teresting light, and even contrasted his benevolent Israelite with a man of his own clime, complexion, and degree,' who, in the same scene, is represented as an unfeeling and avaricious character. What would the Aarons and the Sholomons of Duke's Place have said, if the audience had interpreted this into an insult on the English, and hissed the worthy Jew off the stage, as a partial and exaggerated portraiture? The truth is, the Jews, like the viper in the fable, are inclined to turn and sting the hand that has fostered them. The stage has lately become the vehicle of their panegyric. When was offered a compliment more pointed, flattering, and liberal, to any sect or nation, than Cumberland has paid to the Jewish ráce, in his Sheva? They now grow arrogant and presuming, appearing to claim as a right what we have liberally conceded to them as an indulgence; and after we have made a public renunciation, through the medium of the drama, of the prejudices which have been im» puted to us respecting the Jews, they take the most obvious method of reviving those prejudices (if such they were), and of convincing us that our concessions have been impolitic, and our eulogium uns warranted. Let them be cautious how they proceed, It is dangerous to trifle with the English nation. For these people, who already enjoy, perhaps, more privileges than are altogether consistent with the Christian religion, and who, in this country, are, and ever have been, more favoured than in any other on the face of the globe, it is more particuJarly unsafe and unwise to render themselves obnoxious to the public, They ought to recollect that we are at this moment manifesting our impartiality, and abhorrence of vulgar prejudices, by the most lavish encouragement, and enthusiastic admiration of Mr. Braham's very astonishing vocal powers. We have singers of our own, of rare and exquisite talent, but we do not, as a less liberal audience might, suffer this consideration to weigh against the merits of the performer we have just named. Let them be cautious, we repeat. We can forgive, but we do not forget. If, amid the tumult of the audience, blood had been spilt, or the theatre demolished, the con*séquences can hardly be conjectured. It is not easy to fix a bound to the just resentment of the British public. After the horrible mur"der at Chelsea, several years ago, by a confederacy of Jews, none of their race durst, for a long time, venture beyond the purlieus of Hounsditch, without experiencing, in some degree, the effects of popular fury. We mention this circumstance merely as a warning, for we lament the fact as 'disgraceful to the country. If the tribe proceed to further outrage, the DRAMATIC GUARDIAN has much more serious arguments in reserve,inq amoubory ismet ad ni ni brs aldaime som ant ni algoso 92911 basididxs Torlod selt bra CURSORY REMARKS ON SHAKSPERE. No. VIII. "O heaven! a beast that wants discourse of reason."Anna Hamlet. Nor one of the commentators has made a remark upon this passage. Is the sense, then, so very clear that it needs no illustration, If discourse of reason be interpreted reasonable discourse, or the power of conceiving or discoursing rationally, we should still quarrel with the phraseology, and call it quaint and affected, if not unintelligible. In Troilus and Cressida the same expression occurs : "Is your blood "So madly hot that no discourse of reason "Can qualify the same ?" But I am inclined to think that Shakspere meant discourse and reason to be two expressions nearly synonymous, and that the conjunctions and, or or, should be substituted in the room of the preposition of in both instances. My observation is, I think, supported by the following passage în Hamlet, A&t iv. scene 4. "What is a man, "If his chief good, and market of his time, Looking before, and after, gave us not 10 "That capability and godlike reason "To fust in us unus'd.” My conjecture gathers further strength from the following passages, in Massinger, and Beaumont and Fletcher, contemporary writers with Shakspere: "It adds to my calamity that I have Discourse AND reason." Massinger's Unnatural Combat. "Such as want • Discourse AND judgment, and through weakness fall, May merit man's compassion." Massinger's City Madam. "Why should a man, that has discourse AND reason, "Covet to have his wishes satisfied." B. and Fletcher's Coxcomb. J. ORIGINAL POETRY. [I am glad to see symptoms, in the last Number, of a return to the structure of the true Sonnet: which has too much been confounded with the Elegiac Quatrain of fourteen lines, closing with a couplet. I send you a Sonnet which this deviation has suggested. SONNET. C. L.I YE whose aspirings court the MUSE of lays, Of its full Harmony :-they fear to wrong The SONNET, by adorning with a name Of that distinguish'd import, lays, though sweet, Of that so varied and peculiar Frame. O think!—to vindicate its genuine praise Those it beseems whose LYRE a favouring Impulse sways! 9 08. 