The National Register.
London, England, 1814-10-02 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL 11SGISTElt.

DRAMATIC REGISTER.

covENT tARnsN.

A new piece in fin ee acts, called "The Forest of Bondy,"
sus produced at this Theatre on Friday night. Having been
represented with the greatest success at Paris, where it assda
its first appearance, and attracted the notice of our papers,
ms its subject is already partially known. It is (minded on the
sagacity of a'dog. who, according to histarical records, re-
vealed
the spot where his master had been buried, Snd after-
wards meeting the murderer, rushed upon him and would
Crave torn him to pieces had he not been prevented. The same
alcmonstrations cif rage appealing every time he encountered
the criminal, suspicion at last fell upon the latter. Accord-
ing to the customs of the times the case was referred
to the " Judgment of God." The dog, being the accuser.
was appointed to fight the accused, and all the forms of
chivalry wet e observed. The lists were thrown open : the
challenged entered armed with a stout cudgel, the chal-
lenger with the weapons he had received from nature. The
combat began. Light and vigilant, the dog avoided his ad-
versary's blows, and seizing an opportunity, fastened on his
throat, brought him to the ground, and compelled him to
acknowledge his crime.
Thus far the historical recotd : its outlines have been al-
tered in order to fit them for the stage : new characters have
been brought in, and the fable now stands as follows :
The Colonel of a Ft ench regiment, after an engagement in
which one of his officers has distinguished himself; confers on
hivi by a royal mandate the command of his own company,
and as a proof of persoval esteem his dang.hrer's hand. His
rival in love and in ambition is Maitaire, a bowl eroffiocr, who
provokes him to fight, and is spared by the generosity of his
conqueror. Autry, 1,. Abbot) the Captain, is obliged to pass
through the forest; Maftaire follows and mardersitim. The
scene now grew striking. On the curtains rising for the se
cond act, a farm house, with it, crakes, occupied the stage.
It was the dead of night ; a dog was heard harking; he
hounded across, sprung to the bell at the house door, and
rung it incessantly till the mistress of the farm appeared with
her lantern. Nothing could pacify the dog, which colitinued
bounding and harking violently ; the lantern was his ob-
ject; it was set down on the ground, seized in a moment by,
this extraordinary creature, and carried off. The old womati•
excited by his anxiety followed him. The murderer now.
appeared gliding back to his chamber with 'the Strongagita-
tiou of recent blood upon him. In a moment after, the cry
of mut der was beam d, ;tad the village roused by the repot t
that Auhry Mid been found freshly buried on the spot where
his dog tire up the earth. Flario, a dumb bay, is seized on
the suspicions evidence of having the parse of the dead man
found in his bosom. Ilis attempts at defeace, under the
heavy calamity of his nature, were most touching-, and very•.
gracefully conceived by Miss Routh. , Ile is, however, car-
. tied off to punishment, but afterwards respited, in copse
quence of the old woman's (Mrs. Davenport) discoveries,
which at length fix the crime on Mottaire (Farley). Ile be-
trays himself by his trepidation ; the blood on his belt aCCU•
insulates the proof; be attempts to shoot himself, is pre
vented, and at leagth olks away from his guards. The
village is up in arms against him ; be is chased through the
mood, his pursuers are distanced, be has just escaped, when
the formidable dog is again heard. lk is found once mare,
and in the final attempt to. escape by plunging down the
mountain stream. fired at by the guard, and killed.
Unfolded into action, vivified by the exertions and abili-
ties of the performers, adorned with expressive and pleasing