60 THE BRITISH THEATRE. fupport, having fquandered away his own fortune, nevertheless scorns to affit in his barbarous fcheme of impofing on the credulity of Mifs Evans, till his lordship's marriage with Lady Ann takes place; on the contrary, he condemns the bafenefs of that intention with fo honeft a vehemence, that Euftacs, who paffionately loves Harriet, notwithstanding his fear of dif obliging Lord Delvile, is wakened into a proper conviction of his crime; yet, though fincerely repentant for his palt conduct, he is not able to act honourably, but feems determined, in the midst of all his repugnance, to facrifice Mifs Evans to the choice of his father. His lordship in the fecond act has an interview with Harriet and Mrs. Winifred to whom he makes fresh excufes for delaying to publish his marriageboth readily believing what they wished to find true, give an implicit credit to thofe excufes, but the entrance of Sir William, who compliments the peer upon a paragraph in the public papers relative to his approaching union with Lady Ann Mountfort, throws Euftace into visible confufion, and alarms Harriet prodigiously. But the young nobleman denying all foundation for the report with confidence, the fuppofes it wholly groundiefs, till Captain Loyd, who accidentally pays a visit to her father, mentions the rumour again with an air of fuch certainty, that, unable to refift the workings of her heart, and being alfo importuned by Sir William in favour of another lover, the candidly acquaints him that the is married to Lord Euftace. The good man is furprized and grieved beyond defcription--but lov. ing his daughter with the most exquifite tenderness, he is foon induced to forgive her, though he laments very pathetically the diffipated turn of the man the has chofen for her husband. Harriet having made this difcovery, and obtained her father's forgivenels, retires overjoyed to tell her aunt of what he had done; but her joy is of very fhort duration, for the fcarcely retires, when Robert, a fervant of Sir William's comes in, and informs his mafter, that he has overheard Willis and others of Lord Euftace's people, extremely free with the name of his young lady, and adds, that Willis Feb. laughingly fneered fomething of his lord's having deccived her. Alarmed at this intelligence, Sir Wiliam defires Robert to fend Willis to him directly Robert obeys and Willis makes his appearance-but here the reader must be told of a very material circumftance antecedent to this part of the play. The villain who perfonated the clergyman on Harriet's imaginary marriage, was one Langwood, a steward to Lord Euftace. This fellow, being for fome time given over by the physicians, is tortured by his confcience in confequence of his crime, and not able to die in peace without Harriet's forgivenefs, determines to acquaint Mifs Evans with the whole fecret, and implore her pardon-of his determination he has already informed Lord Delville, who expects the arrival of fuch a letter every hour, and gives Willis directions to intercept all letters directed to Sir William and the ladies; Willis conformis punctually to the order, and delivers fome letters for the Evans family to Mr. Frampton, among which this penitential difcovery of Langwood's arrives.Frampton, who looks upon the whole proceeding with an honeft horror, refolves to give the letters agreeable to their actual direction-this refolution throws Euftace, who enters at this time, into a violent paffion, and be infifts upon getting the letters back from Frampton-the latter accordingly gives them up, but paints the meannefs, the cruelty of his lordship's conduct, in colours fo forcible, that Euftace agrees all the letters but Langwood's fhall be fent where they really belong, and that of Langwood's is left with Willis, in hopes that the lapie of a few days may give fome favourable turn to the affairs of Lord Euftace. Willis reads the letter, and has it in his pocket when he waits upon Sir William. The enraged baronet at bis entrance fhuts the door, and commanding him, with his fword drawn, either to own every circumstance he knows relative to the connexion between Harriet and his lord, or to prepare for inftant death. Willis falls upon his knees and puts Langwood's declaration into Sir William's hands he is then difmiffed, and Sir William, who is diftreffed to the laft de gree, 1769. THE BRITISH THEATRE. gree, acquaints his daughter and Mrs. Winifred of the fatal truth---Harriet