Arvida. Some months are pass'd, since, in the Danish dungeon, With care emaciate, and unwholesome damps,

Sick'ning I lay, chain'd to my flinty bed,
And call'd on death to ease me-straight a light
Shone round, as when the ministry of Heaven
Descends to kneeling saints. But, Oh ! the form
That pour'd upon my sight.-Ye angels, speak !
For ye alone are like her; or present
Such visions pictured to the nightly eye

Of fancy tranced in bliss. She then approach'd,
The softest pattern of embodied meekness,
For pity had divinely touch'd her eye,
And harmonised her motions.-Ah! she cry'd,
Unhappy stranger, art not thou the man,
Whose virtues have endear'd thee to Gustavus?

“*3&*3&*34*3&*3&*34*333

Ir is well-known that the celebrated author of this piece made his first
appearance in London at the Theatre in Great Ayliffe Street, Goodman's-
Fields, in the part of Richard III., on October 19th, 1741; and the present
piece was produced at the same house, on the following November 30th.
Garrick had that evening performed Chamont in The Orphan, to which he
added the part of Sharp in his own Farce, and the delivery of the original
Epilogue. This entertainment was extremely successful at Goodman's-
Fields, being played upwards of twenty nights the first season; and upon
the removal of the author to Drury-Lane, in 1743, he took his piece with
him, improved it, and reproduced it there in nearly it's present form. It's
success was so considerable as to cause it to be transmitted as a lasting and
profitable performance to every theatre in England. When the main princi-
ple of this Farce is admitted, the incidents and persons are natural and
well-designed. With all it's vivacity, however, it has been observed that it
possesses but little attraction on the modern stage, which is attributable to
either the change in taste, manners, and humour, since it's first production;
or to the want of a less censurable and more diverting talent in Sharp: for
in comparison with many other dramatic characters of the same class he has
but little wit or mirth, since mere lying can never be humour.

It is probable that there is no truth in the report which refers the original
hint of The Lying Valet to the French Stage; as well because the title of
it's supposed prototype has never yet been mentioned, as because at the
time when it appeared, the author had perhaps no means of availing him-
self of the pieces of foreign theatres. It must be observed, however, that
this Farce will be found, upon examination, to be an alteration of the second
of the five short dramas which form the very curious entertainment of Peter
Antony Motteux, called Novelty, or Every Act a Play; originally performed
at Lincoln's Inn Fields in 1697: the part referred to is entitled All Without
Money, "Scene, the Pall-Mall." The scene of the present piece is also laid
in London, and the time of action the morning and evening of the same day.

On the reproduction of The Lying Valet at Drury-Lane, the part of Kitty Pry was performed by Mrs. Clive, to whose well-known vivacity it was excellently adapted. Perhaps Garrick was never exceeded as Sharp, though even in his time Yates acted it very frequently and with great applause, and was succeeded by Shuter; and Mr. Mathews has also played the character with irresistible comic talent.

Re-enter Sharp before several persons with dishes in their hands, and a Cook, drunk.

Sharp. This way, gentlemen, this way.

Cook. I'am afraid I have mistook the house. Is this Mr. Treatwell's? Sharp. The same, the same. What, don't you know me ?

Cook. Know you!-Are you sure there was a supper bespoke here? Sharp. Yes; upon my honour, Mr. Cook: the company is in the next room, and must have gone without had you not brought it.

Sharp. You see I'm reduced to my waistcoat already; and when necessity has undressed me from top to toe, she must begin with you; and then we shall be forced to keep house and die by inches. Look you, sir, if you won't resolve to take my advice, while you have one coat left to your back, I must e'en take to my heels while I have strength to run, and something to cover me.

Act 1. Sc. 1.

MISS IN HER TEENS :

A FARCE, BY DAVID GARRICK.

NOTWITHSTANDING the extravagantly-ludicrous character of this entertainment, Murphy, in his Life of the author, considers it to have effected a great moral benefit to society, in exposing and banishing two classes of persons ridiculed under the names of Fribble and Captain Flash. He states that at the time this piece was produced, the Coffee-houses of London were infested by a number of young officers, who entered with a martial air, wearing fierce Kevenhuller-hats, and long swords; and who paraded the rooms with ferocity, and were always ready to draw without provocation. In direct contrast to this race of braggarts, was a class of fashionable triflers who thought it most graceful to unsex themselves, and make a display of more than feminine softness. To expose both these to contempt and ridicule, was the design of Miss in her Teens; and it's excellent acting effected a reformation.

This very amusing Farce was originally produced at Covent-Garden, January 17th, 1747, with the second title of The Medley of Lovers; and ran for fourteen nights, when it was stopped by the illness of Garrick. Upon it's fifteenth representation, that performer unexpectedly found his name announced for an additional benefit; for Rich, the manager, declared that the piece had proved so profitable, and was so meritorious, that the acknowledgement would have been insufficient without such a recompense : to which the author replied that he valued the reward for that reason only. It is probable, however, that his own performance as the beau, and those of Woodward as Flash, Yates as Puff, and Mrs. Clive as Tag, were the chief attractions of the piece. That Garrick's appearance and acting were both surpassingly excellent, there are many testimonies; but there are, perhaps, few stronger than Colley Cibber's praise of him to a nobleman at White's, which was uttered solely with the view to degrade him : "" See him, my Lord, by all means, he is the completest pretty little doll figure for a Fribble you ever saw in your life. An admirable Fribble! such mincing, and ambling!-Well, he must be something of a clever fellow, too, to write up to his own character so well as he has done in this part."-Russell and R. Palmer were considered as the best Fribble and Flash on the modern stage. The original parts of Sir Simon Loveit and the Aunt are now properly omitted. The first idea of Miss in her Teens is said to have been taken from La Parisienne of the French actor and dramatist, Florent-Carton D'Ancourt; and the hint of the celebrated fighting scene from one in an English Comedy by Charles Johnstone, produced in 1701.

[Here they stand in fighting postures, while Biddy and Tag push them forward.

Flash. Come on.

Biddy. Go on.

Fribble. Come on, rascal.

Tag. Go on, sir.

Act 2. Sc. 1.