If then the human mind is indebted for its expansion to the objects presented to it, it must of course follow, that the expansion of the human mind must be in proportion to the nature, quality, and effect of those objects presented to it.

This point, which we think incontestable, being admitted, we shall proceed to enquire into the distinct modes of treatment of the male and female mind.

But knowing how public disquisitions, however intelligible the author may attempt to make them, are always liable to misinterpretations, we think it necessary to declare, that while we are pointing out the causes of the superiour expansion of the minds of infant males, we are not advocating the same as applicable to females. Our object is only to prove that the female mind is at least equal to that of the male, naturally, and that those female minds which have burst the trammels of ordinary education and depressing restrictions are not inferior in the general exercise of intelligence to those of their coeval males.

(To be continued.)

Theatre, Friday, Nov. 24th, 1809.

THE Foundling of the Forest was again represented this evening, and to a very thin house-Now, we declare at once our opinion that if the managers suffer neglect from the public, they suffer only in consequence of their own bad management-They do not do their duty; and if they are inclined to do it, they know not how to perform it. Does it not ring in the ears of every stranger that Boston supports a theatre with greater spirit than any city on the continent? We can as yet, say no, as respects this season-but we dare not, with all our vanity, add that they would not do it, if open, honest, and direct measures were adopted to invite them.

We have no scruple in declaring to the managers that they are wrong, for we will tell them wherein they have erred.

All persons, who engage in any way with that many headed monsterthe public; should establish as soon as possible some fundamental principle of action on which the hydra may rely: but it is well known that our managers have invited part of that public to performances that would have disgraced an English barn-they have puffed and puffed, till at last their candle has gone out. There is no longer, candidly considered, any reliance to be placed on them with regard to the performances→→→ they will, to be sure, tell us that such a play has been performed with the most unbounded applause in London-but will they ensure the publie

that it will be correctly performed here?—And yet, this they must do, before they can with any propriety complain of neglect.

The managers must themselves establish a credit for truth and discernment, before they can expect the public to follow what are now their (will o'th' wisp) invitations.

Mr. Cooper is advertised this evening for six nights.-The managers will doubtless experience the advantage of engaging him. After his departure, we shall ourselves usurp, on paper, the province of directing the managers of the theatre.-Yes-we will do it.-We know that there are talents in the present company, that properly encouraged and elicited would do justice to the managers and to the public, and, they shall not slumber, if we can rouse them.

We are bold-vain-and all that no matter what we are called-we undertake to reform the theatre-if the theatre be not raised in the estimation of the public, before our paper fails, we must bear the blame. If we should be the means of promoting its respectability, and putting money in the pockets of its managers we shall expect credit. We would now venture to give a hint to the managers of what we think they ought to do, but we must reserve it for our next.

Theatre, Nov. 27th, 1809.

HAMLET, AND THE SPOILED CHILD.

We are fully sensible of the very delicate situation in which we are placed by the arrival of Mr. Cooper, and of the increased duties which are thereby imposed upon us; we shall endeavour at least to discharge them faithfully, but concisely.

Hamlet is the most interesting to a philophysic mind, the most tenderly woven, and the most exquisitely beautiful, when adequately represented, of any of Shakespeare's characters.-We know not that the idea has been before indulged, but we cannot help thinking, that the delineations of this character were drawn from his own feelings voluntarily excited from supposed extraneous causes, for the purpose of exhibiting how a virtuous and a moral mind might love, might feel, determine, yet conduct itself, in every instance irresolutely.

Hamlet has no previously determined character, on his introduction. Nothing is said of him that can describe him more particularly than as the son of the deceased king.-As a prince, and the son of a dearly be loved but deceased father he first appears, mourning the loss of his father, and the quickly succeeding marriage of his mother with his father's brother. His sorrow on these occasions can only be considered as the effect of natural sensibilities, and not as designating the character of the

man. He is a prince of Denmark-so far, a certain sketch is given for the contour of the interlineations of his manners and deportment. Here we must stop with respect to every prospectus the author has given us of his character: he becomes from the moment of his introduction the creature of incident and feeling; and we can only judge of the performance of such a character from our own opinion of the effects the various incidents and feelings would produce on such a being so circumstanced.

Mr. Cooper appeared this evening to some part of the audience as performing with less than his usual spirit, and the attendant fatigue of travelling was imputed as the cause.-We should however rather consider, what others imputed to a deficiency of spirit, as the effect of an increase of judgment, formed on the minute study of the character; and this was evident to us, from what must have been purposed deviations from his usual method of delivering several passages, and the improved arrangements of many of the scenes.-Sticks and hands were less than ordinarily employed, but silence and the mind applauded more.

We hope the time is not far off when, vociferation and extravagant action will no longer be the leading incitement to public applause.-We have witnessed with supreme delight the approbation of the Boston audience, given to sentiments of heroism and morality—we know therefore they can feel as men, and if upon this honest and natural feeling they will consent to build a superstructure of science; what may not hereafter be expected from a community celebrated for enterprise?

