55S LON 
The eorapofition and executive part oF tliefe haffos re¬ 
lievos, are entitled to every praife; the characters, in the 
main, are marked with much boldnefs and precifion : 
there is a fpirit of poetical imagery in the allegorical and 
ideal appendages, which gives to this fculpture a kind of 
epic dignity, not unworthy the genius of the mailer, from 
whom the general idea has been caught. With refpefl, 
however, to character and propriety and that peculiar cor¬ 
rect nefs which one expeCts to find in a work aiming at 
refinement, there is an error of fuch magnitude as to de- 
ferve pointing out. The artift has very properly intro¬ 
duced Shakefpeare as the head of the modern drama, 
conjuring up his Profpero, his Caliban, and Ariel, and 
all the creation of the Tempeft ; hut Profpero, Caliban, 
and Ariel, are real embodied characters—they have a dra¬ 
matic perfonal entity, and are not, like the air^drawn dag¬ 
ger of Macbeth, the mere idea and notion of the mind, 
under the impulfe of violent pafiion. But in the fculp¬ 
ture of the ancient drama the artift has confounded the 
two ideas, and given a perfonal form and reprefentation 
to a mere notion and afreCtion of the mind. In the 
Choephoroi of iEfchylus, the Furies have no exiftence 
beyond what they afifume in the terror of Oreftes: he fees 
them in his mind’s eye, and in the dill:racied vifion of his 
fears and remorfe. The fiflion of poetry will allow this ; 
but the fculptor muft not out-herod Herod : he muft not 
play the poet with the poet—he muft not extend the ex¬ 
travagance, and give flelh and blood to what the poet has 
been contented to leave mere fancy and pafiion. This is 
certainly an error on the part of propriety. 
Statues feven feet in height, reprefenting Tragedy and 
Comedy, are placed in niches in the wings of the theatre. 
Tragedy, on the fouth wing, is a fine figure, holding the 
tragic malk and dagger: the fculptor is Mr. Rofii. Co¬ 
medy holds the fhepherd’s crook or pedum on her right 
fhoulder, and the comic malk in her left hand : this is 
the workmanlhip of Mr. Flaxman, and occupies the 
northern wing.—We have little to remark upon the 
llatues. The figures are good in themfelves; but, if 
we regard them diftinelly from their appendages, they 
are not fufliciently charafleriftic : a ftatue or painting 
fhould declare itfelf, feen at any difiance, without re¬ 
quiting a minute infpeftion of the attributes; but thefe 
ftatues, ftripped of their attributes, convey no precife 
idea : they are what you pleafe ; a Mufe or a Pomona. 
Let us carry our minds forward, and fuppofe that we ffiouid 
find thefe ftatues a hundred years hence, ftripped by ra¬ 
pine or accident of their appendages—would it be pof- 
fible to affix to either of them the charafler of Tragedy or 
of Comedy ? Now Tragedy and Comedy are decided cha- 
raflers of themfelves: the malk, the bowl, and buflein, 
ftiould not be required to diftinguifli them. Sculpture 
2nd fancy have already afiigned to them naked and ab- 
ftraff peculiarities. They are, moreover, too fmall for 
the building; as mere figures, the parts of them, the ad- 
juftment of the drapery, and the quantities, are excellent; 
we could only wifti to have feen what would have dif- 
tinftly marked them as Tragedy and Comedy. It was 
not correct, we think, nor confiftent with the ample gran¬ 
deur and fevere dignity of the Doric order to mount 
them upon lofty pedeftals, and to cut them down to the 
fize of the human figure. It would have been better if 
they had no other pedeftal than the bafement of the niche 
in which they Hand, and had mounted to the fpring of 
the arch without artificial elevation. 
Interior of the Theatre .—The entrance from the piazza is 
by a double flight of Hone fteps ; the walls are alfo of 
ftone, and the whole is lighted by antique lamps, placed 
on tripods of bronze. Talle and judgment have concurred 
in producing the union of beauty and convenience. No¬ 
thing can be more elegant than the ornaments, and no¬ 
thing more perfect than the accommodation provided for 
the public. The communication from one part of the 
houfe to another is complete, being facilitated by flair- 
cafes, by which one may go from the ftage or the pit to 
DON. 
the upper gallery, In a few minutes. Large refervolrs of 
water have been judicioufly formed, from which pipes lead 
to every part of the lioufe. Thefe conduits are of a very 
confiderable diameter, and would in an inftant inundate 
any fpot to which it might be neceffary to direft the flood. 
