the moment, and without the advantages of after thought, and leisure corrections.—In naming The. Bride's Dirge, and The Funereal Wreath, we feel confident of our readers' acquiescence in our praises, and of their deserved estimation of those superior poems.

"A Truant from the Pencil to the Lyre," in the pamphlet now under review, Mr. Lewis has for awhile forsaken his homage of the Muse of Painting, for the worship of the Muse of Poetry, to pour his tributary lament over the bier, where Britain's Princess sleeps the sleep of death.-In selecting this as the only work of a similar nature for critical investigation, we have been actuated partly by a wish to make this public record of our sentiments, and partly influenced by the very unpresuming prologue of the author, in introducing the Poems themselves. "I was not nurs'd 'neath classic domes,

Where Isis rolls, or Camus glides, And the fair flower of learning blooms, Like Summer blossom on their sides.''

We are, however, far from wishing our readers to infer that this offering at the shrine of royalty is without facits, or that it answers our ideas of what such an offering ought to be, tout au contraire, though the author's undissembled modesty would atone for errors less venial than those which here rise in judgment against its beauties. In the space of twenty-eight pages, there are nine Poems, all on the same distressfal occasion: and from the fifth of these, entitled "An Irregular Ode," we give the following extract, as affording a favourable specimen of the poetic

talents of Mr. Lewis,

“Yet when we look'd towards Claremont's bower,

And thought upon that lovely flower,
We had forgotten the stern power
Which level's beanty's form:
As if we had believed that Death
Would surely spare so dear a breath,
With Youth and Beauty warm."
Whate'er we dream'd, we waked to know
The nation's los,-the Prince's woe;
The tide of men in gloom array`d,
Britain's fair Daughter clad in shade,
While the deep sounds which meet our ear,
Seem'd mourning with a grief sincere."
"Where's the line of long succession,
Mingling with unnumber'd years?
Broken by one sad digression,-

Gone for ever with our tears:

Many of the other lines are superior, and many are inferior to this quotation; but forming an opinion of those Funereal Poems, we have not seen, by those we have seen, it is our decided opinion that Mr. Lewis holds a very respectable rank among those votaries of the muse, who have celebrated our national sorrows in the language of Parnassus. In the language of the heart those sorrows have a more durable memorial; and memory itself must fail, before it yields the impression of what we so lately enjoyed, and what we now deplore. Every mention of her beloved name,-every allusion to her untimely fate, awakens afresh those agonising recollections, and those bitter regrets. which placing before our mental vision. the value of what we so vainly mourn, recalls us to the sad reality of that bereavement, which though our earthly loss, is, we fondly and confidently trust,-Her eternal gain!

"Encompass'd in an Angel's frame

An Angel's virtues lay,

Too soon did Heaven assert the claim,
And call its own away.

And Royal CHARLOTTE's peerless charms
Can never more return!

What now shall fill her LEOPOLD's arms? His buried CHARLOTTE'S urn!" GENERAL BUrgoyne, With this partial, but sincere ap proval, we trust Mr. Lewis will feel satisfied. Upon such an occasion it would be invidious to point out defects, and we are persuaded, that he would not accept as a compliment, any praise which we could not honestly and conscientiously bestow.

A Treatise on the Science of Ship-Buildting, together with Observations on the

British Navy. By Isaac Blackburn, Ship-builder, Plymouth. In One Volume Quarto, illustrated with upwards of Ninety Figures. pp. 184. Price 11. 58. in Boards.

A WORK upon so noble and complicated a department of machinery as is that of Ship-Building, must, independent of every national sensation, excite considerable interest, and claim the serious attention of every man of

but it differs from the original in this, that the whole is supposed to be a dream, which Mercury has conjured up in order to warn Don Juan from his evil courses. The pantomime com mences with a view of the council hall of Pluto, which is exceedingly well painted, and has a novel and striking effect. The father of Don Juan appears before the infernal tribunal-and in consequence of his earnest prayer, Mercury is dispatched to earth, and proceeds to Don Juan's garden, whom he discovers" in his flow'r-woven arbour," sleeping away the fumes of his last debauch. He waves his caduceus over the head of Don Juan, and produces the exfraordinary dream which forms the business of the pantomime. Don Juan, alias Harlequin in imagination, murders the Commandant-flies his countrymakes love to all the women he meetsand is finally surprised at a feast by the Commandant's ghost. He is taken across the Styx by that " grim ferryman, whom poets talk of"—and is about to be consigned to the Tartarian gulf, when Mercury appears and disSolves the charm. The astonished Don Juan awakes, and finds 'twas but a dream." It has, however, such a powerful effect on his mind, that he repents of his former follies--begs forgiveness of his wife, Donna Elvira, whom he had abandoned—and, accompanied by her, proceeds to the Palace of Pleasure, where all the Heathen Gods and Goddesses receive the happy pair with shouts of congratulation.- Much fancy is displayed in the arrangement of this pantomime. The scenery is beautiful, and the tricks amusing. Productions of this description are necessarily hurried forward, and to that hurry we attribute the want of celerity and accuracy in producing some of the transformations, in changing one or two of the scenes, which, for a moment, damped the pleastire of the audience. A very little practice will prevent the recurrence of such aukward mistakes; and these being avoided, the pantomime must prove a source of considerable amusement to those who are fond of this species of exhibition. Amongst the best tricks in the piece was the transformation of an old woman into a table and a couple of chairs. It was cleverly managed, and created much laughter. The transformation of a chest into a sofa, on which the Clown seats himself, and which is immediately afterwads

