me, and the great God himself;" and, indeed, we may well suppose that they must have been ideas little less sublime, that furnished sounds so grand in their combinations."

LOUIS XIV. AND MOLIERE.

The following anecdote is translated from "the memoirs of Madam Campan," which have just made their appearance at Paris ::

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LOUIS XIV. was informed that the officers of his household had expressed in a most offensive manner how much they were mortified at being obliged to dine at the table du controleur de la bouche with MOLIERE, valet de chambre to the King, because he performed as a comedian; and that celebrated genius had absented himself from their dinners. Louis, desirous of putting an end to the insults offered to one of the first men of the age, said one morning to MOLIERE, they tell me that you make meagre fare here, and that the officers of my chamber do not think you fit to eat with them. Perhaps you are hungry; I wake myself with a good appetite; sit down to table, and let us have breakfast." MOLIERE and his Majesty took their seats. LOUIS helped his valet to a wing of a foul, and himself to another, and ordered the entrées familières to be admitted; the persons the most distinguished and favoured at court made their appearance. "You see," said the King, "" [ am feeding MOLIERE, whom my valets de chambre do not find sufficiently good company for them." From that moment MOLIERE had no occasion to present himself at the table of the persons on service, all the court were eager in pressing on their offers of service.

Jan. 15, 1823.

YBLAD

THEATRICAL INQUISITION.

"The DRAMA is the most perfect imitation of human life; by means of the stage it represents man in all his varieties of mind, his expressions of manner, and his power of action, and is the first of moralities, because it teaches us in the most impressive way the knowledge of ourselves." HAZLITT.

NEW DRURY LANE THEATRE.

Journal of Performances, with Remarks.

Jan. 10th.-Macbeth-Golden Axe.

11.-Simpson and Co.-Spoiled Child-Ibid. 13.-Richard III.-Ibid.

14. AUGUSTA; or, the Blind Girl-[1st time]-Simpson and Co.-Ibid.

The materiel of which this melo-drama is composed would lead to the supposition that its origin is French, although it is in a great measure devoid of those agreeable incidents from which the representations on the French stage principally derive their interest. The scene, which is laid in Germany, is founded on the following narrative : -Augusta, the Blind Girl, the heroine of the tale, resides with her relative, Caroline Bloomberg, a wealthy and handsome widow, in the ancient castle of the village of Reynesburg, near Aulbrook, in Germany. Of her early history little could she tell, save that she had been born blind, and was left an orphan while yet in her infancy. As all love affairs must have some origin, and the more romantic the better, it so happened that just at that interesting period of life, when" the young idea begins to shoot" in a direction favourable to the tender transport, Augusta walking ing out one evening in company with some female friends, was accosted by a man who intruded himself upon their society. At this time a gentleman passing by perceived the transaction, and forthwith entered the lists in the true

spirit of chivalry. A contest ensued, and the blind girl, fearful of the consequences, rushed in between the combatants, and was severely wounded by one of the swords, but put an end to the quarrel. The knight-errant became her lover, and resolved to devote to her service the life which she had saved. From that moment he formed the determination of exerting every faculty of his mind to restore her to sight, and in hopes of discovering the means, he travelled through all Germany and France, and at length arrived in Paris, where he became a menial servant in the house of a celebrated oculist, and so soon did he become a master of the art, and so extensively was his fame circulated, that, in the course of three years he accumulated immense wealth, and was elevated to the title of Count Ossburg. And now to return to Reynesburg Castle. The widow had been left by her husband in possession of 6,000 florins a year, which was disputed by an old lawyer, the uncle of our hero, and on his death-bed he left an injunction in his will that a marriage between his nephew and the widow was the only condition upon which the lawsuit should terminate. Under pretence of arranging this suit, but in reality to behold the object of his affections, the Count proceeds to Reynesburg, and there the last happiest effort of his art is effected. Augusta is restored to sight, and their fidelity is crowned by the "consummation so devontly wished for." In all this there is certainly very little of dramatic incident, even if the plot had been ingeniously conducted. But so far from that the piece opens with a dull and tedious narrative, and so on to the conclusion. All the parties are made to tell their respective tales, but scarcely any of the transactions are represented before the audience. This is one of the greatest errors in dramatic composition, and in the present drama it prevails to a most unpardonable extent. The dialogue is heavy and uninteresting, unrelieved by a single sentiment or expression worth recording. If any thing can prolong its existence it must be the ability with which the characters are all sustained. The agreeable widow could not fail to please, when represented by Mrs. DAVISON; and Mrs. WEST played the Blind Girl with so much tenderness and feeling, that she almost reconciled the improbabilities of

