1830.] [ 685 ] 



THEATRICAL MATTERS. 



AT this season, benefits chiefly occupy the theatres ; and they are said 

 to have been in general productive to a degree which altogether contra- 

 dicts the idea of a falling off in the public fondness for the stage. Far- 

 ren's benefit is stated at upwards of six hundred pounds ; and Harley's at 

 an equal sum. The benefits of four of the popular actresses have been 

 highly lucrative. All this argues that, if good performances are given, 

 large audiences will collect to see them. 



Mr. Anderson has announced his intention of trying the public opinion 

 by a benefit ; and Madame Vestris has declared that she will have the 

 most prodigious house that ever assembled to pour its liberality into the 

 lap of an actress. Her very bill of the performance is intended to exceed 

 by from six to sixty feet every other bill of the season. We only hope 

 that she and Mr. Anderson will not have their benefits on the same 

 evening. 



Fawcett took leave of the stage on the 20th, with a speech which has 

 prodigiously perplexed the critics of " farewell eloquence ;" some pro- 

 nouncing it the perfection of jocularity, others equally strenuous in 

 insisting that it was only a bad imitation of a bad speech in a bad farce. 

 But, as Johnsons ays, " In the reputation of a dead poet, who can feel 

 the interest of pleasure or pain ?" So say we, of the glory of a retired 

 actor. Fawcett is gone where he can be hissed no more. Happy the 

 actor who can say as much : and careless may he be of the criticism 

 which can give him but one parting lash, and then falls short of him until 

 it comes to criticise his epitaph ! Fawcett was attended on the stage, in 

 "his extremity," by many of the actors of both theatres, and he has since 

 received some newspaper panegyrics on his popular qualities in his pro- 

 fession. But, let the truth be told. He was a good actor, for he had 

 judgment, and seldom played parts to which his powers were evidently 

 unfitted. But his manners to his professional brethren were less those of 

 an equal than of a manager (and the word is expressive), and nothing 

 but his fidelity could excuse his harshness of temper and violence of 

 phrase. 



The season has formidably tried Kean's popularity. He played some 

 of his former characters, and succeeded tolerably; but his appearances 

 were rare, and he was frequently and for long intervals indisposed. He 

 attempted but one new part, Henry the Fifth ; and in it verified the 

 prediction of every one who had seen any of his performances during 

 the last two years, He totally lost his memory, struggled for a while 

 against this overwhelming difficulty, at length gave way, and was hissed 

 from the stage. This would have been cruel, if the audience had known 

 that mere debility was the cause. His constitution, naturally of no pecu- 

 liar strength, has rapidly sunk under the combined influence of excess, 

 imprudent reliance on himself, and imprudent efforts to regain his place 

 in public favour. None can exult over the fall of a man of ability; and 

 we hope that, among his crowd of former admirers, Kean may still find 

 some friends, who will point out to him the advantages of a temporary 

 retirement, and the higher advantages to be derived from a return to the 

 duty which he owes an unhappy wife and a deserted son. He may rely 

 upon it, that the public knowledge of a man's private misconduct, even 

 though that man be an actor of ability, has an evil effect, which will display 

 itself upon the first reverse of his successes. The love, "honour,and troops 



