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ART. I. Reflections upon Theatrical Expreffion in Tragedy. 8vo.

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Is. Johnston.

HIS writer fhews a more extenfive knowledge of his fubject, and a more refined tafte for theatrical reprefentations, than are ufually to be found among the multitude of thofe who frequent the playhoufes: were thefe truer judges, and better critics, than they commonly prove themfelves to be, it would be happy for the few good actors in particular, and add to the reputation of the ftage in general. If crouded theatres, and violent applaufes were proofs of the town's difcernment, we might be mifled to fuppofe the prefent age could boaft a tafte fuperior to all the past; but were any one to point out the many abfurdities, both in the pieces and performances that have been moft extravagantly cried up, when they ought to have been exploded, it would probably appear, that acting, like the fifter-arts on which it greatly depends, is much more frequently talked of than understood; and has many more pretended admirers than real judges. No wonder, therefore, if, among the many, the moft glaring faults often pafs for the greatcit beauties: to be farther explicit on this head, might prove an invidious task, for which, at prefent, we have neither leifure nor inclination.--So,

Sleep, fleep in peace, ye monfters of the ftage.' Our ingenious Reflector obferves, that in all countries, the profeffion of an actor is deemed low and contemptible;' but VOL. XIII.

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he alfo candidly remarks, that it is going too far, to throw an odium on a profeffion, for the mifconduct of a few profeffors.

But, indeed, (if we may be indulged in a reflection of our own) while the managers of any theatre indifcriminately employ men without either breeding or manners, merely because one inay have a good pair of lungs, with a full loud voice, that can rattle the ears of an audience; or another, for that he's regarded at the tipling-houfes as a drol, comical dog, a d—d good mimic; and withal, perhaps, he fings a bloody good fong, or tells a loose tale archly:--while fuch are permitted, either through particular recommendation, or the manager's caprice, to take the lead in every play, and to start forth, at once, in capital parts; without natural feelings, or, if not totally deftitute thereof, without judgment to guide, or experience to improve them.-Under fuch difcouragements, how can we expect that gentlemen of birth and character will venture (however fweet the profits may be) into the profeffion of a player? A profeffion fo ftigmatized by the world, from its being fo frequently taken up by perfons of the lower claffes of life, totally uneducated and unbted!-Were a reformation in this refpect to obtain, the theatrical ftation might become no difhonourable one, nor beneath any gentleman whofe circuntitances might render it convenient to him: fince there is none that calls for more talents, both natural and acquired, than are requifite to form the accomplished actor.

As this performance, tho' but a twelve-penny pamphlet, is a curious one, and the fubject much more generally talked of than understood, we are inclined to extend the prefent article 1omewhat beyond the limits we ufually confine ourselves to, when pieces of no greater bulk come under our confideration. It is divided into feventeen fections, befides fome introductory obfervations, and an appendix. In the firft fection, theatrical expreffion in tragedy is defined in general. In fect. 2. the author treats of the accomplishments, perforal and acquired, which are requifite in a mafter of theatrical expreflion in tragedy. In the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th, he confiders the actor's figure, voice, car, memory. The management of the feet and Tegs is the fubject of the 7th, as that of the hands and arms is of the 8th. The 9th, 10th, and 11th, treat of the manageinent of the head, face, and eyes. In the 12th, we have the author's reficctions on that capital grace to theatrical expreffion, SILENCE by artificial paufes. Silence, when attending to the parts of other actors, is confidered in the 13th; and the 14th and 15th are employed upon tafte in drets, and in fcenery. In the 16 h, he fpeaks of variety in acting at different times

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the fame part; and in the 17th, and laft, of behaviour under the cenfure or applaufe of the audience. The appendix contains an address to the managers and the town, on the influence each has upon theatrical expreffion; the former by their dif pofal of the parts, the dreffes, the scenery, &c. the latter, by their behaviour during the reprefentations: under which laft head, he is feverely, but juftly, fatirical.

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In the first fection, our reflector fays, Theatrical expreffion is of extenfive import. It does not imply elocution ' only, but comprifes every attitude of every member of the human fabrick, as they are naturally put in motion by the feveral workings of the mind.

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• The mind,' adds he, has more ways to exprefs itself by than fpeech; and, under fome impreffions, moft emphatically indicates itself by abfolute filence. She commands the feet, the hands, the head, the face, the eyes, to communicate her emotions; and that by attitudes and movements as various as thofe emotions, and particularly adapted to exprels each of them.'

In his general definition of theatrical expreffion he fays it implies An exhibition upon the stage, in perfonated characters, an exact and accurate imitation of nature in real ones; and when confined to tragedy, the imitation of fuch real characters as can be perfonated within the rules of that part of the drama; including a ftrict propriety in the adventitious affiftances in the drefs and fcenery.'

