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On Monday, December 18.-Mr. Liston commenced his engagement at this theatre in the parts of Mawworm and Lubin Log. No tragedy ever drew more tears than the comicality of Mr. Liston; we have seen more than one of his auditors, especially those inclining to be fat, fairly give up the game, and fling themselves back on the seats, in defiance of the strait-laced decorum of a dress-circle, with overflowing eyes, and faces that actually prayed him to be quiet, and not quite suffocate them with laughter. His Lubin Log is one of those finished efforts which cannot be too often seen, or too highly valued.

Wednesday, December 27.-A dull tedious production, from the pen of Mr. Richard Ryan, entitled The Murdered Guest, was produced this evening, and after being twice repeated, has been consigned "to the tomb of all the Capulets." Of the performers in this piece it would be ungracious to say much; they seemed to feel the want of scope for their talent, and to sink under the inanity of the production. Mr. Edwin, in the part of a Yorkshire inn-keeper, exerted himself to the utmost; but the character, repulsive in itself, derived on claim to our approbation by strength of delineation.

Monday, January 8.-Mr. Kean made his first appearance this evening since his return from America in the part of Shylock. He was enthusiastically greeted by a very full house. Let his enemies say what they will, he is unquestionably a man of genius; and let his friends be as laudatory as they may, he is, no doubt, the most faulty actor of our time; that is, of those who pretend to any estimation with the public. The greatest proof of his genius is, that it bears him up against a mountain of defects, enough to sink a man of ordinary talent; while the evidence to the multitude of his faults is, that, with all his superior genius, he is yet not the first actor of the day. In fact, he is the actor of points, and not of character.

Thursday, January 11.-We know no character in the whole round of the British Drama which offers so severe, but at the same time so fair, a test of the powers of an actor, as Othello. A judicious delivery of elegant poetry, a tone of deep and refined sensibility, a power of forcible declamation, will not suffice for a representation of this character; it is passion, varied, vehement, excessive passion, which the actor is called upon to display. Kean's Othello is the most splendid of his performances; and in being that, is of course the most splendid performance of our day but it wants the finishing hand of art. In his worst efforts there is nothing common-place; in his best, there is seldom perfection. As to the intent, or even the exact words of the author, those are things about which Kean seldom gives himself much trouble; if the character happens to jump with his own peculiar excellencies, well and good,-if not, the text must bend to him; he will not travel out of himself, though with every power of doing so if he thought proper.

His delivery of the speech to the Senate was exceedingly tame and ineffective. In the first scene of the third act he discriminated very finely the gradations of jealousy; but in the next scene, where Othello turns so fearfully on his tormentor, the passion burst forth in its fullest and broadest grandeur, sweeping all before it with resistless energy.

Mr. Wallack played Iago, but not very well. This gentleman should never quit melo-drama. Mr. Cooper was a gay and agreeable Cassio, though we have seen the part played more delightfully in our time. Mrs. West in Desdemona was judicious and correct, but very cold and tame. She wants feeling. Her emotion is of the head, not the heart.

COVENT GARDEN.

Tuesday, January 2.-A new opera, in three acts, entitled The White Maid, was produced this evening; it met with a cold reception. The music, by Boildieu, abounds more in artifice than simplicity; more in harmony than in melody; it has more concerted and orchestral pieces, than single and simple airs; and is, indeed, far more elaborate and spirited than the story deserves. That is, as absurd, meagre, and trashy as can well be imagined. However, there are some striking situations which the composer has very happily seized.—Madame Vestris performed the young, noble, and gallant Cavalier in a manner which demands the warmest encomium. There is such a finished neatness in her execution, such sensibility in her style, such feeling and elegance in her manner, as impart a charm to her performance more irresistibly fascinating than that of any singer now upon the stage. Miss Cawse got through the music allotted to the White Maid in a very creditable manner: but until she masters the great secret of spirit and animation, no permanent eulogy will attach to her endeavours.

