greater was the general eagerness, the following year, to celebrate the return of the day. The 12th of March 1804 was fixed upon for the purpose, and the Royal Theatre was elegantly fitted up for a grand masquerade, with quadrilles, the first and principal of which represented the return of Alexander the Great from India, and his marriage with the Princess Statira, daughter of Darius.

The succession of important events that filled the succeeding years, the almost total ruin of the Prussian monarchy, and the death of the Queen in particular, left neither time nor inclination for these gay scenes; the toga gave place to arms, and the sportive muses Euterpe and Terpsichore to their austere sister Clio.

It was therefore long before an opportunity offered for a third fête of the same kind, which was afforded by the recent marriage of His Royal Highness Prince Frederick of Prussia, nephew to His Majesty the King, with Princess Louisa of Anhalt-Bemburg, which was solemnized at Ballenstaedt, and in honour of which a series of fêtes were given at Berlin, of which the masquerade on the 8th of February far exceeded all the rest in splendour.

On that evening, His Majesty the King allowed above three thousand masks to re

Thusnelda. 9. Germanicus (Prince Au- | structive introduction, in order to pl
gustus of Prussia) and Agrippina. 10. Va- ourselves in the point of view from wh
lentinian (Prince Charles) and Eudoxia. the two inventors and directors of
11. Otto (Duke Charles of Mecklenburg) antique and the modern romantic costu
and Adelaide (Princess William.) 12. The desire to be judged of in their endeavo
Cid and Chimene. 13. Huon and Amanda. to reconcile the National and characteri
14. Ruggiero and Bradamante. 15. Peter with the agreeable and theatrical. I
of Provence and Magelone. 16. Louis XII. only thus that it is possible to avoid
and Anne of Bretagne.
dantry on the one hand, and fantasti
ness on the other. Nay, we may ass
what is said in this introduction pr
nearly as the rule, according to which
things now are, we may proceed in all
theatrical and masquerade costumes.
must be also remembered, that in
choice and mixture of the colours, it was
cessary to have regard to the nocturna
lumination, and that on this account
must not be surprised to see Hymen,
instance, not in yellow, but in bright
drapery; further, that it was necessary
aim at striking contrasts, and that the
fore many costumes, particularly in
ancient Asiatic and old German taste,
ceived many ornaments not properly
longing to them. If we make due ali
ance for all this, we shall not be offen
at some trifling deviations from the st
costume, especially because, if we w
called upon to contrive it better, we sho
certainly be very much embarrassed. Ev
where, in the costume of the figures of
heroic ages, we see the profound antic
rian. In the same manner, the costu
arranged by Count Bruhl, from the time
Byzantine magnificence down to Louis
and Anne of Bretagne, are well chosen,
with a view to the greatest magnificen
which was here indispensable. The s
hints which the judicious and tasteful c
triver of these characters has scattered
the explanations, shew how much he co
say on the subject in a proper place.
were much to be wished that in his leis
time, upon which, indeed, there are
many claims, he might be able to disp
to us the Christian romantic world, in
express work on the costume, as it beg
from the Dalmatica and Lábarum, down
the modern Spanish at the beginning
the 16th century, with accurate drawi
which are indispensable, and also quot
the authorities. Perhaps lithography
attain every where the high degree of
fection which it has acquired in Muni
and thus render it possible to represent
genuine metallic costumes at a smaller
pence.

The white Saloon, which was fitted up
and appropriated to the representation, and
diversified Tableaur and groupings of the
Quadrille, was peculiarly adapted by its at
once simple and grand decorations, by its
antique form and spaciousness, for the fes-
tal occasion. The lofty hall, the architec-
tural unity of which was not interrupted by
any modern additions, contained about 400
spectators on the Estrades (running along
the walls,) covered with scarlet cloth, and
divided from the centre space by Thyrsus
staves with garlands. The wall opposite the
entrance was occupied by the royal band on
a raised stage, covered with scarlet cloth.
The King, with the members of the Royal
family, who remained as spectators, and the
new married couple, sat upon elevated seats
on the left of the orchestra, the latter in the
ancient German dress, wearing the colours
of Hohenzollern and Anhalt.

