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ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE SEASONS.

BY THE LATE WILLIAM BECKFORD, ESQ.
SONNET I. SPRING.

CHILD of the year, sweet spring, once more is seen,
With genial showers, and zephyrs in her train ;
Again the meads assume their robes of green,
Again the corn looks vivid on the plain.
Her balmy influence on the grove appears,
When lucid dew-drops glitter to the day;
When emeraldine tints, and diamond tears,

Paint ev'ry leaf, and water ev'ry spray.
Now nature, from a torpid state, revives,
And birds and beasts th' auspicuous season hail :
To shun the cold, the fish no longer dives,
But skims the surface, and enjoys the gale.

The flow'rs, thick set, enamel o'er the ground,

And the rich landscape beams with splendour round.

ODE,

Written on the Death of Dermody the Poet.

I.

Child of misfortune! Offspring of the Muse!
Mark like the meteor's gleam his mad career;
With hollow cheeks and haggard eye,
Behold he shrieking passes by:

I see, I see him near:

That hollow scream, that deep'ning groan;

It rings upon mine ear.

II.

Oh come ye thoughtless, ye deluded youth,

Who clasp the syren pleasure to your breast;

Behold the wreck of genius here,

And drop, oh drop the silent tear,

For Dermody at rest :

His fate is yours, then from your loins
Tear quick the silken vest.

III.

Saw'st thou his dying bed! Saw'st thou his eye,
Once flashing fire, despair's dim tear distill;
How ghastly did it seem ;
And then his dying scream:
Oh God! I hear it still:

It sounds upon my fainting sense,
It strikes with deathly chill.
IV.

Say didst thou mark the brilliant poet's death;
Saw'st thou an anxious father by his bed,
Or pitying friends around him stand :
Or did'st thou see a mother's hand
Support his languid head :

Oh none of these-no friend o'er him
The balm of pity shed.

V.

Now come around, ye flippant sons of wealth,
Sarcastic smile on genius fallen low :-
Now come around who pant for fame,
And learn from hence a poet's name,
Is purchas'd but by woe:

And when ambition prompts to rise,
Oh think of him below.

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LINES,

WRITTEN IN CONSEQUENCE OF A DEFECT IN 'SPEECH. Addressed by a Lady to her stammering tongue.

Chester.

SAY, foolish trembler, pry'thee say,
Why shrinks thy coward sense:
Is it a tyrant's rigid sway

Makes thee so fear offence?

Do instigations dark assail,
And move thy timid frame?
In evil may'st thou ever fail,
Nor earn a traitor's fame.

If 'tis thy office to bring forth
The lie by spleen conceiv'd,
Suppress the monster in the birth,
Unheard and unbeliev'd.

Still falter on, if such thy trust,
And if not wholly good,
The part prefer that's least unjust,
And be not understood.

Or may we not as fairly ask,
If big with glorious deeds,
Some ardent mind presents a task
That common pow'rs exceeds ?

To such a fate had been consign'd
The fire of Chatham's son,
The brilliant spark might ne'er have shin'd,
And England been undone.

But no, securely may'st thou prove

Beneath so high a crime :

To thee, nor wisdom, wit, nor love
Entrust their words sublime.

A simple head and honest heart

Exert an humbler sway,
The easy lessons they impart,
Why tremble to obey?

"Alas," replies th' accus'd-" Indeed
"My task is hard, though common,
"Blame not the tongue that lacks of speed,
"When it belongs to Woman!"

M. HOLFORD.

MEMORANDA DRAMATICA, &c.

DRURY-LANE.

SEPT. 23.—Mr. Dwyer, who made his debut last year, made his second appearance in Belcour, and was greeted with the warmest applause. We have already given our opinion of this gentleman, which remains unaltered.

25.-Brothers, and Two Strings to your Bow.-Sir Benjamin Dove, and Lazarillo, Mr. Cherry. We refer the reader to B. Stage of last month.

28.-Cymbeline.-Pope's Posthumus, though this evening he laboured under a hoarseness, is a very fine performance. It is, indeed, one of his happiest efforts; and Mrs. Pope is such an Imogen as Shakspere, were he living, would be proud to acknowledge.

OCT. 2.-The Jew and Fortune's Frolic,-Jabal and Robin Roughhead by Mr. Collins. [Vide B. Stage.] Mr. Allingham's farce was acted for the first time at this theatre, and went off with infinite spirit, though, upon the whole, not so well cast as it ought to have been. We hope the author of this pleasant entertainment is not lying idle-we want a few such farces.

4.-The Lyar.-Young Wilding by Mr. Dwyer, who was less fortunate in this character than in Belcour.

