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faldo, chief of the Inquifition, owns himself to be the suitor who had excited the jealousy of Schedoni-the grand penitentiary who had received his confeffion fourteen years before, and the monk who had frequented Paluzzi *.

The wife (supposed dead) is now introduced by Anfaldo-the monk of Paluzzi, the grand penitentiary, and chief of inquifitors, in the form of Olivia : and, as the guilt of Schedoni thus vanishes, they are restored; the happiness of Vivaldi and Ellena, is completed, and the uniting of Paulo with Fioresca, the daughter of Spalatro, ends the play.

If we are more than usually circumstantial, it is because the band of dramatic-critics, have flowed in a channel that we do not choose to navigate. We have heard commendations of the ITALIAN MONK from almost every quarter. One only among the tribe of newspaper-hirelings, has ventured a breath of disapprobation; yet we never witnessed a performance fo wretchedly failing in every effential quality of the drama. To understand this a little better, it is necessary to know a piece of fecret-history. The editors of those publications, which daringly seize the reins of taste and information on every topic, generally confign the care of their theatrical notices, to the most unqualified of their respective juntos; there is a certain "give-and take" among them, at times a friendly squabble, all well enough comprehended by those who are initiated in the business.

Mr. Boaden is joint-editor of the Oracle, a morning

* This one last part, makes four persons in the original of Mrs. Radcliffe. How well they are confolidated here, we leave to those who never read a chapter of the " Italian," nor a leaf of common-fenfe.

† But how she came here, unless kept by this fame Anfaldo, no mortal, we believe, can divine.

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paper of fome credit as to its theatrical review *. We need not look farther for the highest praises which it is poffible for the self-love of man to bestow. The fame give-and-take" accommodation, alluded to above, admitted an echo of this critique into the papers of the following days; and we are assured that these criticisms priori, cost Mr. Boaden more labour, time, and trouble, than the Italian Monk itself.

In drawing the outline of the fable, we were happy in finding occafion to commend the execution of fome scenes; but while difcharging this part of our duty, we are careful not to be mistaken as faying that the Italian Monk, taken as a whole, is even tolerable.

The public was never infested by a monster so abfolute non-descript; an heterogeneous commixture of the outré of every species.

This is not only true in the general, particular scenes frequently offend by their buffoonery, amidst the most ferious business of the piece. The chapel-fcene is a tame unmanaged affair. Paulo disgusts by jesting in the heart of danger; and the pantomime of this part is mostly ill-timed, being entirely mistaken for the thoughtless jocularity of the original. It is sufficient that we mention, in support of this charge, the arch of Paluzzi, and the cell of the Inquifition.

We before adverted to the impropriety of exhibiting a numerous banditti, to finish, with fecrefy, the life of a woman. And these too, employed in singing a glee, within a few paces of the room-door where Ellena was fleeping, though Spalatro cautioned each of them "not to wake her!" Accordingly, some of the audience, who in vain endeavoured to smother a laugh, betrayed loud and repeated, symptoms of risibility, on observing the profpect before them. The same objection holds as to a trio between Fioresca, Paulo, and an officer of the inquifition, fung in one of its cells at midnight, while they were about to make their escape, and, what is more, immediately upon the officer's enjoining filence.

* A worthy coadjutor with Mr. Boaden, whose wife is engaged at Richmond' this season, published a critique on her performance, in which he expatiates on the foundness of her tones, the gracefulness of her action, and the versatility of the genius of his cara fpofa. It happened, unfortunately for this piece of laborious fine writing, that the only difmiffal this fea fon, took place the fame night, and Mrs. Lichfield did not perform those wonders ascribed to her by the Oracle Vide Oracle, June 29 or 30.

within

When we have asked Mr. Boaden what became of the Marchefa-who is never mentioned throughout the play, either before or after her conference with Schedoni, and then only in the light of a murderer? There remains but one species of blunder to point out, in order to establish a just opinion of his work. This is, a continual allusion to English customs, and modern manners, in an Italian piece of a century past: thus, the chief affaffin compares the workings of confcience to "a trial after term." We say nothing of the parodies on Shakespeare to be met with in the language of this performance; indeed they are only parodies: for, in every fentiment of truth and nature, and in Mr. BOADEN'SOwn words, HE has long ago " given Billy the go-by!" Shakespeare, gentle reader, was a poor fimple bard, who wrote. what most people thought, and expressed what every one could read.

