rating within himself, about acceding to Baffanio's terms. This Mr. Elliston did not seem to understand. For he assumed the countenance of an open, defperate villain; neither disguising, nor feemingly wishing to disguife, the enmity which he harboured in his bosom. Mr. Elliston should have confidered, that the charac ter of Shylock appears fair and unfulffed until the entrance of Anthonio: when it is first laid open by the fide speech which he immediately utters, commenc ing with, "How like a fawning publican he looks," &c. During this speech all his malignity is expressed. But directly after he should diffemble, the better "to catch Anthonio on the hip." For after having recapitulated the various insults he had received from him on the Rialto, he very cunningly ensnares him by offering to lend the money free of interest. This certainly is the most difficult part of the whole character, and here Mr. Ellifton completely failed. An offer of this kind from such a character as Shylock; and too, so well known to Anthonio, must naturally raise his aftonishment, if not excite his suspicion. The representative of Shylock should therefore be particularly cautious in affuming the jocose air, to keep the most remote degree of malevolence from his countenance; especially when he proposes the merry bond" for the fignature of Anthonio. But Mr. Elliston expressed this with a kind of malignantly-exulting joy, so open and decided as to have precluded the possibility of his intentions being mistaken by a person even of the least discernment; Anthonio consequently appeared to us very fimple in acceding to a measure so palpably aimed for his deftruction. And this foolish fimplicity must appear heigh tened when he exclaims 66 "Hie thee, gentle Jew! This Hebrew will turn christian; he grows so kind." In In the scene with Salanio and Salarino, after the difcovery of Jeffica's flight, Mr. Ellifton was more noify than impressive; and the speech, "hath not a Jew eves?" &c. was delivered with fuch a dreadful rant as to destroy all the beauty of the poet, as well as the effect which this part always produces when judiciously delivered. In the following scene with Tubal, he was sometimes happy; but the expreffions of grief for the loss of his daughter and jewels, and his malignant joy at the loffes of Anthonio, were by no means judicioufly managed, nor varied in a manner fufficiently natural. In the trial scene he displayed the fame want of diffimulation, as in the scene with Bassanio, For Shylock does not wish to make his demand with the leaft appearance of malice; but enforces his claim under pretence of having previously sworn "to have the due and forfeit of his bond:" and knowing that the letter of the law is in his favour, he wishes to conduct the bufiness with all the appearance of a regard to justice. But Mr. Elliston behaved in so boisterous, and evidently malignant a manner, as must have convinced the court that he was actuated by motives of a malevolent and revengeful nature. The character of Shylock becomes here very interefting; but Mr. Elliston failed in giving it any degree of weight or importance. His pleadings were, indeed, more the blufterings of the pompous declaimer, than the infinuating artifices of the crafty villain. Shylock's feelings are very poignant at his disappointment; on which account it requires confiderable exertions to give the sentences their due force. We therefore make confiderable allowance for Mr. Ellifton's failure in this part of the character; as, indeed, we have done through the whole performance. We cannot, however, avoid censuring him for so very great a piece of indifcretion, as attempting to play a character for which he poffeffed not a single qualification. Miss De Camp's Portia was beyond what we could poffibly have expected from a perfon of her line of acting. It was frequently above, but never below mediocrity. The speech on mercy, was delivered with confiderable elegance and correctness. She was rewarded by the warm plaudits of a genteel and crowded audience. Of the general performances of the other personages we shall only fay, "Nil fuit unquam Tam difpar fibi." 29. MERCHANT OF VENICE - Padlock-30 ITALIAN MONK - Mogul Tale. - 31. IRON CHEST-Agreeable Surprize. September 1. (For the benefit of Mr. Fawcett) HEIR AT LAW-Syl vester Daggerwood-Poor Soldier. Mr. Fawcett's performance of Sylvester Dagger wood was the best imitation we ever witnessed! imitations are always inferior to originals. A word to the wife is fufficient. 