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bitter jesting with his own deformities, which is so marvellously blended with pride in his infinite mental powersy and gratulation on the lone grandeur of his spirit, are within the sphere of Mrs Kean's happiest qualities. His opening soliloquy is at once too sombre and too tricksome, and his scene with Lady Anne too full of brilliant sarcasm, for the general truth and keeping of the per formance, though individually they ate striking and effective. His last contest and death, however, have virtue to redeem a thousand errors. The uprearing of his head in superhuman defiance the noble swelling of his chest the inextinguishable spirit breathing in every limb, when mere nature is exhausted present perhaps the sublimest picture ever witnessed, of the momentary triumph of the energetic will over mortal agony.

Mr. Kean's Jaffier is greatly improved since he performed it for his benefit when he was probably thinking of his first appearance in Harlequin. His declamation is purer, and his touches of beautiful pathos more frequent than on the former occasion: but the part is not, on the whole, suited to his genius. He is not fitted to pourtray luxurious im bebility to exhibit a fond pliancy of temperor to sail a light feather on the wave of fortune. If he cannot, like Kemble," look on tempests and be never shaken," the passions with which he is agitated are great and serious, not engendered in wretched pride; if he does not command emotion like a stoic, he will struggle with it, or yield to its force like a man. Jaffier, ever acted on rather than acting the poor sport of base desires and pitiful needs-the vacillating inconsistent wretch, who wants virtue peven to be a villain-has little which a power like Kean's can grasp, orda spirit like his embody. Yet there are certain primal sympathies," which the most degraded do not lose certain forms of affliction which cannot fail to move our human pity; and wherever the miserable husband is attended by these, Kean deeply and irresistibly moves us. He does indeed but mar the eloquent expressions of fondness which precede the more tragical distresses-but where tenderness breaks in upon rage or despair, he gives us glimpses into the uttermost depths of affection in the soul. It is only when agitated that his mind

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As Jaffer is below Mr. Kean's pow. ers, Hamlet, which he performed next,

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is above thems This, however, Imay de said with truth of every song who has ataq tempted the character within duire mes mory.of Who shall present any palpable image of those subtle movements of the soul of that philosophic thought which q misery prompts, yet which gentleness sweetens of that tendervirresolution, I that filial piety, that heroisin unhinged s until it looks like cowardice, bor of that grief-broken courtesy which are only a few of the elements mingled in this sad dest and most profound of Shakspeare's creations? The revering love for his fa ther the affection for Ophelia, faintly counterfeiting anger and the indigna ( tion and scorn for his own wrongs are all beautifully depicted by Mr. Kean. Butd his performance is a thing of shreds and patches," though some of them are of the fairest hues. He gives the philosophy not like a moody thinker, whose words are but faint indications/ of the stream of meditation within, but!' like a moral lecturer, endeavouring to 2 impress his doctrines on unwilling hearers. He is too bitter, peevish, and sar castic, to give an adequate representation e of one who has been truly described as "the most amiable of misanthropes." His last performance, however, was a much nearer approach to the great origi nal, than any of his preceding attemptsi which we have witnessed the melancholy deeper, the sensibility more prosz found, and the whole more gentle and harmonious.

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In Sir Giles Overreach-his fourth ex hibition-Mr. Kean is always at homes He is fitter, on the whole, to play Mas singer than Shakspeare. The earlier scenes are, perhaps, too boisterous, and too little relieved by that parental pride in the attractions of Margaret, with which both Cooke and Kemble were.л accustomed to humanize the character,fə The last act is terrifically fine, like the struggles of a wild beast in the toils. The play, however, is a very painful one

presenting only gigantic oppression undermined by mean artifice, and leav ing no one gentle thought for the mind iz to repose on,

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Of Kean's Othello and Lear we have so lately spoken at length, that we have little now to observe. He has made 11 some changes in the first of these, which do not improve it. Instead of speaking Othello's richly-imaged farewell to allis his glories and joys, in a tone of fond, 1 retrospection and quiet despair, he now h breaks it by sighs and tears, and suffers, his lips to quiver and his voice to fal // y muzelf wil

into childish treble. The far greater part of the third and last acts are, how every still above all eulogy.

