THEATRIC BIOGRAPHY, CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS, ORIGINAL POETRY, ON THE SUBJECT OF THE STAGE, SELECTIONS, &c. Et. VOL. I.-NO. I "Nunquam aliud Natura, aliud Sapienta dicit." DUBLIN: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED (FOR THE EDITORS AND PROPRIETORS), 150 Theatric Magazine: OR, GENERAL REPOSITORY. MONDAY, 30th DECEMBER, 1805. Man of the World, and Farmer. THIS play not having been performed here for thir téen years past, may with much propriety come under the denomination of a revived one; deficiency of merit has not been the reafon of this temporary repofe, but rather from the difficulty of finding an actor endued with neceffary requifites for reprefenting the principal character on which the play chiefly depends. Sir Pertinax requires a performer of the firstratė abilities, with the indifpenfible adjunct of speaking the Scotch accent with precifion! hence it may eafily be imagined, that thofe talents which fitted the actor for a various affumption of character, might in this point fail, and the fact is, that merely an attempt has been the appropriate term, to most of the many appearances in that arduous part. To the great abilities of Cooke it was referved to again rescue the comedy from the cobwebbed fhelf, and to raise it to its rank and pre-eminence on the boards; his performance of the booing Scot' was one of thofe bold exertions of talent, which has made him fo confpicuous a favorite of the London audience. He indeed had Atlantean THEATRIC MAGAZINE; OR, Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear and fcarcely deigns to divide the laurel with the original reprefenter, the Neftor of Drama. Often has the writer of this article heard him lament that he would not be allowed to play it here- Well,' he would fay- I will play it elfewhere.-Efop fhould have placed his biped-who did not know the value of the jewel he met with(may it be faid without offence)-in a theatre-an acute writer, of recent celebrity, furely was wrong to say, Js, who directs with equa! skill, The bill of fare, and playhouse bill.' Notwithstanding the univerfally allowed merit of this play, which abounds with excellently defined character, poignant and keen fatire, and various views of human paffion: yet, from fome few political allufions, it met with delay and oppofition to its reprefentation in London, previous to its being performed; but the account of this, may with propriety, be mentioned at another time or place. Mr. Grant, an actor of much provincial fame in England, made his debut in the crafty, time-ferving and booing knight; this, during a fhort time, being the third night of the play being represented, is no mean proof of his merit. He fpeaks the Scottish dialect with cafe and elegance; never Iapfes into the English accent, and by that means preferves a happy continuity; he alfo feems well acquainted with what is technically termed ftage bufinefs. His drefs was well chosen ; if an objection might be made, it would appear to fall on the dreffing of the head; high temples certainly give an aftute appearance; but it is not the character of baldnefs to attack temples merely, and to top its ravages at once: the full difplay of hair immediately on the confines of total baldness, has - an unnatural effect; the crown of the head with thick hair, badly afforted with the bareness before mentioned, thus far, fuppofing the head dress intended to reprefent the natural growth of hair, if defigned as a wig it is defenfible on no one principle; the head marks the character very ftrongly ; to it |