Tuesday, January 9-First time of Mr. Morton's new comedy called A School for Grown Children. This comedy is not, perhaps, very original, nor very vigorous but it is written with the skill of a dramatic tactician, and the taste of a gentleman. It was announced for repetition, amidst the applauses of a numerous audience, and is likely to have a long run, if we may judge from the popular feeling that accompanied every scene, and followed the dropping of the curtain. It was throughout most admirably acted. A finer and more gentlemanly performance than Kemble's Sir Arthur Stanmore, we never beheld. Mr. Jones was a lively, judicious, and successful representative of the thoughtless spendthrift; and Farren was as perfect as man can be. Mrs. Chatterly's Mrs. Revel was a very pleasing performance; and the part of Lady Stanmore was admirably sustained by Miss Chester. The other characters were respectably supported, and on the whole we must again remark, that we have seldom seen a play better acted than this was from beginning to end.

Monday, January 15.-King John. A Miss Hargrave, from the Exeter Theatre, made her first appearance before a London audience this evening in the part of Lady Constance. Her person is dignified, and her voice strong and clear, though she does not seem to know how to manage it, but breaks its to es in the attempt to be energetic. This, however, is a fault that may be remedied, unless the ear is radically deficient; and we see no reason to believe that it is so. The failure seems to arise rather from the want of power over the organs; a power that can only be acquired by time and practice, with a perfect consciousness of the defect. In second rate characters we think she might be very effective; but in Lady Constance she has evidently attempted to grapple with matter above her strength: she appears to have sense, taste, and discrimination; but then she wants the power to execute beyond a certain limit; nor are her features sufficiently marked for any strong expression. There was nothing positively bad in her performance-nothing for ridicule to scoff at; but it fell short of the mark: it was respectable, but then mere respectability will not do for Lady Constance. She is evidently familiar with the stage, has all its little tricks and stratagems by rote, but she has not yet learnt the art of concealing art; she is too manifestly acting. Her acting always seems a thing of premeditation; there is no heart about it. She is too artificial in her movement-too precise in her speech. In short, with occasional gleams of talent, it was nevertheless a stiff and dull performance. But Kemble, in Falconbridge, was neither stiff nor dull. It was a delightful performance. If he could bring the same genius to Macbeth and Othello, where should we find his equal? Young's conception of the part of John is excellent, but why will he try to execute it in a style diametrically opposite to his powers? Why will he imitate Kean's abrupt transitions, and Kean's passionate outpourings of the voice, when his own full swelling tones have not the requisite degree of flexibility? Kean is the last man in the world to be imitated: his defects are fatal-his excellencies not to be attained. Why too should Mr. Young borrow from any one? He has talent enough for all the duties of his high dramatic station, if he chooses to confide boldly in himself, instead of timidly leaning for support on others.

W.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

A political history of the events which led to the Burmese war, is about to be published; it is written by an officer of the name of White, and seems likely to prove a very interesting production.

M. Chateaubriand's Indian novel of "Les Natchez" is announced.

Mr. Buckingham, the Eastern traveller, has a volume in the press, containing his travels in Mesopotamia, a country of which very little is known.

Mr. Colburn is preparing for publication Memoirs of His late Royal Highness the Duke of York, from the pen of a distinguished writer.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Public attention during the past month has been entirely engrossed by the melancholy ceremonies attending the lying in state and funeral of the Duke of York. The details of these events have been given so minutely in all the newspapers, that we do not think ourselves justified in tiring our readers with a repetition of them. Every thing that could be done by the public to testify their respect for his memory, has been effected; but some dissatisfaction has been expressed with regard to those parts of the ceremonial which were under the direction of the public functionaries. Probably the fault may lie in the unauthorized anticipations which the public entertained. A programme of the intended ceremonial was published, and we believe strictly adhered to.