7.-Henry IV.-Falstaff by Mr. S. Kemble. [Vide B. Stage.] Pope's Hotspur was much and deservedly applauded. The impetuosity of the character was well sustained in the scene with his uncle. Mrs. Powell looked beautifully in Lady Percy, and, in the repetition of the interrogatory to her husband,"Do you not love me?" her tone and manner were exquisite. Mr. Charles Kemble, in Hal, proved a true prince,' and deported himself most gallantly in the latter scenes of the play.

11.-Winter's Tale,-With Pope in Leontes, Mrs. Powell in Hermione, and Mrs. Ansell (late Mrs. Yates) in Paulina. The performance of the lady last mentioned was spirited and impressive, and she will make a considerable addition to the strength of the company; but if she were less elaborate, her acting would be much the better for it, and by all means let her avoid the imitation of Siddons, into which we perceive she is too apt to fall. Miss Hicks, in Perdita, introduced the following air, written by Mr. Sheridan, and composed by Lanza.

As shepherds, through the vapours grey,

Behold the dawning light,

Yet doubt if 'tis the rising day,

Or meteor of the night.

So varying passions, in my breast,

Its former calm destroy;

With hope and fear at once oppress'd,

I tremble at my joy.

The Lying Valet was the farce, in which the Sharp of Collins was extremely entertaining.

13.—Mr. Hardinge appeared in Major O'Flaherty. [See the B. Stage.] Mrs. Mountain rendered Louisa Dudley unusually interesting. It was her first performance of the part in this theatre; but we remember seeing her play it, with great pleasure, on the boards of Covent-Garden.

21.-Jealous Wife.-Mrs. Glover, who we rejoice to find has obtained an engagement in London, made her appearance in Mrs. Oakley, and was received

M M-VOL. XIV.

1

with the loudest applause. She played, as she always did, with unabating spirit, and gave full effect, to the leading points of this arduous character; but the play has never before been so feebly cast. It is the chef d'œuvre of the elder Colman, and merited better attention.

COVENT GARDEN.

SEPT. 15. Mr. Cooke made his appearance for the season in Richard the Third, which he performed, if possible, with improved spirit, and was rapturously applauded by the audience. Mr. Brunton and Mr. Siddons succeed Messrs. Whitfield and Betterton in Buckingham and Tressel.

22-Henry IV.-Mr. Lewis has resigned the Prince of Wales into the hands of Mr. Brunton, who, when he gets a little practised in the part, will do it much justice. This gentleman has talents for genteel comedy, which, with proper cultivation, will render him a popular performer in that line.

24.-Suspicious Husband.-Clarinda, Miss Marriott. [See B. Stage.] Mr. Lewis was most admirable in Ranger. He played with exhaustless spirit; and, often as he has gratified the town with his inimitable performance of this character, he scarcely ever appeared to more advantage in it than on the present evening.

27.-Hamlet.-Ophelia, Miss Reeve. [See B. Stage.] Mr. Cooke's Hamlet attracted a crowded audience. His person, voice, and the leading features of his acting, are much against him in this character. His recital of several passages was honourable to his judgment; and, in the closet-scene, he exhibited several beauties but the part is decidedly out of his way, and his reputation is so high with the public, that there is no necessity for venturing upon hazardous novelties in its support, Mr. Cory's fine deep voice is well calculated for the solemn delivery of the Ghost. He appeared on this evening to be somewhat alarmed, which prevented his giving it all the effect of which he is capable.

29.-Beaux Stratagem.-Mrs. Sullen by Miss Marriott. [See B. Stage.]

OCT. 1.-Jane Shore.-Jane Shore by Miss Marriott. [See B. Stage.] A disturbance took place on the drawing up of the curtain, in consequence of Mr. Waddy's informing the audience that the sudden indisposition of Mr. Murray had occasioned an alteration in the cast of the tragedy; and that Mr. Cory, who was announced in the bills for Gloster, would assume the part of Shore, and Mr. Claremont would undertake to read the Duke of Gloster. The latter intelligence was received with the most decided and noisy disapprobation. The play commenced in the midst of this uproar, which continued, notwithstanding an address from Mr. Siddons, (who acted Hastings) in confirmation of his father-in-law's situation, until the entrance of Miss Marriott, when, in consideration of the feelings of a lady almost new to the stage, the riotous multitude" governed their roaring throats," and the storm was suddenly appeased. Mrs. Litchfield played with uncommon energy in Alicia, and was very loudly applauded. Siddons, in the scene immediately before the execution of Hastings, was animated and impressive in the earlier scenes he seemed to have been too much affected by the clamour of the audience, to recover sufficient possession of his powers.Cory's Shore, particularly under the circumstances we have mentioned, was a manly and commendable performance; and it is but justice to Mr. Claremont to say that, obnoxious as he appeared to the audience, he read his part in a very sensible and accurate manner,

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8.-Way to get Married.-Miss Waddy, the young lady whose first a ppearance we noticed last season, made her second attempt in Julia Faulkner.—

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