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JAN. 10.

DRURY LANE.

HE entertaining comedy of the Belle's Stratagem was performed last night to a very genteel audience. The characters, particularly the female ones, were extremely well supported, Miss Pope, in Mrs. Rackett, and Miss Biggs, in Letitia Hardy, were excellent; Miss Campbell, in Lady Touchwood, played with much feeling and judgment. This young lady deserves to be, and no doubt will be, brought more forward. The new Scotch ballet of Our dancing Days is a very pretty one, and was very well executed.

Jan. 29. The Veteran Tar, a new musical entertainment, was produced here for the first time. The fable principally consists in the shipwreck of an English vessel on the coast, the escape of the captain's son, his love for Cicely, a pretty village

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girl, the discovery of the rest of the crew's safety, and also that of his father, whose consent he obtains by gallantly boarding a French privateer, with the aid of his companions. The illness of Cicely's father affords an opportunity for introducing a ridiculous old Apothecary, who is the rival of the young tar.In the dialogue there are several good sentiments, and a more than ordinary number of allusions to our naval glory, all of which were attended with applause, particularly the defiance of the old captain to the northern powers, which produced three loud and distinct plaudits.It is said to be the composition of Mr. Arnold; and the music, its great recommendation, is furnished by Dr. Arnold, his father.

This piece received some opposition on the first night of representation, but has since undergone some judicious alterations, and had a great run.

Feb. 12. The tragedy of Cymbeline was revived here last night. The scenery is beautiful, and the dresses are uncommonly splendid. Mr. Kemble in Posthumus, and Mrs. Siddons in Imogen, were received by a crowded audience with the degree of applause due to their merit. Mr. Barrymore's Iachimo was attended by reiterated marks of ap probation, particularly in the chamber scene. Mrs. Powel did justice to the trifling part of the Queen, and the other performers exerted themselves with much success. The style in which this admired play is got up does great credit to the manager.

Feb. 24. Deaf and Dumb, or the Orphan protected. This evening a new historical drama, in fivé acts, under the above title, was performed at this

*The best translation of this play is from the pen of Benjamin Thompson, Esq. being No. 16 of the German Theatre, published by Messrs. Vernor and Hood, Poultry.

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theatre for the first time. The principal characters were thus represented :

MEN.

Julio of Harancour (Theodore) Miss DE CAMP.

Darlemont

Mr. WROUGHTON.

Mr. C. KEMBLE.

Mr. BARRYMORE.
Mr. KEMBLE.

Mr. BANNISTER, Jun.
Mr. PALMER.

St. Alme....

Franval

De l'Epée

Dupré

Pierre

Dominic

Mr. SUETT.

WOMEN.

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This interesting piece is a translation from the German of Kotzebue, adapted to the English stage by Mr. Kemble. It may be considered an handsome compliment to the humane institution established at Paris for the instruction of the deaf and dumb, of which fame has spoken so highly. Of the merits of the establishment, the following description, given by the Abbé del'Epée, the founder of the seminary, may afford some idea. "If the peasant," says he, "feels d.light when he beholds the abundant harvest which rewards his industry, judge what must be my sensations when I stand in the midst of my pupils, and see how the unfortunate beings emerge by degrees from darkness; how they become animated by the first beam of heavenly light; how they step by step discover their powers, impart their ideas to each other and form around me an interesting family, of which I am the father." An institution such as this must be a fruitful source of anecdote, and accordingly we find the author has, in the present instance, availed himself of one long familiar to the public, and not the less interesting from its being founded on fact. The fable

is the simplest that can be conceived; but its simplicity is the simplicity of nature, and the most successful appeal to her force and influence. Julio, an interesting youth, born deaf and dumb, the orphan heir to the first magistrate of Toulouse, is brought to Paris by Darlemont, his uncle and guardian, and exposed in a mean attire. Here he is received into the Philanthropic Asylum for unfortunates of his kind, under the name of Theodore. His manners so ill corresponding with the meanness of his dress, at once induce the discerning Del'Epée to suspect that his pupil is the victim of fraud and injustice and the quick intelligence of the youth soon confirms this suspicion He accordingly sets out with him for the south of France, from ome city of which his observations on the conduct of the boy lead him to conclude he has comer Arrived at Toulouse, the extravagant joy exhibited in the looks and gestures of his companion satisfies the Abbé that he has reached the sought-for place. It is here the scene opens with a view of Toulouse, and Theodore recognizing the habitation of his father, now usurped by his uncle.-His restoration to his fortune constitutes the interest of the plot, of which the means by which that end is accomplished form the principal ingredients. Julio recognises the old domestics of his father, and is recognised by them in return. Proofs rise on proots of his identitybut it is not until affer a most obstinate re istance to their force that the uncle confesses his guilt, and restores his property to the injured Julio.

There is also an underplot judiciously blended with the main story:-it consists of the love of St. Alme (the son of Darlemont, but his reverse in disposition) for Marianne-all obstacles to which are removed by the generosity of Julio, whose first act after he obtains possession of his fortune is to settle half of it upon his cousin. From the recital of this

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story, the reader might not suppose it a source of great interest; it is therefore impossible to speak of it in adequate terms of praise without the suspicion of over-rating its merits. We must, however, assert, that of all the productions of this celebrated author which have yet appeared in an English garb, the present is equal in interest to any, and superior in purity of sentiment and moral to all. The ground which he has chosen has the advantage of novelty, but it has also the disadvantage of being extremely difficult. Of this he seems to have been perfectly aware, for the Abbé tells Franval (the advocate whom he engages in his pupil's cause) that "a person who is deaf and dumb always creates distressing sensations," and that he was therefore afraid the presence of his pupil might not be pleasing. With such a knowledge of his subject, Kotzebue must have been afraid that the infirmities of nature were dangerous subects for theatrical exhibition. That the attempt has succeeded in the present instance is owing to the great delicacy and skill with which it is managed. Perhaps too the manner in which Miss De Camp sustained the character of Julio contributed not a little to its success: her fine expressive countenance supplied the deficiencies of speech and hearing the presence, therefore, of Julio was interesting, but not distressing. In all the incidents and situations the author has been peculiarly happy -they are all of the most simple, natural, and domestic kind; they are such as come home to men's business and their bosoms; they are such as they may every day see in the families of others, and tremble for in their own, connected and embellished with all those affecting scenes which render injured innocence doubly interesting by the helplessness of its situation, and all those sentiments of humanity which flow from the peculiar nature of the subject. The adaptation of this piece to the English stage

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