THE CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE: A COMEDY, En Five Acts, BY G. COLMAN AND D. GARRICK. PRINTED FROM THE ACTING COPY, WITH REMARKS, BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL, BY D.-G. To which are added, A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUME,-CAST OF THE CHARACTERS, ENTRANCES AND EXITS,-RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORMERS ON THE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE OF THE STAGE BUSINESS. As now performed at the THEATRES ROYAL, LONDON. EMBELLISHED WITH A FINE ENGRAVING. By MR. WHITE, from a Drawing taken in the Theatre, by LONDON: JOHN CUMBERLAND, 6, BRECKNOCK PLACE, CAMDEN TOWN. A story is told in the Biographia Dramatica, on the authority of a gentleman who, it seems, had it from the mouth of Mr. Colman himself, that Garrick composed two acts of the Clandestine Marriage; which he sent to Colmau, desiring that he would put them together, or do what he would with them; and that the latter took Davy at his word, by putting them into the fire, and writing the play himself. We believe the story to be a gross fabrication; but whether by the gentleman or George, we cannot tell. Colman was too good a judge to put two acts of a comedy written by Garrick into the fire-we can answer that his son would not be guilty of the like folly; that gentleman having a very commendable prudence in matters of this sort. It has been generally understood that Garrick's share in this comedy was Lord Ogleby, and the courtly family; and Colman's, Sterling, and the low-bred city family-a fair conclusion; since Lord Ogleby, in many points, bears a striking resemblance to Lord Chalkstone, in Garrick's farce of Lethe. In the advertisement originally prefixed to the play, both parties acknowledge themselves equally responsible for the whole, and express their obligations to Hogarth's Marriage a-la-Mode, from whence they derived their materials. But "wits have short memories:" they forgot to mention that the characters of Lord Ogleby, Mr. Stirling, and Brush, were borrowed from a farce, entitled "False Concord," acted at Covent Garden, March 20, 1764, for the benefit of Mr. Woodward: the author of which was the Rev. James Townley, formerly master of the Merchant Tailors' School. In this piece were three capital characters-Lord Lavender, a vain superannuated nobleman; Mr. Sudley, a wealthy soap-boiler; and a pert valet. These, with the dialogue of some of the scenes, nearly verbatim, were transferred to the Clandestine Marriage. Garrick, in his prologue, recommends "That each should neighbourly assist his brother, When, therefore, this comedy was published ("False Concord" has never been printed), the reputed authors should have admitted Mr. Townley into co-partnership with them. The Clandestine Marriage is an extremely entertaining and popu lar play. The characters are drawn with spirit and truth; the incidents take an interesting and natural turn; and the dialogue is alternately witty, elegant, and affecting. Singularly enough, it ends without a wedding-that ceremony having been anticipated before its commencement-the lovers being, in fact, man and wife. The interview between Lord Ogleby and Fanny, when she resolves to disclose the secret of her marriage with Lovewell, and implore his lordship's intercession with her father-the distress and embarrassment of the lady-her blushes and sighs-her ambiguous expressions, which the vain old lord so whimsically applies to himself—and his raptures at fancying that he is the object of her passion, are admirably painted. Equally so is the equivoque between Lovewell and Lord Ogleby: where the former conceives he has propitiated the old peer; while his lordship, equally mistaken, applies the various com. pliments paid to Miss Fanny's choice, to his own irresistible person and power of pleasing. The entrance of Sir John Melville, who comes for the special purpose of disclosing his passion, and requesting his lordship's good offices to promote his match with the Countess of Ogleby, that shall be, is highly apropos and comic. The nods and winks of the conceited amorous old peer-who, in the pride and vanity of his heart, makes sure of the lady-his gay, chivalrous, and frolicsome air, when he gives Sir John permission to court Fannyand his significant leers, contrast well with the embarrassment and confusion of Lovewell. The breakfast-scene between Brush and the chamber-maid—Mr. Brush's affectation of high life-his well-bred nonchalance, when he hears his lordship's bell ring, and continues to sip his coffee-the perfect good-breeding with which he presents the abigail with a few cakes of chocolate for her own particular drinking, and desires nothing in return for his civilility but to taste the perfume of her lips; at the same time remarking that, by an interchange of favours, he hopes the country and retirement may be rendered mutually agreeable, are characteristic and droll. The denouement produces abundant merriment. The apropos introduction of Mr. Brush, half drunk, and laying hold of the chambermaid— his amorous protestations and promises-his queer threat regarding Mrs. Heidelberg, which brings out that venerable virago from her concealment-the hurry, bustle, and anxiety, that ensue, when the different guests emerge from their chambers-the unravelling of the mystery-the noble and generous conduct of Lord Ogleby, when the mercenary citizen threatens to turn his daughter out of doors-and the feeling and eloquent amende honorable of Sir John Melville, render the last scene of this comedy as effective as any on the stage. It has been objected that the Swiss nation has been illiberally caricatured in the part of Canton. The readiness of that people to fight for pay has long been proverbial; we, therefore, see no reason why they should not flatter, though they may do it more awkwardly. Sterling is a true picture of a sordid trader, whose heart is almost as bad as THE Clandestine Marriage. ACT I. SCENE I.-A Room in Sterling's house.--Miss Fanny and Betty meeting. Enter BETTY. Betty. Ma'am! Miss Fanny! Ma'am! Betty. (c.) Oh la! Ma'am! as sure as I am alive, here is your husband Fanny. Hush! my dear Betty; if any body in the house should hear you, I am ruined. Betty. Mercy on me! it has frightened me to such a degree, that my heart is come up to my mouth.-But as I was a saying, ma'am, here's that dear, sweetFanny. Have a care, Betty. Betty. Lord! I am bewitched, I think- -But as I was a saying, ma'am, here's Mr. Lovewell just come from London. Fanny. Indeed! Betty. Yes, indeed, and indeed, ma'am, he is. I saw him crossing the court-yard in his boots. Funny. I am glad to hear it.-But pray now, my dear Betty, be cautious. Don't mention that word again, on any account. You know we have agreed never to drop any expressions of that sort, for fear of an accident. Betty. Dear ma'am, you may depend upon me. There is not a more trustier creature on the face of the earth, than I am. Though I say it, I am as secret as the grave-and if its never told, till I tell it, it may remain untold till doom's-day for Betty. |