Romeo and Julietr

BANNISTER would do the play credit in this part; indeed too much as it is now patched together.

Capulet had great justice done him by Meffrs.. SPARKS and BERRY, but is at present wretchedly off, whether we view him in that most tragical of all tragedians Mr. GIBSON, or the less offensive though water-gruel, Mr. BURTON-Benvolio suffered no damage from Mr. MOZEEN, though a very poor creature, but makes a better figure represented by Mr. PACKER; as to that smirking self-important figure of an actor, Mr. DAVIS, who speaks as he walks, by a kind of instinct, and whom to mention is a waste of words, we wonder how even confummate ignorance with its constant companion could make him think of the stage; or how any manager could ever use him in any other light than as a dumb eunuch in some of the Turkish plays--the other male characters in this piece we presume not worthy remark.

Juliet, bating too quick a fufceptibility of love, is a most amiable lady; she is tender, affectionate and conftant; poffefled of liberal fentiments and delicate feelings; rather romantic in some notions, but justifiably fo from age and situation of mind; fenfible of filial duty, yet not firm enough in opposing it to passion; her citumstances are deeply affecting and her catastrophe spiritedly affectionate, though as an act of fuicide not very moral.

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The competition between Mrs. CIBBER and Mrs BELLAMY, who had both great merit in this character, seemed nearly to admit the same state of comparifon as we have adopted for the contending heroes

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Romeo and Juliet. heroes; one excelled in amorous rapture, the other called every power of distress and defpair to her aid; Mrs. BELLAMY was an object of love, Mrs. CІВBER of admiration; Mrs. BELLAMY's execution was more natural, Mrs. CIBBER's more forceable; in the former there were traces of nonage; in the latter too much of the woman.

Lady Capulet is no body, yet we once saw Mrs. PRITCHARD make her refpectable; mistress nurse, to whom we have objected, as a character inconfiftent with tragedy, though highly finished from nature; was most admirably represented by Mrs. MACKLIN, and we think her petulant impertinence is very well supported by Mrs. PITT; upon the whole, this play is in a truly deplorable state of action at present in both houses; and as, fixteen years ago, it was hard to say which company excelled most, the contention now seems to be, who are most contemptible.

Romeo and Juliet, though it exhibits none of the towring flights of genius, yet has many poetical beauties, expressed in smooth, nervous, agreeable verfification, and takes, in several places, tender pofsession of the passions; it conveys very instructive admonitions, rifes by just degrees to a striking conclufion, and must be allowed the candid praise of great merit, whether seen in public or perused in private.

VOL. I.

Cc

THE

THE PROVOK'D HUSBAND.

A COMEDY.

Altered from VANBURGH by CIBBER.

THE

HE Laureat, in his preface to this play, has taken confiderable pains to do Sir John justice, by attributing the plan and most of the characters originally to him; however, a comparison between the PROVOK'D HUSBAND and Vanburgh's Journey to London will prove, that Cibber shewed great judgment and taste in the use of those material: which fortunately fell into his hands.

Though foliloquy is perhaps not the most commendable opening of a play, yet what Lord Townley offers at the beginning of this comedy, lets an audience well into the grounds of that uneasiness which fits heavy on his mind; the alarm he expresses at the danger his wife's reputation is in from her course of life, conveys a very instructive intimation to ladies in the gay world; and his 'chusing calm measures first to effect a reformation, shews a generous, prudent, tender cast of mind. -The scene with lady Townly exhibits much spirited gentility, the debate is carried on with great good manners on both fides, and a happy prefervation of temper is maintained; for though his lordship warms a little, yet it is like a man of sense and rank; his mode of presenting the bill is delicate, and her manner of receiving it pleasantly whim

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Provok'd Husband. whimsical, as is indeed all she says through the remainder of the scene.

The short conversation between lord Townly and lady Grace is well conducted, and mention of Manly falls in aptly, of whom both give a good preparative character; I cannot, however, help being of opinion, that this gentleman rather seems too forward in advising rigid treatment, when lord Townly asks his advice; nevertheless, it occasions a sensible and instructive altercation between him and lady Grace, who argues against her own opinion, that she may come more effectually at his. This scene takes a very agreeable turn, where Sir Francis Wronghead and his family are mentioned, of whom Manly gives a fatirical and laughable account, shewing that he has a generous concern for their welfare, though he cannot avoid despising their folly.

If introducing fuch a person as John Moody into the prefence of a nobleman and his sister can be justified, it may be truly faid, that he gives great life to the scene, both from peculiarity of dialect and fentiment; as to the propriety of his appearance, we cannot think there is any breach of decorum; Lord Townly being possessed of a sensible affability, and having his curiosity raised by Manly's picture of the Wronghead family, might very well wave general distinctions in favour of honeft John; who seems one of those unpolished, natural productions well worth investigation; if quality, which is too often the cafe, never stoops to a view of the lower ranks of life, but, like a lion, with fuper

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Provok'd Husband. supercilious abstraction, stalks only in its own circle, it must be very deficient in a most essential branch of knowledge.-Human nature is a volume of great variety, and he who studies it most, is most likely to be practically wife; wherefore we heartily join with lady Grace, in " loving nature " let her dress be never fo homely."

Moody's familiar falutation of Manly, his intimation that his lady is in great good-humour from a free circulation of cash; his account of the equipage; the disposition of the younger children at Joan Growse's; the misfortune of the coach, its contents of live lumber within, and noneffential lumber without; the cargo of provisions, the fucceffion of cross events, and the superftitious stress he lays on Childermas-day, are ludicrous to the highest degree, and as highly a finished piece of dramatic painting, as we have ever met with ; nor can any thing be more in character than where John gives himself fuch superiority over his master, as a shrewd and resolute husband; indeed every line of this scene shews a rich vein of uniform humour.

After John's departure, the other characters are called off in an easy, commendable manner, by lady Grace's propofition of cards, which occurs from the discourse without any appearance of defign.-Manly's short foliloquy contains some delicate remarks, and any where but concluding an act of a comedy, we should fay the following lines had merit; but rhime on the stage is certainly abominable, except in prologues and epilogues.

Would