1802. IRREGULAR SONNET, C. L. Supposed to be addressed, by the young Lunatic on whom the 14th Sonnet of the Series by a Young Lady was written, to the Author of that Poem. LADY, thou weepest for the maniac's woe, And thou art fair, and thou, like me, art young, Oh may thy bosom never, never know The pangs with which my wretched heart is wrung. I had a mother once--a brother too Beneath yon yew my father rests his head : I had a lover once,-and kind, and true, But mother, brother, lover, all are fled. Yet whence the tear that dims thy lovely eye? And soft, and sound, will be my peaceful sleep. MEMORANDA DRAMATICA. W. The Index, and the unavoidable length of some of the articles in our Review, have, this month, obliged us to contract the Poetical and Stage department; and, on the same account, sve must postpone our remarks on the novelties exhibited at the theatres, till the ensuing Number;—when we shall notice the revived comedies of the Busy Body, and Every Man in his Humour, and the Pantomime of Love and Magic, at Drury Lane ;-and the new Opera ; Harle quin's Habeas ; and Mr. Cooke's fine performance of Cato, at Covent Garden. BON TON THEATRICALS. The play of Henry IV. was on Friday, Dec. 3, performed for the second time, at Tottenham-street theatre, with some alterations in the cast of its characters. The Hon. Mr. Macdonald being indisposed, the Part of the Prince of Wales was undertaken by Captain Hicks, who, on the first night, performed the part of the King, and the Monarch was in consequence represented by Mr. Fitzgerald, a gentleman well known to the literary world as the author of several excellent poems, and successful epilogues, who acquitted himself with all requisite diguity, and gave to every scene its full force and effect. He was greatly applauded throughout, as was also Capt. Caulfield, in the part of Hotspur, whose performance was spirited, and, on the whole, very effective. Mr. Maddocks being absent from indisposition, the arduous part of Falstaff devolved to Mr. Cubitt, formerly of Covent-Garden, who acquitted himself with credit. Lady Percy was well repres sented by Miss Norton, of the Haymarket theatre. The theatre was crowded with elegant company. The usual refreshments were served between the acts. The interior of the building is light and elegant, and over the front of the stage is inscribed the following modest and ingenious motto MEMORANDA MUSICA. THE death of the celebrated Dr. Arnold has deprived the committee who manage the projected commemoration of the great Dr. Arne of its ablest and warmest support. Dr. Arnold exerted all his influence in aid of this laudable undertaking. It is to be hoped that this posthumous compliment to a British composer may yet be offered to his memory-dear to those who have souls attuned to harmony and patriotism! Mr. Viotti has not been idle since his return to this country. A set of trios, for violins and a violoncello, dedicated to his friend Shield; two sets of violin duets, concertos for the piano forte, and for the violin, &c. by this inimitable master of his art, have been very lately published. It were presumption in us to attempt to analyse them-they are by Viotti. Mr. Clementi proceeds from Paris to visit his friends and relatives in Italy, before his return to London. We contradict (with regret) the report of Mr. Shield being engaged on an opera for either house. As long as a taste for simplicity of style, good sense, and for English Music exists, the names of Purcel, Arne, and Shield will be respected. Review of new Musical Publications. "Three Duets for the Piano Forte, by Walter, Pupil of Haydn.” This work does credit to the Eleve of so great a man. The composer has displayed an accurate knowledge of his instrument, and no small share of musical erudition. The modulations flow smoothly and freely, and are facile in the execution. It were to be wished that composers for this fashionable instrument would do as Mr. Walter has done, adapt their music to the capacities and execution of the unlearned, as well as the learned performer. "A Negro Song," versified (from Mungo Parke's Travels) by the Rev. S. S. Colman. Set by J. Moorehead. In this little song, the sense of the words is expressed by the music. The introductory symphony, and the accompaniment, assist the general effect. "Pleyel's Concertante in F, arranged for the Piano Forte by Field." This is the favourite piece composed by Ignace Pleyel, (now established in Paris as a Citoyen Marchand, as well as Auteur de Musique) when in London, for the members of the Professional Concert. When that harmonic society broke up, the valuable collection of M. S. music was equally divided amongst the members. The concertante now before us fell to the lot of Mr. W. Parke, a gentleman well known in the musical world for his talents as a performer on the hautboy. It is now presented to the admirers of Pleyel, in parts for an orchestra, or adapted to the piano forte, by John Field, the pupil of Muzio Clementi. "The Dusky night, arranged as a Rondeau à la Chasse, by Dr. C. Smith, of Richmond. In two movements: the introductory one slow and expressive; the secund, the old English air varied with taste and skill. 3 F-VOL. XIV, |