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more evident than his madness. For of a suitable recompense for the personal a contrast to this prince, we cheer- risks he ran, to confirm him in so genefully take Gustavus Vasa, of whom repeated assurances of fidelity. He named

rous a resolution. Pearson answered with we rejoice to find, that our author the gentlemen and the leading persons has collected some anecdotes. He among the peasants whom he hoped to visited the spot in Dalecarlia, where engage in the enterprise. Gustavus relied that truly great monarch took refuge on his word, and promising not to name from the Danish usurper, and con

himself to any while he was absent, some Dealed himself, while he matured his days afterwards saw him leave the house

to put his design in execution. plan for the deliverance of his coun- “ It was, indeed, a design, and black try. The following passage is ex- Under the specious cloak of a zeaceedingly interesting, and relates the lous affection for Gustavus, the traitor anecdotes with no small dramatick was contriving his ruin. The hope of maeffect.

king his court to the Danish tyrant, and

the expectation of a large reward, made « On the little hill just mentioned, stood this son of Judas resolve to sacrifice his a very ancient habitation; of so simple an honour to his ambition, and, for the sake architecture, that you would have taken of a few ducats, violate the most sacred it for a hind's cottage, instead of a place laws of hospitality, by betraying his guest. that, in times of old, had been the abode In pursuance of that base resolution, he of nobility. It consisted of a long barn- went straight to one of Christiern's offi. like structure, formed of fir, covered in cers commanding in the province, and ina a strange fashion with scales, and odd, formed him that Gustavus was his prisonornamental twistings in the carved wood. er. Having committed this treachery, he But the spot was hallowed by the virtues of had not courage to face his victim; anci, its heroick mistress, who saved, by her telling the Dane how to surprise the. presence of mind, the life of the future prince, who, he said, believed himself to deliverer of her country. The following be under the protection of a friend (shame. are the circumstances alluded to; and to manhood, to dare to confess that he most of them were communicated to me could betray such a confidence !) he prounder the very roof.

posed taking a wider circuit home, while Gustavus, having, by an evil accident, they, apparently unknown to him, rifled been discovered in the mines, and after it of its treasure. It will be an easy being narrowly betrayed by a Swedish no- matter,' said he ; ' for not even my wife bleman, bent his course towards this knows that it is Gustavus.' house, then inhabited by a gentleman of Accordingly the officer, at the head the name of Pearson (or Peterson) whom of a party of well armed soldiers, marchihe had known in the armies of the late ed directly to the lake. The men invested administrator. Here, he hoped, from the the house, while the leader, abruptly en. obligations he had formerly laid on the tering, found Pearson's wife, according officer, that he should at least find a safe to the fashion of those days, employed in retreat Pearson received him with every culinary preparations. At some distance mark of friendship; nay, treated him from her sat a young man in a rustick with that respect and submission which garb, lopping off the knots from the bronoble minds are proud to pay to the truly ken branch of a tree. The officer went great, when robbed of their external ho. up to her, and told her he came in king

He seemed more afflicted by the Christiern's name to demand the rebel misfortunes of Gustavus, than that Gustavus, who he knew was concealed prince was for himself; and exclaimed under her roof. The dauntless woman with such vehemence against the Danes, never changed colour. She immediately that, instead of awaiting a proposal to guessed the man whom her husband had take up arms, he offered, unasked, to try introduced as a miner's son, to be the the spirit of the mountaineers; and de. Swedish hero. The door was blocked up clared that himself and his vassals would by soldiers. In an instant she replied, be the first to set an example, and turn without once glancing at Gustavus, who out under the command of his beloved sat motionless with surprise : general.

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“ The officer did not suspect the easy saw the transports, after waiting two simplicity of her manner; and ordered

months for nothing, all of a sudden part of the men to go in quest of him.

set sail.

