(Lord Thurio is heard singing without.) In my heart-Lord Thurio comes ! Let us retire. Sil. We are observ'd-this paper will direct you. (Gives a paper to Valentine, who retires with it to the back of the scene.) Thus, according to Victor, Silvia had not only determined to marry Valentine before he had plainly declared his love for her, but had even written a paper with directions for their marriage and escape -Speed had said to Valentine "for often you have "writ to her," &c.-this however is only a quotation -Speed expressly says that he found it in print Launce speaks his 1st soliloquy at Milan instead of Verona-an alteration much for the worse. Act 3d differs but little from the original-part of Valentine's speech, after he is banished, seems to have been omitted in representation. Act 4th differs but little from the original-Launce's soliloquy is marked as omitted in representation— the short scene between Silvia and Eglamour, with which Shakspeare begins his 5th act, is judiciously transferred to the conclusion of this act. Act 5th. Victor has made a very great improvement in this act—according to Shakspeare, Valentine, after he is reconciled to Protheus, says 66 All, that was mine in Silvia, I give thee." Pope, Hanmer and Steevens allow that this is unnatural-according to Victor, when Protheus offers to force Silvia, Valentine advances, and orders the outlaws to seize Protheus-he then addresses Silvia, and tells her to dismiss her fears as she is in safetyafter which he reproaches Protheus and then is reconciled to him-the exceptionable line is of course omitted-Victor has added 2 short scenes for the sake of bringing Launce and Speed on the stage in this act-but as these scenes are unnecessary, and not worthy of Shakspeare, they would have been better omitted for Kemble's alteration of this play, which is in a considerable degree borrowed from Victor's, see C. G. April 21 1808. 23 and 31. Garrick acted Richard 3d, and Lear. 27. Bold Stroke for a Wife. (Bills from B. M.) In the course of Dec. Garrick brought out a Pantomime called the Witches,, or Harlequin Cherokee -In the St. James's Chronicle it is observed, "The "2nd title is an absolute misnomer, it ought in jus"tice to be called Harlequin Macbeth, as the author "of the Pantomime is indebted to Shakspeare for "his Witches, Caldron, &c.-and perhaps we may "shortly expect to be entertained with Harlequin "Lear and Harlequin Hamlet at least this is a very "natural explanation of 4 lines in one of Garrick's "celebrated Prologues • But if an empty house, the actors' curse, • Show us our Lears and Hamlets lose their force, "In the present state of Pantomime we could "almost wish, that in order to discourage it at one house, so eminent an actor as Woodward might "never be permitted to put on the fool's coat again, "and that at the other the Manager himself might "be obliged to wear it for a season, as a reward for "the encouragement he has given to such sort of pieces-Oh how prettily his piercing eyes would "twinkle through the holes of a black vizor! into "what a variety of attitudes would he wriggle his "little body, up the traps and down the traps, over "the stile and through the map," &c. (Lon. Mag. for Dec.) Jan. 7. Old Maid Mrs. Clive, 1st time. = 11. Richard 3d Garrick: Henry 6th Havard : Richmond Palmer: Buckingham Lee: Queen= Mrs. Cibber: Lady Anne Mrs. Davies. = = = = = 14. As you like it. Touchstone Yates: Jaques = Burton: Orlando Palmer: Adam Havard : Amiens Vernon: Rosalind Mrs. Yates: Celia = Mrs. Clive: Audrey = Mrs. Bradshaw :-she is said to have been very happy in this character. (Theatrical Examiner.) = 17. Macbeth Garrick: Macduff Havard: Banquo Palmer: 1st Witch Yates: Lady Macbeth - Mrs. Pritchard. 18. Busy Body. Sir Jealous Traffick Love. 19. Never acted, Elvira. Don Alonzo the 4th (King of Portugal) = Garrick: Don Pedro (his son)= Holland: Don Alvarez-Love: Don Rodrigo-Packer: Elvira (Maid of Honour to the Queen) = Mrs. Cib.. ber: Queen (mother to the King of Spain, and second wife to Don Alonzo) = Mrs. Pritchard: Almeyda (her daughter) Miss Bride :-acted 13 times -Don Pedro and Elvira are privately married-the King insists that his son should marry Almeyda—he acknowledges his love for Elvira-she is committed to the custody of the Queen-Don Pedro takes up = arms to rescue Elvira-he forces his way into the palace-she blames him for his rashness-the King enters, and Don Pedro throws away his sword-Don Pedro is first confined to his apartment, and then condemned to death-Almeyda, who is in love with Don Pedro, does her utmost to save him-she prevails on the King to give Elvira an audience ---Elvira avows her marriage, and produces her two childrenthe King pardons his son-Elvira dies, having been poisoned by the Queen-Don Pedro offers to kill himself, but is prevented by his father-this T. was written by Mallet-it has no particular fault, but it is cold and uninteresting till the last scene. Mallet's real name was Malloch, which Dr. Johnson has taken care should never be forgotten, by saying in the 8vo. edition of his Dictionary- "alias "means otherwise, as Mallet alias Malloch, that is "otherwise Malloch"-on Mallet's arrival from Scotland he was a great declaimer in the London Coffeehouses against religion, at which old surly Dennis was highly offended, and always called him MolochMallet's wife had faith enough, for she believed her husband was the greatest poet and wit of the age. Mallet wrote his poem on Verbal Criticism to pay court to Pope by attacking Theobald, who revenged himself by observing, that " an anonymous writer, "like a Scotch pedlar in wit, had unbraced his pack "on the subject; of whom I may fairly say, as Fal"staff does of Poins, Hang him baboon! his wit "is as thick as Tewksbury mustard; there is no "more conceit in him than in a Mallet. " Mallet published Lord Bolingbroke's posthumous works the first striking sentence which Murphy heard from Dr. Johnson was in some few days after their publication-Garrick asked Johnson "if he had "seen them?" Yes, I have seen them'-" What do 66 you think of them ?"--" think of them!'-he made a long pause, and then replied- think of them! a scoundrel and a coward! a scoundrel, who spent his life in charging a gun against Christianity; and a coward, who was afraid of hearing the report of ' his own gun; but left half a crown to a hungry 'Scotchman to draw the trigger after his death.'— (Murphy's Life of Johnson.) Jan. 25. For the author of the alterations, Two Gentlemen of Verona-this play had been performed 5 times with success, but on this night a serious riot took place-Cooke says-" Mr. Fitzpatrick, a gentle"man of independent fortune, and a critic of some "note in his time, having had some trifling dispute "with Garrick at a club they belonged to, was mean enough to carry his resentments to the actor, and, "like all men possessed of the spirit of malice, "sought his revenge at the expense of his judgment; "hence he exposed himself, by almost daily criticisms "on the action and elocution of Garrick." 66 In 1762-1763 Fitzpatrick, still retaining his malevolence to Garrick, had put himself at the head of a set of young men, who called themselves the Town -they consulted together, and had determined to compel the managers to admit them at the end of the 3rd act, at half price, to every performance, except during the run of a new Pantomime-and they chose to make that demand on the 6th night of the Two Gentlemen of Verona, tho' it was for the benefit of the author of the alterations, and so expressed in the |