The work, of which we have spoke above, represents, on 13 copper plates, of which

ceive cards of invitation or admission to
the Royal Palace. In the splendour of in-12 are coloured, the principal characters
num erable wax-lights, the gay throng
float ed in expectation of the moment when
the procession was to pass before them.
The door opened. The beautiful allegory
proceeded slowly and majestically through
a long suite of apartments, representing
the union of two hearts, and consecrating
this union by the mystical rites of antiquity,
and by chosen examples of heroic, romantic,
chivalrous, and princely love.

and groups of this festival. The faithful-
ness of the representation, and the beauty of
the colouring, leave nothing to be desired.
It is a monument of taste, which perhaps
could not have been produced except by
the concurrence of so many favourable cir-
cumstances. The first requisite of such a
pantomimic fête, viz. unity of the leading
idea, was afforded by the object of the day,
to celebrate a marriage in the Royal family.
The white saloon, the most simply ele-Thus all is connected with a procession
gant in the palace, received the train of (Pompa in the ancient sense) to the honour
seventy-nine persons, without the Cupids. of the great Patroness of Marriage, Juno
It entered, prece led by two Temple Heralds, Pronuba, or Hera Teleia. It thus becomes,
and by Comus the god of mirth. Two ele- as the Greeks named it, a sacred marriage.
gant triumphal cars broke the uniformity Hicroduloi and Hierokerykoi attend the
of the procession. In the first stood Psyche festival. Priestesses consecrate it. The
and Eros Uranios; behind them Hymen whole procession, as above described, is
with his torch and garland. In the second finely represented on the 13th plate. Two
car was Hera Teleia, consecrating the men, well versed in the customs of all ages,
union of hearts. A throng of male and gave all the requisite directions for the cos-
female attendants of Eros, Psyche, and Juno, tumes; the Aulic Counsellor Hirt, so dis-
partly drew, partly accompanied and sur- tinguished for his researches into antiquity,
rounded the cars of the Divinities, of whose for all relative to the antique, and the judi-
train the Graces formed as necessary a part cious and active intendant of the Royal
as the graver Priestesses of Juno.
Theatre, Count Bruhl, for every thing rela-
tive to the middle ages and more modern
times. The first four coloured plates repre-
sent Cupid and Psyche (very differently
indeed from what we see them in the well
known groups, or on the celebrated Cameo
of the Duke of Marlborough, by Tryphon,)
1. Cadmus (Prince George of Hesse) and but much must be placed to the account of
Hermione. 2. Hector and Andromache. 3. the veil, which is here hardly visible. Hymen;
Ulysses and Penelope. 4. Abradates (the the Three Graces, with garlands of flowers;
Crown Prince) and Panthea (Princess Frede-Hera Teleia, with her Priestesses; the He-
rica.) 5. Mausolus and Artemisia. 6. Alex-rald; Comus and Momus; and, lastly, two
ander (Prince William, the King's brother)
and Roxana (Princess Alexandrina.) 7. An-
tiochus and Stratonice. 8. Arminius and

After the mysterious symbols of Life and Love, there advanced, preceded by Cupids, and issuing from the "Gate of the Past," Life and Love, represented by sixteen couple of heroic lovers in the following order:

male and two female Hieroduloi. Then
follow, in 8 plates, the 16 couple, two upon
each plate. It is necessary to read the in-

We would address the same request M. Hirt, in respect to the Asiatic, Egypti Scythian, and Greek Etruscan (of wh the Roman is only a branch.) The indef gable Millin at Paris had been engaged ma years in collecting rare and chosen mater on the subject, and published a small, important work, on theatrical costume, P paratory to a large work with numero plates. The unfortunate fire, which duri his three years' tour in Italy threw in disorder, if it did not consume, all papers and collections, together with t unpropitious times, caused the executi of this plan to be indefinitely delayed. I

