The National Register.
London, England, 1813-02-14 00:00:00

TI I E A WENT APOTHECARY.

Success frequently leads into ruin. Problematical as this
may appear, we have lately seen it fully proved by the dis-
asters of the Emperor of the French, on the great Theata e of
Europe, and, on Wednesday night, viewed it equally strik-
ingly exemplified on the less extensive stage of Di ury-lane.
A similar fate has attended the hopes and exertions of the
proud King-maker N APO LEosi, and the witty address-writer,
Mr. !TOR ACE SiSaiiTtt. The ORC having laid most Conti-
nental States prostrate with his sword, fancied he was it ie-
sistible, attacked the last remaining Power, and was com-
pletely defeated. The other, having sitccesfully laughed
at almost every poetical author of the present day, thiaight
he had acquired a right to mock the pul.!ic also. But as be
had drawn too largely on his own wit on the ftist occasion,
Ise resolved to make free Nvith that of others, and collected
into a farce, entitled The A /stir/ Ap.)!ilf C.,"71/, all the bad
puns and wretched quibbles which had been for years wan-
dering about the town without any right cutler. To these
he added a few gems of his own. and boldly came before the
public in full expectation of success : for who would have
conceived that spectators should 1w found to hiss the vritticiatns
to which in an unguarded hour they lnid themselves given
birth ? Ilis confidence, however, experienced a most seve!.e,
and to all appearances a fatal, but thrre!gh the obstinacy of
the managers, for some time an undecisive check. 1-res.e4
from all pat is of the house, assailed with repeated ci ies of off,
and compelled to close in the midst of universal uproar; nay,
followed by apologies wrenched from the managers them-
celves, for the production of " a piece whir h the public
deemed obnoxious," yet it was repeated the next night,
in face of the most unequivocal damnation, and in
audacious opposition to tl.e wishes of the audit nee, sup-
ported by the unanimous censure of the laves,. When cen-
sure is sa general, it cannot be mistaken for the Voice of
party. Had the authors, whom Mr. H. SMITH has contri-
buted so wittily to ridicule, unjustly raised the storm which
burst upon his farce at the theatre, the press would have done
it justice abroad. But when only one opinion is entertained
of a piece, and that is unfavoto able, no plea can avail to ex-
cuse the indecency of forcing it on the public.
From the following • sketch of the plot of the " Absent
Apothecary," it will be seen that the sentence of condemna-
tion passed upon it, was founded on the justest (gouud—an
almost to:al want of interest and merit.

II

Monday, a Court of Common Council wls held at Guild-
hall, when Petitions to both Houses of Pailiatnent in favour the leading character, as may be presumed from the title. ik was a
of the renewal of the East India Company's Charter, wet,. -....age opotheLary, but of so absent a turn bf mind, that he w,:s afwAya
agreed to, and the Sheriffs were directed to request some tilinkuig Of SHA K ESPEA RE when he ought to he studying the vuttcria
Peer to present the petition to the !louse of Lords •i and flit: medic(' ; and was sure to make a garbled quotation from .11:n bah when
he was called upon to administer ;chef tor the head-at he. !Lying
ShSheriff's, attended by the Remembrancer, were requested to
,
aencned that Mr. the::n (Mr. PEN LE i), a good-natuted sort of gentle-
present the petition to the Hon. House of Commons forth- I M3ll, who was frightened to (Leath by dreams, winding-sheets, and
With. . thieves iu the candle, Its:! gained 50001. by the lottery, our otheat math