Beggar's Opera. neceffary; under this idea of requifites, we cannot fay that any performer within our knowledge has reprefented him in a capital manner; Mr. BEARD'S appearance and manner of finging were all that could be wifhed, but his fpeaking was intolerable, and he appeared too much of the gentleman; Mr. Lowe's voice was more happy, but his expreflion lefs characteristic, and his fpeaking, if poffible, worfe; Mr. VERNON'S Mufical knowledge is extenfive, his merit in acting great, but his figure rather inadequate, and his voice totally fo; 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 juftice, Mr. BANNISTER, who looks, walks and fings the part, take all together, -better than any who have been mentioned, fhould undoubtedly be put in poffeffion of it; and indeed. of many others, which are miserably mutilated by the prefent 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 diftinction; the former being more in the world, has more extended ideas, more fhrewdnefs, and is a knave of greater latitude; Mr. MACKLIN and Mr. YATES were indifputably fuperior to any competitors in in this part, but for general drynefs and a juft cynical turn of humour, Mr. MACKLIN ftood, in

our

Beggar's Opsra. our opinion, foremoft; at prefent it does not deferve notice at either houfe.

Lockit is obvious and easy to hit, yet all we have feen never exceeded mediocrity; fome fink him into an abfolute black-guard, which there is no reason for; and others foften the natural gloom of his ftation too much; the late Mr. BERRY was we apprehend, the most tolerable of any person for feveral years. Filch is well described by the author, and never was, nor never need be better expreffed than by Mr. PARSONS of Drury-lane, who, if it would not feem an aukward compliment, looks, deports, and fings the pickpocket to perfection.

Polly is an agreeable young woman, imprudent, yet delicate, and conftant in affection; the commits a breach of filial duty, 'tis true, in point of her fecret marriage, but fuch parents as hers appear to deferve little confidence; no character in the drama has furnished fo many young adventurers as this, feveral of whom have made ample provision for themselves through her introduction into life, and, upon the whole, there never was a part in which so many unequal performers made a tolera ble ftand; out of a large number in our recollec tion, the following ladies deferved confiderable praife, Mifs NORRIS, Mifs FALKNER, and Mrs, CHAMBERS.

Mrs. PINTO fung it better, and brought more money by far than any perfon fince the first feafon of exhibition; Mrs. ARNE alfo had great mufical

3

merit,

Beggar's Opera merit, but neither of them poffeffed a fhadow of acting Mrs. CIBBER was to the eye, heart, and ear, worth all we have mentioned, and the only fenfible Speaking female finger that we remember-were the understanding to be pleased with fenfibility of countenance, emphafis, and found, we could wish to fee Miss MACKLIN do the part at present.

Lucy is a character, who, through weakness or vice, has forfeited her virtue; fhe is composed of violent paffions, and, as we have shewn, of a bad heart; yet, even with moderate merit, muft please in acting; Mrs. CLIVE, though the fqualled the fongs did the part more juftice than any body else. We presume Mrs. MATTOCKS would fhew 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 fhall take no notice of them, as we cordially wish they were never to be seen again.

From obfervations already made, we have fhewn that there is fcarce any moral deducible from the BEGGAR'S OPERA; that it is, upon the whole, a loathfome, infectious carcafe, cloathed in an angelic garb; that it is founded upon folid fenfe and fatiric truth, yet rifes into a fuperftructure of licentioufnefs; that it is highly entertaining, not at all inftructive; that it is an exquifite burlesque upon Italian operas, and not a little fo upon virtue; that it is inflammatory VOL. I

with

Beggar's Opera with humour, and vulgar with elegance in fhort, it is one of those bewitching evils, which offended reafon muft wifh had never been brought to light, while delighted tafte must lament the very idea of its annihilation.

OTHELLO.

THE L L 0,

O T

Written by SHAKESPEARE.

It is very much to be wished that tragic writers

would rather bend their thoughts to familiar circumstances in life, than thofe which concern elevated feelings and abftract paffions; the latter may indeed furnish matter to genius of a dignified nature, but the former moft effectually appeal to gene ral inftruction; thus we may fafely 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 fentiment yet feebler efforts of genius carry in their nature and compofition a greater degree of focial utility; not that we confider the noble fpirit of patriotifm, as too great or copious for any British bofom, at least any honeft one; but it is not fo relative to common domestic concerns, as many other feelings which work effential advantage, or overbearing mifery.

Thus much we premife in favour of this tragedy founded on that fever of the mind, jealousy, which Doctor Young most emphatically calls "the Hydra of calamities;" a paffion often arifing in every sta tion of life from fparks of inflammation, at first fcarce perceptible, into "a conflagration of the

foul."

OTHELLO Commences with a fćene between Ros dorigo and Iago, defigned to let the audience know that the latter is chagrined at his general, the Moor,