ing extensively popular with every class of the community.

Till the weather is sufficiently mild to admit of out-of-door practice, we recommend our friends to patronise the New Grand Shooting and Archery Gallery (called Saville Palace), recently opened by Messrs. GREEN and KNAPP in Leicester Square, adjoining Miss Linwood's exhibition of needle-work. The immense extent, and great depth of these premises, render them peculiarly eligible for the purpose; and those who would enjoy Rifle Shooting and Archery, in perfection, may here have their wishes fully gratified at a trifling expense. The rooms are well-warmed, and properly ventilated: and at night, they are lighted with gas.

COVENT GARDEN.-An uninterrupted tide of success has flowed into this theatre, which bears down all before it. This cannot be owing so much to the production of novelties-for there have been few-as to the mode of management, which, before the curtain at least, (and it is not our province to enquire further) is faultless. Macbeth, King Lear, Amilie, &c. &c. have been the chief attractions since our last. The Wonder was again played on Saturday, when Mr. MACREADY very properly resigned the character of Don Felix. It was, however, entrusted to ANDERSON, and he, of course, made a failure of it. Had PRITCHARD played it, the Wonder would have run through the season and been highly popular; as it is, it has been withdrawn. It is too bad to burlesque any of Mrs. Centlivre's comedies.

DRURY LANE.-The announcement that Mr. Charles KEAN was to play Richard, attracted a full house on Monday last. It being generally understood that Mr. KEAN staked his theatrical reputation on the performance of this character, we observed many old stagers in the pit, anxious

to form a judgment on the extent of his abilities. The boxes and gallery, we were sorry to perceive, were closely packed with claqueurs, whose injudicious and ill-timed applause, greatly marred the effect of the performances. This, it will be said, is allowable on a first night; it may be BO, but WE doubt the policy of it. It creates disgust in every sensible mind, and must operate prejudicially on the mind of the actor, whose fine points are frequently removed from sight, owing to the clamor raised before the complete delivery of certain anticipated sentences.

He

From the manner in which Mr. KEAN played Richard, it was evident, from the commencement, that he had taken his father as a model. Indeed, his voice and gestures were, at times, so exactly similar, that, for a moment, the illusion was complete, and the late Edmund KEAN stood before us. We are compelled, however, as honest journalists, to confess that here the resemblance ceases. The genius of the elder KEAN is wanting; and the fire which raged in the breast of the latter, and wanted vent to burst forth, does not exist in the son. The father was, for the time being, the identical Richard-every word, and every action, were the result of intense feeling; and, as the play progressed, his passions kindled into such a flame, that the actor seemed no longer under control, and to forget that he was any other than the "crooked Richard." Not so with Mr. Charles KEAN. labored hard whenever he wanted to produce an effect, and thus proved that his excellence was the result of study and talent,-not of genius. Having given this honest opinion, which we heard echoed by many a veteran play-goer in our vicinity, we will now particularise one or two instances, in which the acting was more particularly excellent. The first point which we noticed, was the concluding sentence of the soliloquy, where Richard complains that the tone and with a gesture that were very effective. very dogs bark at him." He uttered this in a In the scene, too, where he woos the Lady Anne, we thought him particularly happy-because he was natural. waking from his horrid dream, in which he sees In the tent-scene, after the departed spirits of his murdered victims, he again excelled; and when he rushed from his couch, and fell down flat upon his face, he achieved a great triumph. There was much of nature in this,--it was, moreover, original; for

we never

bustling scene, at the close of the fourth act, he again evinced much judgment. The rapid manner in which he asked "what news?" and

saw it so acted before. In the

then gave his necessary orders, told well. We

would also notice his combat with Richmond, and his death. The former was a very graceful, and a very scientific performance; in which the actor evinced a thorough knowledge of the use of his weapon. When, wounded and faint from loss of blood, he staggered, and hit wildly around him, the interest of the scene was great. Here nature triumphed, and the actor was, of course, perfectly successful. The dying

look he cast at Richmond, just before the vital spark had for ever fled, was withering in the extreme; aud drew down, as it richly merited, thunders of applause from every part of the house. We shall see Mr. KEAN again in this character on a quiet night, when there are fewer of his injudicious friends in the house; we shall then be better able to judge of what he can do. His Richard is far superior to his Hamlet; and if he would only shorten his pauses, and not drawl out his sentences (faults which he might readily amend), we think he might yet hold a very respectable position in the theatrical world. In the present dearth of dramatic talent, we have no wish to aid in crushing any useful and talented member of the profession.