I

however, to collect and to arrange undertaken as a thing capable of displaying | a short existence. But all these adjuncts 7. And what means had he at his com- great ingenuity, fancy, and imagination, were also wanting; instead of wit or hu, in the situation he was placed in at by any man of genius. Yet we think that mour, there were only the most miserable *! But his death, by which his friends some fame might be gathered even by high and tasteless common-places; instead of the sciences are equal sufferers, for literary talent, in this new line, dumb and feats and dexterity, clumsy tricks and vuldestroyed this plan. Let Hirt then, dancing as its representatives are. On the garity; instead of ability or beauty, heavimythological picture-book has already contrary, in ancient Rome the Pantomimi ness and want of invention. To add to of so much use, no longer delay to were the greatest actors of Tragedy by these calamities, the Clown, a Mr. Bradbury, e this merit. How much would we looks and gestures; and in modern Italy, got wrangling with a madman in the boxes, if we had such a book of costumes the learned have not disdained to rack their and misconducted himself so grossly as to g from the brilliant times of classic invention for their Sannio, (our Clown), give general offence to the audience. This For the plastic monuments, while Princes have made the most famous increased the storm, which would have been here aiming at the naked, are of them their companions. It was an im- sufficient to overwhelm the Pantomime, d on conventional laws, very differ-provement of later times, though two cen- without the supernatural aid of either the from the picturesque rules of our turies and a half ago, to change the dotards Fool or the idiot, the Zany or the maniac. al costumes, and they lead the im- of Terence and Plautus into the Venetian Suffice it to state that the design was altoat greatly astray. One source for Pantaloou; and the Lover was necessarily gether so silly, the exhibition so beggarly, que costume is, however, by no means added, to complete a dramatis persona and the acting so bad, that we have had sed: viz. the vases, of which more capable of being involved in plot or intrigue. the rare example of a Pantomime being ly discovered and published. People These four characters, with Scaramouch, so loudly condemned by the public voice, length be tired of the mere Bac- have now become the essentials of Panto- in three nights, as to be driven off the a, which have been multiplied to mime: all the rest, such as Braggards, stage, notwithstanding the assurances of and only really new and interesting Doctors, Pimps, Scapins, Fops, &c. being the bills that it had excited roars of laughwill be copied, as has been lately either identified with one or other of them, ter throughout, and should do the same again much judgment by James Mil- or entirely incidental to the particular every evening!! We shall not waste our , collected from the vases of Sir piece in which they appear. columns with any details of the disgusting Coghill. Some of the finest acting in the world, tumults which led to this catastrophe, nor Sace printing this account, we observe that both tragic and comic, was wont to be ex-with comments on the unseemly sight of Boosey have imported copies of this hibited in Pantomine, but now nothing is the Clown soliciting forgiveness, on his attempted by the actors beyond activity in knees, from a British audience, and a thethe Harlequin and Columbine, decrepitude atre being made the arena for disputants, in the Pantaloon, and grimace in the Clown. headed on the one side by the impertinent, Any of these would as soon think of set- and on the other by the insane. ting fire to the scenery, as of venturing at expression in look or action,-yet this is very excellent, and would be a great improvement; of the practicability of which we need no other proof than Grimaldi's performances as the servant of Don Juan. "Scaramuccia non parla, e dica gran cosa," ," said a great Prince: We wish we had more occasions to say the same of our Pantomimic performers, but in truth the scenery-shifting and transformations, and the latter not very frequent, have become the principal, almost the sole features of these representations.

German work. See Advertisement.

THE HERMIT IN LONDON.

very extraordinary sensation excited by the Essays der the above title, have been inserted in our Se 1.8, renders it necessary that we should exseas for not extending the series beyond a poruse of a work in the possession of Mr. 25. by whom we were favoured with such spe we have given in the Gazette,) intended to be

my before the public. The fact is, they con

Beynimda Threz Volumes, and announced for publia de cunter of the ensuing season. Under such then, we could not, in common justice, Sather the appearance, in a distinct and collected of the urabrations of that sprightly and ingenious %, whore playful and elegant satire has thrown

toire upon private right, by anticipating

We

§ futural interest and variety into our pages. pleasure, however, to add, that we have the of several able contributors in this particular jeamt of ear journal, whose exertions and talents

DRURY LANE. This house has been pecurselves will afford a constant and varied culiarly unfortunate in its holiday spectacle,

4 amusement to our subscribers and friends.

parfait

THE DRAMA.

entitled Harlequin and the Dandy Club,
or 1818. The penurious and economical
plan adopted by its Managers, was calcu-
lated to be fatally felt in such a dramatic
work as a Pantomime, where splendid
scenery, richdresses, complicatedmachinery,
and other extravagances are indispensable.
Debarred from these accessories, Harlequin
and the Dandy Club was one of the most
mean and meagre things which has for
many years been attempted on the London
boards, even in a minor theatre. Perhaps
if there had been any wit or humour in
the construction of the piece, any singular
feats or dexterity in its acting, any ability
or beauty in its changes, the poverty of its
decorations might have been overlooked,
and it might have been allowed to drag on

CHRISTMAS PANTOMIMES.
En de certains momens l'esprit le plus
Der sans rongir jusqu'aux Marionettes
Peau d'Ane.
be so, that there are times when
t and wittiest of us can be enter-
with Harlequin, we hope that one
e periods may occur in London re-
every Christmas; for then it is that
the motley hero and little else to
us at all the theatres. The great
ce between our Harlequin and the
no of Italy, whence he was origi-
rived, is, that we make him a ma-
"He speaks not, but he says many great
and produce surprising metamor-
by the mechanical wit of his flick-things". This was observed of a Scaramouch,
who admirably depicted a whole scene of suc-
ad. With us the composition of cessive frights. Vide Curiosities of Literature,
ime has always been left to some of which we have availed ourselves in the fore-
satriver about the theatre, and never going remarks.

