Richmond Enquirer

THE AUTHOR OF BERTRAM.

Our readers may recollect that some time ago, we hazarded a short but general critique on the Poems of Mr. Maturin; and noticed, afterward, the most prominent beauties in his late Tragedy of "Bertram." A friend of ours who had the author, transmitted our humble review across the Atlantic, to the banks of the Liffey. The following letter from Mr. Maturin, to that friend, we have the liberty of presenting to our readers, and we do present it, not because it has pleased the author to commend our humble tribute of admiration "constant and flattering"-but because it furnishes with a small but highly interesting portion of his biography. The Tragedy of "Bertram," as we have printed, is here called a "garbled pantomime" of the original, the author trusts that his next production will be more worthy the public approbation. We think it will be somewhat difficult to surpass Bertram in the portraiture of hatred and of agony, or in the sources of its language; but two virtues may be imparted to the next production, which Bertram can never possess-a better story and a better moral. Not all the sufferings of Imogine can make us sympathise with her guilt--not all the dauntless heroism of Bertram can atone for his bloody and unceasing revenge. He not only takes away the life of his enemy (that be allowable)-but he stabs the honor of a woman whom he professes to love. The fatal error supposed to have taken place between the third and fourth acts-robs Imogine of her purity, and of all claim to pity; the fine and eloquent language in which Mr. Maturin clothes her passion becomes, thus, no longer eloquent-she cannot recover our participation. The choice of the subject and the savage of the plot are, therefore, both highly unfortunate. This can be easily avoided. But we shall not detain the reader from the perusal of this interesting letter. Let him attend however, to the excellent one of which the author speaks: Sad experience has shown, that literary fame is nothing-without personal independence: that the latter is not always the result of the former, and that the most brilliant talents may lie in "cold obstruction"-unless some fortunate accident should produce them to the world. [Southern Patriot. "Dublin, Oct. 27, 1810-37, York-street."

"My Dear Sir, I cannot express how highly I am gratified by the very elegant and flattering testimonial of the approbation conferred on my Dramatic attempt. I trust the next (which the success of its predecessor has encouraged me to engage in) may be worthier the public notice. "In fact, that success seems to be a phenomenon: the original Play depends almost exclusively on the Heroine and her situations, but as they had no Tragic Actress at Drury Lane, they were obliged to omit all the important part, both with regard to poetry and action, and rest the weight of the piece entirely on Mr. Kean's character. "A more able support, undoubtedly, could not be found than in that gentleman's talent-, but it has made the Play very different from what I intended it, and the bookseller has had such success with the copy printed from representation, that I fear he will not be prevailed on to print from the manuscript. I am, therefore, actually jealous of the praises bestowed on the garbled pantomime to which it has been reduced, and would be glad, at some future period, to do myself, as well as the public, the justice to print the Play as originally written. "Should my next attempt be successful, I shall avail myself of the opportunity to publish some other works of imagination, on which I have been employed for some time, but without any expectation (until lately) of being able to bring them before the public, in consequence of the very cold reception my former efforts met with both in this country and in England, "In the mean time, nothing can be more cheering to my progress, than the voice of your praise across the Atlantic; 'tis a sound I have never heard on the banks of the Liffey. I have laboured as a teacher till upward of 30 years of age, with such encouragement, and profits so scanty-that but for the wide-spread and fortunate reception of my Play, I should, this year, have been literally without the means of subsistence. I have often thought of adopting for the motto of my next Essay, a fine sentence, which tho' used by a person in a very different situation, is too closely applicable to mine --EI PHILEIS MDOS MOTSOU DEI PHILEMA- TO, DEL ARGUNIOU. "With the sincerest gratitude for the honour of your notice, and the hope that I may not be deemed unworthy of its continuance, I remain, dear sir, your very obedient servant, "CHARLES ROBERT MATURIN."