converted into a kitchen grate, with a fire briskly burning in it, which gives the Clown an unpleasing hint, a posteriori, was also cleverly executed A tournament scene, in which the combatants are deprived of their heads and legs, displayed considerable ingenuity. The Clown formed a sort of army out of the disjoined materials, by placing a bead on each pair of legs, and setting the trunks upright. This extraordinary battalion, one half consisting of heads and legs, the other of bodies and thighs, paddled off the stage with more gravity than grace. The puble were, on this occasion, gratified with two Harlequins and two Columbines. The former were represented by Mr. Ridgway aud Mr. Hartland, the latter by Miss Tree and Miss Valancy. They displayed unwea ried activity throughout the eveningand entered into the spirit of the entertainment so completely, that the bustle of the scene was never suffered to subside. Miss Valancy danced a lively pas seul in a very animated and graceful manner. Mr. Paulo's Clown is excel. lent. He went through the various comic evolutions which form the es sence of the character, with extraordinary vigour. The scenery is painted in a manner highly honourable to the talents of the artists employed in that department. The Palace and Gardens of Don Pedro-Don Juan's Villa-and the interior of a Banquet Saloon-are equal to any specimens we ever saw in that branch of painting. The music, by Mr. G. Lanza, is composed in a better style than generally characterises pantomime music. It is, we think, of too refined a description to please the lovers of pantomime-who are rarely contented unless the trumpet, bassoon, trombone and double-drum, are constantly in requisition. The pantomime was well received by a very crowded audience.

Dec. 29.

Southern's tragedy of "Oroonoko" was represented at this theatre on Saturday. In the absence of Kean, the principal character was sustained by Mr. Wallack. The reputation which the former gentleman has earned in this part is certainly not so eminent as to render it hazardous for the latter to stand in competition with him. Oroonoko is too humble in his ambition, too weak in his love, too unsteady in his misfortunes, to associate with the ardent genius of Kean. The chain of slavery bows down his

mind as well as his body, and though the expirations of that mind are naturaty noble, they yield to the dictates of his destiny with less reluctance than becomes a man who has once felt his nght to liberty. Such a being can Bever find a faithful representative in Kean. whose peculiar power is to pourtray those mighty combats among the passos which wayward circumstances eukicale, and to exhibit not such a sual as Oronooko's, shrinking within the measure of its chains, but a soul resolved to burst them asunder. It happens, therefore, fortunately for Mr. Wallack, that full possession of this character has not been yet engrossed by a popular actor, and the more so, because he seems destined to make it his own property if he please. His performance this evening was by far the most successful exertion we have yet seen him make. There was uniform propriety in his conception, and in his colouring copiousness without superfluity.

a

Dec. 30. A Young Lady made her first curtesy, or rather bow, to London audience, in the Widow Brady. This choice of a part for debut evinces at least one requisite for the stage-modest assurance; and we rejoice to say, that the young lady displayed, through out the piece, the most ample possession of this qualification, of which it is but justice to add, there is no defieicacy among the female performers of Drury Lane. Her body is scarcely so well suited as her mind to exhibition ta male attire, but with a pleasing counlehance and voice (though the latter is railer faint and indistinct) she went tolerably spiritedly through the character. JAN. 16. This evening the "Chiléres in the Wood" was revived, with Mr. H. Johnston as Walter. With a vivid recollection of the inimitable Banister in this part, and especially on that right on which he took his leave of the stage, and, excited by his feelings on the occasion, performed it in a man

ner that will never be surpassed in that, or in any other character, we saw Mr. Johnston to a great disadvantage. Nor did his style of acting remove our first impression. The energy was rather an exaggeration of force than the outbursting of strong passions; and in the action and gesticulation there was more of theatrical melo-drame than of nature.