2. ITALIAN MONK-ditto-Children in the Wood. --4. (For the benefit of Mr. Elliston) Othello by Mr. Elliston; Desdemona, Miss De Camp-No Song No Supper. Mr. Elliston's Othello, we trust, will not foon be repeated. In contemplation of Iago, we loft all recollection of Palmer: Charles Kemble played with unufual juftness and spirit; and Miss De Camp furpaffed the expectation of every one present. In her dying scene, the tragic ahs! and ohs! were too predominant, but, with this exception, we do not recollect a more faithful, or more pleafing representative of the character. Some of the inferior performers were such as could not fail in exciting the risibility of the most serious audience. 5. HEIR AT LAW-Quarter of an Hour before Din ner-Purse. 6. ITALIAN MONK-Sylvester Dag gerwood 1 gerwood-Peeping Tom-7. SURRENDER OF CALIS-Children in the Wood. In the fencing scene between Walter and Oliver, Mr. Caulfield received a dangerous wound in the face, which, at first, occafioned apprehenfions of the lots of fight; but we believe he is in a fair way of recovery. 8. First time this season THE JEW-Agreeable Sur prise.-9. ITALIAN MONK-Guardian. A Miss Stuart made her first appearance this evening in the character of Harriet. She possesses an engaging figure, confiderable diffidence, and much goodsense. Several circumstances, extremely injurious to a first appearance, operated against her. Mr. Palmer, on what account we do not wish to infinuate-we are fure it was not an illiberal one, was under the necefsity of reading his part. The dress of Mr. R. Palmer was strikingly uncharacteristic. These difficulties, however, were furmounted, and she has fince repeated the performance with additional fuccess. Miss De Camp was so much indisposed, that Mrs. Gibbs was under the neceffity of reading her part in the play. 11. (For the Benefit of Mr. Jewell) HEIR AT LAW-Sylvester Daggerwood-Village Lawyer.12. ITALIAN MONK - Rosina. - 13. HEIR AT LAW-Guardian.-14. ITALIAN MONK-Village Lawyer.-15. HEIR AT LAW-Sylvester Daggerwood-ditto. THUS CLOSETH THE SEASON ! Mr. Sheridan it is said, is to have the superintendance of Drury Lane green-room. The Birmingham theatre closed on the 15th of September, after a very fuccessful campaign. The prin. cipal novelty which we feel ourselves loudly called upon to notice, was the appearance of Mifs Murray (daugh ter ter of Mr. Murray of Covent Garden) in the difficult part of Palmyra, in the tragedy of Mahomet. Her representation of it, for a girl of only fourteen years of age, was truly great. Her person is elegant; her face handsome, and her countenance strikingly expreffive her voice is melodious and.full; her articulation strong, and her delivery strictly correct. She gave to the character its full consequence and interest; and the pathetic speeches, particularly, "came mended from her lips." Some gentlemen who witnessed her performance, have had a very elegant medal cast to be prefented to her, in honour of her success. She has fince performed the part of Jeffe Oatland with equal applaufe; and given to it all the elegant and chaste fimplicity which the character requires. From this speci men of her powers, we doubt not but the will foon become a valuable acquisition to either of our winter theatres. T LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL MR.BROWNE, THE TRAVELLER. HIS gentleman, a native of Cumberland, the most en terprising traveller of his day, is on his way homeward. From his defcriptions, it appears that that proud remnant of antiquity, the temple of Jupiter Ammon, is still in a high state of prefervation. Befides penetrating into the defarts of Lybia to discover this temple, so celebrated by Lucan, Mr. Browne has explored those districts visited by Bruce, when he discovered the source of the Nile, on the 4th of November, 1770, as well as Abyssinia. The travels and defigns of Mr. Browne will, probably, foon appear, and prove a valuable acquifition to the republic of letters; they cast an important light upon the districts in the interior of Africa, THE |