“ His northern campaign At that moment, suddenly turning her eyes on Gustavus, she flew up to him, and

being cropt in the bud, he boped for catching the stick out of his hand, ex. a more propitious commencement claimed, in an angry voice : 'Unmannerly on the shores of Spain," and was wretch! What, sit before your betters? some time on board a transport; but Don't you see the king's officers in the being informed that they were going room? Get out of my sight, or some of direct to the Spanish coast, he dis. them shall give you a drubbing! As she spoke, she struck him a blow on the

embarked, in order to take England back with all her strength ; and opening in his way, and rejoin the army when a side door, there, get into the scullery, it should arrive at its destination, cried she, it is the fittest place for such While he is waiting for a packet he company and giving him another knock, receives the most flattering invitation she flung the stick after him and shut the

from the Swedish commander in door. Šure,' added she, in a great heat, chief on the frontiers of Norway to

never woman was plagued with such a Jout of a slave !!

join his army, with the assurance “ The officer begged she would not that his “ military passion shall be disturb herself on his account. But she, fully gratified.” But, his duty calls affecting great reverence for the king him to the Spanish shores ; so he and respect for his representative, pray

“ declines the honour with gratied him to enter her parlour, while she brought some refreshment. The Dane tude," and sails for England. civilly complied; perhaps, glad enough to

We wish Mr. Porter would em. get from the side of a shrew; and she ploy another engraver. His drawing immediately hastened to Gustavus, whom used to be excellent; but the scraping, she had bolted in, and, by means of a

by means of which it is rendered to back passage, conducted him in a moment to a cortain little apartment, which, the publick in these volumes, destroys projecting from the side of the house, its whole effect. Nothing can be less close to the bank of the lake where the satisfactory or distinct than these fisher's boats lay, she lowered him down plates. As for any other corrections, the convenient aperture in the seat, and we fear it would be in vain to suggest giving him a direction to an honest curate

them. across the lake, committed him to Provi. dence." II. 198–202.

Were we, for instance, only to reThe present proprietor of the quire a little attention to grammar, house is a descendant of this extra- or a somewhat less frequent use of ordinary woman ; and if Mr. Porter French words in describing things has given us accurately the tradition at Moscow and Stockholm, where current in the house and neighbour. French has nothing to do; or, if hood, it amounts to no mean species French must be used, were we to of evidence for such a passage. suggest the propriety of some re.

Our author's military ardour, to gard to the idiom of that language, which we have already alluded, care that he should not, for example, turn ried him to Gottenburgh, where he the burghers or citizens of Stockresolved to enter on immediate ser- holm, into bourgeoises (II. 120]; or vice with the English army, then were we lo cry out against such assembled in that port. He made words as bathos-ical and Alexandrihis arrangements for joining this nally, and a thousand others equally force, and expected shortly to be unknown in all languages, Mr. Por, fighting as hard as possible, either ter would forthwith tell us :

" These in Norway or Zealand. But the de- are letters to a friend, and you can't crees of the fates, or those of our expect cold correctness in epistolary cabinet (which, if not quite so unal. effusions." This would have been an terable, are to the full as mysterious) excellent defence, if his friend had willed it otherwise; and Mr. Porter criticized his style. It may also be a

good reason for not publishing his ever shape they may formerly have letters: but they are now a printed assumed, or with whatever intentions book, and must come under the or, they were composed. dinary jurisdiction of criticism, what

FROM THE LONDON REVIEW.

Critical Essays on the Performers of the London Theatres ; including general Ob.

servations on the Practice and Genius of the Stage. By the Author of the Thea. trical Criticisms in the weekly Paper called The News. London. Printed by and for John Hunt.--Reviewed by Mr. Cumberland.

THESE Essays abound in a va- defence; as servants of the theatre, riety of judicious observations and exhibiting themselves on a stage for

a remarks, which, though addressed our amusement, they have no fast. to readers of a particular description, nesses to retreat to from our attack; will afford general entertainment and they are at our mercy, and discoudelight, were it only for the pleasant ragement partakes of persecution ; ry of the style, enlivened as it is until a performer shall offend against by such a flow of fancy, such dis- the respect due to his audience, great play of humour, so many apt allu- respect and lenity are justly due to sions and so inuch originality of his feelings. thought, which, whilst they manifest I have something, but not much, the genius, mark the juvenility of wherewith to reproach my author the writer They are, however, more upon this account; and as it chiefly, particularly to be valued for the evi- if not exclusively, applies to Mr. dence they bear of the sincere and Pope, I shall reverse the order of his manly character of their author, who, list, and say in few words what I can with an honest contempt for the po- say with truth of that intelligent and pular farce writers of the time, ob- meritorious actor. In all my dramaserves that every actor, who repeats tick concerns with Mr. Pope, which the nonsense of these scribblers with have not been few, I have ever found all its effect, hurts his own reputation him strictly punctual in his rehearsals, in proportion as he would extend studiously correct and faithful to his theirs ; for when the owl screeches, the author in representation, and devoting scho must screech also.