We can discover who applaud noise, and who silently admit impression; we would barter a thousand clapping hands for one honestly excited tear.

We know that Mr. Cooper's acting this evening has called forth very contradictory sentiments-such must always be the case while the temperament of the human mind is so contradictory in its willingness to receive pleasure from external objects. Some say that he did not play with his usual spirit, we think he played with more than his usual judgment; some say he was fatigued, if so, we say so much the better-for the effect of his fatigue was-added interest to the character; if the ladies say Mr. Cooper was not himself,-we still say so much the better, for the prince of Denmark appeared in his stead.

We have before said that we profess not to be critics, and much do we detest that captious frivolity which would carp at an accidental error in an actor's utterance. We shall never censure managers or actors for involuntary mistakes-we shall be steady only to the public's rights, but if a scene is out of order one night to the confusion of the performance, we shall expect that it will be repaired by the next.

We shall take the same liberty of dissenting from any part of Mr. Cooper's performance as we would from that of any other gentleman or

lady on the stage, but on this evening he has afforded us but little opportunity. We think that on some occasions he regards metrical composition as of minor importance, and we cannot give our assent to the substitution of the word blanch for blench, in the soliloquy immediately succeeding the visit of the players. We are partial to our own language and its real etymology.

We think also that Whalley had some reason for proposing to Garrick the reading the following passage, thus,

My father's spirit! in arms! all is not well.

The soliloquy after the player's recitation, was delivered with fine conception and effect, but we submit to Mr. Cooper's consideration our objections to his delivery of that passage in it, wherein Hamlet condemns himself for having already talked too much and too LOUDLY on the subject-would not a reflecting intonation be more appropriate to such self discovered errors?

We have never known the soliloquy on death to have been better or more feelingly and impressively delivered.

Mr. Cooper's attitude-(but it was not attitude alone, 'twas soul evinced by countenance and limb) after the play scene, was strikingly impressive.

His manner of delivering "a bloody deed," &c. almost compensated for his killing Polonius.

We could point out many intrinsic beauties in Mr. Cooper's performance of Hamlet, but it is not our object to criticise-we wish only to catch every opportunity of re-establishing the credit of our theatre.

We will however suggest another hint to Mr. Cooper.

The requests of princes to subordinate officers are always considered as commands—if Osrick does not feel the force of the prince's request, he should be taught the essence of civility by the prince himself—Hamlet, finding that Osrick would not put his hat on at his request, should convince him of his want of manners by taking off his own.

Mr. Mills performed the Ghost with strict propriety, with energy and impressions that were felt and acknowledged by the audience. We think that this gentleman needs only the cultivation and defence of his own talents to become, what his ambition directs him to aspire to be-a great actor. Can we say any thing more in praise of Mrs. Darley's Ophelia than the feelings of the audience exhibited? we think not,

Yes,-on reflection, we can say more, for the audience judged generally perhaps by the effect produced-we will, therefore, trace that effeet to its causes-a chaste conception of the author's meaning, and the most delicate and affecting execution.

Laertes, by Mr. Darley, was well supported this gentleman has lately exhibited talents which, cultivated, will do him honour.

He will excuse us for remarking, that when the king asks him,

"Who shall stay you?"

He should not reply-" My will."

The meaning of this passage we conceive to be this-prosaically delivered-all thew orld, or all the world's (will,) shall not stay my will, and for my means I'll husband them so well, they shall go so far with little.

Mr. Darley, and indeed every other gentleman concerned, deserved great credit for the last scene, which we have never seen better exhibited. Mr. Dickenson was every thing that established custom in the personation of Polonius required—but we think the character itself is fundamentally mistaken.

We experienced a jealous pleasure in finding the gallery disappointed by Mr. Bernard's taking off only two waistcoats-We have seldom seen this gentleman so chaste in his performance as on this occasion.

Mrs. Powell always deserves praise, but we cannot this evening applaud the queen of Denmark.

Theatre, Wednesday, Nov. 29.

RULE A WIFE AND HAVE A WIFE.

We saw so little of this play that we shall say very little about it, yet were we present during the whole performance.

We think no human being could have exhibited a finer contrast in speech, action, and manners, than that which we witnessed from Mr. Cooper this evening, in the assumed and real character of Leon.

We think Mr. Cooper very deeply improved, and we welcome such improvements with delight, because we think they will tend to the improvement of the stage. He does not talk so loudly as usual, but he makes us feel more sensibly.

Mr. Mills, in the Copper-Captain, was excellent.

By the bye, a "leather or prunella" critic the other day, in the Patriot, observed, that Mr. Mills "was no Ghost," that "a ghost was beyond his sphere."-We like wit, but only when we can discover it. It is not worth while to ask this six starred critic what he meant. We say that Mr. Mills played Shakespeare's Ghost in Hamlet, and played it well. Any ghostly observations to the contrary notwithstanding.