conception has done every justice to the characters entrusted to him; had this gentleman possessed a greater portion of confidence, his professional exertions would have greatly increased his celebrity. We understand his native vigour of intellect is under the direction of a refined education, which must materially assist his public efforts; his figure is by no means ungraceful and his deportment not inelegant. We recollect he sustained the part of Alonzo in the Play of" Pizarro" at Drury Lane Theatre, in consequence of Mr. C. Kemble's indisposition, and gave the energies of the author with a forcible effect that produced general satisfaction. His per sonification of several other characters of an opposite cast in the Drama, entitle him to a better line of business than has hitherto fallen to his share.

Among the many singers who are honored with public patronage, no one can boast that variety of talents which is united in Signora Storace; there is a most bewitching vivacity in her manner peculiar to herself, and particularly gratifying to an audience; if this lady possessed only an ordinary share of vocal ability, or were even unable to turn a common tune, her Comic powers would rank very high; but the most scientific people of those nations, where music and singing are extravagantly admired and encouraged, have distinguished her for great powers of voice and sweetness of expression, which have given delight in the Theatres of Italy, Germany and. France. The principal parts in which she stands unrivalled are, Margaretta in “ No Song no Sapper," Caroline in "the Prize," Florella in " My Grand- :

mother, Lilla in "The Siege of Belgrade." There are many other fashionable Operatic Dramas that become vehicles of additional entertainment, when enlivened with that combination of ability, which particularly characterises this lady above any one who assumes the same cast of parts.

The annals of Theatrical history furnish us with a number of instances, of many very excellent Comedians having been some years in a Theatre before the public had an opportunity of appreciating the extent of their rsspective merits, either from their not having been employed in a cast of character most suitable to their nature, or being but seldom seen on the Stage. We think Mr. Cherry stands in this predicament, as his line of business is at present occupied by many favourite Comedians, but when a vacancy gives him a greater share of employment, the Públic will not be insensible to the vigour of his Comic powers. He has however personified a few characters this season, that will materially tend to encrease his celebrity as a Comedian, who is happily gifted with those qualities* that mnst please a metropolitan audience.

The Comedy of the "Soldier's Daughter" having been brought out after we had finished our remarks on the Dramatic writers of the present day, we are therefore under the necessity of making it the subject of our notice in this part of our Work. As the public prints have amply expanded on the nature of its plot, the construction of the incidents, and the style of its diction; little is left to observe with respect to the piece that would be novel to our readers, yet we cannot pass the Comedy over in silence. If a Drama is offered to the public view as a regular Play, its contents ought to be politically and morally useful to the state, and perfectly congenial to the established religion of the people to whom it is offered, in this particular the author has not been unmindful. The plot is founded on principles that give some of the most useful lessons on social duty and philanthropic ac

Mrs. Humphreys is only to be viewed as a novis ciate performer, she has however appeared as the

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tion, the incidents are worked up with considerable ability and are effective of every force the author intended in their delineation. The characters are happily contrasted, and their humour and reflections are evidently the offspring of original conception graced in the garment of elegant and ne vous language. A Drama of this construction is a code of valuable morals, carrying all the bewitching forms of attraction and impression which a government must applaud, as a gi gantic effort to keep the national mind alive to all those duties that preserve the purity of the English character, and encrease the love of our constitution.

Now we are on the subject of Dramatic composition, we must be permitted to notice the Comedy written, and recently produced, by Mr. Holman, at Covent Garden Theatre, and our motive for discussing its merits, does not arise from a passion to dwell on the unsuccessful efforts of an author, as we would rather sound the trumpet to an individual's glory, than make it speak to his shame and mortification; but since a story of an injurious nature has been circulated to the prejudice of Mr. Kemble, being actuated by a love of truth, we shall lay before our readers the leading circumstance connected with the bringing out of Mr. Holman's Drama, in order that the Public may see that Mr. Kemble's conduct and attention to the Play in question, were of a nature highly creditable to him as a Manager and a Gentleman.

In the course of the present season Mr. H. presented a Tragedy to the Proprietors of the Drury Lane Theatre, which they perused and rejected; and not, as we understand, from its want of merit, but from its being coloured with too strong a hue of Politics, in which the Tyrant Buonaparte formed a leading character for public execration. The above Gentleman then waited on Mr. Harris, and informed him most candidly, that the Tragedy he was about to present him for perusal, had been returned by the Proprietors of Drury Lane, but observed that Mr. Harris would confer an additional obligation to the many he had already received, if he would give the piece a reading. After a lapse of a day or two, Mr. Harris waited on Mr. Holman, and expressed his approbation of the language and sentiments of the Tragedy, but thought it would not be an admissible vehicle of entertainment to the Public, and added if Mr. H. had a Comedy by him, he would bring it out, without analysing its merits. This offer was received by the author with every mark of gratitude, as it was not only very friendly,' but highly complimentary to his talents: accordingly Mr. Holman' took his Play to the Theatre, where it was read, rehersed, and brought out with all possible dispatch. As far as Mr. Harris's amiable disposition and goodness of heart are concerned, he is entitled to the most

representative of Lady Caroline Braymore in the Comedy of "John Bull," and figured the Author's portrait with a happy effect.