JAN. 20. The "Belle's Stratagem" was revived this evening, and a young Lady of the name of Smithson, from the Dublin Theatre, made her first appearance in London as Letitia Hardy. As far as we can decide, she promises to be an acquisition to the company. Her person is tall and well formed; her countenance is handsome. She is naturally graceful in her action, but perfectly capable of assuming the awkwardness which some of the situations required. The chief objection which we felt to her performance applies to that branch of the character, if we may be allowed the expression, which perhaps, upon the whole, she performed the best-we allude to the broad comic part. This appeared to us, in some instances, a little overacted; it was, however, conceived and executed with spirit. The speaking voice is rather distinct than powerful, and she gave the song of Where are you going my pretty Maid" in a style more remarkable for humour than sweetness. do not mention it as in either sense enhancing much the merit of her first undertaking. The Minuet de la Cour was substituted for the song at the masquerade, and her fine figure and graceful movements were displayed to advantage. A little more acquaintance with our Theatres, and confidence in herself, will probably encourage her to higher efforts, and qualify her to assume no inconsiderable rank in the profession she has selected. Mr. Dowton's Hardy was of course admirable, and the play was announced for repetition with applause.

4. Liliput-Tale of Mystery-Dirto.

7. LaTrish Widow-Ditto.
s. New Way to pay Old Debts-Ditto.

Europ. Mag. l ́ol. LXXIM. Jan. 1818.

1818.

We

DEC. 26. A new pantomime followed George Barnwell: it is called Harlequin Gulliver; or, The Flying Island." All our readers, young and old, who have read the celebrated Dean Swift's amusing and satirical voyages to the islands of Laputa, Lilliput, Brobdingnag, and Glubbdubdrib, need not be told that Gulliver's travels furnished the ground-work of this pantomimic entertainment When we say the ground-work, we mean, with all due respect for the scenic painters and machinists, who have done their several duties most ably on this occasion. The performance opens with a fine sea view and storm, displaying Gulliver on a barren rock, from which he is removed by the happy intervention of the flying island. He is then seen at the Island of Laputa, and the humour of this part of the piece is kept irresistably alive by a grand procession of the Royal House of Lilliput, and the Lilliputian army, whose correct evolutions drew down universal applause. Gulliver (afterwards Harlequin), Bologna, carries off the Princess Rhomboidilla (afterwards Columbine), Miss F. Dennett, and they are protected by astrologers, who confine them in a terrestrial globe, and afterwards by a talismanic operation bring them again into human life, out of the different signs of the Zodiac, as they revolve in their several orbits. Harlequin from Sagittarius, Columbine from Virgo, Laputa's emperor from the Ram, and the Minister creeps backward from the Crab.-Grimaldi, who plays successively Lord Chancellor of Laputa, and Clown, has a great share of business on his bands. He sets fire to the palace, and assists, as our young readers are aware of, in extinguishing the conflagration. He has also a duet with a cock canary bird, which was an excellent parody on" Say, little foolish flutter. ing thing," in The Padlock, and was encored. It would be rather an excursive, and not perhaps a very intelligible range, to follow this pantomime through all its windings-some of them have no connection with the story on which it is founded, and are introduced for the sake of having a few humorous ovations on the dresses, the habits, and waltzing of our French neighbours, and for the purpose of shewing some excellent mechanical deceptions and trans

formations. Gulliver's intercourse with the people of Brobdingnag is briefly introduced, and the appearance on the stage of this Patagonian race, immediately after the exhibition of Lillipu tian size and symmetry, occasioned overwhelming merriment. The Miss Dennetts, introduced a pas de trois with great taste-it was loudly encored. The whole concludes with a grand magnetic fiery temple, which is executed in the most brilliant and magnificent style. The scenery of the pantomime is painted with very fine taste. The views of the French and English coasts are admirable. The machinery worked better than is generally the case on first nights of representation, and the piece went off with great eclat. The ancient practice of having a wellstudied plot for pantomimic exhibitions has been so long discontinued, that we hardly look for its revival; but all those rapid transpositions and transformations, to which the machinist so mainly contributes, and which fill up the space between incidents not easily connected or accounted for, and by that means keep the mind of the spectator in constant activity and exertion, were here very amply supplied, and the whole arrangement, which is under the direction of Mr. Farley, is extremely creditable to his skill and ingenuity.The house was crowded, and the Pantomime given out for repetition with great applause.