The war with Spain has been almost forgotten; but its claims to attention will no doubt revive; nothing appears yet to be certain respecting it. Ferdinand is said to have collected a considerable army on the Portuguese frontier; but he still speaks" peace" to our diplomatists. The French profess to have the same wish, but it is somewhat extraordinary that a conclusion has not been arrived at. The ultimatum of the English Cabinet is said to have been declared on the 10th of January.

The important question which has been some time before the Chancellor, as to the custody of the children of Mr. Long Wellesley, still remains undecided. The question has been again argued at very great length. The opinion of the public seems to be that they will not be restored to the custody of the father; for ourselves, (as the Chancellor says) we doubt.

On Sunday, Jan. the 14th, the Metropolis and its environs felt the effects of one of the mosts evere gales of wind which have occurred for some years. Upwards of 200 feet of the East wall of the New London Dock, now building at Shadwell, 30 feet high and four thick, was blown down. Had the wall been two feet higher, it would inevitably have fallen on the roofs of houses in the rear, and reduced them to a heap of ruins, in which their inmates would most probably have been buried; or, had it occurred upon a week day, there is scarcely a doubt but many lives would have been lost, as there is a large body of men constantly employed about that part of the wall which has given way. Fortunately, but little damage was done, independent of the wall, the expense of which is estimated at nearly 20001.

BIRTHS.

Dec. 1826.---19, of a son, at his house in New Sidney-place, Bath, the lady of John Roden, Esq. 23, at Eaton Hall, near Chester, Lady Elizabeth Belgrave, of a daughter. 25, the lady of Wm. Hicks Beach, Esq. Oakley Hall, Hants, of a son and heir. 27, at Powis Place, Mrs. Edgar Taylor, of a daughter; 29, at Shrivenham, in the county of Berks, the lady of the Hon. W. R. Barrington, of a daughter; the lady of Thos. Barrett Lennard, Esq. M. P. of a son and heir.

Jan. 1827.---1, at Ascot Lodge, the lady of John Bishop, Esq. of a daughter; 2, in Old Bond Street, Mrs. Wm. Carpenter, of a daughter; at Critchill, Dorset, the Lady Charlotte Sturt, of a son; 3, at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, Lady Ann Coke, of a son; 7, of a daughter, the lady of Edward Wakefield, Esq. of Southcote House, near Reading; at Enville Hall, the Lady Grey, of a son and heir. 8, Mrs. Henry Perceval, of a son, at Washington Rectory. 9, at the house of the Hon. George Agar Ellis, M. P. Spring Gardens, the Lady Georgiana Agar Ellis, of a daughter; at her father's seat, the High Sheriff of Essex, the lady of T. J. Manning, Esq. of a son. 11, in Grosvenor Square, Lady Cawdor, of a son. 12, at the General Post-office, the lady of G. H. Freeling, Esq. of a son. 14, at Goodwood, her Grace the Duchess of Richmond, of a son.

MARRIAGES.

Dec. 1826.---23, at the British Ambassador's Chapel, in Paris, Jas. Walsh, M. D. of Paris, to Josephine Knapp Bate, of Brighton, daughter of Captain Bate, late of the Royal

Artillery. 26, at Marylebone Church, by the Rev. W. J. Kerrich, John Kerrich, Esq. of Geldestone Hall, Norfolk, to Mary Eleanor, eldest daughter of John Fitzgerald, Esq. M. P. of Worsted Lodge, Suffolk.

