But I must turn to spirits of another sort .too bold for rebuff, and conversant with all the arts of securing attention. On the 1st of April Monk Lewis brought out what is impudently styled a grand romantic melodrama. But let us spare the bombast of a playbill, when every coxcomb, secondary in office, sounds through the court news his trumpet, that on such a day Mr. X. Y. Z. gave a grand dinner to princes and to peers, the elect of the land, and what should be the brain of it. The grand farce was called "The Wood Demon, or the Clock Has Struck." The hand, in fact, is pushed forward; the victim is not immolated, the tyrant perishes. Cherry's "Day in London" was not graced by Mrs. Jordan, like his "Soldier's Daughter," and after the third night he withdrew it. Lewis again, on the 30th of April, occupied the stage by a tragedy called "Adelgitha," for the benefit of Mrs. Powell-seduction again, and horror and remorse, but it had some good effects. Cherry too reappeared in May at the other house with an operatic "Peter the Great" it was well got up, and succeeded. At the close of Drury Lane season, on the 16th of June, Mr. Wroughton, after the suitable ac knowledgments for liberal patronage, announced the intention of the proprietors to use their endeavours to procure proper classical and rational entertainments for the following season. How this classical pledge was redeemed we shall naturally be anxious to observe. In the meantime a Gothic pledge was given at the Haymarket for very valuable acting, by the appearance of Charles Young in Hamlet. He had been much admired at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Manchester. He was certainly, at once, the next best actor to Kemble; a man of reading and reflection, with a graceful person, expressive countenance, and fine sonorous voice. He obtained, and deserved, the most enthusiastic applause. Mr. Kemble, on the 23d of June, the night following, acted Hamlet himself, and returned the usual thanks of the season before "Mother Goose" appeared. Kemble was very dry upon such occasions. He was like a man who has but one grace after meat; thanks were to be given, and he gave thanks, but with the old formulary. His greatest wonder always was at facility of invention. |