JAN. 1. "Retribution."-A new Tragedy from the pen of a Mr. Dillon, a young gentleman of twenty-three or twenty-four years of age, and his first dramatic attempt, was produced here. The following is the plot :

Varanes, King of Persia.. Mr. YOUNG.
Chosroo,
Mr. M'CREADY
Mr. C. KEMBLE
Hamed,
Abdas, a Persian Lord.... Mr. EGERTON,
Mr. ABBOT.
Hafir, his son
Suthes, a captive Chieftain Mr. TERRY,
Sohrab, the King's Cham-

berlain

......

Mr. CONNOR. Kobad, Confident to Chosroo Mr. COMER. Devah, Slave to Chosroo.. Mr. JEFFRIES Zimra, daughter to Suthes Miss O'NEILL,

The date of the tragedy is supposed to be in the fourth century; the scene is laid in the royal palace of Chesiphon, the then eapital of the Persian dominions, and the time represented is two days. The piece opens on the anniversary of the accession of Varanes to the

throne; his elder son, Chosroo, returns triumphant from an expedition against One of the rude tribes which inhabit the Carduchian Mountains; among his captives is the Chieftain of the tribe, Suthes, whose daughter, Zimra, had been previously carried off by Chosroo, but had been rescued from him, and was now protected and concealed by Hamed, the younger brother of Chosroo. These two brothers now dispute, and succes sively obtain possession of the captive Chieftain and his daughter. They are delivered by Varanes to his virtuous son Hamed, but are again forcibly seized by Chosroo, who is found to possess a strong and mysterious hold over the actions of his father, which arises from his knowledge of some fearful crime, of which the latter has been gulity.

The violence of Chosroo against the captives, and his latent designs of treason against the throne, are discovered by Varanes, who seeks Chosroo, when surrounded by his armed slaves, awes him into temporary fear, and commands him to desist from his purposes; Chosroo, however, whose love is indignantly rejected by Zimra, confines her and her father in separate dungeons.

Hafir, with his father, Abdas, and the King's Chamberlain, Shorab, had, in the previous part of the play, found Varanes senseless, and on his recovery had heard fall from him frantic expressions, which convinces the former of these (flatar, an impetuous young man,) that Varanes bad mounted the throne by the wurder of his brother and predecessor, Sapor; he insults Hamed with the Charge, who flying to his father, Varanes, to inquire into its truth, finds it confirmed. Hamed, found by Chosroo standing over bis fainting father, is now charged by him with the murder of Varines, whose body is carried off — Hamed, together with Suthes, charged also with treasonable designs, are on the point of being led to execution, notwithstanding the prayers and entreaties of Zimra, when it was found that the body, brought in as that of the King, is, in fact, that of a slave, who had been Commissioned by Chosroo to destroy him the life of the King having been saved by Hair, while endeavouring to rescue bathes and Zimra, Varanes now re-appears, orders Chosroo to execution; discovers Retribution" for his own trame in the misconduct and guilt of his son, and dies exhausted and heart-bro

ken. Harned and Zimra mount together the throne of Persia, and the curtain falls.

Our general impression with regard to " Retribution," is, that it is a production of great promise. We noticed many fine touches, and many passages of the highest poetical beauty. It is true that the plot is defective, and several of the incidents improbable, while others bear too close a resemblance to a very recent play, But still it is the genius displayed by the Author on which we formed our opinion of his future success as a dramatic writer. The piece is splendidly got up, and the performers did the most ample justice to their respective parts.

JAN. 7. Shakspeare's Comedy of Twelfth Night has been likewise revived, in allusion, we suppose, to the season. If we could all dream as Shakspeare dreams, who would not wish to sleep? The powers of this poet are so wonderful, that something new breaks out upon us every time he is seen and read. But this is one of his produc tions in which all performance must necessarily play behind the fancy of the author. It is painting to the ima gination. The poet, walking by a haunted stream, transcribes the imagery of his mind into his tablet; the play is therefore wild, beautiful, and abrupt; in a word, one of those which will be always read with wonder, and seen with pleasure.

JAN. 8. "Artaxerxes" was re-produced, in a style and manner very honourable to the liberality of the managers. Never was so foolish an opera supported by such magnificent music. We are not acquainted with Metastasio in his Italian original; but if this English version in any degree corresponds with the original opera, Metastasio himself is only a worthy poet in a nation of fiddlers. We do not say this from any British contempt of modern Italiaus. Dante, Tasso, and Ariosto, are exceeded only by our Milton, Pope, and Dryden; Petrarch, in his own peculiar line, exceeds any one we have to produce against him; and if the licentiousness of Boccacio would permit us in honesty to praise him, we would add that he unites the life and fidelity of our best comic writers to the fancy and colouring of our best poets. But Metastasio-perhaps, however, it is unfair to judge him from this Ariaxerxes.