Cumberland's British Theatre: With Remarks, Biographical and Critical

REMARKS.

Virginius.

THERE is not in history, ancient or modern, a story of deeper woe→→ one that exhibits a more exalted picture of true greatness, than the sacrifice of Virginia by her father, to save her from the lust of the Decemvir Appius. The tale is simple and grand, and full of dramatic interest, which should centre in one catastrophe, the death of Virginia. All beyond that is extraneous. It is harder for the poet to pourtray than the imagination to conceive the agony of a fond father after having been reduced to so sad an extremity. Nor is it necessary to show by what means the tyrant fell, whether by his own ignoble hand, or by the fury of the tribunes. When he falls by that of Virginius, he falls too nobly. And, though the introduction of the urn containing the ashes of Virginia, may produce an involuntary shudder-though it cause the heart to throb and the eyes to o'erflow-the plot had been more integral and complete, had it concluded with the terrible denunciation of Virginius, when he draws forth the weapon reeking with his daughter's blood:

"Lo! Appius! with this innocent blood,

I do devote thee to the infernal gods !"

An author, however, who writes for the stage, must often violate his own judgment to fall in with the public taste. Addison complained of this dire necessity, when he introduced the loves of Juba and Marcia in Cato. The audience had been so long accustomed to love scenes, that a tragedy without an amour would have stood no chance of success. We are therefore ready to admit, that though such a conclusion would have been more in accordance with true taste, it is a question if the play had been equally popular had the distraction of Virginius, the death of Appius, and the exhibition of the urn, been omitted. It is singular, conversant as Shakspeare was with ancient history, that two such interesting stories of Imperial Rome, the death of Virginia, and the judgment of Brutus, should have escaped his vigilance. Yet, great as was the sacrifice that Brutus made by

devoting his offending son to the violated laws of Rome, far greater was that of Virginius, who sacrificed an only child, that had never offended, and with his own arm struck the blow. We bow with reverence to such an example of god-like virtue. To him the life of Virginia is "dear as the ruddy drops that warm his heart," but her honour is infinitely dearer to him is presented the alternative of sacrificing the one or the other—his decision is noble-sacred therefore be his sorrows. Nothing short of inspiration can pourtray the wanderings and agony of a disordered mind and a broken heart. That inspiration belongs to Shakspeare; and, taking Lear as the highest standard—to him alone-in all its supremacy and grandeur. Looking to the tragic writers of the present day, Mr. Knowles is perhaps, the only one among them that is worthy to treat so noble a subject as the death of Virginia. If he has not the sublime enthusiasm of true poetry, he has no prose run mad-his style is level, in which there is much to praise and little to condemn.

Virginius has all the bravery of the warrior, the ardent love of liberty, of a free-born citizen, and the tenderness of a father: and 60 happily are these qualities blended in him, that he ranks as one of the most illustrious characters that Rome has handed down for the admiration of mankind. Mr. Knowles has represented Virginius with great truth, nor has he been less successful in his portrait of Virginia; her gentleness and constancy are well preserved. In Dentatus, he has measured swords with Shakspeare, whose genius bears" a charmed life," yet is Mr. Knowles less a rival than an imitator. All the peculiarities of the veteran Dentatus, his sarcastic wit, his contempt of popular clamour, his independent spirit, and bravery, belong to the Patrician Menenius; nor could the author of Virginius paint him otherwise-he has copied his original with great success, which is no mean achievement, when that original is Shakspeare.

Much praise is due to the mechanical part of this play-the arrangement of the scenes, and the disposition of the characters. Dramatic effect has been kept in view, of which the scene where Numitorins and Servia reproach Appius, and that where Virginius stabs his daughter, are very favourable instances. Mr. Knowles has occasionally imitated the bald simplicity and familiar style of the ancient dramatists. He has also borrowed just sufficient from that heavy play entitled "Virginia," written by Henry Crisp, and acted in Drury Lane in 1754, to warrant our making an allusion to it, and

no more.

It is pleasing to speak in laudatory terms of an actor like Mr. Macready. It is at all times more gratifying to greet success than to record a failure; and if, in noticing his Shakspearian efforts, we have had occasion to remark how infinitely they fell beneath the conception of the poet-we hail the present opportunity of giving

him his just meed of applause; for it would be impossible to name this tragedy, and forget the actor to whom, in a great measure, it owes its populanty. Mr. Macready's performance is nervous and hold-it. has much of the dignity and all the paternal tenderness of this illastrious Roman. His early interviews with Virginia were tender aud playful-he warmed with every scene, and the dreadful agony of his spirit, and the convulsive tremors of his frame, while he is meditating his last great sacrifice, were finely depicted. We admired him least in the subsequent scenes-he tried to produce effect (and a very disagreeable one it did produce), by straining his voice from the lowest note to the top of the compass, and we now and then had occasion to exclaim

"Avaunt, unnatural start, affected pause!"

Any actor that imitates Kean is sure to fail. Kean's beauties are peculiar, and cannot be transmitted-his faults are no less so, and become intolerable in any actor but himself. We remember the story of a literary witling that wore a glass, because Pope was nearsighted. An actor, when he affects a hoarse voice and extravagant gestures, does not imitate but burlesque Kear.

Miss Foote looked Virginia to the life-she also played with deli. cacy and feeling. Mr. Terry in Dentatus, had no more discretion than a malt-horse-he missed all the sarcasm that Manden throws into Menenius-Dentatus is a veteran soldier, rough in manner, and rude in speech. Mr. Terry made him a low snarler, a bluff savage, something between Diogenes and Charles the Twelfth.

DG.

APPIUS.-Toga and purple stripe, flesh legs, and red sandals. General's armour, toga, and stripe flesh legs, and sandals.

SPURIUS.

VIBULANUS.

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HONORIUS. Toga, with red bands; and sandals.

VALERIUS.

PUBLIUS.

DECIUS.

SEXTUS.

TITUS.

SERVIUS.

Plain togas and armour, and black sandals.

Plain togas and mourning, and russet sandals.

Lamberkeens, armour, and white kilt, flesh legs, and sandals.

Citizens, as in Coriolanus, brown stuff dresses, flesh legs, and russet sandals. CNEIUS.-Plain toga.

VIRGINIA.-Plain white; white robe, trimmed with white fringe; plain white ribbon tied round her head, and hanging down behind. SERVIA.-White dress; red 1obe, trimmed with yellow; plain white ribbon tied round her head, and long ends hanging down behind.

STAGE DIRECTIONS.

The Conductors of this Work print no Plays but those which they have seen acted. The Stage Directions are given from their own personal observations, during the most recent performances.

The instant a Character appears upon the Stage, the point of Entrance, as well as every subsequent change of Position, till its Exit, is noted, with a fidelity which may in all cases be relied on; the object being, to establish this Work as a Standard Guide to the Stage business, as now conducted on the London boards.

EXITS and ENTRANCES.

R. means Right; L. Left; R. D. Right Door; L. D. Left Door; S. E. Second Entrance; U. E. Upper Entrance; M. D. Middle Door

RELATIVE POSITIONS.

R. means Right; L. Left; C. Centre; R. C. Right of Centre L. C. Left of Centre.

The Reader is supposed to be on the Stage facing the Audience.

LC.

Cast of the Characters in the Tragedy of Virginius, at the Theatres-Royal, Covent Garden and Drury