SELF KNOWLEDGE.

ΤΟ

Earth-tréading stars, that make dark even light.

How little we all know ourselves,
İs said by some conceited elves
To be a false assertion;

I always thought the maxim true,
But now, exemplified in you,
It doubly brings conversion.

Shakspeare.

Ah! did you judge your value right,
You'd know, whene'er your vows you plight,
You'll honour give, not take it;
Presumption is a chilling sound,
And not in love's soft language found,
Then wherefore would you make it ?

Your heart I'm sure cannot deceive:
Does not that teach you to believe,
And give your Rosa credit?

She knows too well your worth to prize
To see you but with worldly eyes!—
Oh better feel your merit!

ROSA.

TO LADY STRANGEWAYS.

SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN DURING THE COURTSHIP BY

LORD H. PETTY.

THO' Strangeways you're call'd, I could never perceive,
That your ways were or strange or uncommon;
I can read in your eyes (and eyes rarely deceive)
Naught, save all that's enchanting in woman.

Then still, my dear girl, let your ways be the same,
To me they will never seem strange;

But I freely confess that I like not your name,
So that, if you please, you shall change.

EPITAPH

ON A LATE RACING NOBLEMAN.

HERE lies of quadrupeds the slave,
Of woman-kind the gay deceiver;
Unskill'd a favourite race to save,

He lost a heat, and gain'd a fever.

To those who doubt that life's a span,
His lordship's fate will plainly shew it-
Once, on the turf a living man,

But now a skeleton below it.

J.

EPIGRAM.

CEASE, fairest Julia, lovely railer, cease,
Of Edith's faults the number to increase;
Into her failings with less rigour pry,
Nor view her beauties with so keen an eye.
'Tis clearly seen, and you'll allow 'tis true,
Her greatest fault is not resembling you.

A DRUNKARD'S EPITAPH.

FROM THE FRENCH.

PATRICK.

HERE lie the remains of a jolly good fellow,
Who, while he was living, still lov'd to be mellow;
Whose only employ, 'till by death's arrow slain,

Was to go to the cellar, and thence, back again.

PATRICK.

A PORTUGUESE QUIBBLE.

"Is this the case, odd 'rot-un !"

Cried Bull, with passion bursted, "Our Adm'ral then is COTTON,

Our Gen'ral he is worsted!"

NIBBS.

1808.

MEMORANDA DRAMATICA.

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE.

Sept. 17. Honey Moon.-Rosina.*

Sept.

We are happy to see this noble theatre open under certain circumstances, with respect to its prosperity, which seem to promise well. Two advertisements have appeared, signed R. Peake, treasurer, which announce a very just alteration in the free list, and a commendable improvement in the board of management. The free list is to be "wholly abolished," except in cases where the privilege is "considered as matter of right," viz. authors, &c. With regard to the board, all who offer dramatic productions, or are desirous of professional situations, &c. are to address their applications to Charles Ward, Esq. secretary to the board, who will exhibit them, and "answers will be punctually returned." To these advantages of prudence and good order, we have the pleasure to observe at the head of the management, Mr. Thomas Sheridan, a man from whose taste and sense we augur much benefit to the public amusement, while the regard even to affection for him, which his conciliating and gentlemanly manners have long and universally inspired in the profession, will without doubt insure a ready and cheerful obedience to all the suggestions of his enlightened mind.

With this fair prospect the company began with (we hope nothing ominous in the title) The Honey Moon; a comedy which does so much honour to the memory of Tobin, and so much credit to the actors of this theatre, especially Mr. Elliston and Miss Duncan, the Duke and Juliana. The latter, however, has certainly more graces for the would-be, than the actual duchess; and the performance of the former would approach nearer to every thing excellent, if he could at the end of each sentence, omit the "Paviour's sigh,"-Ah!! The performers were generally greeted, but particularly the above-Mr. Mathews, Mr. Wroughton, Miss Mellon, Mr. De Camp, and Mr. Russell. The only alteration in the cast was in the part of simple Lopez, which was well-played by Mr. De Camp, vice Mr. Purser deceased. Great indignant applause was excited, when Jaques observes, that there are some generals who would not attack a bull-rush unless the wind was in their favour; and Miss Mellon, in Volante, when accused by the sham-confessor of loving a young man, replied with infinite justness of feeling" I do not love an old one, certainly," which excited many smiles.