Our author rightly fuppofes, that the delicacy of theatrical ' expreffion can never be expected from an actor who does not feel his part. Here we alfo beg room for another remark, To feel a paffion only, is not all; the performer muft feel

This deferves the attention of our prefent players, fince too many of them feem to think, if we may judge from their performances, that expreffion confiits in making a face, and making a noife: fome attend to the firft alone, fome to the laft entirely, while others, again, think every thing is .o be done by an attitude : which they take care to torture fufficiently. Thefe performers are frequently neglectful of their deportment through a whole scene, till they come to the paffage where they are to make ufe of their favourite attitude : which they feldom arrive at by a natural tranfition from one motion to another, but abruptly start into it at once, as if they would fright their ill judging fpectators into an applaufe. And, indeed, they feldom fail of carrying their point, if they perfevere in ftanding in it long enough to tire the audience into a clap, that seems given to jelieve the actor from his uncafy fituation, and themselves from the andelightful view of it.

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properly. It is not enough that his mind is really moved to pity, anger, love, fcorn, &c. but he must exprefs his feelings, fo as to become the character. A porter and a gentleman may feel every paffion incident to human nature; but they will neither feel nor exprefs alike; their manner, their expreffion, in voice, look, and gefture, will be as different as the file they talk in, or the garments they wear a man in low life may very well express the paffions or humours' of the former; but the latter will certainly require a perfon of better breeding; one more converfant in, and obfervant of, polite life. This, as the author of thefe reflections rightly obferves, requires education, reading, experience;' he might have added, a philofophical turn of mind, capable of difcerning and diftinguifhing mankind in general. Playing is, indeed, the study of the human species: the judicious reader may, probably, perceive, without our pointing them out, there are fome who do this. To mention a Garrick were neediefs; to name any more, as the number is very fmall, were invidioufly to damn the unnoticed remainder: but for this confideration, we could here take pleafure in doing fome juftice to certain of our prefent performers, who, to ufe our author's words, 'critically diftinguifh and prefervé the fpecific difference of characters *.

An actor's voice must be tuneable, if not melodious, and his ⚫ear not infenfible of cadence and harmony,' fays our author, in fect. 2. but it were to be wifhed that our players would not feem to attend fo much to the mufic, or ftrength of their own voices, as fome of them frequently appear to do; wherein they

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*Somewhat appofite to this we find in Theo. Cibber's introduction to the life of Barton Booth. (fome account of which was given in Review, vol. IX. p. 291.) After obferving, that the fame requifites for making a good painter, are neceffary for compleating the actor, he adds, It is alio neceflary he fhould have a well-formed body, a fenfible countenance, a happy natural eafe, or well-acquired freedom, in his motion; a quick-feeling of the various paffions; matterly elocution; a genteel education; an early acquaintance with the polite part of the world; and a thorough knowledge of life ftudying not only books, but men and manners; their virtues, vices, foibles, humours, and all the feveral • movements of the mind. He muft duly weigh the different man⚫ner in which different characters feel and exp efs the fame paflion: fo it is in vices and follies; every villain appears not the fame, is not actuated by the fame motives; nor is every fool, fop, or coxcomb alike,-or to be acted all in the fame manner; fince many of them vary as much as youth and age, or the courtier and the • ruftic.

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are fo entirely taken up, as to neglect the circumstances, and: fituations, of the character.

We fhall briefly pafs what our author advances in his fections. on figure, voice, ear, memory, and artificial paufes. These laft are certainly a great help to an actor, but he ought to havethe utmoft degree of judgment in the ufe of them; the eye,' the countenance, the whole man, must speak, when paffion! feems too big for utterance, or when reflection ftops the intended fpeech. A vacant eye at fuch a time fhews the imagi nation vague: an actor fhould let the audience read his thought in his countenance, even when he is filent.

Figure is fo neceffary to the tragedian, that this fingle advantage shall enfure to an actor of inferior skill, more fuccefs, than may fall to the lot of one who far furpafies him in art and judgment; and, if a happy voice is joined, what numberless defects do they not often atone for!

. This writer has pointed out many natural perfections that an actor ought to poffefs; yet his obfervations will afford the lefs advantage to the performer, as they contain not any rules that i can be of great ufe to him. Our author has rather pointed: out to the fpectator what he ought to expect in a player: but what he will too rarely meet with.

That the paffions require different modulations of the voice, into the foft, the plaintive, the flow, the brifk, the rapid, the ftern, the exclamatory,' every body will agree with this gentleman; but to acquire, and how to use these modulations naturally, and with propriety-for this the actor must be beholden to nature, art, an excellent mafter, right feelings, great application, a ftrong judgment, and much practice.

Our reflector points out the neceffity of a competent skill in dancing and fencing, to direct the actor in the management* of his hands and feet. There is no doubt but thefe acquifitions will help the freedom of his motions in general; but there is (permit us the use of a French phrafe we do not often' avail ourselves of) a certain je ne fçay qui, in the manner and address, that neither dancing nor fencing can give; and which we often find in men unfkilled in either: and whatever excellence a player may arrive at in thofe garnitures of education, he will move most like a gentleman when he thinks Icaft of them. To move properly, and, as this author fays,

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put on grace, dignity, eafe, and politenefs,' the actor mult have the regular and conftant ideas of fuch accomplishments* in his memory.' If his ideas are juft and ftrong, there will be ho aukwardnefs, cannefs, or impropriety in his behaviour,

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