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Review Of The Theatrical Powers Of The Late Mr. John Palmer:
In tragedy , gloomy despotic tyrants , haughty imperious commanders , specious artful insinuating villains , received their finished tints from the hi ^ h colourings of his art . The hideous monster lagc , supported by his piausive features , his insidious manner , appeared the ' very wretch' designed by our inimitable bard . His performance of the grand conspirator Pierre , in Venice Preserved , was a masterly and impressive piece of acting . The base Glenalvon *
, aided by his deep and varying tones , never failed of exciting the admiration and disgust of the audience—admiration at the powers of the actor , and disgust at the villainy of the character . The cowardly and deceptive Sttikel yf never displayed his vices with more effect than in the performance of Palmer . Stukely ' s pretended friendship for Beverly , his mean cowardice at the manly upbraidings of Lewson ,
and , to crown the climax , Ins consummate villainy m attempting to seduce the wife of one whose fortune and whose peace of mind he had for ever ruined , were admirably pictured . If Palmer erred at all in this character , it was—he made too much of it . How few of our actors fail on the same side ! Mr . Palmer , however , was not confined to the representation of vice . Virtue , arrayed in all her charms , presented herself in many
of his characters . His Tamerlane was a' truly fine piece of acting . The nobleness and generosity of the character received the fullest sir ; port from the exertion of his talents . His Villeroy + exhibited a powerful'display of dignified serenity , mingled with emotions of tender affection , assisted by gentlemanly powers . Dotr Carlos , § though of late years too young a character ,-was formerly in his hands unusually interesting . Various other characters mig ht be mentioned , in which his numerous beauties shone with ' undiminished lustre . "
—Proceed we trow to comedy . In the variegated labyrinths of the laughing muse his genius roved'still more at liberty . Pie was here the finished gentleman , the pert coxcomb , the affected puppy , or the consequential blockhead at pleasure . An easy confidence was the leading trait in his comic powers . His Captain Absolute , || Ranger , « jf Perez , ** and Feignwell , tt must be considered in the list of finished performances . Sergeant Kite , : ;! : was also a master-piece of its kind .
This character he resigned for that of Brazen , in the same piece ; but whether the audience could not be satisfied with any substitute for the Sergeant , or whether his performance of Brazen were actually inferior , certain it is that , in the representation of this character , he never acquired his wonted popularity . Dick and Brass , in the Confederacy , were as perfect as Brush , §§ and My Lord Duke , [|[| which were written for him . His Toby , in Twelfth Nig ht , must also be classed with those performances which , having passed the ordeal of criticism , are pronounced pure . Joseph Surface , though last , not
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of The Theatrical Powers Of The Late Mr. John Palmer:
In tragedy , gloomy despotic tyrants , haughty imperious commanders , specious artful insinuating villains , received their finished tints from the hi ^ h colourings of his art . The hideous monster lagc , supported by his piausive features , his insidious manner , appeared the ' very wretch' designed by our inimitable bard . His performance of the grand conspirator Pierre , in Venice Preserved , was a masterly and impressive piece of acting . The base Glenalvon *
, aided by his deep and varying tones , never failed of exciting the admiration and disgust of the audience—admiration at the powers of the actor , and disgust at the villainy of the character . The cowardly and deceptive Sttikel yf never displayed his vices with more effect than in the performance of Palmer . Stukely ' s pretended friendship for Beverly , his mean cowardice at the manly upbraidings of Lewson ,
and , to crown the climax , Ins consummate villainy m attempting to seduce the wife of one whose fortune and whose peace of mind he had for ever ruined , were admirably pictured . If Palmer erred at all in this character , it was—he made too much of it . How few of our actors fail on the same side ! Mr . Palmer , however , was not confined to the representation of vice . Virtue , arrayed in all her charms , presented herself in many
of his characters . His Tamerlane was a' truly fine piece of acting . The nobleness and generosity of the character received the fullest sir ; port from the exertion of his talents . His Villeroy + exhibited a powerful'display of dignified serenity , mingled with emotions of tender affection , assisted by gentlemanly powers . Dotr Carlos , § though of late years too young a character ,-was formerly in his hands unusually interesting . Various other characters mig ht be mentioned , in which his numerous beauties shone with ' undiminished lustre . "
—Proceed we trow to comedy . In the variegated labyrinths of the laughing muse his genius roved'still more at liberty . Pie was here the finished gentleman , the pert coxcomb , the affected puppy , or the consequential blockhead at pleasure . An easy confidence was the leading trait in his comic powers . His Captain Absolute , || Ranger , « jf Perez , ** and Feignwell , tt must be considered in the list of finished performances . Sergeant Kite , : ;! : was also a master-piece of its kind .
This character he resigned for that of Brazen , in the same piece ; but whether the audience could not be satisfied with any substitute for the Sergeant , or whether his performance of Brazen were actually inferior , certain it is that , in the representation of this character , he never acquired his wonted popularity . Dick and Brass , in the Confederacy , were as perfect as Brush , §§ and My Lord Duke , [|[| which were written for him . His Toby , in Twelfth Nig ht , must also be classed with those performances which , having passed the ordeal of criticism , are pronounced pure . Joseph Surface , though last , not