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Mr. Booth has been engaged to perform here with Mr. Kean, and has appeared to greater advantage than on any preceding occasion. He has declaimed Richmond with good emphasis and energy-bustled with effect through Pierre- and performed Iago with a ri gidity and directness of purpose which we have not often seen in representations of the character. We are happy to welcome him as an improving actor. A great relish has been given to the temporary entertainments of the theatre, by a variety of agreeable farces. There has been Modern Antiques, in which Munden is so grotesquely humourous-Three Weeks after Marriage, in which Elliston and Mrs. Edwin quarrel so delightfully and the Liar, in which Elliston lies with so high and imaginative a grace. To have humour, and whim, and pleasantry, like these, after sterling tragedy, is a treat indeed, which we hope the manager will often provide for us in the ensuing season.

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

"The celebrated story of the Vampire, which has been successfully dramatized at Paris, has supplied materials for one of the best melo-drames, we have ever seen at this or any other theatre. The superstition on which it is founded, is one of the most appalling at which the blood has ever curdled with a chill and mysterious pleasure. A being in whom death and life are strangely mingled-with all the coldness of the grave and all the seeming immunities of existence-sustained by the blood of female victims whom he first is permitted to fascinate -has a spell far more fearful than ordinary spectres. The author of the piece should not, however, have moralized on the fiction, by insinuating that "for wise purposes," the spirits of the wicked were permitted to live so long as they paid for their existence by a dreadful crime. The scheme of moral government which should grant existence to the guilty, on condition of the mortal agonies of innocent victims, would be somewhat incomprehensible to our human sympathies. The idea itself has so much of the disgusting, that there appeared considerable hazard in its representation on the stage. This danger has, however, been admirably avoided in the new drama-where the literal design of the fiend is so little obtruded on us, that we feel throughout only a pleasing horror. NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 80.

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The piece opens with an introductory
vision-not a miserable allegory, as the
title would lead us to fear but an ex-
cellent preparatory explanation, which
at once renders the plot intelligible, and
prepares our feelings for all which is to
follow. Lady Margaret, the daughter
of Lord Ronald, Baron of the Isles, be-
trothed to the Earl of Marsden whom
she has never seen, after chasing the
red-deer among the woods, falls asleep
in the tremendous cavern of Fingal.
While she slumbers, two spirits of the
haunted spot appear, from whom we
learn that her intended bridegroom is a
vampire, the spirit of Cromal the bloody,
whose tomb is in that cavern, but who
has existed by draining the life-blood of
numberless virgins, and who now has
marked her for his prey. To warn her
of her peril, they call up the phantom in
its old form, which rises slowly from the
grave, pronounces her name, and vanish-
es in fire. She returns terrified to the
castle, where Lord Ruthven soon ar-
rives to claim her as his bride. To the
astonishment of Lord Ronald, he disco-
vers that the visitant is no other than
his beloved friend, whose apparent death
he had witnessed, while travelling in
Greece. He is, however, satisfied with
his story of sudden succour and revival;
and is filled with delight at finding that
he will see his godlike friend the hus-
band of his child. When, however,
Lady Margaret sees him, she is horror-
stricken-for his form is that of the
spectre in her dream. His spells, how-
ever, change this hostile feeling to a
strange attachment, which she can nei-
ther resist nor explain. At his earnest
solicitations the wedding is fixed for that
evening; but, in the meanwhile, he is
touched with pity for the youth and
loveliness of the lady, and being request-
ed to patronize the marriage of one of
Lord Ronald's retainers with the daugh-
ter of his own steward, he resolves to
make the lowlier damsel his victim. To
this purpose he carries her off-but is
pursued by her lover-mortally wounded
-and staggers in to die. This unplea-
sant incident does not, however, very
materially embarass him.
He requests
Lord Ronald to swear that he will throw
a ring which he gives him, into the sea,
at the sepulchre of Fingal, and that he
will conceal his death until the moon,
then riding in meridian splendour, shall
sink beneath the horizon. The Baron
complies-but, on returning to the
castle, finds Lord Ruthven alive again,
and his daughter resolved to marry him
VOL. XIV.

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rally desire to see the players exposing the secrets of their art, and needlessly shewing that they are not very different from matter of fact mortals. It was originally produced at the Lyceum, with great success, and has been ingeniously altered to suit the actors. Miss Copeland sings the good old song of Old King Cole with due merriment, and imitates the French ballad-singers with surprising skill. Her acting is as sprightly and natural as usual. There is no comic performer, except Miss Kelly, who is so entirely absorbed in the business of the scene, and acts with such apparent unconsciousness of the presence of spectators.

