A practical Review of Miss Hannah More's Strictures on Female Education, in a Series of Anapestic Epistles. By Sappho Search. 25. 6d. 8vo. 1800. THIS lady is no descendant from the Grecian Sappho, nor is there any thing in the argument to compensate for the defects of the poetry. The Beauties of Kotzebüe; containing the most interesting Scenes, Sentiments, and Speeches, &c. in all his admired Dramas. With Biographical Anecdotes of the Author; a Summary of his dramatic Fables, and cursory Remarks. By Walley Chamberlain Oulton. 12mo. Crosby and Letterman. 1800. THE man who professes to select the beauties of an author, should be able also to distinguish his defects. Mr. Oulton does not possess this discriminative talent. He seems to have extracted the good, bad, and indifferent, without regard to connection or quality. The scenes, speeches, &c. are alphabetically arranged under different titles, in a similar manner to the "Beauties of the modern dramatists," reviewed in our last number. Pleasures of Solitude. A Poem. By P. Courtier. muse. PP. 44. Cawthorn. 1800. 12mo. 25. 6d. SOLITUDE has always found an advocate in the votaries of the She has been celebrated in odes and sonnets without number, as giving birth to those reflections and feelings which form the basis of genuine poesy. Nunquam minùs solus qnam cum solus, says Horace, and Zimmerman, who, though not a poet (commonly so called) was a philosopher with true poetic taste and sentiment, has traced the influence of solitude upon the mind of man, and described its pleasures and value, with the most interesting and persuasive eloquence. Solitude is also the favourite subject of the author before us, and conceiving it well calculated for a descriptive and didactic essay, he has published the present little poem. It is in the stanza of Spenser, and has much merit. Some of the passages are highly polished and, poetical, and the thoughts, as in the following stanzas, are often extremely happy. How different strike, by scene diversified, Those bells, of city honours long the pride, If haply heard where nature swells the mind, Their loud tones mingled with the softening wind, And not, as now, in riot mirth severe Galled with incessant peal the stunned and cracking ear. Compared with concert, oratorio proud, Aye all that banded-chorus can perform, On summer's evening bank, as round me swarm The elves that issue from each scented brake, Each copse, and purpled grove, their revelries to take. Mr. Courtier rejects the opinion of Lord Bacon, that the man who secludes himself from the world, must be either the best or the worst of mankind. Sure, 'twas not Solitude the sage pourtrayed, But gloomy banishment to wilds forlorn; Not the calm breezes of the rural shade: But sullen thought, in love and madness born; The sad resolves of him from whom are forn Life's opening dreams, who hates even human kind; Nor suits there aught the aspect of whose mind, Save the dark-gathering skies, and rough and howling wind. And, at such time, ô see! by frenzy sped, The melancholy man yon summit gain, Known only these to that high-favoured train, Who, while by nature touch'd their souls dilate, Can speed the hour with bliss and smile at frowning fate. These specimens will suffice to shew somewhat of the design and execution of the poem, which though it does not embrace all the topics that might be comprehended in a subject of this nature, will impress the reader with a very favourable opinion of the author's abilities. His style is much improved since his last, publication (see vol. ii. p. 222); and we doubt not he will soon establish his claim to a share of that honourable fame, for the acquisition of which he professes to have enlisted himself a candidate. DRAMATIC. No. III. of the German Theatre. Lover's Vows, or, the Natural Augustus Von Kotzebue By Benjamin Thompson, Esq. We are happy to observe, that this elegant periodical work continues to be carried on with unabated spirit, and that the engravings, with which it is decorated, maintain the respectable character they promised at the commencement of the publication. Of this very interesting play, we have given our sentiments at considerable length, in a former number. [See vol. vi. p. 238.] As a dramatic composition, it ranks, in our opinion, before the farfamed Pizarro, and next tofthe Stranger, of the same author, whose works are now likely to be perpetuated in this country by the faithful and industrious pen of Mr. Thompson. Joanna of Montfaucon; a Dramatic Romance of the fourteenth cen tury: as performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. Formed upon the plan of the German Drama of Kotzebue : and adapted to the English stage, by Richard Cumberland. 8vo. pp. 88. Lackingington & Co. 1800. "ISHALL not scruple to say, (speaking under the sanction of age and long experience) that the diction of Joanna is not inferior to that of any of my most favoured plays."-SIR FRETFUL. It is well for the reputation of Mr. Cumberland, that the public differ with him upon this subject. The diction of this play is feeble, meretricious, and sometimes ungrammatical; d-based by puerilities, and frequently turgid and verbose. We might multiply instances in support of this opinion: I know I have outlived the time, when a simple and consistent fable, developed in correct and classic diction, presenting characters to be found in nature, and producing incidents not irreconcileable to probability, can no longer attract : I also perceive I have lived to see the time, when, not content with the eccentricities of our own stage, we have gone to that of the Germans for fresh supplies of what we were overstocked with-false writing and false moral."