The house exhibits no change except two new private boxes near the stage, on each side up two pair of stairs. The entrance in Brydges street will, it is said, open shortly with a grand saloon, in which will be erected Chinese shops, exhibiting trinkets, &c. Mrs. Mudie is engaged to take the lead in tragedy. Mr. Elliston is already advertised to play Hamlet. This is the tragical part of the prospect!

* Mrs. Corri, the young wife of old Corri, the composer, and our correspondent, made her debut in the fair Ophelia. Absence on a recruiting party, recruiting our health at Brighton, prevents our speaking at present of her merits.

†The managers here commenced this season, as they did the last, before the opening of Drury-Lane theatre. From the above pieces, which are supported by the old company, we may with Polonius, announce that" the actors are come hither," and perhaps with safety add, "the best actors in the world, either for tragedy or comedy. Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ, and the liberty, these are the only men." Amongst the best actors in the world for tragedy we certainly class Mrs. Siddons and Mr. Kemble ; amongst those of comedy, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Munden-the latter have often proved that nothing is too light for their acting, and the former have sometimes shewn that nothing can be too heavy for them to make palatable. As to "the law of writ and the liberty' if we may understand by it, a close adherence to the text on the one hand, and taking every sort of liberty with it on the other, experience warrants the belief that we shall, in the first place, find our assertions made out very well, by the conduct of the tragedians already mentioned, and in the second by that of several of our old friends of the sock, in which number we shall be pleased to find Mr. Munden and Mr. Liston not so conspicuous as usual.

Macbeth was performed on this night. Pizarro had, however, been previously advertised, but "deferred," according to the advertisement 66 on account of the absence of Mr. Pope." We did not know that Mr. Pope was of so much consequence, or that Pizarro, a part never better filled than by Mr. Barrymore, wood and wire, could not find half a dozen worthy representatives in either theatre. The performance of

this

this what d'ye call it, at a time when the Spaniards have so distinguished themselves in virtue and in arms, would be insulting. Let Mr. Sheridan, or any body else, turn the Peruvians into Spaniards, and the Span niards into Frenchmen-then give the whole fable a new colour, and it may do. If it be feared that the piece should suffer by it, all we can say is that we'll run the risk!

To speak fully of the merits of Mrs, Siddons' Lady Macbeth, would occupy far more space than we can spare-to be just we must be tedious, and after all we could but tell the people what they already know; that it is the greatest effort of the histrionie art, out-running all our 66 imaginings," and leaving nothing to be wished for, in natural endowments, or the acquirements of art, to make it perfect. We are ready to believe that all our other performers in tragedy and comedy, have in better times been greatly excelled, but it is our firm conviction, that Mrs. Siddons never was by any of her predecessors. She is now very corpulent, but in Lady Macbeth it is not so objectionable as in several other instances; but while her animation lasts, the spirit gets completely the better of the flesh; and they may count themselves fortunate who are living witnesses of the triumph. We are not disposed to doubt that Mrs, Siddons has reasons, convincing to herself, and perhaps to many others, for a reading which she adopts in the last scene of the first act; we shall therefore, without insisting on any thing, merely shew why we think differently. It has long been disputed whether the words "We fail," should be uttered thus-" We fail !" as if thinking it impossible, or "Wé fail," as if she said-Then we fail; which latter mode is followed by Mrs. Siddons. Now we prefer the former-Macbeth says doubtingly, and greatly lacking encouragement to the vile murder" If we should fail." Is it then probable that Lady Macbeth, whose object it is, and who leaves no art untried to assure his mind of the contrary, should, without regarding the alarming consequence*-coolly say, Then we fail; instead of seeming to contemn the possibility of it, by exclaiming "We fail!" when she is compelled according to the sense, to add in a tone of assurance-No, no, only you find courage to commit the act, and we run no risk of failing! Besides, she proceeds to give her reasons for thinking so, saying amongst other things

When in swinish sleep

Their drenched natures lie as in a death,

What

Admitting the chance of such a failure was not the way to persuade Macbeth; and that she did not really treat the matter so lightly, is proved by her own words

Th' attempt and not the deed
Confounds us.”