unlimited panegyric, but as a Manager of a Theatre who has an important duty to discharge to the Public, he ought to govern as a judge on the throne of justice, where partiality and prejudice should never approach, otherwise the Public are liable to be continually drawn from their dwellings, and become insulted auditors of any vile Drama, which friendship or interest may recommend to the Stage, and which the Manager may take the liberty to exhibit, though a stranger to its internal merits, and value the Piece in proportion to his esteem for the Author, or the interest that may bolster him up. It is a particular hardship on the Public when they are convened on such an occasion; for that money which is allured from their pockets for the sight of contemptible novelty, would afford them a superior satisfaction when given to see any of our best English Dramas; consequently that Play which is offered to the town void of every thing that constitutes genuine Drama, (to use a strong but just term) is legally robbing the Public of their time and money. It clearly appears to us that the friendship of Mr. Harris carried him beyond his usual sagacity, but if any one should be inclined to state that Mr. Harris had read the Play, then we are under the necessity of thinking, that he either wilfully trifled with the Public, or his powers of discrimination are not so vigorous as they have been.

However in compliment to the manager we will take it for granted as we have understood, that he never read the Comedy, otherwise his good sense would not have suffered the exhibition' of Mr. Holman's ill formed progeny. Now for a close enquiry into Mr. Kemble's conduct as supervisor of the Play in question, the wicked insinuation which some of his friends circulated, went to import that Mr. Hol man had a serious quarrel with Mr. Kemble, and accused him of cutting and abridging so many parts of his Comedy, that the connection and beauty of its symmetry were entirely lost, which gave cause to its destruction, but to the honour of the author he has avowed to every one who addressed him on the subject, that Mr. Kemble gave more than managerial attention to the getting up of his Play, and had not taken the least liberty with the pruning knife, and so far from Mr. K. having injured him, that his polite attention to the business of the Stage during every rehearsal will ever live on his mind with a lively sense of pleasure and gratitude; and he also observed that Mr. K. had exceeded even his duty, by kindly studying Mr. Cooke's part in case indisposition kept that Performer from the Theatre, so that no apparent evil should operate as an impediment to the effect of his Play. But had not the author said a word to do away the gross calumny which was dissemi

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As a singer, Mr. Hill cannot be placed in the same rank with the mellifluous Incledon, yet he is

nated against the acting manager, the impartial observers of the Drama must be satisfied that he could not have injured the Piece.

From the pen of a man who has had his mind stored with all the beauties of ancient and modern erudition, an auditor would expect a Play formed according to rule, illustrated with dignity of thought in all the graces of composition-that the plot should be a basis of some strength to warrant an importance of action and give scope for a happy contrast of character, whose business should be highly interesting and instructive, and whose sentiment should carry originality of conception and delicacy of diction, and that every scene should produce progress in the Drama, the termination of which, should differ from the expectation of the audience and produce a happy conclusion.With this outline of what ought to come from a man of his education, let us review the offensive bantling of his brain. The plot, (if it deserves the name), had an unnatural connection and a disgusting tendency, the incidents bore no feature of genius or judicious arrangement, and the beginning of every scene informed the auditor how it would terminate. The characters were ill jumbled together, without a probable reason, and the language was inelegant, and conveyed sentiments as common and as weak as the other parts of the play.-A well written Drama even cut and mangled by the power of a manager, would be like a picture by Titian or Rubens, in a demolished state, where a hand, face, &c. is a gem of itself, and when separated from the torn canvas is preserved as a study, from the beauties and force of the master's pencil; but if any of the sentiments of Mr. Holman's Drama were selected from the piece, we could not find a thought to cherish, or a period to admire.

If Mr. Holman came under our present view as an actor, we should be very diffuse in our panegyric. There are some of his Dramas entitled to commendation, but however he may be the object of our admiration either as a performer or a polite and well bred man, we cannot sacrifice truth notwithstanding our respect for the many good qualities which distinguish him.-These ingenuous remarks arise from a wish to see the Stage and its professors flourish, as the resplendent and dignified pillars of the nation's glory, but as long as trifles are received as a substitute for sense, wit, and moral instruction, the use and philosophy of the Theatre will be tarnished, and the performers become as useless to society as their profession. With this impression we boldly avow ourselves an opponent to whatever Drama may appear on the Stage, which has no better claims to Public patronage than the recent piece produced by Mr. H. and we must be permitted to observe, that the Public may depend on the impartiality