Minor. redress an evil that the laws cannot reach, or realon reclaim." Sir William Wealthy and his brother Richard, open the first act. A difference of opinion relative to education, is the subject of their conversation; the baronet is lectured with a confiderable share of good sense by the merchant, for giving his fon a fashionable education; and he judiciously retorts upon the cit, those prejudices which arife from contracted ideas and a defective knoweldge of life. From the latter part of this scene we find, that one is a liberal, the other a rigid father; that Sir William has tenderly laid a scheme for the reformation of his son, while Richard has discarded a daughter for some trifling trespass. Capias, the attorney's letter, is humourously characteristic; and Shift, who is recommended as a proper agent for Sir William's design, gives, in his conversation with that gentleman, a most ludicrous account of his birth, parentage, and education; the picture of his progress through life, is in the true Hogarth stile of dramatic painting; and the ludicrous account of his own abilities, makes Sir William lay open his design for the reformation of his diffipated heir; a design commendably laid; as fevere feelings of those ill consequences which gaming in particular produces, are most likely to work a change of conduct in thoughtless youth. Shift's readiness to enter upon any service for his own emolument, and the design expressed in his foliloquy, of sticking to the most profitable party, fulfil the idea furnished by his name. The Minor. The Minor, and one of his gambling friends appear next. The former displays elevated notions of fashion, elegance and false honour; the latter exprefses himself happily in a kind of knowing cant. The intimation of Mrs. Cole's having called, is a good preparative for her appearance, and some poignant strokes upon her hypocritical connection are thrown out. Sir William entering as the baron gives a new turn to conversation, and shews the fon in a fresh view of vicious prodigality; that of taking an Italian opera-finger into keeping upon most extravagant terms, which he deems moderate : A most excellent stroke of keen fatyre occurs from the Minor's observation, that he only knows her to be a handfome woman by report, against those children of fashionable profusion, who expend large fums for unenjoyed superfluities. Upon Loader's going off to conduct Mrs. Cole, the young gentleman lets fall a remark which we apprehend, many persons of distinction might justly apply to themselves: "to say truth, I am fincerely fick of my acquaintance; but, however, I have the first people of the kingdom to keep me in countenance; death and the dice level all distinctions." Never was a better picture drawn of debauched enthusiasm, than presents itself in the old baud, whose whole conversation exhibits a natural, laughable jumble of affected sanctity and real vice; the confcientiousness she boasts in her infamous profession, of not tipping Sir Timothy Totter, an old trader, is admirably suggested; and advertising in the register-office, 3 Minor. fice, to decoy young girls into a state of prostitution, is well levelled against places where, we doubt not, most sinister practices have been carried on, to the ruin of many an unsuspecting female; this scene must afford real entertainment to all ages, and confiderable instruction to the younger part of an audience, upon whom externals frequently make prejudicial impressions. What Sir George says of the new birth teachers, well deserves quotation: "No wonder these preachers have plenty of proselytes, while they have the address so comfortably to blend the hitherto jarring interests of the two worlds." At the commencement of the second act, our Minor and Transfer, a money-jobber, meet for the purpose of raising some cash for Sir George's present occafions. In this scene the usurer is supported much in character, the difficulties he relates of meeting any ready money, the expedient he proposes of furnishing fome goods, are in the true ufurious strain; the young baronet's resentment of fuch a strange, and to him unintelligible proposition, is natural; and Loader's interpofition when Transfer disappears, plainly manifests the blood-fucking gambler, who, having got a pidgeon, determines to unfeather him at any rate. Upon Transfer's second appearance, the precipitation of prodigal youth into any terms that may supply its cravings, and the rapacious advantages taken of it by avaricious knaves, are set forth in a masterly manner; Loader alfo is confpicuous for fo readily giving away what is not his own. 4 Richard Minor. Richard Wealthy comes to expoftulate with his nephew upon the life he leads, and says fome very rational things. His remark upon what are usually called debts of honour, is pregnant with useful truth. "Here's a prostitution of words - Honour ! 'Sdeath, that a rascal who has picked your pocket, shall have his crime gilded with the most sacred distinction, and his plunder punctually paid, while the industrious mechanic, who ministers to your very wants, shall have his debts delayed, and his demand treated as infolent." The Minor, however, deaf to reason, treats his uncle's advice with levity, which occasions the latter to start another topic relative to a proposed marriage with his daughter; by the by, he calls her an only daughter, though we find by the piece he has three, Lucy, whom he has turned out of his house, Charlotte, whom he mentions in the first scene, and Margery, named by Sir George in this. This, however, is not a very material flip-The young gentleman's behaviour on mention of the match, shews the taint he has received of family pride, and the converfation is pleasantly conducted, till the cit rouses into a commendable feeling of the light treatment he has met, and utters some very home truths. The Baron's behaviour on hearing a foap-boiler mentioned as Sir George's ancestor, is in the true stile of Germanic pride, which is idle and impertinent enough to value antiquity of defcent more than personal merit. By Mr. Loader's affiduity to raife cash, we have Shift introduced as an auctioneer, VOL. I. named Yy Minor named Smirk, from him we collect several strokes of sterling humour; his relation of the accident which occafioned him to succeed Mr. Prig, is a fund of mirth, and his debate about what wig to wear in his public capacity, appeals strongly to laughter. There is not perhaps a greater degree of imposition than at auctions, especially the middle fort, and it is to be wished, that our author had enlarged more upon the folly of numbers who frequent such places, and the knavery of a great majority of such as conduct them; however, he seems to have aimed at little more than expofing the coxcombly infignificance of a particular well known perfon. At the beginning of the third act, we find our Minor has embarrassed his circumstances most violently; however, his reflection is interrupted by Mrs. Cole's introduction of a young female, as a mistress for Sir George: his first approaches to the lady favour of the rake, but upon her pathetic address, he indulges her with patient, generous, humane attention; the relates her artless, yet affecting tale, with such success, that she works an intended instrument of her ruin into a kind and difinterested protector; this scene not only raises tender sensations, but also a curiosity in spectators to know more of Lucy than she chuses to discover; it gives us most amiable impreffions of Sir George, who appears not to be vicious for want of virtue, but for want of reflection and prudence; and it stands an inconteftible proof that our author's genius, though the parent of smiles, can produce matter of a serious and important nature, |