PATRIOT KING; a circumftance, of which his majesty ingenioufly availed himself, in the firft fpeech he made to his privy council: after confoling with them, on the lofs of his grandfather, he added, that "animated by the tendereft affection for his native country, and depending on the advice, experience, and abilities of their lordships, and the fupport and affittance of every honeft man; he entered with cheerfulness into the arduous fituation, and fhould make it the bufinefs of his life to promote, in every thing, the glory and happinefs of thefe kingdoms; to preferve and ftrengthen the conftitution, both in church and state; and as he mounted the throne in the midst of an expenfive, but just and neceffary war, he fhould endeavour to profecute it, in the manner the most likely to bring about an honourable and lafting peace, in concert with his allies." The people, who dreaded a change in the miniftry, were delighted at the publication of this fpeech; it was read with enthufiaftic joy. The Duke of York, and the Earl of Bute, were fworn of the privy council. A proclamation was iffued, ordering all perfons in office to execute the fame; and another for the encouragement of piety, and fappreffion of vice. Addreffes were prefented from all parts of the country, from the clergy, the two univerfities, and from every county, city, and body politic in the three kingdoms, breathing love, loyalty, and affection, in terms of the warmest zeal and pa triotifm. But in the midst of this tumultous joy, this intoxication of loyalty and affection, there were many wife men, who confidered the happinefs of the people as the mere tranfitory emotion of the crifis. They reflected, with concern, on the mode of education which the king had experienced. He had been brought The apprehenfions of the cautious, arifing from thefe grounds, were confiderably increafed by the admiffion of the Earl of Bute into the privy-council. This nobleman, who had fo long been tator to the prince, now appeared the confidant and bofom counfellor to the king; and it was evident, that change of fitua tion in the pupil, had not in the leaft decreased the influence of the preceptor. In tracing the minority of this prince, we fcarcely meet with an anecdote worth relating. If, in his juvenile days, he fhewed no tendency or difpofition to the indulgence of any particular vice, neither does it appear that he thone confpicuous in the exercife of any particular virtue: but this is not the time to enquire into his character-though the proper period to fhew that the caufes which produced the various political events of his reign, originated with those who had the early care of his education while prince, and who influenced his mind long after he became king. The fyftem of politics, which had been adopted previous to his majefty's afcending the throne, could not be fuddenly renounced. The -national faith was pledged to fupport the German allies of Great Britain, and it was therefore determined to pursue the war with vigour, till a general peace could be procured. The first extraordinary act of this reign, was an affectation of difregarding party, under pretence of combining ability; and men of all denominations were called to the councils of the state. From the deliberations of fuch men, confufion only could be expected. Their principles being heterogeneous, could produce no ftable measure; but the -favourite earl had his ends in view, and these were, to weaken all exiting parties, for the purpofe of forming a new one, fubfervient to his own defigns. Under a pretence of liberality, it was alfo attempted to level all diftinction between Scotch and English; and the confequence was, that in the church, the law, the navy, the army, the houfhold, and every public office, Englishmen were fet afide on the most trivial pretences, and the vacancies conftantly filled up by Caledonians; till the court calendar, the army and navy lifts, were filled as completely with northern names, as if there had been an invafion and conqueft by the On the 18th of November, his ma- "Born and educated in this country, I glory in the name of Briton; and the peculiar happiness of my life will ever confift in promoting the welfare of a people, whofe loyalty and affection to me I confider as the greatest and most permanent fecurity of my throne; and I doubt not but their fteadiness in thofe principles, will equal the firmness of my inva riable refolution to adhere to, and frengthen, this excellent conftitution, in church and ftate, and to maintain the toleration inviolable." Having then declared a refolution to fupport the practice of religion and piety, he expatiated on the conquest of Canada, the advantages gained in the East Indies, the fuccefs of Prince Ferdinand, his commander in chief in Germany, and the magnanimous perfeverance and victories of our ally the king of Pruffia. He obferved on the strength of his own navy, and the weakness of the French