$22.) 
almost. to merit the praise due to un- 
borrowed beauty ; and from the proofs 
here given of a free and easy fancy, 
we should deem Mr. S., in composi- 
tions of this kind, perfectly adequate 
to the formation of his own themes, 
DRAMA. 
Covent-Girpen.—The past month, 
we are sorry to have to report, has not 
been so favourable to the interests of 
the two winter theatres as we would 
have wished, or as a better prevailing 
taste would have ensured. 'The repe- 
titions of the Law of Java, the Miller 
and his Men, the Lord of the Manor, 
Macbeth, Cherry and Fair Star, the 
Two Gentlemen of Verona, the Rivals, 
Fiob Roy, and other deseryedly-ad- 
mired pieces, have attracted but mo- 
derate audiences to Covent-Garden. 
The high and acknowledged merit of 
principal performers at this theatre 
will not permit us to attribute the 
failure to any deficiency, on the part of 
the managers, either in judgment or 
split; we therefore haye to impute 
the effect to other causes. Among 
these are to be reckoned, the numerous 
minor theatres that are now open to 
the public, the exertions displayed at 
the new house in the Haymarket, the 
attractions of Vauxhall-Gardens under 
their new proprietors, the late dinner 
hours in circles of fashion, and lastly, 
and most seriously, the extreme heat 
of the weather, which has been pecu- 
liarly hostiie to attendance in crowded 
theatres. 
Literary and Critical Proémium. 
547 
Drury-Lane.—Mr, Elliston, with 
the employment of the great and ex~ 
traordinary talents of Mr. Kean, Mr. 
Braham, Madame Vestris, and him- 
self, in Abroad and at Home, the Ro- 
man Actor, the Castle of Andalusia, 
Othello, Richard the Third, Love in « 
Village, and the Mountaineers, (with 
which he closed on June 14,) has en- 
deavoured to sustain the ancient splen- 
dor of the theatre under his manage- 
ment, and to deserve the praise and 
encouragement of that public which 
had so long honoured him with its 
support. But the misfortune of illness, 
together with the disadvantages we 
have just enumerated, have fallen upon 
his efforts with too great a weight to 
induce his keeping open his theatre 
this season to the usual period. It is, 
however, cheering to find that, amid 
all his discouragements, Mr. Elliston 
has hitherto been enabled to fulfil his 
engagement with the proprietors, and 
to acquit himself with henour and 
punctuality towards all the parties 
with whom the concern has brought 
him in contact. During the recess, the 
theatre is to undergo considerable al- 
terations and embcllishments, which, 
in combination with the exertions now 
making to increase and improve the 
company, will, it is anticipated, ren- 
der it as attractive as it ever has been, 
in the most brilliant portion of its ca- 
reer; and secure to the zealous and 
sedulous manager that fame and emo- 
lament which he so highly merits. 
aa ar a serene rene 
NEW BOOKS PUBLISHED IN JUNE: 
WITH AN HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL PROEMIUM. 
———— 
Authors or Publishers, desirous of sceing an early notice of their Works, ave 
requested to transmit copies before the \Sth of the Month. 
"THE most singular and important dis- 
covery which lias, since the restora- 
tion of letters, been given to the world, 
we owe, during the past month, to the 
learning, industry, and patriotism of Mr. 
O'Connor; who, having preserved, through 
all mutations of fortune, the ancient ma- 
nuseripts, which have been the hereditary 
trast of his house, has now published a 
version of them, under the title of, Chro- 
nicles of Eri, being the History of the Gaal 
Scivt Lher; ov the Irish People: trans- 
lated from the original Manuscripts in the 
Phenician dialect of the Scythian language. 
The earliest of these traditions purport to 
be compiled by Eolus, chief of the Gaal, 
between the years 1368 and 1535, before 
Christ, about fiity years later than Moses; 
and they give the traditionary history of 
the Scythians from the earliest point of 
—= 
time to his own days. To these suceced 
the annals of Eri, commencing with the 
invasion of Ireland by the Scythian 
colonies of Spain, 1006 years B.C. and 
bringing down the history of the settle- 
ment to within seven years of the Christian 
wra, These documents open a wide and 
perfectly novel field for the investigation 
of the earlier history of the Eastern tribes, 
and the author has availed himself of it in 
a manuer worthy of its importance by a 
most acute and elaborate demonstration, 
prefixed to his translation, of the original 
seat, nations, and tribes of the Scythian 
race. From the boldness with which, as 
Editor, he attacks many received opinions 
in chronology and history, sacred and pvo- 
fane, Mr. O’Conner must expect a very 
close examination of his arguments and 
evidence, especially from those whose in- 
terest 