hears it with the utmost diftraction-.. but Mrs. Winifred, who believes it impoffible for a man of quality not to be a man of honour, treats the whole as a forgery, and fends unknown to her brother for Lord Euftace to clear his innocence, while the brother prepares to call that nobleman to the fevereft account for the infamous outrage which he has offered to his family. Lord Euftace, in compliance with Mrs. Winifred's defire, comes in by a back door into the house from the park, and comes attended by a Colonel Wefton, whom he refcued from the attack of fome ruffians, in the street. The colonel, who is quite a franger, is greatly obliged to his lordChip's feasonable interpofition and retires, giving Euftace a direction to his refidence. An interview immediately follows between bis lordship and the ladies when the young nobleman, cut to the foul by the diftreffes of his dear Harriet, confefles his guilt, offers to marry her in the full face of the world, and even folicits the bleffing of her hand with the moft paffionate importunity--Mifs Evans, however, rejects his entreaty with indignation; and Sir William accidentally furpriz ing Euftace when alone, upbraids him, in the most aggravating terms, with his infamy, and threatens to poft him publicly as a coward, unless he confents to give him a manly fatisfaction---Euftace, with apparent regret, at last confents to meet him; but declares, that the confcioufnefs of the injury he has done Sir William gives him the utmoft difinclination to the combat---but the baronet is immoveably determined to wash away the ftains of his family in the blood of the aggreffor---and Euftace retires to prepare for the difagreeable engagement. Euftace immediately applies to Frampton to be his fecond---but Frampton declines to have the least hand in fo dishonourable a bufinefs... his lordship is much affected at his refutal, nevertheless he gives him a letter to Lord Delville his father, which is to be delivered in cafe he falls, and which does every poffible justice to the character of Mifs Evans; he then goes out to find a lefs fcrupulous friend 61 than Frampton, and waits upon Colo- Euftace 62 THE BRITISH THEATRE. Euftace make a motion to withdraw, when Frampton entering with a letter from Lord Delville to Sir William, entreating an union of the two families, and producing alfo the letter which Euftace had written in juftification of Harriet's conduct, puts a happy termination to the piece.It feems Frampton, the moment Euftace left him to go in fearch of a lefs fcrupulous fecond, repairs immediately to Lord Delville, and informs him of his fon's fituation.-The old nobleman from principles of justice to Evans's family, and paternal tenderness, difpatches the letter which we have mentioned to Sir William.-But neither the Baronet, nor Harriet, will hear the interpofition of a worthy father in favour of a profligate fon, till that fon's own letter in vindication of the lady's character is produced-this immediately changes the face of affairs-and Euftace appears fo juft, fo generous, and fo contrite, that Sir William bleffes him with Harriet's hand; obferv. ing, that the man, who fincerely repents of an error, is farther removed from vice than he who has never been guilty. It is unnecessary to observe, that an instant reconciliation takes place between Lord Euftace and the Colonel but it is neceffary to obferve, that the woman of fashion, who favours the addrefles of young Evans, appears to be the identical Lady Ann Montfort, who had been defined for bis lordship. Confiderations on the Conduct of the Fable. THE ftory of this piece, which is taken from the Eugenie of Monf. Beaumarchais, a French writer of reputation, though it contains fome interefting fituations, is nevertheless but very inaccurately managed.Sir William, after he knows of the infamous conduct of Euftace, refents it with the greateft fpirit, but never once thinks of removing from his houfe.The Baronet alfo in one place rejoices that his fon is not in the way to hazard his life for the family honour, yet when he appears in the character of Welton, and undertakes his fifter's caufe, the felf fame baronet rejoices, and compliments his fon in confequence of his fpirited behaviour. Young Evans's vehemence to fight . Feb Euftace, whom he knows determines not to act offensively, and knows al to be exceedingly concerned for his paft conduct, is rather unmanly. But nothing can excufe the abfurdity of the ladies