The Sun.
London, England, 1803-03-07 00:00:00

HARWICH, MARCH 6.

THERE being no Post-Office Packet in the Har-
hour, the Dutch Mail of yesterday was forwarded
by the Pocock Cutter. Me. ScHAw, one of the
King's Mesengers, with Dispatches for the Hague,
embarked in the said Cutter, with other Passen.

gers.
'L'l►e Diava Packet, Capt, STEWARD, and the
Earl cf Leicester, Cipt. THOMPSON, arrived this
day from flelvoctsluys, each with a Dutch Mail.

THE THEATI:E.

cownt-Garden.

TH It new Comedy, entitled
.79ht.• Bull, or ex
biglisbman'S Fire-side, brought torward on Satur.
day last at this Theatre, is the acknowledged pto_
dation of Mr. Co I.Nrit.N.

DRAMATIS PERSON/E.
Sir Simon Rochdale, - Mr. BLANCHARD.
Frank Rochdale, - - Mr. H. joric4sran.
'Lord WADny.
Per, rine Rochdaid, - Mr. Cooxt.
Torn shualeton, - • - Mr. Lzw Is.
Lena. Bullgrandery, - Mr. jonNs t oNt. •
Waiter,
Thornoury,
Lady Caroline Braytnore, - Mrs. H. jouNsroN.
Mary Thornbury, - - Mrs. Glass.
Wife to Dennis, - - - Mrs. DAV ENroßr.
FABLE.

The County-of Cornwall is the scene of anion in this
Drama. Peregrine, when about sixteen years' of age,
artbeing_
of adventuroos torn, left his family tor the purpose of
trying his fortune in the East-Indies. Previous to his doper-
tore, he was kindly received by Thornbury, who had just
set ,up busioess at Penzance, and who, without knowing
Peregrine's story, gives him ten pounds in pity of his distress,
and a Letter toe Captain' of an East I ndiaman, at Falmouth,
by- which moans Peregrine obtains a passage, and acquires a
twee fortume. After thirty years have elapsed, he returns to
this Country, and is stranded on the Coast of Cornwall, in
which County he was born. The ten- pounds given to him
by Thornhury, he had separately employed in trade, abetted
raised it into a capital of ten thousand pounds, and this sum
which he had put in a box, and slung about his person,
was all he. was able to save in the wreck of the ship. He
rambles over a desolate heath, and at last reaches, a little
public-house' with the signof the Bull, kept by an Irish.
man, named Dennis Bullgruddery. At this time the Play is
supposed to begin. 'Soon after Peregrine hasmade inquiries
atter his old benetaflor Thornbury, who is now a Brazier,
he hears the scream of -a female in distress. 'Peregrine ties
to rescue her, and she proves to be Mary, the daughter. of
Thornbury. Having been seduced by frank Rochdale, the
son of Sir Simon Rochdale, a Magistrate, arid a man of great
property in the neighbourhood, she quits her father's hOuse,
just at the time when the consequences of her frailty cannot
be much longer concealed, and was attacked by a robber as
she was wandering in pursuit of a Stage to convey her. to
London. Peregrine obtains her confidence, and promises her
redress, placing her in :the meantime at the Bull public.
house; and leaving money 1N t h the Landlord for her support.
Peregrine's first object is, to discharge hit obligation to
T liornhui y whom Iselin& in a state of bankruptcy, having
been security for a friend, by whom he is deserted, to the
amount of six, thoosand pounds, as well as in the Midst of
distress on account of his datighter's night. Atter Peregrine
has in vain attempted to induce Thornbury to accept the vast
accumulation of the Sian formerly given to hint by the latter, •
he persuades Thomhory -to let him pay his Creditors, .upon
condition of restoring his daughter. Halting brought- the .
father and daughter together, Peregrine now turns jtis thought;
towards the redress which ought to be obtained for poor
-Mary: For this purpose; he goes to Sir Simon Rochdale's,
and is introduced to Frank Rochdale, who is fulraf cootri-
thin for his coodact towards Mary, and who had sent Tern
ShulHetcn, a ‘vortidess man-of fashion, with a letter to heri

and a prorate to provide far her. Shufficton torti.sa i•
the inost dishilnourabie vieweAlmoi 'her,- vnd in order to
cure her, gives her a letter of recommendation to the fermi::
Conduetor of a pottirions Biotite! in • London. Peregrine
having fortunately trustvacd this wicked purpose, dis-
closes the Villainy of Shuffietore to. hrank.', V', 1:Q is strong-
ly attached to Mary, and Wisbes•to repalt her Wrong., by
marriage, but is
.prevented by his father, who bas enter—
ed into a matrimonial Treaty with .Lord Fitz-Bala4m,
a necessitous peer. A ftcr the reconciliation bet:e.:n Thorn-
bury and his daughter, the former also determines to seek
redress at Rochdale Castle. With soave difficulty, he gets
an audience of Sir Simon, who allots only two hours in Ilse,
day to his duty as. a magistrate. Thon.bury relates
wrongs which his daughter had received, without reveahny,
the 'lam' of the betrayer.,. and the wagi,4rate-ptumbe
ample compensation. When Sir Shiloh, however; filids
that hia son is the .tr..nder, he recants, and. his ptide rtsvolts•,
at the idea of sulli:ring his son to marry the daughter of
Brazier, though ;with all his dignity anti grandeitr, his own
great grandfather was a miller, a circumstance that he is very
anxious to conceal. Thombkiry severely repro:wires -Inns
with having disgraced his office' and gets into the scat
justice lihnsell. All the reproaches of "Chorlibury, and
the entreaties of his own son .have no effeet upon the Vaitt
anti' proud mind of Sir Simon who is determirie.f that /113
son shall not debase himself by the proposed match. At
length Peregrine comes forward, and proves lihrisell tt) be
the elder brother of Sir-Simon, and of course the V:hper in
of the title and fortune. During these triinsaittious,
Toni Shuffleton avails himself of the l!eensc brolieht for the
purpose of Lady Caroline's 'union with. Frank Rochd:dei
and persuades her to marry him at.the next church.',•Thg.
powerful intervention of Peregrine iii tavour of poor Mary.,
at last induces Sir Simon to consent to her inarriagd with
Son ; and the piece of courre corielikes with afttl l iredie,:s of
her griev.tnces, and the happiness at the parties: its general. :

