19. Wheel of Fortune-Escapes.

21. Cymbeline. Cornelius, Mr. Thompson; Imogen, Miss Norton (her first appearance here.) Farmer. Louisa and Molly. Maybush, Miss Bolton and Miss Meadows.

23. Wild Oats. Lady Amaranth, Miss Norton. Quaker.

25. Speed the Plough., Paul and Virginia.

28. Cymbeline Rosina (1st app. here) a young lady. 30. Provok'd Husband. Lock and Key.

OCTOBER.

2.

School of Reform. Mrs. Ferment, Mrs. C. Kemble. Rosina. 5. King Henry the Eighth-Tom Thumb.

7. Cymbeline-Padlock.

8. Macbeth-Hartford Bridge.

9. Road to Ruin. Goldfinch (1st app. here) Mr. Jones. Sophia, Miss Norton. And 1st time here] Of Age To-morrow, Frederick, Mr. Jones, Piffleberg. Mr. Liston; Molkus, Mr. Simmons; Friz, Mr. King; Lady Brumback, Mrs. Davenport; Sophia, Miss Bolton; Maria, Mrs. C. Kemble.

12. Henry VIII. and [1st time here] Wedding Day. Lord Rakeland, Mr. Brunton; Sir Adam Coutest, Mr. Munden; Lady Coutest, Mrs; C. Kemble.

14. School for Prejudice. Fanny Liberal, (1st app. in London) a young lady: Turnpike Gate.

16. Road to Ruin-Of Age To-morrow.

19. Henry VIII.-Flitch of Bacon

20. Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes, Mr. Taylor, Artabanes, Mr. Bellamy; Arbaces, Mr. Incledon; Rimenes, Mr. Treby; Mandane (her first appearance in that character, at this theatre.) Mrs. Dickons; Semira, Miss Bolton. Wedding Day.

21. Rage. Hon. Mr. Savage, Mr. Fawcett; Sir Paul Perpetual, Mr. Emery; Sir George Gauntlet, Mr. Brunton; Darnley, Mr. C. Kemble; Gingham, Mr. Jones; Flush, Mr. Blanchard; Signor Cygnet, Mr. Farley; Lady Sarah Savage, Mrs. Mattocks; Mrs. Darnley, Mrs Gibbs; Clara Şedley, Mrs. Mountain. Tom Thumb. 22. Pizarro-Son-in-Law. Cranky, Mr. Blanchard; Vinegar, Mr. Emery; Bouquet, Mr. Taylor; Bowkitt, Mr. Jones; Arionelli, Mr. Incledon; Idle, Mr. Farley; Mum, Mr. Simmons; Cecilia, Miss Bolton.

Miss De Camp (September 16th) is the sister of Mrs. Charles Kemble; on the 7th of May 1799 she played Sophia, in the Road to Ruin, for the benefit of Mr. Knight. She has since been acquiring practice in the York Company, at Sunderland, and last summer at Worthing. She has the voice, action, deportment, and expression of countenance of her sister, but it a picture in little. The whole is upon a smaller scale.

MISS NORTON. (21st September.) This young lady we have not yet seen in tragedy, but the report of her talents is very favourable. We shall soon be able to judge for ourselves. Miss Norton is daughter to Mrs. Norton, who was several years of the Covent Garden Company, and niece to Mrs, Martyr. She was the favourite heroine at the Pic Nic Theatre, conducted by Colonel Greville; in 1802, we think, she appeared at the Hay Market in Emily Worthington, and played there the whole season. She performed

Prince Arthur in Dr. Valpy's alteration of King John, for Mrs. Litchfield's benefit at Covent Garden in 1803; afterwards joined Mr. Macready's Company at Birmingham, and on the death of Mrs. Young (formerly Miss Grimani) supplied that amiable actress's place at Manchester.

The new Rosina (September 28) is a young lady of the name of Bamfylde; her voice is pretty but feeble. She was much alarmed, much applauded, and repeated the character a few evenings after, much to the satisfaction of the audience.