the story. There is an old servant in the piece (Ambrose), who had also the misfortune to be blind, and added another proof, by his recovery, of the marvellous skill of the Count. KNIGHT gave a humourous picture of his incessant loquacity. There was little for COOPER to do, although he was the hero of the tale, but that little he per formed with propriety. Some disapprobation was manifested on its announcement for repetition, but the applause seemed to predominate. 15.-Othello-Ib.

16.-Augusta-Simpson and Co.-Ib. 17.-Othello-Ib.

18.-Love in a Village-Ib.

A new aspirant to professional distinction appeared on these boards, in the character of Young Meadows, in the opera of Love in a Village. There is scarcely any performance less favourable to a debutant, and none worse suited to the formation of an accurate estimate of his pretensions. It was announced in the bills as this gentleman's "first appearance on any stage," but certainly there was nothing whatever in his deportment in favour of such a presumption; on the contrary, he seemed to feel all the confidence which is derived from long experience. Whatever may be the gentleman's other qualifications, in point of stature he far o'ertops all his cotemporaries; and should he devote himself to the stage, it may be safely predicted that no man will stand higher in his profession. Of his powers as a vocalist it is necessary to use more measured language; but still it must be the language of commendation, for the impression he produced was decidedly favourable. His voice possesses no great strength or compass, but is remarkable for flexibility and sweetness. His style is extremely tasteful but chaste, and his easy execution in the few graces he introduced, clearly proves that the modulation of his voice is completely under his controul. His tones sometimes resembled the melodious strains of BROADHURST; but, generally speaking, his style seems to be original. There was one little ballad, "The sun his bright beams," which he sung with extreme sweetness. In this he was very loudly encored, but, for some reason, perhaps a judicious one, the celebrated duet

of "Together let us range the fields," was omitted, in consequence of which, almost the only opportunity was lost which the character affords of forming a correct judgment. However, the success of his first appearance would fully justify the expectation, that, after some short time, he will hold a respectable station amongst the corps dramatique.

20.-Brutus-Ibid.

21.-School for Scandal-Ibid. 22.-Cymbeline-Ibid.

SHAKSPEARE'S Cymbeline was revived under the most favourable circumstances, the part of Leonatus Posthumus by Mr. KEAN, Iachimo by Mr. YOUNG, and the interesting character of Imogen by a young lady, her first appearance on any stage.

It is now some time since this tragedy has been performed in London, but for what reason it has been withheld it would be difficult to say. There is none certainly which yields more pleasure in the closet, and as represented at present, no dramatic performance can excite a more intense interest, or communicate more general satisfaction. KEAN'S representation of Posthumus is entirely new to a London audience, and scarcely any terms of praise can be applied to it which could be called exaggeration. It was the most chaste, the most correct, in fact, the most faultless, of all his performances. It was true to nature; there was nothing in the whole character that must not be approved even by the most severe or fastidious taste. To Mr. YOUNG's Iachimo the same commendation must be extended. The characters stand pretty nearly in the same relation as Othello and Iago; the virtues and credulity of the one are imposed on by the diabolical artifices of the other, with this pleasing exception, however, in favour of the latter, that, although the villainy is detected, the innocent are not sacrificed. The opening dialogue between Posthumus and Iachimo, where the wager is laid on the fidelity of Imogen, was as pure a specimen of dramatic skill as could well be conceived; it was a complete triumph of the art. The injured Imogen, like the gentle Desdemona, awakens all our sympathies. She was represented by a young lady (Miss WILLIAMS, we understand), who

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