with the warmest tokens of approbation. His unrivalled excellence in this character, which abounds with opportunities for the display of his extraordinary talents, has been too long established to require any commendation; but upon this occasion he seemed to have exerted all his faculties, and never certainly were they more successfully exercised. 29.-Cymbeline-Ibid. 30.-Selection of Music. 31.-Othello-Ibid. Feb. 1.-She Stoops to Conquer-Halt of the CaravanIbid. 3. Richard III.-SWISS VILLAGERS-[1st time]Agreeable Surprise. 4. Exchange no Robbery-Simpson and Co.-Old and Young. 5.-Macbeth-Swiss Villagers-Killing no Murder. 6.-Heir at Law-Ibid.-Simpson and Co. 7.-Exchange no Robbery-Simpson and Co.-Old and Young. 8. Merchant of Venice-Swiss Villagers-Killing no Murder. 10.-King Lear-Ibid.-Ibid. 11.-Guy Mannering-Ibid.-Old and Young. Miss STEPHENS this evening commenced her professional labours for the season, being her first appearance on the stage of this theatre: her reception was of the warmest kind, and it appeared to make no slight impression on her feelings. There is a manifest improvement in her voice, and the rich flow of melody which she poured into the whole of her songs, convinced us that the delicious organ retained in the fullest vigour all its wonted sweetness and power. The whole of her songs were enthusiastically applauded, and several rapturously encored. She was most powerfully supported by Mr. LISTON as the Dominie (who never exerted himself to greater advantage, nor gave so much of the air of truth and reality to the character on any former occasion), and by a Mr. SHERWIN from the York Theatre, who made his first appearance in London in the part of Dinmont, which he sustained with much greater effect than any person who has yet attempted it since the death of poor EMERY. In forming himself upon the model of that admirable performer (whom it is evident he has closely studied), this gentleman has shewn a degree of prudence and discernment in avoiding the mannerism of imitation, and judiciously varying the style, without impairing the spirit and fidelity of the portrait, that indicate the possession of very considerable genius and talent, and we augur most favourably from the present specimen of his future performances. We think the sooner he appears in a character of higher pretensions in the walk of the drama he has chosen, the sooner it will serve to firmly establish his fame, which we must say his present enactment has fixed on a somewhat solid foundation. We must add, that Mr. BRAHAM was in most excellent voice, that Miss POVEY sang sweetly, and that Miss TREE executed a pas seul with her usual gracefulness. The whole opera gave undivided satisfaction to one of the most fashionable and crowded audiences that ever graced a theatre. 12.-No performance. 13.-Guy Mannering-Killing no Murder. 14.-Selection of Music. 15.-Love in a Village-DEAF AS A POST!-[1st time.] After the opera, in which Mrs. BLAND, on account of the sudden indisposition of Mrs. HUGHES, took the part of Madge, a new farce, in three acts, under the above title was produced. The story on which the principal incident of the piece is founded is one so old and trite, that there is not a school-boy twelve years of age who is ignorant of it. Walpole, an old citizen (GATTIE), is desirous of marrying his daughter Sophia (Miss CUBITT) to a country simpleton, Tristrim Sappy (LISTON), abounding in wealth, but ignorant in the extreme. In pursuance of this plan, the old gentleman takes his daughter to Winchester, where Sappy resides. Here she is followed by Forrester, her lover (COOPER), but it being the race time there is no room at the inn. Forrester, however, by pretending to be deaf as a post, not only obtains room as a guest by day, but finds his way into the private apartment engaged by Sappy for the reception of his destined bride, her father, and her friend, the sister of Forrester; assumes the prin cipal place at the supper-table, and afterwards takes possession of his rival's bed, and ultimately insists on Sappy's fighting, or relinquishing the lady. He prefers the latter course, and the consent of Sophia's father being obtained, the piece ends happily for the lovers: not so, however, for the author. At an early part of the piece discontent displayed itself on the part of the audience, which, not all the exertions of LISTON, COOPER, and Mrs. Orger, who made an excellent chainbermaid, could overcome. The malcontents gained strength as the piece proceeded, and throughout the greater part of the third act the cries of "Off!" and other expressions of dissatisfaction, mingled with the efforts of the friendly part of the audience to support the piece, rendering the dialogue inaudible; and on the falling of the curtain, when LISTON came forward to announce it for repetition, he could not be heard, the Noes having a very decided majority. If, however, it should undergo a judicious pruning, there is sufficient humour in it to insure it an existence of a few nights. The house was filled to an overflow. 17.-Richard III.