May 19,-Il Turco in Italia ;—[1st time.]—La Paysanne Supposee.

The plot of this piece is brief but interesting, and the incidents are ingeniously disposed. It would take up too much of our circumscribed room to select the chief passages-enough to say that each successive scene was received with increasing admiration, and that four Scenas of no inconsiderable length were loudly encored. The scenery and decorations were most magnificent. The view of Naples, first by day-light, and afterwards by moon-light, is among the finest instances of the art. Such a disposition of parts, full of bold seperations, all perfectly mingled in soft and finished perspective, one may behold in the choice landscapes of the sixteenth century. The mole-advanced to the utmost projection of the rocky ridge with the lighthouse above it-the forts just within this boundary-the steep acclivities on which are seen the tents of the gypsey crewand the deep cerulean tone taken from the moonlight by the sky and waters, gave the whole scene the most profound and tranquil effect imaginable. A short sketch of the plot will not be unacceptable.

Selim, a Turkish Prince-[DE VILLE.]-lands at Naples to explore Italy. He meets with Zaida-[Miss MORI.] to whom he had betrothed himself while she was his slave, wandering with a gang of gipsies. His passion revives— but he is a little swerved from his intentions by the coquetries of Donna Fiorilla-[Signora De BEGNI.]-whose capricious follies give very reasonable grounds of distrust in her spouse Don Geronio-[Signor DE BEGNI.] She is brought to penitence at last by a threat of divorce. In consequence Selim resolves to embark for home, and practise constancy in regard to Zaida,

PLACCI, as Prosdocimo, a poet in search of materials for an Opera, gave a very pleasant picture of a character full of mischief and licentiousness-Miss MORI sustained the romance of her part in a very creditable manner- -indeed the whole exerted themselves with the happiest effect, and the Opera went off with the greatest eclat

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

The spot where GARRICK rais'd his name,

In mingling radiance with his SHAKSPEARE'S fame,
Where SIDDONS, tragedy's unrivall'd queen,
As nature vivid dignified the scene,

Where SHERIDAN our boast, who all admit
A second Congreve in the realms of wit,

Enriched these realms with humour that shall live
And polished mirth to latest ages give
Still shall this spot to memory be dear
And rising genius find protection here!"

April 23.-Jane SHORE-Giovanni in London.

The "Management" of this Theatre presented their Holiday Visitors with the above entertainments--and by so doing, departed from the line of conduct usually adoptedthat of producing "something new" on Easter Monday. The Tragedy was performed in a manner that reflects considerable credit on those who were engaged in the representation. Mr. WALLACK having upon former occasions sustained the character of Gloster,in the more fiery delineation of Shakspeare, was of course fully competent to the sketch which Rowe has given of the same tyrant in this play. Mr. COOPER displayed much force in the short part of Hastings, his last interview with Alicia was particularly solemn and affecting. Mrs. WEST, as Shore, exhibited with great fidelity to nature, the unavailing repentance and submissive sufferings of the fallen Mistress of Edward, and Mrs. GLOVER, as Alicia, met deserved applause for the excellency with which she personated a character neither tender nor natural in itself. An apology was made for Madame VESTRIS in the afterpiece, and Miss CUBITT, who appeared as her substitute, was well received; she has repeated the part several times since.

24.-Mother and Son, [1st Time.]-The Devil to Pay.Giovanni in London.

A new Melo-Drame (3 Acts,) from the pen of Mr. Mon

E

crieff, was this evening produced for the first time. It is founded on a very trivial incident, and is not rendered very interesting by the way in which it is managed. The plot arises chiefly out of the anxiety of a Mother to discover her son who had been taken from her for the purpose of being substituted for the deceased heir to a title and estate. She finds him eventually on the point of marriage with a rich heiress; they recognize each other, and the marriage is for the present postponed, but with a fair prospect of taking place in a short time. The scantiness of the materials is the greatest defect of this Drama. The dialogue is marked with the characteristic sprightliness and humour of its author's other productions. Mr. COOPER gave the part of Evelyn (the Son) with his usual correctness-and Mrs. EGERTON was passable in that of Mrs. Orwin, (the Mother.) Mr. KNIGHT, as a warm-hearted country lad, and Mr. HARLEY, as a busy bustling waggish waiter, need no eulogium. The piece was not very successful. The musical entertainment of the "Devil to pay" followed, in which that unrivalled actress Miss KELLY was the Nell, and was well supported by that distinguished favourite, MUNDEN, who possesses all the power and rich drollery of his best days.

