Beggar's Opera. necessary; under this idea of requisites, we cannot say that any performer within our knowledge has represented him in a capital manner; Mr. BEARD'S appearance and manner of finging were all that could be wished, but his speaking was intolerable, and he appeared too much of the gentleman; Mr. LOWE's voice was more happy, but his expression less characteristic, and his speaking, if poffible, worse; Mr. VERNON's Musical knowledge is extensive, his merit in acting great, but his figure rather inadequate, and his voice totally so; Mr. MATTOCKS is far too faint in appearance and every degree of expreffion. If the managers of Drury-lane would do themfelves and the public justice, Mr. BANNISTER, who looks, walks and sings the part, take all together, -better than any who have been mentioned, should undoubtedly be put in poffession of it; and indeed of many others, which are miferably mutilated by the present poffeffors. - Mr. DIGGES, whom we mentioned in our remarks upon Richard the Third, was not without great merit in the captain. Peachum and Lockit are admirably drawn for their stations, and with a very natural distinction; the former being more in the world, has more extended ideas, more shrewdness, and is a knave of greater latitude; Mr. MACKLIN and Mr. YATES were indisputably superior to any competitors in in this part, but for general dryness and a just cyуnical turn of humour, Mr. MACKLIN stood, in our Beggar's Opsre. our opinion, foremost, at present it does not deserve notice at either house. Lockit is obvious and easy to hit, yet all we have seen never exceeded mediocrity; some fink him into an absolute black-guard, which there is no reason for; and others foften the natural gloom of his station too much; the late Mr. BERRY was we apprehend, the most tolerable of any perfon for several years.-Filch is well described by the author, and never was, nor never need be better expressed than by Mr. PARSONS Of Drury-lane, who, if it would not seem an aukward compliment, looks, deports, and fings the pickpocket to perfection. : Polly is an agreeable young woman, imprudent, yet delicate, and constant in affection; she commits a breach of filial duty, 'tis true, in point of her secret marriage, but fuch parents as hers appear to deserve little confidence; no character in the drama has furnished so many young adventurers as this, feveral of whom have made ample provision for themselves through her introduction into lifes and, upon the whole, there never was a part in which so many unequal performers made a tolera ble stand; out of a large number in our recollec tion, the following ladies deserved confiderable praise, Miss NORRIS, Miss FALKNER, and Mrs. CHAMBERS. Mrs. PINTO fung it better, and brought more money by far than any person since the first season of exhibition; Mrs. ARNE alfo had great musical merit, 3 Beggar's Opera. merit, but neither of them possessed a shadow of acting Mrs. CIBBER was to the eye, heart, and ear, worth all we have mentioned, and the only sensible speaking female finger that we remember-were the understanding to be pleased with sensibility of countenance, emphasis, and sound, we could wish to fee Miss MACKLIN do the partat present. Lucy is a character, who, through weakness or vice, has forfeited her virtue; she is composed of violent paffions, and, as we have shewn, of a bad heart; yet, even with moderate merit, must please in acting; Mrs. CLIVE, though she squalled the fongs did the part more justice than any body else. We presume Mrs. MATTOCKS would shew more character and spirit in it than any one now on the stage. Mrs Peachum was extremely well represented by Mrs. MACKLIN, and does not suffer injury from Mrs. VINCENT; but, we apprehend, would be much better in poffeffion of Mrs. GREEN; as to Mrs. Dye, and the other ladies, we shall take no notice of them, as we cordially wish they were never to be seen again. From obfervations already made, we have shewn that there is scarce any moral deducible from the BEGGAR'S OPERA; that it is, upon the whole, a loathsome, infectious carcase, cloathed in an angelic garb; that it is founded upon solid sense and satiric truth, yet rises into a superstructure of licentiousness; that it is highly entertaining, not at all instructive; that it is an exquisite burlesque upon Italian operas, and not a little so upon virtue; that it is inflammatory VOL. I with Beggar's Operd. with humour, and vulgar with elegance, in short, it is one of those bewitching evils, which offended reason must wish had never been brought to light, while delighted taste must lament the very idea of its annihilation. OTHELLO. 0 THELLO, IT is very much to be wished that tragic writers would rather bend their thoughts to familiar circumstances in life, than those which concern elevated feelings and abstract passions; the latter may indeed furnish matter to genius of a dignified nature, but the former most effectually appeal to general instruction; thus we may safely affert, that though our author's Julius Cæfar is equal to any piece, ancient or modern, for importance of subject, greatness of character, and liberality of sentiment yet feebler efforts of genius carry in their nature and composition a greater degree of social utility; not that we consider the noble spirit of patriotism, as too great or copious for any British bosom, at least any honeft one; but it is not so relative to common domestic concerns, as many other feelings which work essential advantage, or overbearing misery. Thus much we premise in favour of this tragedy founded on that fever of the mind, jealousy, which Doctor Young most emphatically calls " the Hydra of calamities;" a passion often arifing in every station of life from sparks of inflammation, at first scarce perceptible, into "a conflagration of the foul." OTHELLO commences with a scene between Ros dorigo and Iago, designed to let the audience know that the latter is chagrined at his general, the Moor, |