-Ibid. 18.-Artaxerxes-Old and Young-Ibid. 19. No performance. 20.-Guy Mannering-Deaf as a Post! 22.-Rob Roy-Swiss Villagers-Spoiled Child. 27.-Guy Mannering-Ibid. 28.-Selection of Music. March 1.-Artaxerxes-Simpson and Co.-Killing no Murder. 3.-Macbeth-Love, Law, and Physic. COVENT GARDEN THEATRE. Journal of Performances, with Remarks. 25.-Henry VIII.-Harlequin and Ogress. 27.-Richard III.—Ibid. Mr. BENNETT, who has acquired some celebrity at the Bath Theatre, made his first appearance in London as Richard. His person is above the middle stature, his figure good, his features rather small, but by no means inexpressive. His first scene gave good promise of his success; for, though imitations of other performers, in a character which has been so often played, are impossible to be avoided to play them with any merit, yet some of his scenes were judiciously managed so as to avoid servility on the one hand, and, on the other, the equally fearful hazard of failing in force and depth, by a too studied endeavour to diminish the resemblance. His scenes with Lady Anne and in the tent were feebly executed on the whole, although there were some points exceedingly well touched. In the busiest scenes of the fourth and fifth acts he infused considerable power and beauty into them. The meeting with Richmond was good, but the fall badly managed. His performance, on the whole, must be considered a failure, although he appears qualified for the highest characters in the second rank of tragedy.. 28.-NIGEL; or, the Crown Jewels-[1st time]—Ibid. The aim of the author in this piece has been to produce a comedy of the old school-the school of MASSINGER and BEN JONSON; and, as far as the achievement of a five act play in blank verse goes, he may flatter himself with having attained his object. The carcass of such a comedy indeed is here, but where is the spirit and reality that gave life and vigour to the productions of those worthies of the "olden time," with whom he, somewhat rashly his best friends must admit, has entered the lists? In vain will they be sought in the dull, tiresome, wire-drawn dialogue, without point or sentiment, or wit or humour of any enjoyable description, that lengthens out each scene to the entire exhaustion of what little interest the matter contains, and the few incidents excite. The plot, though coinciding with that of the "Fortunes of Nigel," departs from the novel in most of its details. The time is about the close of James's reign, when the feeble. ness of the government, as evinced in the impunity of Overbury's murderers and other offenders, had relaxed the morals of the higher classes, many of whom, for purposes of lewd intrigue, ambition, and even lucre, retained as dependants, and otherwise leagued with, the desperate adventurers that frequented Paul's Aisle, and other places of public resort. Dalgarno, a gay nobleman, subservient to Buckingham, is the hero of this play; and his tools are the bully Peppercole, and Skourlie, a scrivener, who, though of middle age, has conceived a passion for Margaret, the object also of Dalgarno's lawless desire. Her preference for Nigel, and the circumstance of Nigel's being assisted by the King, who was his father's debtor, with jewels, whereon James authorises him to raise a sum for paying off a mortgage of his estates (pledged greatly below their value, nominally to Skourlie, but in secret for Dalgarno's use), are considerations which irritate Dalgarno against Nigel: who, for having drawn his sword within the royal precincts, in rescue of Margaret from an attempt of Dalgarno to force her off, is fain to take sanctuary in Whitefriars, (alias Alsatia), at the house of Trapbois, the usurer, who is to raise the money on the jewels. To prevent the completion of the payment within the few remaining hours of the mortgage-term, Dalgarno, who, on failure of redemption, would become sole lord of Nigel's fortunes, breaks, masked and cloaked, with Peppercole, into the usurer's house, with a view of seizing and secreting the jewels till the expiration of the time. Trapbois is gagged by Dalgarno with a scarf; and, in his struggle, the noose of the scarf sliding, becomes entangled round his throat, and strangles him. Dalgarno is wounded by Nigel in the wrist, but escapes with the jewels. The play now deviates still further from the track of the novel. Nigel being proved to have suddenly quitted the fatal scene with the old man's daughter and some valuable property, is next morning, at Dalgarno's suggestion, charged with the murder, a charge corroborated by the non-appearance of the daughter at the inquest held by Hildebrod, the coroner and bailiff of the liberty of Whitefriars. A few minutes only before the expiration of the term, the mortgage is paid off to Shourlie by Strappet from a secret source; while Nigel is brought from the tower, and examined by the King, in the presence of Margaret: she having claimed, under suspicious circumstances, and in the disguise of a Scottish page, a promise, which James, when she had sung before him in that dress at a mumming, |