himself to the general interests of the It is not my design, and I do not piece as well as to the particular duconsider it as my duty, to attend up- ties of his part with zeal so ardent on this critick through his whole and so cordial, that if this testimony, list of performers, amounting to not which I now oppose to a criticism less than thirty. I will say something that condemns him in the gross, may of those, who have ceased to live ; in any degree compensate for the asbut I will treat sparingly and tender- perity of it, it is a defence that I ly of those, who are to earn their should have entered upon from conliving by their labours on the stage. viction of his merits, had I not been I approve of their being told of faults, also moved to it from a grateful sense which it would be for their interest, of his good services. to correct; but as I will not arraign It is happy for an actor when nathem for defects, with which nature ture has bestowed upon him an exhas unalterably endowed them, I pressive countenance ; but if he has must be perfectly satisfied that cor- it not by nature, he cannot make it rection is in their power before I such by art. Let him not hear of move them to attempt it. As objects privations, which he cannot supply ; of our general censure they have no tell him only of such errours as he

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is able to correct. Of all the variety rish, he is not obliged to out-talk his of human countenances, that which own trumpets, neither is it always is characterized by no prevailing pas- necessary for him to make his exit sion is perhaps the most unlucky one in a passion. an actor can be born with, as being I confess, that whilst our two least convertible to stage effect. Still overgrown theatres were standing, if nature be in the heart, and inspire this art, of which I have been speakit with its proper feelings, the fea- ing, was no easy attainment ; yet I tures will, in some degree at least, think our chief tragedian, Mr. Kemobey its movements. This was the ble, fully understood the importance case with Henderson. In his hours of it, and practised it successfully; of perfect quietude and relaxation though vehement exertion of the his eye slept, and his countenance lungs, unhappily for him, was what displayed no promise; but when the his frame could ill endure, yet by spirit within him, though naturally distinct articulation, and a certain indolent, was awakened by the genius high pitched modulation, approach. of his poet, he rushed at once into ing in accuteness to what is called the character he was destined to as a falsetta, he was perfectly well hcard sume, and the whole man harmonized in all parts of the theatre, and by with the passion, that he really felt. never suffering his voice to sink from But that latent energy, which was in the sharpness of its key into those him, whom all the drama's friends guttural and growling flats, in which have reason to lament, is not the pro- his sister has accustomed herself to perty of every man, and there will pitch ker inaudible pathetick, he af. be rarely found another actor, with fords a striking proof to what great a countenance, that augured so little, and judicious account even the spaondued with talents to effect so much. ring gifts of nature may be turned by

It is true, that every performer, the economy of art. who is possessed of a powerful and How very few possess that delicacy well toned voice, is responsible for of ear, which should regulate the the management of it, and should voice in reading or reciting to few not upon all occasions send it round or many, in a large space or a small ! the theatre in compliment to those, Neither Henderson, nor even Gar. who are only in the lobbies. There rick, understood this secret, of disare not many occasions, that demand tinguishing rightly between a playof the performer to draw out all the house and a private room. Of the stops of his organ. The proper go- two, Henderson was the more ungovernment and adaptation of its tones is vernably above pitch ; yet Garrick a secret, which but few possess, and had indulged himself in the habit of yet it is the grand desideratum of all bawling out to servants and stagepublick speaking. The ear, the judg. retainers, till he broke the finer notes ment, and the feelings of the declaim- of his natural organ, and only spared er must unite their influence and the clapper of his bell. Let Mr. conspire to aid him in the attainment Pope be never strenuous but when of that nice discrimination, in which he has something sturdy to contend consists the very excellence of his with, and be in every part as true to art, and which alone can crown his nature, as he is in Shakspeare's efforts with success; for should he Henry the eighth, he may defy cristrive to elevate what in itself is low, ticism. and to depress what should be lofty, Mr. Hunt has laid down many addoes that actor understand his author, mirable rules of general utility. Let or consult his reason? Though his me add one more, and if I particuentrance on the stage as a hero or a larly address it to Mr. Pope, I am king may be announced with a fou- persuaded his good sense will take