MR. JONES.-This gentleman appeared in Goldfinch, and Frederick (Of Age To-morrow.) His figure is slight and genteel, his features sharp and intelligent, his voice rather shrill, his articulation distinct, his deportment easy, and his manner full of vivacity. With these requisites, and a long acquaintance with the stage, no actor can fail in Goldfinch; Mr. Jones is an actor of great merit; but who can see Goldfinch and not think of Lewis; and what comedian can stand the comparison which such a recollection must suggest? He fell into a similar error in making choice of Frederick, a character as much the property of Mr. Bannister as Goldfinch is that of Mr. Lewis. To excel either was scarcely possible, to fall below both was highly probable. The measure therefore was more hazardous than wise; and the result so naturally to be expected has followed. Mr. Jones has shewn himself to be a clever actor, but has excited neither surprize nor curiosity. He has put on the coat which Mr. Lewis had worn 'till threadbare, and besides being old, it does not exactly fit him. We shall probably see him in characters of a more general nature; for, in truth, we consider that he has hitherto appeared under very serious disadvantages. Miss Norton's Sophia deserves the highest praise.

MISS STUBBS appeared on the 14th October in Fanny Liberál. We do not think that this young lady will find it to her advantage to continue on the stage.

Mrs. Dickons has appeared in Mandane. In 1792 Mrs. Dickons, (then Miss Poole,) made her debût at Covent Garden in Ophelia. She played, we think, three seasons there, and was at that time a good singer; but to a fine voice are now added all the finished graces and brilliant execution which fine taste combined with great musical science can alone bestow. She was encored in all the principal songs, and the Soldier tir'd was most enthusiastically applauded. Mrs. Dickons has great merit too as an actress. Her action in Mandane was very graceful, and the recitative, so monotonous and tedious to the ears of an English audience, was even rendered interesting, by the variety of ornament with which she decorated it, and the strong expression which accompanied its delivery. But after all, charming as is Mrs Dickons's singing, and admirable, nay divine, as is Arne's music, his must be rigid muscles indeed, that will not relax at the language and incidents of the doctor's serious opera.

+St. A farce called Too friendly by half, is immediately to appear, The Count of Narbonne is also announced. The Count, Mr. Kemble; Theodore, Mr. C. Kemble; Austin, Mr. Pope; the Countess, Mrs Siddons; Adelaide, Miss Norton. Mr. T. Dibdin's opera, the music by Shield, is in rehearsal; and a comedy is expected from Mr. Colman. The Winter's Tale is likewise getting up.

THEATRICAL INTELLIGENCE.

On returning from Broadstairs to Margate, Braham and Storace were thrown out of a gig. The former escaped unhurt; Mad. S. had the misfortune to break her arm, but we are happy to learn that she will soon be able to attend to her engagement at Drury Lane.

Mara has declined, it is said, an offer for the Oratorio and Ancient Concert next season, intending to remain another year at Petersburgh.

Young Vestris is expected in London; he is twenty-two years old, athletic but elegant, with all the elasticity of his father, and the grace of his grandfather.

Bartley, late of Drury Lane, joins Macready, who is exerting himself to procure a company which shall give satisfaction to the good people at Manchester. He will find this a difficult task. This is one of the theatrical towns where no efforts to please are ef fectual.

Mr. Bland, the husband of our favourite ballad-singer, and the brother of Mrs. Jordan, died at Boston in America about three months since,

Bannister has been for some time confined to his room with a fit of the gout.

The Drury Lane actors are about to erect a tablet to the memory of Baddeley, in return for their twelfth cake and punch on the 5th of January.

The Jealous Wife is to be revived at Covent Garden; Mrs. Oakley by Mrs. Siddons. She has played this character several times, but her representation of it is certainly not happy.

Mr. Holman and Mrs. Edwin have performed a few nights at Southampton with great success. Holman continues acting-manager of the Dublin theatre.

Cooke is not expected at Covent Garden till after Christmas.

SADLER'S WELLS.

A dreadful accident happened at this theatre on the 15th of October. In the course of the performance of the Ocean Fiend, a scuffle took place in the pit between some persons of the lower order, who had been riotously disposed the whole of the evening. Somebody exclaimed "a fight," which was mistaken for a cry of fire. The House was immediately thrown into confusion, particu larly the gallery; several persons dropped from thence into the pit, without sustaining any material injury; others endeavoured to make their way down the gallery stairs; but the crowd was so immense, and several persons who had first found their way out, endeavouring to return to their seats on hearing that it was a false alarth, there was thus no possibility of advancing or receding, and

eighteen or twenty persons of both sexes were either suffocated or trampled to death. Many were terribly bruised, and the list of deaths would have been greatly swelled but for the activity of the proprietors, and the exertions of the faculty, whose assistance was procured with a promptitude truly surprising.