The burletta of Wheels within Wheels affords a very edifying glimpse into the mechanism of society. It evinces the extent to which a single impulse, whether of spleen or good nature, may be felt; by shewing a young lady's pertness, provoking her lover to refuse an appointment to her relative-her relative revenging his disappointment on his valet-his valet making his dependent feel his consequent ill-humour-and his dependent, ready to turn on the only one below him, till the reconciliation of the lovers makes all right, and diffuses cheerfulness to the lowest of the social gradations. Miss

GREAT BRITAIN.

Poole, formerly of the Lyceum, appeared as the wayward heroine, who does and who repairs the mischief, and gave proof of much vocal excellence. Her tones have attained a mellow ripeness, which is delicious, and her acting is as sprightly and as good-humoured as ever.

The tragic melo-drame of Orsino, or the Vaulted Cavern, taken from Lewis's tragedy of Alphonso, King of Castile, is too full of guilt and horror. It has, however, many striking situations, which afford opportunities to the actors, espe cially to Mr. Huntley, Miss Taylor, and Miss Norton, which they do not fail to improve. The Abbot of Sun Martino, one of the last revivals, is very superior to the altered tragedy. There are in this piece delineations of majestic passions, and glimpses of the purer and gentler emotions which lie beyond them, which give it a dignity and an interest of the highest and best kind. Mr. Huntley's performance of the Abbot is a masterpiece. His costume has a massiveness and grandeur worthy of Kemble, and the vast flow of his passionate declamation, where the long-cherished desire of revenge bursts forth in a broad and dark tide, is as magnificent as any thing of the kind which we can imagine.

VARIETIES.

Important Geographical Discovery.-An opinion of the existence of an Antarctic Continent has prevailed ever since the discovery of America rendered us more intimately acquainted with the figure of the earth; nor, when all the circumstances that led to it are considered, can it be called an unreasonable opinion, The vast quantity of floating ice in the higher southern latitudes, justly indicated its origin to be in fresh-water rivers and lakes, at no great distance. And again, the immense space of ocean in the southern hemisphere, in the absence of such a continent, led to an inference that that beautiful arrangement and disposition of land and water, so conspicuous in the northern, was overlooked, and the equilibrium neglected in the southern, hemisphere. In 1599 land was first discovered in this quarter by Dirck Gherritz, a Dutchman, who commanded one of a squadron of five ships that sailed from Rotterdam in 1598 for the East Indies, under orders to proceed by a western course, through the straits of Magalhanes (or Magellan), and across the South Sea. At that period the Dutch trade to India was in its infancy, for the first voyage actually performed by them to the continent of Asia, sailed from Holland in 1595, and proceeded by the Cape of Good Hope. The above five

ships having been dispersed by weather, that which was commanded by Gherritz was driven to the south of the Straits, to 64 south latitude, where he saw a high country, with mountains, and covered with snow like the land of Norway. He ran about 100 leagues along the coast of this new country; but discovery not being his object, he soon directed his course towards the coast of Chili. He, however, was captured by the Spaniards at Valparaiso. The whole of this voyage, which is detailed in Burney's History of Discoveries in the South Seas, is curious and interesting. The discovery of Gherritz is noticed in Kitchen's Atlas, published in 1787, where the land is laid down as extending in a bay-formed shape for about 2 degrees from north-west to south-east. But the name of the Dutch navigator is in this map anglicized to Gerrard. Captain Cook failed in his endeavours to make out this land, and several other navigators have been equally unsuccessful. But last year Mr. Smith, Master of the Brig William, of Blythe in Northumberland, and trading between the Rio Plata and Chili, in endeavouring to facilitate his passage round Cape Horn, ran to a higher latitude than is usual in such voyages, and in latitude 62° 30' and 60° west longitude, discovered land. As circumstances did not then admit of a close examination, he de

ferred it till his return voyage to Valparaiso, during which, in February last, he ran in a westward direction along the coasts either of a continent or numerous islands, for two or three hundred miles, forming large bays, and abounding with the spermaceti whale, scals, &c. He took numerous soundings and bearings, draughts, and charts of the coast and in short, did every thing that the most experienced navigator, dispatched purposely for the object of making a survey, could do. He even landed, and, in the usual manner, took possession of the country for his sovereign, and named his acquisition, "New South Shetland." The climate was temperate, the coast mountainous, apparently uninhabited, but not destitute of ve getation, as firs and pines were observable in many places; in short, the country had upon the whole the appearance of the coast of Norway. After having satisfied himself with every particular that time and circum. stances permitted him to examine, he bore away to the north, and pursued his voyage.

