The scenes where Lear and Edgar encounter each other, are full of power and imagination. The ravings of assumed madness are rich. in wildness of thought and luxuriance of fancy: the pathetic aberrations of a disordered mind, ever recurring to its own misery, are depicted with a truth that renders the contrast wonderfully impressive. Edgar wanders from subject to subject, from image to image; every object in the material and immaterial world-things most foul, strange, and unnatural, are called forth with a facility that is any thing but akin to madness. Lear never for one moment wanders from his misfortunes. Thus, when he first beholds Edgar, he exclaims, "What, have his daughters brought him to this pass !" And when Kent replies "He has no daughter, sir," He passionately retorts— "Death! Traiter, nothing could have subdu'd nature Every exclamation bears some affinity to filial ingratitude. At one moment he anticipates vengeance "Right, ha ha! Was it not pleasant to have a thousand with redhot Spits come hissing in upon them." At another, he fancies that vengeance completed, and exclaims with a ferocity that makes the blood run cold: "You say right; let 'em anatomize Regan, see what breeds about her heart." The death of Lear realizes all that can be imagined of human woe. Any future poet who shall carry distress beyond this, may claim even a prouder laurel than Shakspeare. The singularly wild and grotesque character assumed by Edgar, is that of a Turlupin, or Turlygood, or Bedlam Beggar, one of a fraternity of itinerant rogues who obtained alms by practising the gesticulations of madmen, in the dark ages of superstition. Mr. Douce remarks, that the Turlupins were a fanatical sect, that overrun France, Italy, and Germany, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; and that their subsequent appellation of the fraternity of poor men may be the reason why these Bedlam Beggars (one of which Edgar personates) have obtained the name of Turlupins. We have a very curious description of them in Decker's Bellman of London, 1616; where they are denominated, Tom of Bedlam's Band of Madcaps, or Poor Tom's Flock of Wild Geese; the latter are also called Abraham Men. The character is supported by Shakspeare with much picturesque effect, and draws from Lear those fine reflections on the instability and worthlessness of human grandeur. Cordelia is a pattern of all that is amiable in woman: she has truth, gentleness, and courage. It might have been more satisfactory to the lovers of poetical justice, if she had survived triumphantly to replace her father on his throne. It had saved succeeding ages many convulsive sobs, many heart-breaking throes. With our estimate of life, feeling that the balance of good is against us, we regard this af fecting drama as one of those wholesome contemplations that softens and corrects the human heart. The story of Lear belongs to a very early period of British history, the particulars of which are related by Hollingshead. It is to be found in the French Romance, entitled Perceforest; and in the unpublished Latin Gesta Romanorum in the Harleian Collection. It also occurs in Caxton's Chronicle, of 1480. Shakspeare produced his tragedy in 1604 or 1605. The first edition of it was printed by Nathaniel Butter, in the year 1608.* It is not on record who was the original representative of Lear. Nor do we know what succeeding actor rendered himself celebrated in the character, until Garrick drew the tears of the town. Henderson played it contemporary with Garrick, and almost divided the critics. By the death of Henderson, this tragedy remained lost to the stage, until an actor arose who carried the glory of Shakspeare beyond any preceding effort. Kemble's Lear was a study for Michael Angelo-the Lady Macbeth of Siddons was not a more awful impersonation. His figure, countenance, and manner, all conspired to give truth to the resemblance. His angry impatience,-" The fiery duke," his incredulity,"Does Lear walk thus? Speak thus ?" His bitter irony,-" Dear daughter, I confess that I am old." Who but remembers Kemble's look and voice when he uttered these heart-breaking words— "I gave you all!" But the climax of all acting was the curse upon Goneril. On his knees, bare-headed, his white locks streaming like a meteor to the troubled air; with heaven-ward eye, quivering lip, and hands clasped together in convulsive agony, he pronounced that terrible curse. In this instance, the actor almost divided the crown