Othello.

amifs, coming on in white gloves, by pulling off which the black hands became more realized.

Mr, Ross and Mr. PowELL were pretty much on a footing in this part; the former figured it better, and spoke most of the paffages as well; but the latter appealed more to the heart, and wore the paffions with natural grace; however both were very far fhort of that capital merit, a London audience have a right to expect.

If it was poffible for fpectators to be pleased with meaning alone, uttered through very ungracious, inadequate organs, Mr. SHERIDAN might ftand high in public estimation; but execution being as neceffary as conception, we can only afford him the praife of barren propriety..

Iago is excellently drawn as a flow, fubtle, irafcible villain, dead to every good, or tender feeling, mean, hypocritical and vindictive, base enough to do any bad action underhand, but void of refolution to avow or vindicate his wickedness-to paint this complicate, we may add monftrous character happily in reprefentation, is by no means eafy; Mr. RYAN in his plausibility and ease was very commendable, but appeared greatly deficient in defign; Mr. SPARKS was heavy and laborious, Mr. SHERIDAN is excellent in the foliloquies, but void of eafe and infinuation in the dialogue; Mr. HOLLAND hunting after a meaning he never found, and Mr. LEE crowds in a multitude of meanings the author never intended; thus we introduce Mr. MACKLIN to an indifputable preeminence for understanding the part as well, and expreffing it through the whole

2

with

Othello.

with more equal and fuitable merit, than any other performer we have feen; and this we do not advance upon private opinion but from comparative views of the effect wrought by him and others upon various audiences: to couch our praife in very odd terms, he has got the indifputable, involuntary applause of as many curfes in Iago, as in Shylock.

Caffio is a very amiable, but, except his drunken scene which we esteem difgraceful to tragedy, a very uninteresting perfonage, the late Mr. PALMER did him great juftice, and the prefent Mr. PALMER, a rifing young Actor does not fall much behind in execution, to which is added the advantage of a much more foldier-like appearance, a perfon much better framed to make women falfe.

The babbling hound Roderigo receives confiderable pleasantry from Mr. DYER; but if it is not prostituting Mr. KING's fterling merit, to mention him first in such a part, we must give him the lead, and say, that if the reptile can be made fufferable, it is his by his performance: which, equal to some very arduous tasks, can nevertheless when occafion calls, condescend agreeably and make trifles interesting: this is no fmall point of praise; for many capital actors, thinking a character beneath their dignity, throw contempt on it and the audience; but Mr. KING's great good fenfe and respect for the public, prevents him from fo ridiculous a start of vanity-I wish every theatrical gentleman would follow the excellent example, and comparatively fpeaking, take as much pains with two or three lengths, as two or three and twenty.

Brabantio

Othella

Brabantio while concerned is of fome importance, though his complaint is rather childish; yet even the weak tears of a father claim refpect and call upon general fympathy, as they fpring from the fair fountain of paternal affection: Mr. BERRY, though blubbering in grief was his characteristic fault, ftood well in this part; we have had the anxiety to fee Mr. ANDERSON murder, and the pain to hear that coftive tragedian Mr. Love growl it forth; but never wifh to feel fuch intellectual mifery again.

Desdemona is a part of no fhining qualifications, every point of fatisfaction that can arife from her unvarying gentleness, and more than criticifm could claim, may be enjoyed from Mrs. BARRY, who looks and expreffes it much better than Mrs. YATES, to whom alfo we must prefer, fome years ago, Mrs. BELLAMY in this character.

Æmilia has much more life than her mistress and fhews a well contrasted spirit; Mrs. HOPKINS does not fall short of our wifhes, and we remember to have received fome pleasure from that uncultivated genius Mrs. HAMILTON in reprefenting her.

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but

To offer a general opinion of this tragedy, we deem it, properly retrenched, a most noble entertainment on the stage, and a luxurious, yet wholefome feast for the closet; it rather wants business, and therefore in fome places lies heavy on action ; it keeps an excellent moral in view, and forceably inculcates it all along; the fatal effects of jealoufy; by well wrought paffions, elevated fentiments and a dreadful catastrophe fhewing the very dangerous

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con

Othello.

confequences of indulging, even upon the most probable proofs, fuch pernicious, ungovernable prejudices in the human heart.

Having through an unaccountable lapfe of memory forgot to mention Mr. Mossor, both in this tragedy and Macbeth; it is hoped the reader will accept our opinion of that gentleman here; though not in the regular course of our plan-no performer in our remembrance poffeffes a voice of more ftrength and variety than Mr. Mossór, and we believe he understands his author as well as any one, yet an infuperable aukwardness of action, and a most irksome laboriousness of expression, render him peculiarly offenfive to chafte judgment in Macbeth; a number of unlucky attempts at attitude, ungrace+ ful diftortions of feature, an overstrained affectation of confequence, and many ill-applied painful paufes, banishing nature, loudly proclaim the mere actorin Othello, though liable to feveral of the fame objections, we deem him much happier, the Moor's wildness of paffion he describes extremely well, and under all disadvantages most certainly ftands fecond to, though far beneath Mr. BARRY,

LOVE IN A VILLAGE.

An OPERA, by Mr. BICKERSTAFF.

THOUGH as advocates for nature, we have

declared critical war against operatical compofitions in general-an inftance of dangerous refolution at prefent we only mean to try fuch pieces as they appear, confidering the fongs as part of the dialogue -the piece now before us has met with very uncommon fuccefs, from what cause it has arifen, whether indulgence of the town, merits of performance, or excellence of the author, may probably appear from investigation.

This opera has fuffered heavy charges of plagiarism; many we know to be true, but the greater part, we hope, are false; however, suppose every imputation juft, the author might at least make the defence a young clergyman did, who being reproached with preaching one of Tillotson's fermons, replied," Sir, if you know this matter, not one in a "hundred of my congregation does; I am cer"tain, it is much better than any thing my own "head could produce; and I hope you will allow "I do my flock more juftice by borrowing elfe"where, than palming my own ftuff upon them.' Far be it from us to fuppofe this abfolutely our author's cafe, we only mention the matter in a friendly way to fhew that if it really was, he has a very modeft and good defence to offer.

This