fleets; the low ebb of their trade, and the flourishing state of British commerce; relying on the concurrence of parliament to fupport the King of Pruffia and his D 2 allies, allies, and make provifion for carrying on the war. His majefty, in paffing to and from the Houfe of Peers, was attended by multitudes, who appeared actuated by phrenzy. The idea of a Briton, born to rule over them, was new; and this idea, as it was forcibly infinuated in the fpeech from the throne, had its effect, both on the Lords and Commons, whose senfibility was roused at hearing their king fpeak plain English. The addreffes were reverberations of the fpeech, heightened by the ftrongest expreffions of loyalty and affection; and the Commons, not content with mere proteftations, refolved on prefenting a fecond addrefs of thanks, for the gracious manner in which the first was received; and in a committee of fupply voted, that for fupport of the houfhold and the dignity of the crown, his majefty fhould have, during life, fuch a revenue as, together with the annuities made payable in the reign of the late king, out of the hereditary civil lift reve nues, fhould amount to the nett clear yearly fum of eight hundred thousand pounds, to commence from the demife of his late majefty; to be charged upon and made payable out of the aggregate fund. At the fame time, the Commons alfo voted, that the feveral revenues payable to his late majefty, during his life, which continued to the time of his demife, (other than fuch payments as were charged upon and iffuing out of the aggregate fund) fhould be granted and continued to his prefent majefty during his life; and the produce of the faid revenues, together with the produce of the hereditary revenue, which were fettled or appointed towards the late king's houfhold, fhould be, during the faid term, added and confolidated with the aggregate fund. The Commons having thus munificently provided for his majesty's houfhold, next took into confideration the fupplies neceffary for carrying on the war; and voted in the whole, for the fervice of the year 1761, nineteen millions fix hundred fixteen thousand and nineteen pounds nineteen fhillings and nine pence three farthings. The magnitude of this fum is aftonishing, and yet it was raised without murmur; and during the fitting of this parliament, their grants increased annually: a proof of the great refources of the country, and the spirit of the inhabitants, when they think the national honour is in danger. The bills founded on the refolutions of ways and means, the mutiny bill, which was now extended to the forces of the East India Company, and a bill to continue, for a limited time, the importation of falted beef, pork, and butter, paffed the Commons. The reason for paffing the last bill is curious: it is "because it was found conducive to the intereft of Great Bri tain;" a national distinction, which was not without its effect upon the Irish, a loyal and affectionate people, who now faw the Scotch, who had twice rebelled against the reigning family, fpringing into notice, and flourishing in the fur-fhine of royal favour, while the interests of Ireland were neglected, treated with contempt, or made fubfervient to the other parts of the empire: circumftances which roused their pride, and warmed their refentments to the purfuit of those objects which have regained their liberties and reestablished their independance; for it was at this time thofe measures originated in Ireland which ultimately emancipated that kingdom from the controlling power of the British parliaments. An An act of grace, including pardon to crown prifoners, was now expected; but only an act of infolvency was paffed, and from its benefit was excluded all uncertified bankrupts; but for what reafon is difficult to determine. This parfimonious distribution of mercy was impolitic. Among the crown pri foners were many feamen, and a number of out-lawed perfons were fugitives abroad, who, had an act of grace paffed, would have been ufeful to their country. [To be continued.] HISTORY OF THE THEATRE. SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER. N the 13th of September 1788, the theatre in Drury Lane opened for the feafon, without any alterations or improvements; the proprietors having it in contemplation to conftruct a new house in the course of the enfuing fummer.