Again when she discovers her long lost son to be young Norval, she exclaims

"'Tis he! 'tis he himself! It is my son,

"Oh sovereign mercy! "Twas my child I saw."

with so much warmth, with such a glow of joy that it is impossible to describe the sensation, the throb of pleasure it produces in the feeling heart. In how truly delicate, in how elegant a manner does the poet convey his meaning, when he makes Lady Randolph say,

“ I found myself

"As women wish to be who love their Lords."

A more happy expression was never heard from a man, nor ever more happily uttered than from the lips of the actress who is the subject of these observations; she seems indeed throughout this character, inspired by the very same genius that dictated to the author while he composed one of the most perfect tragedies in the English language. How opposite to the last is the character of Lady Macbeth? Here fiend-like ambition wades to regal grandeur through rivers of gore, and the purple robe of royalty conceals the bloody vestments of a murderess; still we observe the same excellence in the actress, and that voice which before " won all hearts with softness. now with spirit awes." The inconsistent Elvira must not pass unnoticed, the judgment with which the dramatic defects of this character are softened down by the actress, deserves the highest praise and is a proof of her admirable discrimination; it is impossible to be reconciled to this heroic lady or receive her with common patience,

P

unless she is presented to us by a very finished actress. Portia in the "Merchant of Venice," is a character which blends the elegance of genteel Comedy with the dignity of Tragedy; the vivacity, ease, and spirit of an accomplished lady, with the serious, grave, and majestic deportment of conscious virtue, armed in the cause of truth and justice. From these contrarieties we can scarcely expect to see many perfect representations of Portia. Mrs. Powell is in this character every thing that the most fastidious critic can expect; the light and playful with Nerissa, the tender and most affecting with Bassanio, and the impressive and dignified personage in the trial scene; indeed all the parts of the character are given with such wonderful effect, that we are at a loss whether to give the palm to her Comic or pathetic description.

In the Opera of "The Wife of Two Husbands," there is a scene in which Mrs. Powell displays the possession of the most surprising Scenic powers, and never fails to agitate the auditors mind and obtain applause, from the delicate and affecting manner. in which she makes herself known to her father. In the part of Alicia, she illustrates the author with most consummate skill and gives new beauties to his Play. Phocia in the "Grecian Daughter," is no ordinary effort of mimic action, and shews the energies of her mind and the ability with which she turns. her gigantic conception into practical and potent use, in giving all those niceties of tint and shade that the character will admit of. Millwood in the Tragedy of "George Barnwell," must be also ranked among this lady's happy efforts. There are

many other characters if the size of our work would admit, on which we could dwell as a connoisseur on a fine picture, whose beauties are increased the more the subject is inspected. But we must not pass over the Queen in Hamlet which has been generally considered in a Theatre an unfavourable part to an actress, yet Mrs. Powell has given it a new feature, and rendered the royal lady more interesting to an audience from the importance her acting has attached to the character.

In this lady are assembled all those perfections of person and mind which distinguished many of our actresses, whose beauty and talents have been so glowingly described in the pages of Theatrical Biography.

That plain palpable simplicity of nature which COLLEY CIBBER has so highly panegyrised in NOKES the Comedian, is evidently in the possession of Mr. EMERY, whose powers as an actor manifest talents peculiar to himself; there is an ineffable ease, yet 'strength of description that renders his personification of rustic characters singularly great; the auditor does not see a person labouring to be whimsical in the habiliments of a countryman, but a simple creature whose looks, ́manner of giving the words and action, accord so naturally with each other, that the spectator is led to believe the person on the Stage, is the very character he represents. In confirmation of our opinion, we think his Dan in "John Bull," is a striking instance of his great Scenic powers, his delivery of the author is completely easy and perfectly appropriate to the habits of a country lad: the Scene where he

informs' Dennis Bulgrudery how he beat the bailiff in old Thornbury's house with, the warming-pan, is as great an effort of mimic action as ever adorned the Stage. As the representative of Sheepfuce, Emery is particularly happy, and gives an entire new feature to the part. Sam in the Farce of Raising the Wind," makes a prominent picture of rustic artfulness; the play of his features when Jerry Diddler wants to borrow eightpence of him, and the natural rustic, caution which belong to the Yorkshire clown are finely depicted by this Comedian.

Lump in the musical after piece of "Love laughs at Locksmiths," is a rustic of another description, and characterized by a pure simplicity of conduct; EMERY enters into the nature of the part with the most consummate skill, and delineates his author in the most delicate colours.

There is a cast of character of a widely different nature, in which he is equally original and great. We recollect the part of Gibbet in the " Beaux Stratagem," was well sustained by Mr. CUBITT, once of Covent Garden Theatre, indeed it was considered his best character and appeared to suit. his cast of features better than any other, but. Mr. Emery has the art of making up his face andı twisting himself into FARQUHAR'S well-drawn portrait: of the travelling captain with so much address, that an auditor would scarcely suppose it was possible: for him to soften himself into any part in which simplicity and innocence of habit were its leading features. Orson in the " Iron Chest," is a character which exhibits nature in the coarsest features of:

barbarism, and it has been rendered very conspicu-, ous by this Comedian's assumption of the part, his first appearance in the Robber seemed to impress the audience, that they had only seen the shadow of Orson before; Mr. Einery's delineation of the part is a fine picture of savage nature characterized by a peculiar justness of colouring.

We have also seen this gentlemen in Rawbold in the same Play, and though the character is quite of an opposite cast to the above, yet he worked himself into its nature with the happiest effect, which manifests the possession of abilities for the support, of Scenic personages however contrasted they may be in their nature. Without wishing to lessen the abilities of the performers who gave their exertions to the Drama of "Delays and Blunders," on the first night it was offered for public approbation, we must however be permitted to express a belief, that Emery's part of Robert Granger though trifling in itself was the salvation of the Piece. There are many other parts which exist as corroborative evidence of this Comedian's possessing qualities not at-, tendant on one actor in a century. A report is in circulation, that the mother of this gentleman was engaged at Covent Garden this winter, and is to make her entre next season; her talents and experience in the affairs of the Stage, it is said will be a valuable acquisition to the Dramatic. Corps of that house.

There appears a delicacy of nerve in Mr. Hol land, that is too often an impediment to inerit, and frequently lessens the powers of an actor, whose