On his arrival at Valparaiso he communicated his discovery to Captain Sherriff of His Majesty's ship Andromache, who happened to be there. Captain S. immediately felt the importance of the communication, and lost not a moment in making every arrangement for following it up; he immediately dispatched the William, with officers from the Andromache, to ascertain the nature of the country. The ship has returned from this voyage, and on her arrival off the harbour, and making her report to Captain Searle, of the Hyperion, orders were given that no intercourse with the shore should be permitted. This has naturally led to the inference, that the discovery turns out to be important, and that this precaution is taken to prevent the interference or claim of any foreign nation, previous to the usual measures of taking possession in the name of His Britannic Majesty. The only draughtsman on the station, competent to perform the scientific part of the investigation, was Mr. Bone, a son of the distinguished artist of this name: he accordingly went in the William, and made the drawings of the coast, &c. Government is, it seems, fitting out an expedition for the new country, and several of the southern whalers have already "sailed thither.

Hydrophobia.-A medical correspondent recommends the trial of the two following D experiments in cases of this dreadful disorder :--I. Whoever has attended any common course of chemical lectures must have witnessed the extraordinary effects which result from inhaling the nitrous oxide, or Laughing Gas, as it has been designated. Now, we well know, upon general principles, that Providence has made nothing in vain, and it is impossible to believe that such a powerful gascous combination could be intended for

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no other purpose than to impel fools to laughter. Fes - to 219799 1 Let it be recollected, then that the prine cipal concomitant symptoms of hydro phobia are gloom and despondency, against which this gas seems a temporary specific; and surely it cannot be thought presumptuous to say that there is a possibility, not only of temporary relief, but even of permanent eure from its exhibitions. In the second place, we know that heat has been, perhaps justly, considered as the cause of the disease in the canine species is it not possible then that an extraordinary degree of refrigeration might tend to counteract its influence? The experiment is simple. Let the patient be placed in a common tin bath, surrounded by pounded ice, which perhaps he may bear, even when the dread of water is at its height. If the experiment should kill, it only does that which the disease in a short time most infallibly will do.

Doctor Lyman Spalding, one of the most eminent physicians of New York, announces, in a small pamphlet, that for above these fifty years, the Scutellaria lateriflora L. has proved to be an infallible means for the prevention and cure of the bydrophobia, after the bite of mad animals. It is better applied as a dry powder than fresh. According to the testimonies of several American physicians, this plant, not yet received as a remedy in any European Materia Medica, afforded a perfect relief in above a thousand cases, as well in the human species, as the brute creation (dogs, swine, and oxen). The first discoverer of the remedy is not known: Doctors Derveer (father and son) first brought it into general use.

Classical MSS. discovered. The learned world may reasonably expect in a few years, complete and perfect translations of Plutarch, Sallust, Livy, Tacitus, Aristotle, Hippocrates, &c. from the Arabic; the French have been lately assiduous in their researches after such Arabian treasures.

M. Gardin, the French ambassador at Constantinople, has sent to Paris fifteen valuable works in Arabic from the Imperial Library at Constantinople, among which are the complete works of Plutarch and Herodotus!

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The works of Aristotle, Hippocrates, Livy, Tacitus, Sallust, &c. are known to have been translated into Arabic, and might be discovered and purchased by well-directed search after them, at Fas, Morocco, or some other ports of West or South Barbary. Mr. Jackson, in his recent travels in those countries, annexed to Shabeeny's Account of Timbuctoo and Housa, page 325, says, “It is more than probable, that the works of many Greek and Roman authors, translated during the æra of Arabian learning, are found in the hands of literary individuals, in several parts of West and South Barbary!"

eto be

Mr. Jacks, librarian to the Royal Library

at Bamberg, has discovered there a manuscript of the Roman history of Eutropius, which was probably brought from Rome by the Emperor Henry, the founder of the Bishopric of Bamberg. The MS. is more complete than any of the best editions hi therto published of this author, and very likely to correct a number of false readings. Professor Goeller, of Cologne, had previously discovered in the Royal Library a MS. of Livy.

