The National Register.
London, England, 1808-02-14 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.


been bequeathed to dartrigoll• his 01117.11,4rh0
Man, of having prejudiced him, unfairly- '
To guard, however, against the probabt
prudence, he comes down to St. Albyn
smtde, or even force, his niece Selina, ir
commit!, to marry his Friend Mr. Dan
lilashdale, hut a needy dissipated viiiaii
by a bond to bring about the marriage,

partner in his copper-mines, on conditio
ing up a bond of 16,0001.
Algernon being at Bath, a letter arrives from him to Sir Ar-
eins., in which he acknowledges having been Married to Seiko.
some months back ; and Sir Arthur having notified to Solace, the
uperintendant of his Works, that he meant to admit Danvers as
a partner, Solace feels himself SO mach hurt, by the previous in-
solence of Danvers, and by his subsequent attempt to injure him
in Sir Arthur's opinion, that he eutkavours, by persuasion, to
prevent the partnership taking place ; and is at length unwil-
lingly obliged to produce a deed given him by the late Sir .Ae-
Mar, who, apprehensive of his son's extravagance and impro-
per connections, involving him in difficulties, hadtaken this mea-
sure of precaution, allowing Solace a share of the profits, and
nominating him a' a future partner, as a reward for his honest
and industrious superintendence.
Selina is now obliged to leave the Castle, and take shelter is
the friendly Cottage of Suture; but previous to this, eicefy, an
orphan, protected, educated, and beloved by Solace, arrive
from a Boarding School near Bath. much in love, but with
whom dnes not appear, moil her agitation at being informed of
.V,eretion's marriage induce. us to suspect that be had seduced
her. Cicely in despair. resolves to leave the cottage of her
protector, and on her way to London, is obliged, at the close of
lay, to ask shelter from au old servant of Lorel Must:dales,
who, not having room in her own little habitation, puts her
into an uninhabited house of his Lordship's in which he tool
resided, as a plain country squire, pi evious to inheriting his
title. His Lordship sick of fashion, high life, and place
huntevo, arrives unexpectedly, and much eqniviove ensues,
which affords two or three instances of good stage effect.
Dancers, foiled in his schemes with St. Ally!, now waits
upon his mule, and proposes some uehandsome measures
towards his
.fritnd; but the honest Peer. disdaining to comply,
harmers threatens to deprive him of his estate and title, by
bringing forward the lawful heir, Capl. iltodern, who had been
supposed to be.the illegitimate son of the late Lord. ilitinfprn
has ing slipped into the apartment during this conversatiov,
conceals himself, until, at a fit npportnnity, he possesses himself
()I' the certificate of his mother's marriage ;'and the supposed
Peer, convinced of his claim, instantly and most joyously
resists his title to him, accompanied by a number of letters
addressed to " Lord IltnAdole," consisting of a challenge, a
Call of the Howe, applications for patronage, ekc.
The dis:tppointei flan •rr.. retires; and Algernon, who ar-
rives from Bath, having on that day cow tit' a:te, preseitts his
nricle%s estwes to his father, and a reconciliation takes place.
Cice.,/, who had set of in the morning to contiuue her journey,
is now broue4t hack, in consequence of an offered reward, and
Selina confesses that her marriage with A !,4'ef 1:011 was a hoes,
in order to avoid the union with Da,serrx, A hen Cicely i► intro-
duced and united to her lover. Selina then bestows her hand ou
the true f.or•d Riasheab., and the piece concludes with a hope
that the audience will enable the author to say, " Beguile dull
Care."
such is the outline of a piece, which certainly had a very
fair trial, and w Melt evidently escaped sonic: hisses in the two
first acts, from the respect of the audience for the performers.
who must certainly, in general, did every thing possible fur ks.

success.
An Epilogue, containing some good points, was 'well spoken
by Miss Smith ; but as it also contained many apologies fur kni-
t:llion, we must not he too severe on the antl:or, fur want of art.
Onality.—ln some panS, the piece bears resemblance to Anne,
or the ;Vetch heiress. Herbert, the father, is personified by
Sir .lelhar, and the love of Sidace, for the orphan, is evidently
the' counterpart of /Vrikinson and :Irma Manse'. It may appear
invidious to trace imitation much farther, but we must neverthe-
less confess, that all the hustle and incident, of which there id a
sufficiency in the two last nets, has often appeared before; but
it it indeed futile now to. expect originality in this respect, as
every possible incident that can be produced by screens, sofas,
trapdoors, and chimney corners, has been already brought into
play.
There are some parts which brought down we'll-delereei
plaudits, particularly in the scene where Emery in Solace,