in lamenting Sir Wil liam's intention of meeting Lord Euf tace, without ever taking the leaft mea fure to prevent it. If Harriet had ne tenderness either for her father or la ver, the notable Mrs. Winifred, whe feems more inclined to act by the dic tates of common fenfe, than the prin ciples of delicacy, should have instantly lent to a jultice of peace, if there had been no other method of prevent ing difagreeable confequencesespecially, as the good old woman, upon all occafions, fhews a most hear ty oppofition to her brother's inclination, and confults nothing but what is, in her own idea, conducive to the welfare of her family. ON THE MANNERS. Not ftrictly regarded by any means in the general. Sir William's talking of his intended duel to the women, is by no means confiftent with his character, either for fenfe or honourand even the fentimental Frampton, who infifts upon the neceffity of giving up the letters to the Evans's family immediately, nevertheless advises Euftace to keep back Langwood's for a few days. Frampton's having any concern at all in the advancement of the young lord's views, after condemning them fo justly, is, befides, utterly unworthy of his reformation. THE SENTIMENTS. Tho not new in many places, are, in general, very juft, and fuch as do honour to the benevolence of the writer. 1769. THE BRITISH THEATRE. Urion Calmar Ravene William is drawn after Colonel Rivers Conon visibly taken from O Cutter in the THE MORAL. Excellent; to inculcate a deteftation for gallantry; and to convince the men than nothing is more infamous, nor more dangerous than perfidy to a woman of honour. THE REPRESENTATION. Mr. King, Mr. Holland, Mr. Reddifh, and Mrs. Clive, did great juftice to their refpective characters; and, indeed, it is but justice to say the fame of almost every other performer. Upon the whole, the School for Rakes was defervedly received with applaufe by the public; and if it does not difplay as much genius as many of our dramatic productions, there are many infinitely inferior to it in the circumftance of real utility. ANOTHER Comedy, called the Sifter, written by the ingenious Mrs. Lennox, from her own pretty novel of Henrietta, made its appearance on Saturday the 18th at Covent-Garden. But as the reception it met with was unfavourable, and as Mrs. Lennox withdrew it immediately after the first reprefentation, there can be no great occafion to give a critique on it in this place, especially as the story upon which it is founded is already very well known to the public. THE next piece which appeared during the course of the late month is the Fatal Difcovery, a tragedy: it was performed for the first time on Thurfday the 23d intant, at the theatre royal in Drury-lane. The PERSONS of the DRAMA are: Orellon Dufton/ Cathol Mr. Aikin Mr. J. Aikin Mr. Strange Mrs. Barry 63 THE FABLE. ATHOL, king of the Scottish ifles, being in alliance with Rownon, prince of Morvan, beholds the mutual affection between him and his daughter Ravene with approbation: until by a fucceffion of misfortunes the unhappy prince is difpoffeffed of his territories, and compelled to withdraw himfelf from his dominions, in order, if poffible, to gain fresh alliances. Rownon is bound to the king of the ifles by a treble tie-faith, friendfhip, and love, at leaft whilft the first is Cathol's, his fon and daughter share the latter. On the fudden neceffity for his departure, Ravene is privately betrothed to him, and committed by him to the tender protection of his friend Conon. Cathol furrounded by threatening foes, in a moment of exigence abandons Rownon, and joins himself to the Pictish king, who charmed with accounts of Ravene's beauty, folicits her as the pledge of their affiance. Between the prince of Morvan and the king of the Picts, a fettled hatred had long subsisted, and the former wellapprized of his enemy's engagement to Ravene, has no other resource, than the bafeft arts: Valmar, Rownon's meffenger is won to his intereft, and having by preparatory reports excited Revene's jealousy of her lover, he is at length informed of his actual marriage with another. Cathol, in the moment of her refentment, intreats her to confirm his league with Dufton, king of the Picts. The diftrefled princefs yields her hand to her father's difpofal notwithanding the entails everlasting mifery on herself. In this fituation of affairs the piece opens, with a conversation between Cathol and Urion, a faithlefs friend and follower of Rownon's, wherein the father laments the unceafing affliction of his child, and declares his hourly expectation of the Pictish king to bear her to his dominions. . Ravene enters alone, and compares the devastation grief has made in her foul, to the workings of a recent form, the ftatelieft trees uprent and broken- THE BRITISH THEATRE. 