Professor Cramer, at Kiel, discovered two years ago, in the library of the Convent of St. Gallen, a MS. of the eleventh century, containing illustrations of Juvenal which are said to be of greater importance than any hitherto known. He has now published a specimen on occasion of the king's birth-day, under the title of, Specimen novæ editionis scholasticæ Juvenalis.

Bibliomania. At no time during the highest rage of Bibliomanianism, did books of rarity bear higher prices than at the concluding sale of Mr. Bindley's library. The competition for old poetical tracts and ballads was unexampled :No. 87 A small collection of Poetical Tracts, 8vo. 160 Battel between Frogs and Mice

509 Peele's Pageant, 1591, (4

leaves)

632 Winstanley's Audley End 635 Engravings of Wilton Garden

698 Wits Bedlam

722 Father Hubbard's Tales 917 History of Two English Lovers, 1561

922 The Mastive or Young Whelp

930 The more the merrier

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966 Whetstone's Life of the E. of Bedford

£31 10 0

16 16 0

15 15 O

17 17 0

56 14 0

15 15 0
13 13 0

30 19 6

25 10 0

20

23

00

1125 Collection of Poetical Bal-
lads from 1640 to 1670 192 00
Ditto from

1126

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1679 to 1685

1128 1130

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183 15 0

43

of Connor, the Rev. Dr. Henry, who unfortunately did not understand the aboriginal language, and he sent it to Dr. Macdonald, of Belfast, who soon discovered the MSS. to be the original of the Poems of Ossian, written at Connor, by an Irish Friar, named Terence O'Neal, a branch of the now noble family of the Earl of O'Neal, of Shane's Castle, in the year 1463.—The translations by Macpherson, the Scotchman, appear to be very imperfect: this is accounted for by the Scotch Gaelic poets having no character in which to preserve their poems; they had, therefore, borrowed from the sister country. The Irish translation of the poems, however, by Baron Harold, who dedicated the work to Edmund Burke, is nearer the original; for the wily Scot, Macpherson, to give them a greater air of antiquity, omitted all allusions to the religious subjects which the originals possess.

"The fixing of the scenes of the poems at and round Connor, by the antiquarian Campbell, who travelled here a few years ago, gave rise to the digging and searching about the old abbey and castle, which has thus happily terminated in making, against his will, the Land of the Harp," the birthplace of the author of the elegant Poems of Ossian. I conclude in the words of Smollett "Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn!”

Settlement at Algoa Bay. The following particulars have been received in letters from the new settlers :-" We arsived at Algoa Bay, after a tedious passage from England, during which we experienced sufficient proofs of the very excellent arrangements of the government for our comfort. I have been up the country as far as Graham's Town, and a more delightful one cannot be expressed. The first landing at Algoa Bay is a little unpleasant, occasioned by a continual surf; but, once landed, your greatest 20 difficulty is over. You then apply to the proper officer, who has a surveyed government plan before him of the intended settlement, marked out in lots, of from 100 to 10,000 acres. Especial care is taken that every lot has a good spring of water, and well wooded. You are then asked the number of followers you have, each being allowed 100 acres. This being ascertained, the quantity of land you want is sought for on the government map, without any partiality. An authority is then given you to take possession. Too much praise cannot be given to the Governor for those arrangements. If you have not brought waggons, they can be procured of the boors, with a team of oxen, and off you set. The settlement is about 190 miles from the sea. You pass a good Dutch farm every 15 or 20 miles. The governnient sell you a good tent for two guineas, which you set up every night, making a blazing fire, and, surrounded by your team, sleep in the greatest safety.

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174 6 0 Ditto 5 vols. 231 0 0 Ditto The three first collections of Ballads, and of halfpenny and penny songs, were bought by the Marquis of Buckingham. The 5 volumes of the same kind by Mr. Heber.

Discovery of the original Ossian's Poems. -The following is an extract of a letter from Belfast, dated Aug. 4:

"On opening a vault where stood the cloisters of the old Catholic Abbey, at Connor, founded by St. Patrick, the workmen discovered an oaken chest, of carious and ancient workmanship, whose contents, on being opened, proved to be a translation of the Bible into the Irish character, and several other manuscripts in that language. The box was immediately taken to the Minister

"The arrangements of Government were most liberal, and every attention was paid to

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