COVENT GARDEN.-Here, though in some respects inferior, as in others superior, to former seasons, a Pantomime founded on the adventures of the redoubted Baron Munchausen, and called by his name, has been successful. Its claims, however, to this distinction rest almost entirely upon its fine and gorgeous scenery, its perfect mechanism, its showy decorations, and the intrinsic merits of the story, which could not be acted without producing a good effect, though as little as possible has been made of its incidents/

It would be a long tale to tell how this pantomime is conducted. It commences with the Baron asleep on the snow, and his horse tied to the steeple; the snow melts, owing to a volcanic eruption of no great fervour, and the Baron descends, but his steed remains in suspense. In the village below Sir Hilary Frosticos wishes to force his daughter to wed Lord HumpyDandy, whom she rejects for the bold Baron. The lovers fly to Vulcan's cave and obtain the favour of Venus, but offend her limping husband; and, of course, the former supports while the latter persecutes them, in the new pantomimic characters into which they are changed. The usual running about, hauling, leaping, and escaping, ensues; the chief scenes of which are the Moon and Lunar Palace, whose inhabitants carry their heads in their hands; the Bay of Constantinople; the Deck of an Sea; Dublin: Egypt, with Pompey's PilEnglish Man of War; the Bottom of the lar; and the Fountain of Love. In all of these there is much splendour or able delineation, and in some of them very considerable ingenuity and novelty. The

J

THE SURREY THEATRE has re-opened, with three new pieces of the burletta and melo-dramatic species. We observe that several new and good performers are engaged, of whom, and of the dramas, we shall render an account as soon as possible.

VARIETIES.

Sir T. Lawrence, who is gone to Vienna to paint the portrait of Prince Schwartzenburg, for the Prince Regent of England, will, it is said, afterwards go to Rome to paint a portrait of his Holiness the Pope, for his Hoyal Highness.—Times.

change of Pompey's pillar into a magnifi- | rally do on the first night, and especially
cent tent, was capitally managed. What if written by Managers, and was announced
was most wanted was drollery. With the for repetition.
exception of the Clown's imitation of sea-
sickness, the heaving of Pantaloon and
him overboard, and his being baked to a
red-hot cinder, in the oven, with a shoulder
of mutton, at Mr. Chaubert, the fire-
eater's exhibition room, we do not re-
member a laughable hit in the whole per-
formance. Probably a few will be thrown
in after the anxiety of the first night to
see if all works well. We have to com-
plain a little of Harlequin, whom we can
no more excuse for not whirling about his
head, than we could pardon a Hamlet who
omitted all the soliloquies. Indeed Mr.
Ellar was very sparing of the attributes so
invariably annexed to his character, and
gave us none of those curious movements
which display the genuine and classical
Harlequin, qui ore, vultu, imitandis moti-
bus, voce, denique corpore ridetur ipso.
We beg to refer him to Cicero de Oratore,
which we presume he has not sufficiently
studied. Columbine, Clown, and Panta-
loon, were all highly commendable for their
exertions; and though not equal to the
incomparable Mother Goose, or even to
Gulliver, this production is entitled to as
much of the season as of right belongs to
its genus. It will undoubtedly fill the trea-
sury of Covent Garden, in proportion as
the other house must suffer; since it has
no rival, and at this time of the year the
grand majority of play-goers are the vota-
ries of Pantomiine,

The extraordinary fog experienced in this country, on Tuesday, 22d ult. has, we observe from the foreign journals, prevailed over Holland and Belgium at the same

time.

ANECDOTE. One of our most celebrated
living Poets, occasionally a little absent of
mind, was invited by a friend, whom he
met in the street, to dine with him next
Sunday, at a country lodging he had taken
for the summer months. The address was
"Near the Green Man, at Dulwich,"
which, not to put his inviter to the trouble❘
of pencilling down, our bard promised
faithfully to remember. But when Sunday
came, he, fully late enough, made his way
to Greenwich, and began inquiring for the
sign of the Dull Man! No such sign was
to be found; and, after losing an hour, a
person guessed that though there was no
Dull Man at Greenwich, there was a Green
Man at Dulwich, which the gentleman
might possibly mean! This remark con-
nected the broken chain, and our Poet took
his chop by himself.