Much as this accident is to be lamented, it is to be observed that there was no ground for the alarm that unfortunately proved so fatal; that even in case of fire the theatre is so constructed, and the water so immediately at hand, that it would instantly be extinguished. We have great pleasure in adding that the conduct of Mr. Charles Dibdin and the other proprietors, on this occasion, has received the commendation of all the parties who have officially investigated the circumstances of the accident, and they have since employed every means which humanity could suggest, to relieve the distresses of the poor relatives of the deceased. The clear receipts of two nights performance are to he appropriated to their unfortunate families.

The following instances of the fatal consequence of a false aları in places of public amusement occurred at Burwell near Newmarket, on the 8th of September, 1727. It happened that some strollers had brought down a puppet-show, which was exhibited in a large thatched barn, Just as the show was about to begin, an idle fellow attempted to thrust himself in without paying, which the people of the shew prevented, and a quarrel ensued: after some altercation the fellow went away, and the door being madę fast, all was quiet; but this execrable villain, to revenge the supposed incivility he had received from the showman, went to a heap of hay and straw, which stood close to the barn, and secretly set it on fire. The spectators of the show, who were in the midst of their entertainment, were soon alarmed by the flames, which had communi cated themselves to the barn: in the sudden terror which instantly seized the whole assembly, every one rushed to the door, but it happened unfortunately, that the door opened inwards, and the crowd that was behind, still urging those that were before, they pressed so violently against it, that it could not be opened; and being too well secured to give way, the whole company, consisting of more than 120 persons, were kept confined in the building till the roof fell in. This accident covered them with fire and smoke : some were suffocated in the smouldering thatch, and others were consumed alive in the flames. Six only escaped with life; the rest, among whom were several young ladies of fortune, and many little boys and girls, were reduced to one undistinguishable heap of mangled bones and flesh, the bodies being half consumed, and totally disfigured. The surviving friends of the dead, not knowing which was the relic that they sought, a large hole was dug in the churchyard, and all were promiscuously ifiterred together. As it is not easy to conceive any circumstances of greater horror, than those which attended this catastrophe, neither is it easy to conceive more aggravated wickedness than occurred in the perpetration of it. The favour which was refused was such as the wretch had neither pretence to ask, nor reason to expect. The barn did not belong to the showman, and the spectators were admitted only upon terms, with which he refused to comply. The particulars of his punish ment, or his escape, are not preserved with the story.

The accounts are many and authentic as to the atrocious act itself, and though diversified, and apparently written by different authors, agree in the truth of the story.

A dreadful accident arising from a similar cause, happened at Stirbitch in 1802.

COUNTRY THEATRES.

Theatre Royal EDINBURGH.-The unprecedented brevity of our summer season, occasions the unusual brevity of this report. A particular and copious criticism is hardly suitable to the performances of a short fortnight.

Miss Smith was our only star; a young lady of whose talents I augured most favourably many years since, though then a girl, and "without a name 'midst the daughters of fame." It was then my opinion that every thing was to be expected from her riper years and more matured judgment. As I think most highly of this juvenile performer, and entertain the most sanguine hopes of seeing her soon at the head of her profession, I will not insult her by indiscriminate panegyric or mawkish praise. Her comedy is by no means satisfactory to me. The disadvantage of a petite figure is not, in this department, compensated by any high excellencies. Like Mrs. Young, she is deficient in that fascinating gaiety of manner, and irresistible vivacity and variety of action, which elicit those nameless graces that captivate the heart, and enslave the judgement of even the most fastidious. Her comedy is therefore, (speaking generally) rather meagre and unadorned, and in a degree pointless and ineffective.

But her tragedy merits every praise. In richness and variety of tone; in propriety and justness of action and gesture; in picturesque and impressive attitude; in a nervous, mellowed, modulation; in appropriate deportment-above all, in the discrimi nating delicacy of taste, by which she distinguishes and expresses the feelings and workings of the heart, she is above praise. The cast of character requiring an union of the pathetic feelings, with the more amiable passions, is, I think, the best calculated for her powers, though I allow that the peculiar modulation of voice to which she has habituated herself, with the dignified ex, pression of her features, would rather seem calculated to delineate the more energetic passions of elevated tragedy. Her Belvidera was, upon the whole, her very best character here; her Roxalana, by far her most indifferent. She is a very great favourite, and most justly (in tragedy) obtained the unbounded applause of crowded audiences.

Of other performers I have little to say-Megget is, upon the whole, rising fast in consideration: could he assume more confidence and firmness, it would contribute infinitely to his progress,