Lovell and Catesby, look that it be done.
The rest, that love me, rise and follow me.
Now this is despatching business in the true dramatic style. Poets cannot take the same bold licenses, with their characters on the stage, till kings are reinstated in their former plenitude of power. The incident which is here omitted in the acting play of Richard III. has been transferred to Rowe’s Jane Shore. We should like to see it restored to its original place, and justice done it by Mr. Kean’s distorted gestures, and smothered voice, suddenly bursting on the ear like thunder.
THE WONDER
| The Times.] | [October 9, 1817. |
Covent-Garden Theatre.
The Wonder, or A Woman keeps a Secret, was performed here last night with admirable effect. Miss Brunton was the heroine of the piece, the charming Violante. We cannot speak in rapturous terms of her performance of the part. There is in the character itself an extreme spirit, and at the same time an extreme delicacy, which it is not easy to unite. Miss Brunton went through the different scenes, however, with a considerable degree of grace, vivacity, and general propriety, never falling below, and seldom rising above mediocrity. She does not
‘Snatch a grace beyond the reach of art;’
nor, according to another line of the same poet, which seems to convey a perfect idea of female comic acting,
‘Catch ere she falls the Cynthia of the minute.’