COVENT GARDEN.

A Lord Avondale, while a private

He

have been ferved with a fieri facias. the matter, and it has been laid aside. We will not, however, fport too free- The Prologue was a humorous comly with difappointment; fuffice it to pofition, in which the author is refay, that this comedy was not a good prefented as amidst a poffe of creditors, falmagundi, but an injudicious hotch telling them that they thall be paid out potch from the Provoked Hufband, of the profits of his play. We finthe Trip to Scarborough, &c. &c.- cerely hope that there was as much In this inftance, the well chofen name fiction in this as in every other part of would not give a fafe pafiport to the the work. thing; and Engliflimen, for the first time, declared their difguft for "The On the 15th of January a new coLand we Live in." But this difap- medy, written by Mr. Morton, called pointment would have been lefs felt, The School of Reform; or How to and perhaps the difapprobation have Rule a Husband, was performed for been lefs warmly expreffed, if the the first time; and, as it is a comedy newspapers had not been made to of an interefting caft, and novel in its teem with favourable prefages of the conftruction, we think it deferving a coming play's fuccefs-of its turning particular delineation. out to be that defideratum which would infallibly redeem the character gentleman, and of the name of Radof the stage, and prove a model for nor, had married a virtuous young all the dramatifts of a comic tafte woman, but of humble birth. throughout this entire century. It went abroad in the fuite of au ambafwas no fault in the language which fador, and the wife follows him; when occafioned this piece to fail, for in fome time after, the ambassador dymany parts the dialogue was better ing, he was thought worthy to fucceed than that of our modern well favoured to the appointment. Ambition now pieces, and the fentiments throughout fways his whole foul: he repents of were either commendable or unexcep- his marriage, and takes a cruel way tionable, and this is a reafon why it to difengage himfelf from it; for he may please many in reading; of which contrives to have his wife accused of a trial may be made, fince the author practising against the religion of the has published it by way of appeal. country, and to be shut up in a conThe caufe of its failure in reprefenta- vent, where he fuppofes the died fome tion is the fame with that which has time after. A fon by this marriage, loft many a young general a battle, whofe name is Frederick, he places viz, the want of experience or skill to under the care of one farmer Tyke, a manage the forces under his com- tenant. The money advanced to Tyke mand: which troops to advance, which on this account gives him a turn for to make a referve of. The entres and diffipation and horse-racing; and from exits were ill conducted by our hero this courfe he runs to the crime of of the bufkin, and fome of his moft horfe-ftealing, for which he is conpromiling veterans were not only made demned, and afterwards tranfported. to retreat, but allowed to difmifs The child left to his care is deferted, themselves for ever, when they ought but, being placed in a charity school, to have returned to the field for the obtains a good education; and, accihonour and order of the battle. Tho' dentally rendering Lord Avondale a the play was unequivocally condemn fervice, is taken into his house as his ed, we were furprifed to find Mr. fecretary. General Tarragon, arrived Wroughton (after apologiling for Mrs. from abroad with his daughter, has Jordan's indifpofition preventing her brought along with them Mrs. Radfpeaking the Epilogue) announce it nor, who, through the revolutions of for a fecond reprefentation. The ma- the continent, was obliged to quit her nagers, however, thought better of convent. This lady now went by the

name of St. Clair; and, having the view with the innocent prifoner, has certificate of her marriage, letters, accidentally difcovered the mark in and other vouchers, to identify it, is Frederick's neck: he meets with no determined to affert her claim as Lord great difficulty in perfuading the gaolA.'s wife, having been informed that er to allow them to go up to the cafhe is going to marry Mifs Tarragon, tle, where the mother is made happy who has, however, manifefted her par- by finding her fon, and Lord Avondale tiality for Frederick. This difcovery kneels to heaven in contrition and of his lordship's intended nuptials has gratitude; and while he is in this pofbeen made from the fight of a minia- ture the curtain falls. We cannot ture picture, which Lord A. has fent but think the piece ends abruptly: it to Mifs Tarragon. Mrs. St. Clair al- is impoffible not to feel a wish to know fo inftitutes an enquiry after her how Frederick and Mifs Tarragon are child. Tyke is brought before Lord difpofed of. Avondale as a highwayman, or being Nothing can be more affecting than fufpected of having attempted to rob two of the fcenes of this play; they General Tarragon in his carriage, have all the exterior appearance of a He is, however, recognifed by Lord highly working-up tragedy: for it is A., who befriends him, takes him out impoffible that the mind of a beholder, of his perilous condition, and, after at the time, can anticipate a happy interrogating him as to this child, ending. A Mr. and Mrs. Ferment can give no fatisfactory information; afford the occafion for naming the but Tyke fays that he marked his play. He is a conceited, half-witted neck with the letter F in gunpowder. fellow; and is ruled by his wife's Lord Avondale, finding that Mrs. St. holding her tongue. Only fuch a beClair poffeffed fuch deeds and papers ing could be ruled as a husband in as may ruin his reputation, deter- that manner. The comic incidents mines to poffefs them, coute qui coute; chiefly arife out of this odd pair. and founds Tyke, to find whether he is This bufy fellow is folicitous of paying willing to commit this deed. Tyke, his court to Lord Avondale, in hopes however, having found his father, of getting into parliament; and the is a whofe heart he conceived to have whimsical woman of no marked difbeen broken by his own wicked con- pofition. They together make a couduct, is now quite reformed, and re- ple of rare creatures, but yet of no fufes to be his lordship's agent. Lord great value. The pleafanteft part of Avondale then refolves to do the deed the piece is the equivoque kept up behimself, rather than fuffer expofure; tween Ferment and Tyke, ending with and for this purpose he difguifes him- the former faying, "Now I apprehend felf, effects his defign of poffeffing the you;" which startles the latter, from papers, but is purfued, and on the the connexion the phrafe has to the point of being taken, when Frederick, courfe of life he has led. to fave him, affumes the difguife, and allows himself to be fufpected and imprifoned. The marriage treaty being brought to a conclufion, Lord A. is leading his intended bride to the altar: the church door being opened, the wife is found to have placed herself there, when the demands her loft fon, and occafions the whole difcovery. Tyke had been fent by Lord A. with a fum of money to the prifon of Frederick, to try, by bribes, whether he could not operate his cfcape; but, in the inter