64 in a well adapted scene adds force to her expreffions, and death is the acknowledged defire of her heart. Her brother meets her, and having proclaimed his mortal hatred for the man fhe has wedded, conjures her never to quit her native fhore, bidding her, in the conclufion, to prepare herfelf for a fad story. He tells her, that having one evening loft himself, a hofpitable cottage afforded him thelter---in a dark corner of it, in a mott wretched condition, lay Valmar, Rownon's meffenger, who conceiving him to be the hoft, in the faint voice of death, thanked him for bis paft care, but begged that from its ill fuccefs it might be difcontinued that guilt preyed on his foul---that he had betrayed his matter, and by a forged ftory of his unfaithfulness, ruined the beautiful Ravene. Ravene is for flying to enquire further; but Conon affures her he did not furvive the confeffion of his vilJainy but a short period. Ravene, in the utmost diftrefs, obeys her father's fummons to attend her newly arrived husband-- who finding her brow unfavourable towards him, reproaches her with her attachment to Rownon-in the fame inftant he difcovers her eyes to be intenfely fixed on a fword in the hand of one of his attendants. The fword is given her...he with anguish pronounces it to be the fword of Rownon, and charges Dutton with his murder. The Pictish king, notwithstanding his wrath, condefcends to inform her, that he found it entangled in the mast of a wreck which had covered the fhore with innumerable dead, and that not one escaped to tell the unfortunate tale. Urion, dreading detection, and tho' left by Rownon for a very oppofite purpofe, he was aiding the king of the Picts in his defigns on Ravene, fpirits up that haughty barbarous warrior to make an immediate demand of his wife, and convey her from her family. Dutton follows his fuggeftions, when Ravene, driven to extremities in a kind of frenzy, publifhes the mifery of her circumstances to all prefent, protesting the will be true to the memory of her first love. Conon offers to conduct her to the Feb cave of Orellon as a proper place of fecurity. Orellan and the princefs are difco. vered in the cave, the commits her dearest treafure, (the word of Rownon) to his care...when fenfible c the anguish that preys on her heart at her own request, he gives her the particulars of his miferable fate, in or der to reconcile her in some degree to misfortune, that common lot of hu manity. Loving and equally beloved by a Nemora, whofe rank and fortune was fuperior to his own, he confidered himfelf as the happieft of men; when one day returning from the chafe, he be held the object of his tendereft affec tions training a youth in her arms, his bow, ready bent, conveyed the fhait of death to each of their bo foms, the departing youth explained the dreadful error: he was the bro ther of Nemora, and had just arrived from abroad after many years of feparation. Nemora was already dead, and the unhappy youth foon followed her fhade. From that hour the drea ry cave became the conftant dwelling of Orellan, until, fubfiding into a gentler forrow through a long lapfe of time, he wept himself into compofure and refignation. He then informs her, that the it not his only charge, for that a youth faved from thipwreck is lodged in a diftant part of the cave. Ravene, truck by the information, exclaims her hope that it is Rownon. The old man endeavouring to remove, only confirms her fufpicions. She well knows the drefs he defcribes, and would thun his pity and his fcorn.--But before the can refolve how to dif pofe of herfelf Rownan enters, and hearing her voice, calls inftantly upon her in the fofteft accents. She terrifies and alarms him by her expreffions and conduct, until unable to fuftain the rencounter, the refers him to Orellan for an explicit account of particulars. The prince, almoft defperate with apprehenfion, rather fears, than re ceives the fecret from him, and having learned the impoflibility of Ravene's ever being his, is hurrying to feek Dufton for revenge; when the enters, and, on her knees, intreats to be heard. The ref in our next] |