORIA.-Mons. Benoit Tournaire has appeared for three nights here, as Napoleon Bonaparte in the drama of 'The Battle of Waterloo.' A pantomime has also been produced, entitled Harlequin and the Magic H rn, or the Fiend of Ailsa Craig.'

EXETER. Under the lesseeship of Mr. Doel, this theatre will be opened on the 26th with a new com、

pany selected from the London and first provincial theatres. In the announce bill, issued by Mr. Doel, he says, nothing shall be wanted to ensure the comfort of the visitors to the theatre during the season, and that he will place before them some of the works of the best masters and great care will be taken that no rude or demoralising hand will be allowed to mar the general happiness. Mr. Doel knows that it is not in the power of man to command success; but he will do more he will study to deserve it.' The prices of admission are very moderate; and we heartily wish success to the undertaking.

GUERNSEY.-The season closed on Thursday, when the manager, Mr. Maddocks, took his benefit, the performances being under the special patronage of Sir William Collings and the Freemasons of Guernsey. The audience was the most numerous of the season. On the fall of the curtain, Mr. Maddocks came forward, and, addressing the audience, thanked them for the kindness which on that and other occasions they had shown him. He then said that from the want of sufficient patronage the present season, as well as that of 1847, had caused him considerable loss, and that, unwilling to run the risk of further sacrifices, he should now take his leave of the Guernsey theatre. Having expressed his best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the people of Guernsey, Mr. Maddocks made his bow amidst loud cheering.

WHITEHAVEN.-The performances at our theatre 'Mountaineers,' have been Rob Roy,' Brutus,' 'Damon and Pythias,' 'Douglas,' 'Shakspere's Early Days,''The Sea Captain,' &c. The benefits are on, and drawing good houses. On Friday last, Mr. Procter appeared as Hamlet for the first time, and at the conclusion had the honour to be called before the curtain. On Monday next, Miss Goddard

takes her benefit, on which occasion will be performed Henry VIII.,' 'Slasher and Crasher,' and 'The Boarding School.' Mr. Grattan Dawson and Miss Scrimshaw are very great favourites.

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENCE.

New York, November 28, 1848. The events of the past six days call for no particu lar notice indeed nothing fresh has transpired since my last. The highly interesting drama of Edith," with Mrs. Shaw's wonderful impersonation of the heroine, has drawn brilliant houses at the Park : whilst the bill of fare, put forth by the Broadway management, is no less attractive. At the last mentioned theatre, Mr. Murdoch has been playing a successful star' engagement: his most recent assump、 tions were Mr. Beverley in The Gamester' and Charles in The Elder Brother. In both pieces Miss Wallack was well received, on each night sharing the applause with Mr. Murdoch, The entertainments provided for the patrons of Burton's theatre are of an amusing nature, and it is pleasing to observe the manager's exertions responded to in a gratifying manner. The last production at this house is called Musical Arrivals; or the Manager in a Mess;' it is a flimsy affair, but has been carried out with spirit by Messrs. T. B. Johnston and Jordan, and Miss Chapman. The Bowery theatre under the management of Mr. Hamblin, is still a favoure place of public resort; nor is the excellent business to be wondered at when we consider the attention paid to visitors and the admirable manner in which things are carried into effect behind the scenes. It is needless to say more than the Olympic, National and Broadway Circus are open and have been nightly crowded. In my last 1 made an allusion to the present attempt being made

by Mr. Fry to establish Italian operas in this city; and now according to promise, I shall enter into a few particulars respecting it. It is now about three weeks since the building known as the Astor place Opera house was opened by Mr. Fry, whose intention we thought, was to cultivate the musical taste of our citizens by producing the works of our greatest composers, to be supported by artistes of the first order. Up to the present time however, he has not accomplished this feat; true it is we have had Lucia di Lammermoor,' 'Lucrezia Borgia,' Ernani' and last, though not least Norma;' but with all this I cannot avoid applying the lash of censure to Mr. Fry for the system of management which he adopts. appears that this Napoleon of the green room (as the press style him) has employed certain young gents to write as he desires in certain daily journals and in some of the weekly ones; the consequence is they are constantly blowing up the artistes who get sick and stirring np dissensions between the prima donnas, in order that he may be able to regulate those trouble some materiais, by the very quarrels and rivalries which he originated in this way.