The incidents of this play are in no inftance unnatural, though it may be faid the part of Tyke extends to its utmoft bounds. The religious genuflexions and ejaculations to heaven occur very frequently; no doubt, many think, too often. In modern plays, however, we have, in general, more occafion to complain of the recurrence of dam'me's. There is great correctnefs and neatnefs in the language, and the puns are obtained pretty fairly; but the great fatisfac~

tion in feeing this play is derived from words in a manner peculiar to himself, the admirable performance of every GARRICK never allowed this on his actor in it. We are almoft tempted theatre.

to add, that a play written for the This play has been fill better reperformers of Covent Garden, with- ceived from a little abridgment: the out thinking of the public, will be Epilogue is far fuperior for piquancy fure to please the public. The fame to the Prologue, and is admirably dething might be faid of any other play- livered by Mrs. Litchfield. The King, houfe, well managed. Emery may be Queen, the five Princeffes, the Dukes confidered the most prominent actor of Cambridge, Kent, Suffex, &c. were in this comedy; and, indeed, his at Covent Garden, to fee this comedy Tyke is a mafter-piece of acting. reprefented, on Wednesday, the 21t Cooke can act a lord well, without be- inftant; when, if poffible, the pering as d-k as a lord: he is certainly formers acquitted themfelves ftill more a refpectable performer; but we are to the fatisfaction of the crowded aufurprised to find him accent fome dience of that night.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

SENSIBILITY: A POEM.

And leffen'd oft, by gentle means, and flow,
The too great fenfibility of woe:
Can I forget thee, then? fo kind, fo true!

HAST thou not felt, when ling'ring on thy Then Mem'ry's felf fhall be forgotten too.

way,

Some worn-out fuff'ring vet'ran to furvey,
(Him whom a thanklefs country leaves to feel
Wounds of contempt, more dreadful far than
fteel ;)

Haft thou not felt a tender fomething rife,
And Pity's drop fteal trembling from thine
eyes?

Did not thy hand inftinctively beftow

Some fcanty boon to foothe, to heal his woe?
Oh! fayor, if, when forrow meets thine

Still fhall the feeling foul, to nature true,
Know joys the foul lefs wealthy never knew.
And thou, the pictur'd Damon, dearest friend!
In whom truth, honour, virtue, feeling blend;
Shall friendfhip be the theme, and I reftrain
The plaufive lay, that merit fhuns in vain?
For thou erewhile, when many a forrow
prefs'd,

A time there was, hiftoric annals fay, When, check'd by pride, the paffions ceas'd to

play;

When foft ey'd Pity left the human breaft,
And man, th' unbending ftoic, ftcod confeft;
"Guard well thy heart," fern Epictetus cries,
"Left in a foolish hour thou fympathife;
"And fympathy is pain, and pain an ill
"Not govern'd by neceffity, but will.*"

"Is this your boafted virtue? fons of fame!"
Methinks I hear a B-1-r's voice exclaim;
"What! can ye contemplate with hearts of
fione

"The fuff'ring wretch? unmoved, hear him groan?

Can your heav'n- aim'd philofophy decry "That nobleft, firft of motions, Sympathy? "Then happier, though unlearn'd, the feeling

few

"I'd rather never be, than be like you."

Propitious Feeling! dearer to the heart
Let filly worldlings drink the cup of joy,
One touch of thine, than all the joys of art:
Pall with excefs, and then call life a toy :
Let the poor mifer starve t' increase his store,
Drain copious Nature's fount, then thirst for

more:

One drop of genuine pity, timely giv'n,
Swells at the foul, and raifes it to heaven.
To him whofe fordid foul's wrapt up in felf?
What are your filken pleafures, what is pelf,
Can felf buy happiness? Then riches can,
And man was made for gold, not man for man,
Friend of the wretched foother of dif
trefs!

Didft charm the barbed venom from my breaft, Who e'er to thee appeal'd, nor found redress? It was the great maxim of the ftoic philofophers, that the foul of man being of the fame nature with God, is felf. fufficient for virtue and happiness; infomuch, that it is not is the power of the gods themselves to make a good man unhappy.-Priestley's Inft.

When a black cloud obfcur'd thee, and the A more fubftantial recompence on high; A permanent afylum in the fky!

++ Euftace de St. Pierre.