Within the folid parts of the walls, and indeed in the 
very heart of the building, are introduced ventilators, for 
the purpofe of oeconomifing and diftributing the air. The 
houfe, therefore, is always capable of being purified and 
refrefhed, and, in figurative language, may even be faid 
to refpire. 
The ltage, in height, breadth, and efpecially in depth, 
appears to be of admirable dimenfions, and excellently 
adapted to fcenic ftiow and proceflions. The boxes, ex¬ 
cept thofe over the fide-doors, are not fuffered to intrude 
upon the profcinium ; a proper departure from the common 
practice. On each fide of the profeenium are two lofty 
pilaflers in fcaliogla, with light gilt capitals; between 
which,are the ftage-doors and managers’ boxes, &c. Thefe 
fupport an elliptical arch, the centre of which rifes to the 
height of thecieling; the whole forming a fpeciesof cove. 
It is divided into compartments by burniflied-gold 
mouldings and ftiles with wreaths of oak and the double 
rofe of England ; the thillle and fhamrock in gold are like- 
wife introduced. In the centre of each compartment is 
a filver branch of palm; all thefe ornaments are carved 
in bas relief. The king’s arms are placed upon the enta¬ 
blature, in the centre, below the arch; they are carved 
into alto relievo, and gilt. The drop curtain reprefents 
a grand national fquare, furrounded by the ftatues of mi¬ 
litary and naval officers, with charafteriftic baffo relievos. 
Standards taken from the foe appear fufpended between 
the pillars of an open colonnade. A triumphal arch opens 
into the fquare, in the centre of which is a magnificent 
ltrufture, encircled alfo with baflb relievos; and on a pe¬ 
deftal at the top of the dome ftand three iiatues, repre¬ 
fenting the fifter kingdoms pointing to their heroes,' and 
their trophies of viftory. The ventilator, which is the 
cap of the cieling, is made upon an entirely new princi¬ 
ple : inftead of coming down, and forming a dark gap, 
as it did formerly, it is now level with the reft of the del¬ 
ing, and can be opened and Unit at pleafure, according to 
the temperature of the houfe. The whole forms an union 
Afield, the centre of which is the rofe of England, encir¬ 
cled with the fleur-de-lis; and the other national orna¬ 
ments are picked in with the union colours. The blue, 
which was found rather too dark at the firft lighting up, 
has been foftened, and now accords better with the gene¬ 
ral effect. 
There are three tiers of boxes, which are difpofed ia 
a fenficircular form, and afford a perfeft view of the flage 
from every point. The front of the boxes was at firft: 
uniformly of a cream colour with Greek ornaments in 
gold upon a pink ground and gold mouldings. But at 
prefent, the ornament in the firft circle of boxes con fills 
of wreaths of oak, encircling the red and white rofe; on 
the fecond circle is introduced the thiftle, in octagon 
pannels, with fprigs of oak in the fpandrills; and on the 
third circle is the ffiamrock, impannelled by clofely-woven 
laurel, and having fprigs of oak, as in the circle below. 
Thefe ornaments are carved in bas-relief and gilt, and are 
laid on a ground of light ftone-colour; they continue 
throughout each circle, leparated only by fmall gilt pilaf- 
ters, on which are carved a lion’s head over a branch of 
palm, filvered on a pannel of laurel foliage. Thefe carry 
the columns, lupporting each circle, which are of bur- 
nifhed filver. The horizontal mouldings on each circle 
are richly carved and gilt. The cuftiions and leats are 
fcarlet, and the backs of the boxes are painted with a rich 
rofe-coloured red. In each box there are three rows of 
feats, with light-blue coverings; but to the drefs-boxes 
have been lately added an additional row of feats in the 
front; the balket boxes are confequently diminiihed, 
and thrown back. A Ikreen, to prevent the draught of 
air, has been made on each fide. The three circles of 
boxes 