(To be Continued.)

REVIEW.

It

THE REIGN OF NONSENSE, by the Scotched Snake:-London: Al, Catherine Street. This, we presume, is intended for a satire against those people, whoever they are, who have been instrumental in producing the present decline of the drama. With some reason therefore, the shafts of the satirist are pointed against the aristocracy, and against the Queen; but in our opinion it needs a more powerful pen than our author seems to possess; some lines are rather ungrammatical, and others inelegant. Many words also are used which are either obsolete or

Need we what all the land must know disclose?
'Tis fall'n-but how? Let critics waste their ink
To teach us what themselves are paid to think,'
Rail at the actors' faults, decry, and prate,
Neglect in chief has wrought its present state.
Who dares to say that English talent's paid?
Why have our foremost artists from us strayed?
Why does Macready seek another land,
But that his own holds forth no generous hand?
Where does the classic Warner hide her head?
Whither have Vandenhoff and others fled?'

In our second extract are some of his more powerful lines ;—

Then, when for aid, by legislative rules, We pray'd our great hereditary fools, How did they use us? when we ask'd for bread, They insolently gave a stone instead. Tax-payers we, who help t'uphold their race, Are spurn'd, while strangers wallow in their grace! What!' cry the tribe, accuse us of neglect ! Does not our Queen, now that the Drama's wreck'd, Nobly step forth to save its drowning slaves?' Yes, but whose influence rais'd the tyrant waves ? Give we eulogium! those through whom we're wreck'd

Perhaps he sits in the pit, easy and unexclusive, light, and perhaps recherche in costume, but with an absence of awkward individualization. Then he is generally alone, or in company with a few companions of his own age. Your fast man, who can afford to frequent the theatre, seldom stays the whole performance. Theseus and Ariadne' is sure to run, but Arabella Fitzjames is sure to be at the Fitzroy's this evening, and so Vestris and Kathleen Fitzwilliam reserve their blandishments for him till another evening. Perhaps he has seen Poor Pillicoddy' before, and so defers his appearance till the final blaze of the oft-re vived, never tiring Golden Branch,' with its exquis 'Tis the ninth time of witnessing the performance, but site bijouterie,' and picturesque Arcadian groups. Miss Howard is as graceful, Kathleen Fitzwilliam as melodious, H. Hall as divertingly blusterous as ever. Perhaps the fast man is one of a half-critical, halfpleasure-seeking 'set' (not clique), and draws inviduous comparisons between the Haymarket and Lyceum scenery, albeit he feels that Priscilla Horton is still unmatched in burlesque singing. He admires Mrs. C. Kean, adores the Keeleys, and is not suffciently affected or vulgar to pretend a radical dislike to Shakespere, he has seen Macready, has witnessed Mrs. Butler's first return to the stage, but is neither 'gent' enough to decry the substantial drama, nor pedant enough to be insensible to the gay volatility of the fairy like Lyceum.

In the dress boxes, your fast man is subdued, as the painters say, in costume, but no less elegant. His faultless neckcloth, and compactly fitted tour nure' in general are agreeably contrasted with the more gay mode of the ladies to whom he is evidently chaperon. Seated at the back of the box, deeply attentive to the details of the play-bill, to the enligh onment of some younger sister or fair friend from the country, who does'nt know Selby and Diddear at sight -he acts as the interpreter of stage mysteries, perchance as the mystagogue of the coulisses,' and talks stage chat without conventionality, sense without heaviness, wit without vulgarity. Of a truth, the fast man, in this state, is the very 'star' of the before-thecurtain department.'