Of the performers generally, we have nothing to say; they were very sticks; and as they seemed to know it, we shall be silent about them. The part of Queen Elizabeth was sustained with considerable ability by Mrs. STANLEY, who was loudly cheered on her appearance. Her fine figure, expressive features, and pleasing voice, render her eminently qualified to lead the principal business at this house. Mrs. TERNAN played Lady Anne delightfully. COOPER, as the Duke of Buckingham, was respectable; but he evidently did not like the part, and therefore took little pains with it. The scenery and dresses deserve honorable mention. We believe they were all new. Without these adjuncts, Mr. KEAN would not have had any adequate support.

At the fall of the curtain, Mr. KEAN was called for (it is a vile custom, by the bye, thus to compliment performers), and though greatly exhausted, he came forward and bowed gracefully to his patrons. A call was then made for Mr. BAKER! who played the King, and was killed in the first act. He, however, did not appear; having, no doubt, wisely gone home to a comfortable supper, and a snug fire-side.

St. JAMES's. This theatre has lost caste of late, it having been devoted to the uses of that miserable musical hack, PILATI, and converted into an arena for the insane ravings of the unhappy OTWAY. Poor Mr. BRAHAM is made quite a tool of, by his performers. He pipes, while they dance. THEY feed his vanity by saying that he is a good actor, and he pays them liberally for telling a story with such a good grace. But for Mrs. STIRLING, for whom we have ever entertained the greatest respect, the theatre would, so far as the public are concerned, be put hors de combat, forthwith. It is, however, a harmless toy; and as it serves to amuse Mr. BRAHAM in the down-hill of life, he must not mind "paying " dearly " for his whistle."

ADELPHI.-The extraordinary dwarf, Signor Hervio 'NANO, as he is called, has excited quite a sensation among the London public, who have flocked in multitudes, during the week, to witness his wonderful performances as a baboon, a fly, &c. &c. We promised in our

last, to detail his wondrous feats, but this we find to be impossible; we therefore advise our friends to go and see one of the "wonders of the world," for such he assuredly is. The piece in which he appears is called the Gnome Fly; a wretched affair as regards the dialogue (which was perpetrated by poor MONCRIEFF), but made the vehicle for introducing Signor Hervio 'NANO to the notice of the public.

The Black Domino increases nightly in popularity; owing to the excellent acting of Mr. and Mrs. YATES. All for Love; or, the Lost Pleiad, too, is a standard favorite. Mrs. NISBETT and the pretty Miss SHAW, have, we understand, broken the hearts of many a lovesick youth; who, while gazing on their respective charms, have given themselves up for lost! Miss SHAW's song of Stay Roland, dear Roland, has turned the heads of half London; for, go where we will, we hear people humming it in every quarter of the town. The sweet little syren has such an arch way of singing it, (which, by the way, is its only merit), that it is encored every night.

Harry BEVERLEY, we are glad to say, is better. He capers away in the Dancing Barber more merrily than ever. He is a folio of fun.

OLYMPIC.-The attendance here is so good, that no novelties are called for. Madame, there

fore, wisely abridges her expenses by playing popular standard pieces. Puss in Boots continues an especial favorite.

CITY OF LONDON.-Last week a new piece was produced here, and damned on the first night, entitled the King and the Carpenter. It was the production, we believe, of a young spark rejoicing in the name of F. LAWRANCE, author (!) of Pierre Bertrand, a drama, produced, and played twice, at the Haymarket! It is said that he was assisted in the

domestic

authorship by one of the scene-shifters; but of this we are ignorant. At all events, it was worthy of its authors, and treated accordingly. This week Mr. COLLINS is astonishing the East end of the town by his performance of Paul Clifford. To this has succeeded Perfection, in which Mrs. HONEY performs; and Forty and Fifty,-the whole presenting an excellent bill of fare.