We ,have here given merely an outline of a Dra.;
ma abounds in a muitiplicitvof ircidents, ,and
episodicalcircumstances,•which we not attempt
to delineate. The Fable comprehends a
.very sulking
and very diverting mixture of the-pathetic and the
ludicrous, nor is it only distinguisned by en 'alter.,
nation 'of affetling and laughable-events, in it main.
structure, but almost 'every scene.. do flists: of
teres:ing circumstances mingled with facetitaus
points, • that at one moment excite tears, anti the',
next provoke merriment:
•It may, perhaps, be alledged that a the Author
sometimes defeats his -own 'purpose, in thOse frees
vent vicissitudes of laughter artddistress, .but he:
has the example • of SHAM c ESPEARE for such a prac-
tice ; and who slidl presume to find fiult with-
as the drat is so strong in the piece before us ? •
There is certainly -no striking novelty in the
Plot, but it is worked-up in so' able a manner that
it takes a' strong hold of the feelings. The same
may be said of the CharaEterst—none of them, per-
haps, art striWy new, but they are placed in such
situations, that they powerfully aid the general
pression, and operate distin&ly upon the mind by
the situations in •which they are involved, •The
chara&er of Thorntury is well drawn. So•is that
of Peregrine, and the Author has exerted all his
comic skill in pourtraying that of 'honest •Dimir,
the Publican. Sbnecron is an admirable portrait
of the Faskionable Lounger.: of Bond.street, and we
fear there are too many originals, to warrant the
dranwtic copy. The rest of the chara.lers have no
very marked peculiarity.
The sentiments are warm, dignified, and inapt es-
sive. The language is in‘generaf neat and elegant,
and is occasionally embellished with much pw!tical
grace. The piece, howevei,-on the whole, is um.. 11
too long. The dialogue will admit of corlsiderable
curtailment. A great part of the Landlady's
ratfier.may be properly omitted.
It seems very impr,bable that Frani
who is a very amiabte youth, though he has coin.
mittfed the crin” upon which the., Fable .chicily
turns, should'ha-ve imparted his confidence to.Atch
a wretch as Shujieioa.: It appears to be equally
improbable, that a man who seems to be so le hiewil
as Sir Simon, simuld have invited such a fellow
into his house, as ShAlgeton makes- no scruple of
avowing his want ale, ling and prill'eip/e, under the
notion that both are totfaihimatle. We could pOinr
out Many other improbable parts in this Drama, but
it is on the whole so affecting and so.amusing, that
we will not dwell on so invidious a task.

We, however, advise the Author to get rid of
his Peer, who makes very little figure in the Piece,
and is of no use but.to shew the inconsistency of Sir
Sikon, who ridicules the state of the very family
With whirl' he aspires to the honour of being con.,
neded. •
Iyis impossible to say too much in, favour of that
principal Adors. Ksw c ITT exhibited the agonie3
of parental grief, 'and- the honest bluntness of an'
Englishman, with Masterly skill. JOHNSTONE was
exquisitely diverting in Dennis-. La wis tendered'
Shier/on a very humorous' sketch. BCANC R
deserves great praise for; the manner in which he
performed. the-part of Sir Simon, which we under.
stand, was designed for MUNDEN. EMS al', lir the
rustic 'Waiter, also deserves a very commendatory
notice.- CootE very highly 'distinguished himself
by the impressive manner in which: he delivered the
moral and benevolent sentiments of Po'regrirre, Mr:
H. JOHNSTON displayed- great feeling and charac..
teristic propriety in Frani Rochdale. Mrs. CID di
gave simplicity and interest to the tender anxieties`
of Maly. •
The Play was received by a very croWded
dicnce without the smalleit token of disapprobation
in any parr, and Lewis, .in'ann9uncing it for this
evening, obtained a loud and tumultuous"testimOnY
of unanimous Consent.

The Prologue, in vindication of John
national charader, is well written. It is iscribea
to Dzsbtt;r, of this Theatre. " The Epilogue which
consisted' ola hurnourous Sang, `adverting to 'the
CVol)ts of the Piece, was so well given by loaxi.
rrosit, that it ‘va, encored.