Commiffary. Mr. SHUTER played the old widow with fingular humour, and Mr. SPARKS was not much amiss in the representation of her; Mr. PARSONS was much better in Doctor Catgut than probably we shall fee again, though as to the sick, monkey-face, Mr SUM MERS, looked it inimitably-Mr. WESTON is fo well in the Coachman, that we heartily wish for more of him; and Mrs. GARDNER hits off the convenient Mrs. Mechlin with talents worthy warm applause; this lady is much wanted at Drury Lane, to save several of Mrs. CLIVE's parts from the dread ful mutilation they undergo at present; as to all o ther persons we have seen, in this piece they are totally effaced from the table of memory. It would be a point of critical injuftice, not to fay that Mr. WILKINSON, who possesses good imitative faculties, may give pleasure in the COMMISSARY, to those who have not seen the original; but, for our parts, we must declare against Foote, as well as GARRICK, at second-hand. ? We shall take leave of this comedy, with heartily wishing, for public good, that the author's patent was a winter, instead of a summer one; the mental gloom, for which Britons are so remarkable, is not materially prevalent in the sun-shine, as the cloudy feafon; wherefore, it would be better if this dramatic electrician was to practice when enthusiasm, spleen and suicide, most commonly lay baleful fiege to the human fpirits and understanding. 4 1 VENICE PRESERVED. 0 A Tragedy by OTWAY. 4 TWAY has been deservedly diftinguished as a tragic writer by the epithet tender; indeed his two living pieces, the ORPHAN, and that we are now entering upon, never fail to call a melting tribute from the heart, evidenced by tear-filled eyes; yet we may justly compare them to a couple of females possessed of bewitching features, manifesting offenfive deformity of shape. Among the exceptionable passages and circumstances we must pass previous censure at large upon every scene where Aquilina is concerned, as fuperfluously prejudicial to regularity, offensive to decency, impotently ludicrous, and contemptibly abfurd; as a juftification for the author, it is faid, the buffoon fenator Antonio, was introduced to caricature the Earl of Shaftesbury, by order of Charles the second; a monarch more remarkable for unessential humour and licentious diffipation, than moral feelings or folid sense. His late majesty, we have been informed, once ordered the scenes we condemn to be restored in action; which is not so much to be wondered at, if we confider his very limited knowledge of the English language; however, the audi ence exerted their undoubted right to critical authority, and snatching them even from royal influence, sentenced most justly such vile excreffences to obliVOL. I. Sf vion : Venice Preserved. vion: we wish they were omitted in print as well as on the stage. VENICE PRESERVED opens with Priuli, a fenator, upbraiding Jaffier as the instrument of disgrace and perplexity to his family, by having stolen his daughter; the old man's taunts are severe, and in fome places illiberal, Jaffier's defence is the real delicate offspring of a modest mind deeply affected; his description of the circumstance which engaged Belvidera's affection, is poetically interesting, and justifies her stealing into a match with the person who gallantly preserved her life at hazard of his own: Priuli's unrelenting nature, as well as the poverty of his fon-in-law, are laid open with natural striking propriety; from what he says in his laft fpeech of this scene, we are apt to pronounce dressing Jaffier in rich cloaths an impropriety; it is not to be supposed that a man, who is upon the errand of follicitation for pecuniary afsistance, should equip himself with splendid garments; or, if he had done so, Priuli must naturally have faid, instead of "reduce the glittering trappings of thy wife," reduce thy glittering trappings-Yet we have often feen the author's meaning reverfed-Jaffier wearing a superb fuit, and Belvidera equipped with a plain black velvet, which is as humble an appearance as any lady can assume on the stage; one point we think the author might have availed himself of in this scene, which would have prevented the charge of disobedience against Belvidera, and the abuse of confidence in Jaffier's clandestinely marrying her; I that Venice Preserved. that is, to have made it appear Priuli had denied his consent to make them mutually happy; the father's carrying his resentment even to the second generation, and wishing that a helpless infant may want bread, is a shocking, and therefore blameable picture of depraved nature; he might have been drawn an obstinate, without being pictured a savage parent; the following line of Jaffier's is a gross breach of measure But I might send her back to you with contumely The account of Jaffier's circumstances, given by himself in his soliloquy after Priuli's departure, speaks to a feeling heart affectingly; Pierre, at his entrance, and in some speeches afterwards, makes us agreeably acquainted with his own character; the differtation upon villainy and rogues in power are admirable; however, something further on, where mention is made of Aquilina, Pierre sinks much in our esteem; wherefore the mode of representation, by omitting all those passages, does our author a piece of justice he should have done himself. There is a great degree of dramatic policy in making Pierre unite Jaffier's sufferings with those of the public; the feelings of poverty are an excellent ground for artifice to work upon; an honest mind, incumbered with care, may be very fufceptible of fuch impressions, as in a state of freedom it would effectually resist; the picture drawn both of the national and Jaffier's private fufferings, is very diftinct, and highly finished, the different parts of Pierre's narrative, are finely imagined and powerfully $f2 1 Venice Preserved. fully enforced; his mention of Priuli, as having signed the legal authority for plundering Jaffier's dwelling, falls in well to rouse that unfortunate man's mind into a state of defperation; which purpose he more effectually compleats, by his introduction of Belvidera as the capital figure in that group of distressful images which he has presented to view; Jaffier's manner of receiving the melancholy tidings, his melting only at the sufferings of her he loves, recommends his character much; and his reluctance to enter upon vindictive measures of a public nature, though irritated by private wrongs, is commendable; however, we find that Pierre so far touches the master-string of his heart, as to precipitate him into a sympathetic degree of resent ment; in consequence of which, an assignation is made to meet on the Rialto at midnight, which Pierre very improperly calls his evening walk of meditation; lonely would we apprehend suit the season much better than evening. After his friend's exit, Jaffier, in a short and apt foliloquy, descants on his own distressful state; justly remarking, that sensibility, in sucha situation, must be a fource of pain; Belvidera's entrance immediately after the excellent preparation we have just received for her, is happily designed; the comes upon us in the double view of a most oppressed daughter, and unhappy, though amiable wife; the tender treatment she affords her afficted husband amidst misfortunes, as it stands forth an indifputable teft of inviolable affection, so it conveys an |