-SIR FRETFUL again. In short, by this curious and ill-advised preface, it appears, that because the taste of the public is vitiated, and our actors are mummers because the town deserts an author who writes according to nature and good models-because Mr. C. has been uniformly adverse to the introduction of German Dramas on the English stage-and because he does not understand a syllable of the German lan guage he has written the play of Joanna. It had been better, if, in the room of this querulous apologetic preface, the author had silently acquiesced in the public sentiment respecting the present performance; he was unfortunate enough to employ his labour upon unproductive materials. The structure of the original play, it must be confessed, is radically defective, and the incidents are crude, confused, and improbable, rudis indigestaque moles. We only regret, that Mr. C- should have expended more pains upon it, than he ever did upon any play in his life;' and that, notwithstanding, the brilliancy of the spectacle, and the excellence of the music,' his endeavours have not been more serviceable to the interests of Covent-Garden theatre.' A literal translation from the Drama of Kotzebue, will come under our cognizance in a future number. Speed the Plough; a Comedy in Five Alts. As performed with universal Applause at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. By Thomas Morton, Esq. The Seventh Edition. 8vo. 25. Longman and Rees, 1800. ENTERING, as is our custom, fully and deliberately into the dramatic pretensions of every production of the Theatre, as soon as it meets the public eye, little remains for us, in this department of our Miscellany, but to give a general opinion with regard to its merit as a literary composition. Speed the Plough is, unquestionably, one of the best written, as well as most entertaining comedies of the present day. The dialogue is penned with correctness and elegance, and often with considerable vigour and animation. The Title-Page of the copy before us affords a sufficient proof that the play has excited the attention of a very numerous portion of readers; and, if it meet with as much approbation in the closet as it has commanded in representation, we presume the author will have no inclination to complain, with Mr. Cumberland, of the depravity of the public taste. Management; a Comedy, in Five Acts. As performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. By Frederick Reynolds. 800. 25. Longman and Rees, 1799. WE have been much amused with the perusal of this comedy. The language, though seldom polished into classical elegance, is adapted, with great propriety, to the manners and sentiments of the respective characters. The jargon of Mist, the manager, is highly characteristic and entertaining, and the scene between Sir Harvey and Miss Sutherland proves, that if Mr. Reynolds chiefly confines himself to the delineation of comic scenes and incidents, it is not because he is inadequate to the task of serious and pathetic composition. THE BRITISH STAGE. IMITATIO VITE, SPECULUM CONSUETUDINIS, IMAGO VERITATIS. Cicero. The Imitation of LIFE---The Mirror of MANNERS---The Representation of TRUTH. ON THE PREVALENCE OF MUSICAL QUACKERY MR. EDITOR, IN THE THEATRES OF LONDON. As far as success in writing depends on general discrimination, and consequent character, literary men have a peculiar advantage: Their merits or demerits are, generally speaking, fairly canvassed, and obtain their due reward. Imposition cannot be long practised on the literary world. Innumerable instances prove this assertion. Among the more modern, take young Ireland's forgery of the Shakespeare history. As impudence is generally accompanied by folly, this gentleman has published a novel, in 4 vols. to prove (as his preface avers) that he can write. Lege, and if possible, crede. Musical men have not this advantage of meeting due reward or castigation as circumstances demand. The system is different. I feel it necessary to state, I am perfectly aware of the just distinction between the man who writes as the historian, the philosopher, the poet, or the critic, and the man who merely composes music. Yet, if it be generally allowed that genius, originality, and invention attach to the science of music, is it not just, that there should be musical, as well as literary criteria, to reward industry and genius, and punish empiricism? I have no scruple, Mr. Editor, in asserting, from observation and experience, that the trade of musical composition, as it is carried on in the theatres, &c. in London, is a system of monopoly, of patronage, and of venality. It is, I presume, in your possession, that on the death of Storace (a man to whom the public are indebted for the best music ever brought forward in a London theatre) his situation, his MSS. and valuable collection of music were put into the hands of a certain person, to whom the proprietor was considerably in debt. The gentleman I allude to is, I believe, a very worthy man; yet, if Storace had lived, this musical Wicklow Mine could never have been discovered. There is another case in point, at the same theatre; a young performer was awarded 1000l. or something near it, damages on an action brought for recocovery of salary. It was not found convenient to pay the sum, and as a salvo pro tempore, Mr. W. was promised the setting of an opera. |