At Covent Garden, on Monday, two candidates for applause appeared
in KNOWLES'S play of Love : Mrs. RYDER as the Countess Eppenstein, and Mr. PALMIER as Huon ; the parts respectively played by MSS ELLEN TREE and Mr. ANDERSON. Mrs. RYDER is neither young nor inexperienced on the stage, and she has discretion enough to avoid giving offence ; but she wants skill and power to be effective : though unfitted for leading characters, she would be useful in subordinate parts. Mr. PAUMIER, though apparently familiar with the stage, has not suffi- cient tact to avoid becoming ludicrous, or knowledge of his art to make his earnestness impressive : his reading of the part was sensible, but his elocution was as bad as his action and expression. Mr. PAUMIER appears to have studied in the declamatory school, which regards thei stage as a place for display, not for the personation of character.
Another debutante, Miss KATE HOWARD, appeared on the same night at the Adelphi ; and with better success. She has more confidence than either vivacity or art, and her freedom sometimes degenerated into vulgar familiarity : yet the majority of the audience were pleased ; and Miss HOWARD may perchance continue a favourite at the Adelphi long enough to enable her to acquire the skill and address requisite to prevent boldness from looking like effrontery. She appeared in a coarse version of a French piece of intrigue, of which she is the heroine, Captain Charlotte, a milliner who disguises herself as a page : nothing less than the talent of a DE.TAZST would reconcile the fastidious to such an exhibition.
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