The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 08 (of 12)Hazlitt, William
General
The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 08 (of 12)
Hazlitt, William
English essays -- 19th century
Mr. Bannister had the comedy of The World, and the after-piece of The
Children in the Wood, for his benefit on Thursday last, at Drury-Lane.
Mr. Gattie, in consequence of the indisposition of Mr. Dowton, undertook
the part of Index in the play. This alteration occasioned a short
interruption; but after the usual explanation, the piece proceeded, and
in our opinion, Mr. Gattie made a very excellent representative of the
busy, whiffling, insignificant, but good-natured character which he
personated. The figure and manner of this actor are certainly better
fitted for the part than those of Dowton, who has too much weight and
sturdiness of mind and body, to run about on ladies’ errands, and take
an interest in every thing that does not concern him. He is not a Will
Wimble. Mr. Bannister played the character of Echo, which is a whimsical
mixture of simplicity, affectation, and good-nature, with his usual
excellence. Mr. Elliston’s Cheviot is one of his best characters.
Whatever requires spirit, animation, or the lively expression of natural
feelings, he does well. Sentimental comedy is the equivocal reflection
of tragedy in common life, and Mr. Elliston can rehearse the one just
well enough to play the other. The coincidence is complete. He raises
his voice to a pitch of romantic rapture, or lowers it to the tones of
sullen despondence and disappointment, with the happiest effect. The
Duke, in the Honey-Moon, is the _assumption_ of an impassioned
character. The Comedy of the World, is one of the most ingenious and
amusing of the modern stage. It has great neatness of dialogue, and
considerable originality, as well as sprightliness of character. It is,
however, chargeable with a grossness which is common to modern plays, we
mean, the grossness of fashionable life in the men, and the grossness of
fine sentiment in the women. Mrs. Davison did not soften down the
exuberant qualities of Lady Bloomfield into any thing like decency; and
the two fashionable loungers, Loiter and Dauntless, were certainly done
to the life by Decamp and R. Palmer. Between the acts, Mr. Braham sung
Robin Adair, and The Death of Nelson, in his most delightful style.
In the after-piece, Mr. Bannister played the favourite part of Walter,
in the Children in the Wood, for the last time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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