THE PERFORMERS. The Vivaldi of Charles Kemble was spiritless and inane. Palmer understood Schedoni, and looked it beyond what we can remember. Mr. R. Palmer excelled in Spalatro; and so well did he comprehend the part, that we could fcarcely diftinguish the brothers. The best delivery was by Aicken. when appearing to Vivaldi in the inquifition; we were charmed with this Anfaldo so highly, as to forget, awhile, the superior tranfgreffion of Mr. Boaden, who had combined in him four diftinct persons of the novel.

Miss De Camp would do well to rave less: we once thought that the delicate Ellena was proceeding to box the Lady-Abbess. Miss Heard, was what we should take for Olivia: and Mrs. Harlowe in the little she had to do, enacted the part of the Marchesa. Mrs. Bland enchanted us in Fioresca. Indeed, stripped of that enchantment, we hardly think that this would be fuffered, although "the best that has been produced these five years." For the audience are fond of fongs, and they always looked for those of the Italian Monk.

August 16. ITALIAN MONK-Rofina.

Mrs. Atkins, the Rofina of Bath, came forward this evening at the Hay-market theatre. Her person is of the middling stature, extremely delicate, and her features inclined to the beautiful. Her voice is rather fine than strong; rather melifluous than forcible: in most respects oppofite to Signora Storace. Perhaps when more used to a London audience, the may ac. quire a better command of her tones, and be enabled to exert them more fuccessfully. We hope that she will, for this is absolutely necessary to the theatres of the metropolis.

August 17. HEIR AT LAW-Rofina. 18. ITALIAN MONK-Agreeable Surprise. - 19. DITтоChildren in the Wood.

tone.

During the absence of Mr. Bannister, Junior, who is this fummer a country-performer, the parts which are peculiarly his, have been affumed by different hands, and with very indifferent success. The Walter of this night, appeared before us in the perfon of Mr. Ellif-We can tell little that will redound to the cre. dit of this performance. It abounds with feeling;but the feeling of Ellistone was over-acted: it has hu mour; but Ellistone had none of it. This gentleman, undoubtedly, is an actor of confiderable merit; but let him beware left-" he keep the word of promife to the ear, and break it to the sense."

LITERARY

T

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPIHC

REGISTER.

The

HE Turkish ambassador, Esseid-Ali-Effendi, arrived at Paris, on the 14th of July, after staying several days at Lyons, where professor Mollet entertained him with some electrical experiments. ambaffador was greatly surprized at seeing his name described in a blaze of light, and the hair of a boy stand on end, while flashes of fire were drawn from every part of his body. When an attempt was made to explain to him the analogy between electricity and thunder, he seemed aftonished at the ignorance of the Europeans, who did not attribute lightning to the breath of an angel, and the noise of thunder to the clapping of his wings.

In visiting the hospital, he laughed heartily at all attempts to prolong life, of which, according to the doctrine of predeftination, the moments are already numbered. The fame evening he received all the ladies who presented themselves, appeared much struck with their beauty, and when the helmet of a dragon was put on the head of a young woman, ordered his interpreter to say, "that an army of fuch foldiers would conquer all Europe !"

NORWICH, JULY 20.

A fingular occurrence. As Mr. Wright, of Saint Faith's, was walking in his garden a few days fince, a flight of bees alighted on his head, and entirely covered his hair, till they made an appearance like a judge's wig.-Mr. W. stood upwards of two hours in this fituation, while the customary means were used for hiving them, which was completely done without his receiving any injury. -Mr. Wright had expressed a strong

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