with the poet. The daring presumption that marred this glorious drama, deprived us of Mr. Kemble's exertions in the scene where Lear enters bearing in the dead body of Cordelia. What this would have been in the hands of such an actor, we can only anticipate. But we deeply regret that Mr. Kemble's correct taste did not brush away this vile interpolation, and restore the original text of Shakspeare. Cooke gave the more unamiable parts of Lear's character with great effect; but he lost much of the tenderness, and all the dignity. Young plays it with his voice completely in falsetto. He wants the plaintive tremulous tones of Kemble. Kean is, in truth But he is not "A very foolish fond old man ;" " Ev'ry inch a king." With what grandeur and pathos did Kemble pronounce these lines,— "The king would speak with Cornwall; the dear father Would with his daughter speak, commands her service." Mr. Kean's dying scene (for, to his credit be it spoken, he plays the character nearly as Shakspeare wrote it), though somewhat deficient in power, is deeply affecting. We felt, when the curtain fell, as if we were relieved from some dreadful calamity, so strongly did his dying looks and agonising tones impress us when he faintly exclaimed,— "Pray you undo this button. Thank you, sir. Do you see this? Look on her-look-her lips- Mr. Charles Kemble was perfect in Edgar. The assumed maniac, like Caliban, is an imaginary being-wholly out of nature, and therefore not subject to dramatic rules. As Shakspeare trusted to his imagination to conceive, so must the actor to represent, this singularly wild and romantic creature of poetic fancy. Mr. Charles Kemble's appearance was highly picturesque: he was a figure that Salvator Rosa would have delighted to contemplate. ⚫ In the possession of the Editor. DG. KING LEAR.-First dress.--Richly embroidered Saxon tunic of rich crimson velvet, ditto cap; fleshcoloured arms, legs, and sandals.-Second dress.-Black. DUKE OF BURGUNDY.-Yellow Saxon tunic, crimson robe and cap, flesh-coloured arms, legs, and sandals. DUKE OF CORNWALL.-Green tunic, scarlet robe and cap, flesh-coloured arms, legs, and red sandals. DUKE OF ALBANY.-Crimson tunic, brown robe and cap, flesh-coloured arms, legs, and sandals. DUKE OF GLOSTER.-Brown tunic, blue robe and cap, flesh-coloured arms, legs, and sandals. DUKE OF KENT.-Crimson tunic, brown robe and cap, flesh-coloured arms, legs, and sandals.-Second dress. Drab-coloured tunic and cap. EDGAR.-First dress.-White tunic, scarlet robe and cap.-Second dress.-Green tunic, and robe of coarse white baize.-Third dress.-Grey tunic and cap.Fourth dress.-Coat of mail, armour and helmet. EDMUND. Scarlet tunic, blue robe and cap.-Second dress.-Steel chain armour, helmet, and red plume. PHYSICIAN.-Tunic and robe (all brown), trimmed with black. OLD MAN.-Drab-coloured tunic and cap, flesh-coloured arms and legs. OSWALD.-White tunic, blue robe and cap, fleshcoloured arms and legs. CAPTAIN of the GUARD.-Scarlet tunic and cap, flesh-coloured arms and legs. PAGE to GONERIL.-White tunic, scarlet robe, and white cap. PAGE to REGAN.-Blue tunic, scarlet robe, and blue cap. GONERIL.-White muslin dress, trimmed with gold, scarlet cloth robe, trimmed with gold, tiara for the head, flesh-coloured stockings and red sandals. REGAN.-White muslin dress, trimmed with silver, and clasped together with metal clasps in front, fawn cloth robe, tiara for the head, flesh-coloured stockings, and russet sandals. CORDELIA.-White kerseymere dress and drapery, trimmed with scarlet velvet and gold lace, fastened in front with metal clasps, tiara for the head, flesh-coloured stockings and sandals.-Second dress.-White muslin viti dress, grey mantle, trimmed, black ditto, handkerchief for the head.-Third dress.-White drapery. ARANTHE.-Brown cloth dress, clasped together with metal clasps, fawn coloured mantle, bound with black. ATTENDANTS.-White dress cloth robes, fleshcoloured stockings, and russet sandals. Cast of the Characters at the Theatre-Royal, KING LEAR. ACT I. SCENE I.-An Antichamber in King Lear's Palace. Enter EDMUND, R. Edm. (c.) Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound: why am I then Depriv'd of a son's right, because I came not In the dull road that custom has prescrib'd? Here comes the old man, chaf'd with the information And heighten'd by such lucky accidents, That now the slightest circumstance confirms him, Glost. Nay, good my lord, your charity Kent. (L.) Be not too rash; all may be forgery, 1 |