Jan. 1827.---At Studley Priory, by special licence, Sir Charles Wetherel, his Majesty's Attorney General, to Jane Sarah Elizabeth, second daughter of Sir Alexander Croke. At St. George's, Hanover Square, by the Rev. John George Storie, Vicar of Camberwell, Major Arthur Hill Prevor, to Helen Wyse, daughter of the late Joseph Jekyll, Esq. of Spetisbury House, in the county of Dorset, and of Malborough Buildings, Bath. 2, at Wolverhampton, Henry Brown, Esq. of Brunswick Square, London, to Ann, youngest daughter of the late James Horden, of the Deanery, Wolverhampton. 3, at Southampton, Capt. G. Faris, Madras Cavalry, to Mary, eldest daughter of the late Mr. Richard Buckland, of that place; Walter Wakeman, Esq. of Purshall Hall, in the county of Worcester, to Sibylla Philadelphia, eldest daughter of James Pasmore, Esq. of Bedford Row. 8, at King Swinford, George Wm. Wainwright, Esq. of Harley Place, to Mary, only child of the late John Holt, Esq. of Wordesly House, and Compton Hall, Staffordshire. 9, at Barking, Suffolk, the Rev. Edward Paske, Rector of Creeting, St. Peter, and Battisford, in the same county, to Helen Amelia, youngest daughter of the late Peter Gurley, Esq. of the Island of St. Vincent's, grand-daughter to the late Sir William Johnston, Bart. of Caskieben, N. B. and niece of the present Baronet; Bernard Brocas, Esq. of Wakefield House, Berkshire, and Beaucepair, Hampshire, to Sophia Anne, eldest daughter of D. Raymond Barker, Esq. of Bryanstone Square. 10, Henry, eldest son of Henry Robinson, Esq. of Hyde Park Place, to Maria, eldest daughter of Nicholas Kirvan, Esq. of York Place, Portman Square. 11, at Croydon, by the Rev. C. J. Lockwood, John William Sutherland, Esq. of Brixton Rise, Surrey, to Mary, second daughter of Thos. James, Esq. of the former place.

DEATHS.

Dec. 1826.---13, at Guernsey, the Rev. Peter Maingy, M. A. aged 35, Minister of St. James's Church in that island. 16, at Gibbs' Hotel, Edinburgh, Count G. H. de St. George of Changins, in Switzerland. 20, at Wimborne Minster, aged 82, the Rev. John Baskett, the senior Minister of the Collegiate Church there, in which he officiated above fifty years. 30, at Brighton, Anne Cecil, daughter of the Hon. and Rev. R. Carleton, aged two years and eight months.

Jan. 1827.---1, at Worlington House, Suffolk, Elizabeth Harrison, the wife of George Gataker, Esq; at Putney House, Heneage Legge, Esq. in the 80th year of his age. 6, at Chelsea, Captain Robert Abraham, formerly of the 62nd regiment. This meritorious old officer was in the service of his country for many years, and in various parts of the globe; in 1777, he was one of Gen. Burgoyne's unfortunate army who surrendered at Sarratoga, and upon that occasion underwent with his ill-fated comrades very severe and unmerited treatment. In private life no man was ever distinguished by greater kindness of heart, or more determined and unbending honesty: a case of hardship never met his ear that he did not relieve---he never entered into an engagement that he did not fulfil. Capt. Abraham died in the 84th year of his age ;---at Mount Druid, Charles O'Connor, Esq. great grandson to Charles O'Connor, the historian. 7, at the Vicarage, Halifax, in the 67th year of his age, the Rev. Samuel Knight, M. A. Vicar of that parish, to which living he was presented by the Crown in the year 1818; in Kensington Square, aged 12, Frances, third daughter of the late Abraham Cumberbatch Sober, Esq. and of Ann, only daughter of the late Thos. Kemp, Esq. many years M. P. for Lewes; at Cumloden, Wigtonshire, the Hon. Lieut. General Sir William Stewart, G. C. B. next brother of the Earl of Galloway, and aged 54, leaving one son and one daughter, both under age. 9, at her seat, Claydon House, Bucks. Mrs Verney, relict of the late Rev. Robert Verney, in the 82nd year of her age. 11, in South Audley Street, in the 22nd year of her age, the Hon. Emma Cary, only daughter of the late, and sister of the present, Viscount Falkland. 12, at the house of Onley Saville Onley, Esq. at Pitsford, near Northampton, Charles Bouverie, Esq. second son of Edward Bouverie, Esq. of Delapre Abbey, near Northampton, in the 34th year of his age. 14, at Denton Park, near Otley, Lady Ibbetson. 15, at Bronti Place, Walworth, Mr. Gilbert Jerdan, second son of the late John Jerdan, Esq. of Kelso, and brother of the late Lieut. Colonel Jerdan, of Bombay, also of Wm. Jerdan, Esq, of Brompton; at her house, Upper Sackville Street, Dublin, Mrs. Maria Susanna Ormsby, aged 82 years; at the house of John Kettle, Esq. Overseal, Leicestershire, Mrs. Joanna Lucena, aged 72, only sister of the late Chevalier John Charles Lucena, Consul General from the Court of Lisbon.