-Mr. King, who has been acting manager at this theatre for fome time paft, difgufted at the infufficiency of his official power, withdrew from the metropolis early in the month, the more effectually to difentangle himself from a fituation which he found difconfonant to his tranquillity. Mr. Kemble, brother to Mrs. Siddons, a performer at the fame theatre, was in confequence chofen manager; and feems to poffefs more active authority than was conferred on his predeceffor, and which is certainly neceffary in the execution of fo very arduous an undertaking. "The power entrusted to me," fays the prefent manager, "is perfectly fatisfactory to my own feelings, and entirely adequate to the liberal encouragement of poets, of perform ers, and to the conduct of the whole bufinefs of the theatre." Several old pieces have been very judiciously revived, and with a degree of brilliancy that cannot fail of adding confiderable reputation to our theatrical reprefentations. Among thefe may be mentioned Shakspeare's Twelfth Night; the characters in which are difpofed of with propriety and judgment. Selima and Azor, alfo, as a charming afterpiece, has been properly revived; in which Mrs. Crouch, in Selima, magnificently dreffed, attracted well merited admiration and applaufe. A Mrs. Goodall, a new actress, has already appeared at this theatre, in the character of Rofalind, in As You Like It; and he is mentioned in terms of very flattering commendation. About the middle of November, Mrs. Farmer, who has played Alicia, in Jane Shore, twice already in London, made her appearance, for the first time, at this theatre, in Juliet, and was very favourably received. This lady's deportment is eafy and graceful, her figure elegant, and her voice harmonious: thefe advantages, ferved to counterbalance the few defects which were perceivable. Mr. Cobb has altered an afterpiece from the German, called the DOCTOR and APOTHECARY, which is now fuccefsfully performing at this theatre; and, though not equal to fome of his former productions, is by no means likely to diminish his literary reputation. Two days after the re-commencement of the feafon at Drury Lane, the theatre of Covent Garden opened, in a ftile of improvement that adds highly to the credit of the manager, manager, and of the artists employed on that occafion. The ftage is confiderably enlarged, and now meets the view of the audience in a circle, producing advantages to the fight, as well as to the ear: additional boxes are added on each fide of the stage, which contributes greatly to the fplendour of a full houfe. The return to this theatre of Mr. Charles Bannister, a celebrated vocal performer, after a long abfence, was univerfally approved, the first night, by reiterated frouts of applaufe.-A Mr. and Mrs. Duncan made their appearance the third night, in Major O'Flaherty and Charlotte Rufport, in Mr. Cumberland's celebrated comedy of the West Indian; but it does not appear that either of thefe performers fhewed themselves to much advantage.-A few nights after this, Mr. Middleton, both a new and a young actor, fuftained the part of Romeo, for the first time, at this theatre, in concert with Mifs Brunton as Juliet; and in the love fcenes was remarkably happy. But the critics found fomething to blame and fomething to commend; which must always be the cafe in the exhibition of human efforts.-Though, in our historical account of the thetre, we are compelled to avoid, as much as poffible, the flights of opinion and criticism, we fhall neceffarily interweave circumftances which will more equally balance the ftandard merit of authors and perform crs. Early in November, Mr. O'Keeffe introduced, at this theatre, a comic romance, called The HIGHLAND REEL; the mufic to which, principally by Shield and Corri, has trong claims to approbation. Though the merit of this piece cannot be decided by the strict rules which govern the legitimate drama, there is a romantic air through the whole, which interests and exhilarates the mind. Some of the fcenes are uncommonly beautiful; in particular that of the rocks with a diftant view of the fea, which was painted by Mr. Loutherbourg. A Mifs Fontenelle and a Mifs Reynolds have appeared at this theatre, both promifing actreffes; the former fomewhat in the line of Mrs. Martyr. About this time, Mr. Edwin, an efteemed comic performer, recurring to the dangerous ftate of his majefty's health, happily introduced a fentiment in the reprefentation of the FARMER, which perfectly accorded with the feelings of the audience. In a money-leading scene, where he fits drinking at a tavern with a perfon whom he fuppofes about to favour him with the loan of a fum of money-filling a bumper, "I'll give you, Sir," fays Edwin," a fentiment which not only comprifes my own with, but that of the whole nation-Here's better health, and long life, to his MajesTY!" And perceiving the warm and enthufiallic applaufe that followed this loyal impromptu, he followed up the moment of infpiration with a propofal, that the band of mufic thould be fummoned to play the tone of "God fave the King!" This alfo the audience highly approved; and, in addition thereto, called on fome of the capital vocal performers for the words, who chearfully complying, they were literally accompanied by the whole houfe. We do not mention this as a matter of the highest importance; but it may serve to fhew, in future times, the fentiments and the ardour entertained and manifefted by all ranks for a prefervation of the prefent fyftem of government. [To be continued,] |