SURREY. A new drama, from the pen of G. ALMAR, was produced here on Monday, with considerable success. It is entitled the Earl of Poverty; and refers to a certain wooden house, near London Wall. By the aid of some excellent acting, and appropriate scenery, the piece was triumphantly successful.

VICTORIA. The Dice of Death, and a number of popular burlettas, in which WRENCH and OXBERRY have performed, have been played during the week to large audiences.

AN APHORISM.-Love passes to a woman's heart through her ears, and from her heart through her eyes. Love passes to a man's heart through his eyes, and from his heart through his lips.

Nos. 50 & 51.]

WILL YOU NOT, MY LOVE?

IN PERSIA, as in most other countries, there is no doubt that the lady is the real, substantial, head of the house. There is a popular story in Persia, which clearly establishes this point :-A wealthy nabob had a very pretty daughter, named Hoseinee, who being an only child, was spoiled at an early age, and grew up with a temper that often marred her beauty of its most beguiling attractions; she chose to fix her affections on Sadik Bey, a young soldier of good family, who, how ever, possessed no other portion but his sword. The father yielded to her wishes in every respect; and Sadik, upon learning the good fortune that awaited him, hesitated not to avail himself of the young lady's condescension. But he resolved, at the same time, that in accepting her hand, he should not, as she appeared to expect, become her slave. The ceremony performed, apartments were assigned to the "happy pair," in the nabob's palace. It happened that while they were sitting together on the first evening of their marriage, a favorite cat presented herself, purring, to the notice of the bride. Sadik attempted to play with it; but the animal, jealous, perhaps, of his novel and superior claims to the lady's attention, scratched him; whereupon he deliberately drew his sword, and severing her head from the body, flung both, in a moment, out of the window. Hoseinee saw at once that, instead of a slave, she had obtained a master. The effect was magical; she became one of the most submissive and charming wives in the world.-Amongst Sadik's friends was a little hen-pecked fellow of the name of Merdek. Talking together one day of their domestic affairs, Merdek was astonished to hear of the change wrought in Hoseinee's character, by the decision which Sadik evinced on the first day of their marriage, and remembering that his wife also (a termagant of the first water) had a feline favorite, he bethought him that it was not yet too late to recover, by a similar act of heroism, his proper station as ruler of his own family. VOL. II.-No. 7.

[PRICE TWO PENCE.

Forthwith returning home, he girded himself with his scimitar, and entering my lady's chamber with a swagger that very little became his ordinary position, he beheld "Tabby" approaching him in her usual familiar manner. The meditated sacrifice was consummated in an instant; but while poor Merdek was stooping to execute the window act of the tragedy, his wife, who was already apprised of the story, gave him a box on the ear which laid him prostrate on the floor. "Take that, you booby," said she, with an air of ineffable scorn; "you forget that Hoseinee's cat was killed on the wedding day!" The tale, however, goes on to inform us, that the nabob's daughter by no means lost rank in consequence of her early submission. Having discovered that she was not to rule one way, she, with the ready instinct of her sex, soon availed herself of another. Sadik was not to be commanded, but he was easy to be seduced; and while the wife of Merdek governed by the iron rod of " Won't you dear?" spoken in her stern voice, Hoseinee was perhaps still more potential by her talismanic "Will you not, my love?" uttered in a softened tone, which the soldier knew not how to resist. I know of no other distinction that prevails in these oriental climates. In fact, though few wedded men will acknowledge it, WE ARE ALL RULED BY FORCE OR BY FRAUD; and of the two, it appears to me, from what I have observed through life, that the more dangerous mistress of the two is the woman who pretends to no authority at all. Whenever I find this to be case-whenever I hear it said that Mrs. So-and-so is the most meek, the most acquiescing creature in existence, that she has, even upon the most trifling point, no will of her own, nor any desire to have any will save that of her husband-I seldom fail to discover, that, although the truth is, she has no will but that of her husband, she has taken very good care, beforehand, that his will should be the very thing she could wish it to be. The Won't you dear?" has its power, certainly-it may now and then be checked by a Sadik: but the "Will you not, my love?" sinks us all-Heaven help us!into more Merdeks!