does not appear to have been a difficult task. It is one, however, which is executed with great care, taste, and judgment. Except that the portrait of Julio is more relied on as a principal proof of his identity, all the other incidents are the same as in the original; the characters and the plot also suffer no variation; but in the language and the turn of the sentiment there are many alterations, all of them improvements. The humane philosophic Abbé De l' Epée was well sustained by Mr. Kemble, and Mr. Wroughton, in the proud and guilty Drlemont, was uncommonly energetic and impressive. Mrs. Moun tain, in Marianne (the heroine of the piece), had ạ gentle delicate part of no great compass-she was in full voice, and executed a pleasing air allotted to it with great sweetness: this charming air was composed by Kelly. All the other characters were supported with like success. The prologue, spoken by Mr. Powell, and the epilogue, by Miss De Camp, were both pertinent to the piece, and possess many good points. In our next we shall give an interesting extract from this much admired performance. COVENT GARDEN. HE Heir at Law has introduced Feb. 14: Mrs. Gibbs again to the town, and the welcome she received sufficiently assured her how great a favorite she is. Her simplicity is never rude, her rusticity is never vulgar; she always understands her author, and whenever she fails in execution it is the fault of nature, "Who fram'd her in a mould still firm yet delicate." A blunder of Johnstone's, far from uncharacteristic, contributed to amuse the public for several minutes when he laments his old master's being drowned, he "bothered out'-"Oh twenty marine societies could not have saved him," instead of humane societies. The blunder was attempted to be accounted for by its being said that he had dined at the Union Club with the Irish members. In the afterpiece of Il Bondocani, the occurrences of the day have indistinct ideas to every man's mind, and every thing that could be twisted to political allusion was eagerly caught after, and every man affected to see in it more than could be seen.' Mr. Fawcett's Cadi of Bagdad had a thousand charms it never possessed before; and the latter part of his air was much applauded— "I can crack my joke Like other folk, Who, when fairly turn'd out, only call it resigning." But all the political allusions seemed to be enjoyed in perfect good humour, with the malice of fashion, without a fearful apprehension; every sen, timent of loyalty was aplauded "To the very echo that gave it back again." and seemed to imply, that whatever were the changes in the cabinet, we can securely rely on the firmness, the wisdom, and the affection of OUR KING. Feb. 15 Last night a new comedy, called The Poor Gentleman, was produced at this theatre-the principal characters in which, were cast as follows: MEN. Worthington (the Poor Gentleman) Mr. MURRAY, Mr. MUNDEN. Mr. LEWIS. This piece is the production of Mr. Colman, and indeed has a considerable resemblance to his former pieces in the general style of the characters, the turn of the sentiments, the nature of the incidents, and the point of the dialogue. Without detailing the plot in its several circumstances, it may be sufficient to remark that the business of the piece arises out of the distresses of the Poor Gentleman, his introduction to Sir Robert Bramble and his nephew, and concludes with the marriage of his daughter to Frederick Bramble, and his consequent relief from poverty and suffering. In the conduct of this plot there is a general deficiency of interest, and the attention of the audience is throughout too often directed to subordinate circumstances and inferior persons, while the final result of the piece is not rendered sufficiently promi nent. If deficient, however, in strength of interest, this deficiency is amply made up in a succession of incidents which, while they all tend to the develope ment of the plot, seem to afford amusement in the absence of more important business-though not of that complicated nature which never for a moment suffers curiosity to be suspended, they bestow that degree of pleasure which is to be derived from broad mirth and coarse humour. Many of the scenes are highly comic; and of the situations, some are not destitute of that kind of embarrassment which at once produces surprise aud affords entertainment. The characters are in general drawn with considerable spirit, and though none of them have at all the merit of originality, they possess a a degree of novelty which is comparatively respect able. The Poor Gentleman is a brave soldier, who, after being severely wounded at the siege of Gibraltar, retires on half-pay, and his character exhibits a picture of the warmest loyalty and the most pure honor; and his attendant, the Corporal, is no bad representative of the well-known Corporal Trim. Gallipot, the apothecary, is a very entertaining character, combining in his manners the habits of his profession and those of an officer in a corps of volunteer cavalry; and Sir Robert Bramble is an amusing picture of an old-fashioned baronet who detests flattery and loves contradiction. The other characters are not striking-they are the mere copies of what have been imitated a thousand times before. Of the sentiments we shall only remark, that they are generous and manly, breathing a spirit of the most enlarged and liberal philosophy. The dialogue is similar to what prevails in the author's other pieces, possessing no claim to chasteness, terseness, or energy; it is distinguished by frequent puns and quibbles, and by them, more than true humour, it excites laughter and affords amusement. All the actors exerted themselves to considerable advantage, and several of them were more than usually happy in their efforts. We have seldom seen Murray appear to more advantage, and Fawcett was particularly comic in the apothecary, and if he would abate a little of his farcical extravagance, and deliver his part with somewhat less rapidity, it would be little inferior to his Doctor Panglos, gene. rally allowed to be one of his most successful exertions. When we mention that Lewis and Munden were more than usually successful in their characters, we have only to add that the others were respectable. Mrs. Mattocks and Mrs. Powell were much applauded in their parts. THE PARNASSIAN GARLAND, FOR FEBRUARY, 1801. THE MINSTREL YOUTH, A LYRIC ROMANCE, IN THREE PARTS, BY WILLIAM CASE, JUN. DA PART. I. ARK was the night-beside his hearth Whilst oft by fits the howling blast Wide o'er the scenes of darkness cast "Hark, Wilhelmine!" the old man said, "Though poor, yet ah, how blest are we! "Our low and simple dwelling "Scarce feels the elements' rude shock, "Whilst the old castle's high walls tock "With ev'ry gust loud swelling. "There mournfully the ivy mourns "The battlements surrounding, "And from each turret's crevice bleak "Frequent is heard the owlet's shriek "Athwart the gloom hoarse-sounding." |