25th-Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice, [1st Time.]— Of Age To-morrow.

66

There is this business more than nature

Was ever conduct of; some Oracle

Must rectify our knowledge."-SHAKSPEARE.

Contrary to the wish of either the noble Author or the publisher, (Mr. Murray,) this Tragedy was produced for stage representation, and it may be said, completely failed. At an early hour in the evening, hand-bills were plentifully strewn throughout the Theatre, of which the following is a copy :

"The public are respectfully informed that the representation of Lord Byron's Tragedy this evening, takes place in defiance of the injunction of the Lord Chancellor, which was not applied for until the remonstrance of the publisher, at the earnest desire of the noble author had

failed in protecting the Drama from its intrusion on the stage, for which it was never intended."

We cannot with our confined space, enter into the merits or demerits of a case now left for decision in a court of Law, but we trust that the manager and publisher will be able to settle their differences without much litigation. With respect to the play itself, it was nearly secured from the chance of being brought out, (at least so early) by the 150 pages of large octavo, which the plot takes to work in, first to last, but what will not the improved system of dramatizing literature attain to? The age which has increased the power of steam, and the operations of chemistry so wonderfully, has given apparently equal facilities to the art, technically termed "Play Vamping" and behold! a miracle! a piece, which according to the noble author himself, has taken him four years from conception to birth, has been with no other aid than a pair of scissars, or a blotting pen, condensed into the representative size of a five act tragedy. Happily for Lord Byron, his great work was of that description which had nothing to fear from the ordeal. But avarice was at the bottom of all this, and to avarice, the fame, the feelings, and the dignity of those who write for the instruction and amusement of the public, are to be sacrificed, whenever the managers meet with a name of sufficient importance to be hazarded for their benefit.

The tragedy has been much cut down for the stage, and the curtailments have not been judiciously made, for it is not merely to conversations and soliloquies that the pruning knife has been confined, but the tragedy has been shorn of most of its poetical beauties. The character of the Doge was assigned to Mr. COOPER, who sustained it very creditably, and displayed great judgment in many instances, in several scenes he merited and received much applause; and in the delivery of one passage, the cheers were thrice three times repeated; but this was principally owing to the sentiment ;

-"There's not a history

But shows a thousand crown'd conspirators
Against the people; but to set them free
One Sovereign only died, and one is dying."

Mr. WALLACK as Israel Bertuccio, the chief conspirator sustained the character excellently, and gave some fine passages with good effect;-and in a manner equally creditable to her talents, Mrs. WEST gave that of Angiolina, with a mixture of feeling and dignity, which afforded a fine relief to the severe features of her husband's patriotism. BROMLEY, as one of the conspirators, and FOOTE, as one of the patricians, exhibited their claims, and received the just meed of approbation. We have not room farther to particularize, and shall therefore dismiss the whole with an honest expression of applause, including every one concerned in the getting up of the tragedy, "except those who are responsible for the violence done to the noble author's inclinations in getting it up at all."

April 26th.-Mother and Son-Mystification-Rosina. 27th.-Pizarro-Mystification.

28th.-The Poor Gentleman-The Maid and the Magpie. 30th.-Marino Faliero-The Sleeping Draught. May 1st.-Marino Faliero-High Notions. 2d.-Marino Faliero-Frightened to Death. 3d.-Marino Faliero-Giovanni in London. 4th.-Marino Faliero-Giovanni in London. 5th.-Love in a Village-Raising the Wind.

The opera was performed to a brilliant audience, in which Mr. BRAHAM and Miss WILSON made their re-appearance after their country excursion. Mr. BRAHAM, ever delightful, never gave more complete satisfaction than in the character of Hawthorn. In most of his songs he was encored. The charming ballad of "Friend of my soul, this goblet sip" he gave in a tone of the sweetest melody. Miss WILSON has acquired more confidence and self-possession, which enable her to display her scientific skill to the greatest advantage. Her brilliancy of execution and softness of expression in the sweet duet of "When thy bosom heaves the sigh," with BRAHAM, called forth the warmest applause. She was not less successful in the difficult duet of "Together let us range the fields," with Mr. HORN, who, in the character of Young Meadows, contributed in no small degree to the entertainment of the evening. The manager may well indeed boast of his