Economy in Gentlemen's Clothes.

A suit of Superfine for £4. 18s. at 146, Leadenhall-street. WILLIAM WELSFORD takes the earliest opportunity of informing such of his friends whose object is Economy in the articles of Dress, that in consequence of an advantageous connexion he has entered into with some eminent Woollen Manufacturers in the West of England, he is enabled to offer a suit of Superine Clothes at an unprecedented low rate, as above; leaving the experiment to decide for itself, he is confident that no Establishment in London can surpass his own for the excellence of the Materials, the elegance of the Fashion, the exquisiteness and durability of the Workmanship, and lowness of the Prices. A Superfine Cloth Great Coat at 60s. Merchants and Captains supplied with every article in the trade, at the lowest Prices, and shortest notice, it being understood that no Credit can be allowed.

Switzerland or Antiscorbutic Electuary.

The great balsamic qualities contained in the herbs of which this Electuary is composed, render it a certain antidote to scorbutic and other complaints incidental to the Teeth and Gums, and affords instant relief to the Tooth Ache; it will also preserve the Teeth from decay, prevent those injured by neglect from becoming worse, effectually arrests the progress of those beginning to be affected; it imparts a most prepossessing sweetness to the Breath, as well as giving a healthy freshness to the Gums and a whiteness to the Teeth, peculiar to itself; it is unrivalled for cleansing and removing the Tartar without injuring the Enamel.

This Electuary is the production of one of the most eminent Physicians of Switzerland, who, by a long and constant practice in scorbutic cases, and unwearied exertions, has discovered the above efficacious and certain remedy. At his departure he gave this invaluable recipe to his friend, an eminent gentleman of Germany, who has used it many years in his family, and which has now been secured to the Proprietor, J. PATERSON, 57, Gracechurch-street, where it is sold in pots of various sizes.

It is only required to dip the brush, which must be dry, into the Electuary, and rub the Teeth well; afterwards to rinse the mouth with water, and great satisfaction will be experienced in the result.

The trial of a single pot will sufficiently prove its esteemed value.

A good set of teeth has always been considered so necessary to beauty, that it has been said a person could not be plain that possessed them; and Lord Chesterfield remarks, that their appearance adds considerably to the prepossession formed on the mind at first sight, and we may add, that a good set of teeth identifies health, cleanliness and beauty, while from yellow, black, or carious teeth, we turn with loathing and disgust; nor their beauty alone the only consideration, they are actually necessary for the preservation of health, as the proper division, contusion and blending of the food with the saliva is actually necessary for digestion. In these points of view we ought to be extremely careful in preserving that, which when once lost, can never be recovered.

ANTIQUE SCULPTURE,

WIGMORE STREET.

Mr. HOPPER has in his possession some fine original Pieces of ANCIENT GREEK and ROMAN SCULPTURE, lately brought to England, which may be seen at his shop, in Wigmore Street, and from which he has authority to take Plaister Casts, and can furnish them to any order, on reasonable terms. He has on sale a beautiful piece of Bas-relief of the early Greek style, lately found in the ruins of the Temple of Isida, at Ostia.

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