550 Things Theatrical. [Nov. 



rivalled comedian, having entirely subdued his dire enemy, the gout, 

 will perform a few nights at Covent Garden theatre during the present 

 season, and then take leave of the stage for ever. The story is not 

 merely untrue, but, as Voltaire says of the King of Pnissia's marriage, 

 has rien de vraisemblable. The most celebrated wit at the last levee, 

 on being told it, said, " that it was nothing but a new edition of the 

 king's speech, the same story every season these ten years.'' 



Wordsworth says somewhere, that " the child's the father of the 

 man." It would be lucky for old Kean, if he could realize the line. 

 Young Kean, when he returns from America, will have realized 

 money enough to secure him comfort during his life. The habits of this 

 youth are said to be remarkable for their correctness and amiability. 

 He is a great favourite in the United States. 



Rodwell, the composer, is busy. He has already prepared two 

 petite operas, in which Liston is to play the lover, and exhibit new 

 powers in bravura. The great comedian has, we understand, been tak- 

 ing lessons in sottoing from Pasta, and the pas de deux from Taglioni. 

 He is spoken of as having made extraordinary proficiency, and we have 

 no doubt will astonish the world. The truth is, the public want some 

 substitute for Sinclair, who is gone, and for Braham, who seems a 

 long time coming. Taglioni's sprained tendons have thrown the King's 

 Theatre into despair, and we must look to the universality that always 

 belongs to genius, to repair the deficiency. Liston is the national hope 

 in this disastrous dilemma. 



To talk more of our " Miscellanea." " When Charles Kemble ap- 

 peared for the first time, after the late important decision, he was most 

 enthusiastically received by the audience. The pit rose in a body, and 

 gave three cheers for the Lord Chancellor !" This is fame. What will 

 the historian now say of popular gratitude ? We doubt Avhether Chan- 

 cellor was ever huzzaed in a pit before. But, then we must recollect 

 the novelty of a Chancellor's finishing a Chancery suit, before that stiit 

 was turned into a shroud for both parties. 



One of the papers rather sulkily insinuates, that IMiss Lydia Kelly 

 was at first thought to be the celebrated Miss Kelly, and went the round 

 of America before the mistake was discovered, when she had amassed 

 sufficient money to enable her to retire. To the critical 7ious of the 

 Yankees, the name was, we presume, every thing, and Miss L. Kelly 

 would have been the first of singers or tragedians, if she could have 

 had the ingenuity to think of calling herself Catalani and Mrs. Siddons 

 at the same time. The Yankees, by this reserve, were defrauded of 

 their legitimate pleasure. 



This reminds us of an anecdote, not in Joe Miller ; Kelly (for the 

 name is prosperous), an Irish barrister, was promoted to the bench. The 

 rumour then began to spread, that he was no lawyer. " Egad !" said 

 the old gentleman, " it may be true ; but I, for one, am very glad they 

 did not found it out before." 



A semi-theatrical anecdote is running the round of the polite world. — 

 " The Lover's Presents Reclaimed : — A curious correspondence 

 has been opened, between a gentleman who formerly cut no small figure 

 in the fashionable world, and a nobleman, who has lately married a fa- 

 vourite actress. The gentleman alluded to, was at one time the lover of 

 the lady, and hoped to be blessed with her fair hand. He changed his 

 mind — she brought her action — he married another lady, and she be- 



