1801. ] 
that any one who knows the parties may 
point out their portraits. During the 
time the pidture was exhibited in the 
Shakelpeare Gallery, the late George 
‘Stevens, who faid as good things as mott 
men, being one day looking at it; a gen- 
tleman who was with him obferved, that 
the varnifh was chilled, and it ,was a pity 
fo good a picture fhould not have a frefh 
coat—** But pray tell me,’ added he, 
«© what is the beft varnifh to bring out-the 
figures ?”—* Turtle foup, without quef- 
tion,” replied Mr. Stevens. = 
Mr. J. R. Smith, of Kine-ftreet, Covent- 
garden, has invented a method df making 
impreflions from his own plates, fo to re= 
femble O1L PAINTINGS, as to be with dif- 
ficulty diftinguifhed, even by Connoiffeurs, 
polieiling that fort of brightnefs which is 
Review of New Mufical Publications. 
335 
fo much admired in Venetian piftures.—= 
. This important and ufeful invention faves 
the expence of glafs, fo dear.and frangible, 
and will ftand exadtly like paintings in oil, 
being executed in the fame manner. Any 
foil or dirt may be taken off with a {ponge 
and water, whichalforeftoresthe brightnefs. 
Mr. Skelton’s Picture of Zhe Irifp Houfeof 
 Commous continues toattract. Itis afingu-~ 
lar coincidence, that the Houfe of Commons 
in Dublin. is now turned into an exhibi- 
tion-room, and the Members who fat in it 
are exhibiting in Bond-fireet. The print 
which is to be engraved from it, will be 
peculiarly interefting, not only from con- 
taining the portraits of thofe Members, 
but from containing alfo portraits of many 
of the Irifh ladies moft diftinguifhed for: 
rank and beauty. 
REVIEW OF THE NEW’ MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS, 
&¢ Virginia,” a Comic Opera in Three Ads, as 
performed at the Theatre-royal Druy Lane. 
The Mufic entirely new, compofed by Mrs. 
Frances Plowden. 12s. 
Clementi, Banger, Hyde, Collard, nnd Davis. 
HE mufic of this opera, which is in 
i fome refpect the joint produétion of 
Mrs. Plowden and Dr. Arnold, does much 
credit to that lady and gentleman. The 
melodies are in general conceived with 
novelty, feeling, and truth of chara¢ter, 
and the harmonic adjuftments conducted 
with that tafte and judgment which have 
fo long diftinguifhed Dr. Arnold’s opere- 
tical compofitions. The air, ‘* Nor 
Wealth nor Birth,’ fung by Mr. Kelly, 
is elegantly imagined; and the duet, fung 
by Mrs. Mountain and Mifs Stevens, is a 
charming piece of harmony. With the 
beautiful fimplicity of ‘¢In this Dilemma,” 
fung by Mifs Biggs, we are particularly 
pleafed, as alfo with the purity of ityle in 
which ** What’s this fearful Agitation’ 
is conceived. Thefe and many fimilar 
features of excellence rank the mufic of 
Virgiaia i our judgment above that of 
the generality of modern operas, and place 
Mrs. Plowden’s fancy, tafte and judg- 
ment, in mufical compofition in a very 
flattering point of view. How fo much 
genuine talent could. meet fuch treatment 
from the theatre, as that of which the 
fair authorefs complains in her_ preface to 
the opera, we are utterly at a lofs to con- 
ceive. That neither the claims of her 
_fex nor her genius fhould have been felt 
'-by_perfons whofe very profeffion leads 
them to the conftant conteniplation of li- 
-berality and refinement of fentiment, 
argues a callofity of heart and ftubborns 
nefs of refiftance to the appeals of juftice, 
generofity, and humanity, of which only 
thofe have any idea who are dead to all 
the true and finer feelings of nature. 
<¢ The Blind Girl; or, a Receipt for Beauty,” 
a Comic Opera, as performed at the Theatres 
royal, Covent-Garden,  Compofed by Maze 
singbi and Reeve. (205. 6d, . 
Goulding, Phipps, and D’ Almaine. 
Though we do not meet with any thing 
particularly original or ftriking in the 
mufic of the Bizd Girl, yet we mutt ac- 
knowledge that there are fome melodies 
which for their eafe, fmoothnefs, and cha- 
racteriftic prépriety, at leaft, challenge 
our approbation. ‘The overture, we are 
-obliged to fay, is common-place and vul- 
gar; but the air by which it is fucceeded 
«© Go to my dying Sifter’s Bed,” is pa- 
theticand graceful. ‘The march to which 
the chorus, ‘* Day of Joy,” is fung, is 
novel and pleafing ; and the air, ‘It this 
delicious grateful Flow’r,” is tenderly 
and affectingly fet. ‘The Slow-march in 
the fecond aét is regular and conneéted, 
but its beft paffage is borrowed from the 
late Mr. Linley. ‘* The ireful Battle 
rages”” is conceived with a tolerable mix- 
ture of {pirit and pathos, and the applica- 
tion of the laft movement of the overture 
to the words of the finale is appropos, 
and forms an agreeable clofe to the 
piece. 
“* Adelmorn the Outlaw,” a grand Romantic 
Drama, as performed at, the Theatre-royab 
Drury-Lane. Written by M. G. Lewisy 
Efq. The Overture and Mufic compofed by 
M. Kelly. 105. 6d. Sold by the Compofer. 
The mufic of this opera, to the words 
sZ2 
