Marquis of Donegal-May-day, The Strangers at Home, and The Paragraph. Colonel Thornton-Mahomet, The Honest Yorkshireman, and The Busy Body. Lord Collingwood-The French Flogged, and England Preserved. The Prince Regent of Portugal-The Pilgrim, The Man of Enterprise, and The. Runaway. Major Hanger-The Man of Family, Indiscretion, and The Poor Gentleman. Viscount Strangford-Sea-side Story. Miss Duncan-The Mistakes, The Note of Hand, and The Letter-writer. Lord De Blaquiere-The Poor Soldier, Modern Antiques, and The Paviour. Lord Henry Petty-To Marry or Not to Marry▸ and The Alchymist. A PREMIER'S PETITION. [From the Morning Chronicle] PITY the sorrows of a weak old man, Whose trembling limbs have sought a Statesman's place, And left him, at the close of life's short span, In power feeble, and through greatness base! These purple robes my wretchedness bespeak; Yon Treas'ry fane, built on Corruption's ground, Hard is the fate of folly and of guilt; Here as I hop'd my vigour to display, The blood of Denmark, which my menials spilt, Oh! Oh! that my Statesman's place, I had resign'd- My former Colleague, and my former friend, When G-ge was let to C-nn-g and to me. Pity the sorrows of a weak old man, Whose trembling limbs have sought a Statesman's place, And left him, at the close of life's short span, In power feeble, and through greatness base! MR. EDITOR, THEATRICAL CODE. C. IT would appear, that the revolutions which have of late years convulsed the political world, have also begun to reach the extensive and hitherto independent provinces of Tragedy, Comedy, and Opera. Whether this may be attributed to any misconduct on the part of the sovereigns of the Stage, or to the revolutionary spirit of their subjects, or whether a confusion in the finances of a Theatre, as well as of a State, leads to innovating experiments and popular anarchy, are questions which I cannot pretend to decide. Certain it is, that the great Napoleon, who has the happiest knack at quelling the tumults of the people, has at last formed a code of laws for the French Theatre, which, like some others of his proceedings, may, in time, be recommended for our imitation. It is, therefore, worth while to consider, what probable advantages may accrue from a series of Acts of Parliament, Bills in Chancery, and Motions at Common Law, respecting the family estates, title-deeds, and writings, belonging to Thalia and Melpomene. R 5 The The gentlemen of the long robe, who cannot be supposed to have any very serious objection to an increase of business, are clearly of opinion, that they are the most fit persons in the world to adjust disputes concerning tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical, scene undividable, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light: for the law of writ, and the liberty, these are the only men." They will very naturally consider themselves as good judges of theatrical fable, as of legal fictions; and will be enabled to investigate a plot, or cross-question-an actor, with infinite precision, not to speak of humour. They are already tolerably versant in equivoque, and if they can but persuade juries to deliberate on puns and clap-traps, and adjust salaries and benefits, who would not think the business of the Green-room very advantageously removed to Westminster-hall? And if our Judges can be prevailed upon to depart from their usual gravity," and "listen to the swearing of figure-dancers, and the affidavits of harlequins, who will doubt that we shall at least have what Addison and all his successors had in vain wished a well-regulated theatre ??? As to our dramatic authors I hear that they rejoice in the prospect of removing their concerns into courts where wit is not likely to be expected, and where dulness is protected by all the laws of decorum. They hail a scheme which promises them relief from managerial neglect and popular damnation. They think it will be a much easier thing to go to law, than to wait for weeks in the Manager's antechamber; and that a copy of a writ will produce a more speedy answer than a létter of recommendation. They are of opinion, that more reliance may be placed on a few retaining fees, than on the puffs of a newspaper; and that it will be impossible for any play to fail which is brought brought out under the patronage of an eminent Attorney. They anticipate more advantages from the damages of a verdict, than the profits of a third night; and if the Managers offer their usual excuses and delays, what can be better than a motion to show cause why they do not bring out the excellent comedy of Thomas Filchpun, Esq.? A Such, Mr. Editor, are the expected advantages from this new prospect. Whether there are any arguments to the contrary, or whether upon the whole such insignificant matters as the heads of writers and the heels of dancers may not be left to manage their own concerns in their own way, may probably be the subject of another letter. Meantime I am, &c. I Dec. 26. Yours, QUITAM. MADAME CATALANI AND LORD E-D-N. MR. EDITOR, WAS composing a new chime of Triple Bobs and Bob Majors, for the Bells of St. Clement's Church, in the Strand, to welcome in the Christmas Holidays, beginning with Ding, dong, do," and ending with Miss Duncan's "Ding, dong, dell," in The Honey Moon, when all the harmony of my soul was destroyed by reading the following dreadful sentence : "For my own part, I would not give five shillings to hear Madame Catalani sing for a month."-Vide the Lord Chancellor's speech in the report of the case WATERS 7. TAYLOR, in the British Press, of 21st. of November last. I am very well aware, that Church Music is more congenial with the tones of the Court of Chancery, and that the Italian Bravura accommodates itself better to the taste of the King's Bench, where Lawyers R. 6 jangle jangle in tune, without a bar rest, and apparent discord is often nothing but real harmony. It must also be admitted, in favour of the judgment pronounced on Madame Catalani by such high authority, that as viva voce evidence is not usual in the Court of Chancery, vocal music is of necessity rejected; and I must confess, that I have never heard that one of Mrs. Bilington's, or Madame Mara's, or any other favourite Singer's notes, had been ever traced on the margin of a brief of Chancery Pleadings. I have often read, no doubt, such language as this-" My Lord, I have a note of this case. My Lord, I have a note of that.” But I never understood that the most famous of the Pleaders at the Chancery Bar ever had in his possession a single note of Madame Catalani. Neither in the Petty Bag, nor in the Hamper, vulgarly, called the Hanaper-office, I am confident was ever any such a note found. But, Sir, knowing a Court of Justice as the Mantuan Swain first knew Rome, merely by report, I had, like him, formed strange notions, and fancied a wonderful analogy, sympathy, resemblance, and coincidence, between the representation of an Opera and the hearing of a cause. A Bill in Equity consists of the charging part, the irony, and the interrogatories. In the Opera, irony too often supplies the place of wit; interrogatories may be found in the dialogue; and the Managers will admit, that no Opera in which Madame Catalani pérformed, was ever deficient in the charging part. The story of Orpheus moving stocks and stones by his melodies, never appeared a miracle to me; for often have I known English woods and castles vanish before the charms of an Italian singer. Catalani may, with as much ease as Amphion, at any time convert her crotchets into bricks, and her quavers into mortar; and as to the fable of Arion carried to the shore by the dolphin, I always considered it as merely typical of some poor cast-away gudgeon, |