The tragedies of Isabella and Douglas,
and the Romance of Barmecide, have been
played at Drury Lane, with such alterations
or novelties as to entitle them to notice.
In the first, Mrs. West performed the he-
roine most torpidly, with two or three
bursts; a Mr. Hamblin tried his hand at
Carlos, and failed; and the other principal
There is only one tree at Hilla, the ruins
characters were sustained (we need say no
of Babylon, which is called by the natives
more) by Messrs. H. Kemble, Bengough, Athele. They maintain that it flourished
Powell, &c. &c.!! In the second, Mrs. in the ancient city, and that God purposely
Glover made Lady Randolph, like Niobe, preserved it for Ali to tie up his horse after
all tears.' This lady is very lachrymose in the battle of Hilla. It is an evergreen re-
tragedy, though agreeable and often excel-sembling the lignum vitæ, and so uncom-
lent in genteel comedy, which, if she con-
sulted the indication of her nose, she would only one other of the same kind at Bassora.
mon in the country that there is said to be
never forsake. In the third, which was
Rich's Memoir.
hissed with Kean in it, they contrived to
have it hissed without him.

Some time ago a large lion came every evening from the banks of the Euphrates, and took his stand on a bridge over a canal near Bagdat, to the terror of travellers. He was at last shot by a Zobeide Arab.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Ibid.

Mr. Buckingham, an intelligent trave in the East, is, it is stated by Mr. Ri account of preparing to publish an travels through countries of great intere A report, circulated in London Edinburgh, that Mr. Jeffrey was abou retire from the Editorship of the Edinbu Review, has been authoritatively con dicted, by The Scotsman, an Edinbu Newspaper connected with the Opposit Party; which adds, that the circulation the Review has greatly increased within last twelve months, and is now greater t at any former period.

Mr. Crabbe has, we believe, closed poetical career with a final Poem, entit

Recollections." This new work has be

purchased by one of our principal p lishers, with the intention of editing complete collection of Mr. Crabbe's w

ings. The excellent Bard has received t liberal price of 30007. for the copyright. The last number of the Weekly Repe tory,

year

an English Sunday paper publish in Paris by Gagliani, Rue Vivienne, co tains, among other articles, a very in resting extract from Captain Light's Trave in Egypt and Palestine, in the 181 Besides this extract, there is a no less teresting account of the Discoveries ma in Egypt, by M. Belzoni, in the gre Pyramid, and the Catacombs of Thebe La Quotidienne.

* A Paris Paper translated from the Litera

all the afternoon.

Saturday, 19-Thermometer from 21 to 35.

Barometer from 30, 37 to 30,
Wind N. and SW. 0.-Generally clear.
Rain fallen, 075 of an inch.-Ice 2 inches thi
Sunday, 20-Thermometer from 30 to 48.
Barometer from 30, 31 to 30,
Wind S. 3.-Generally cloudy; in the even
it cleared a little.
Monday, 21-Thermometer from 48 to 35.
Barometer from 30, 31 to 30;
Wind SW. and NbW. 0-Generally cle
except the beginning of the morning.
Tuesday, 22-Thermometer from 24 to 33.
Barometer from 30, 67 to 30,
Wind NbW. 0.-A thick fog in the morni
and very hazy most of the day.
Wednesday, 23-Thermometer from 23 to 34
Barometer from 30, 59 to 30,
Wind NbE. 0.-Generally clear.

A new dramatic romance, called Flodden Field, was performed on Thursday night, at Drury Lane. It is taken from Walter Scott's Marmion, and said to be the production of Mr. S. Kemble. It commences with the condemnation of Constance, for a breach of her Monastic vows, and goes through the principal incidents in the Poem, relating to De Wilton, Marmion, the Spectre Knight, &c. We can at present Mr. Rogers has a Poem immediately only allude to it as too deficient in action, and forthcoming; the title is "Human Life," containing no character prominent enough and we are assured that the production is to keep alive interest, though some of the worthy of the Author of the " Pleasures of Thursday 24-Thermometer from 21 to 29. Barometer from 30, 42 to 30, scenery was effective, and the processions Memory." Wind S. 0.-Generally misty. At five in were not badly managed. It received a As a proof of the vast extent of the Pub-afternoon the fog began to increase, and was good share of approbation, as pieces gene-lishing Trade in this country, we may state thick during the evening.

THE OFFICIAL NAVY LIST for January 1819. HORE BRITANNICE; or Studies on Ancient This Day is published, in one large volume, 12mo, 9s. bds.

*.*The second volume comprises the History of the THE NEW POCKET CYCLOPÆDIA, or, EleBritish Churches.