The Sun.
London, England, 1819-05-14 00:00:00

TLIE TiIEkTRE.

The new Tragedy brought forward list
at
Drury-Lane Theatre, is entitled The Carl
Chief, of is hich the follokring are

DRAMATIS PER,;ON.V.
Ontreah, the Carib Prince of Southern Do- tmr: .
rninica
21.1aleck, the C. ;b P • - - f Norti: D,

Can 'rince of Northern 1.)o- }m,.. JIOLL
mimeo
Mr.l4. KEW°.
Trtfusis, an English Officer
Nontalbert, the French Commander in ``,It.I3ENGO
Cimulalouve an
Pd Dominica HES'.
Corbel, a Carib riest, son of Kathalrade Mr. D. I
Mr. flamol,l'"
Logamah, Brother
C‘autliwi, Moutalbert's Bride
Kathalrade, Moutalbert's Foster Mother Mi-s
SCENE, Dominica—TlME, the reign of Elizabeth.
HE PLOT.
The Carib Chief, OntreT ah whod lost his wife, Ifi'intat'ss
daughter, his dominion, and
bad
his liberty, by a French 00
sion, under Montalbert, escapes after sixteen years, "t":/3.
to Dominica, and is joined in an insurrection the't
lock, a brother Chief. To assist the enterprize with an
pean reinforeemuift, Make,: has made a treaty with the l'nf)f
risk; of which treat) one of the conditions is the rele3sefiert
Trefusis, an English Officer, who has, by Montalbert s
been kept prisoner in Malock's territory. Trefosis Bert
been betrothed to Claudina, a native, rthonr
had rescued from the general massacre, persuaded 1:0
of the death of Trefusis, and induced her'
to becotoe ijg
bride. At the opening ot the Play, Montalbert, ts,F3P,):ll$
from Guadaloupe, brings his bride for refiwe to the ""h'e
Dominica, and discovering a correspondeice to have ""„:e•
eat ried on with the Engiisti by Coital, orders him for 41er
cution. Carbal is the son of Kathalrade; the foster-qf-is
of Montalbert, and she, to preserve her own son's Montal'isee.
pt
prevailed on by Onireoli to admit a band of the ;oar
Caribs into Moutalbert's fortress. These savages obt3hrips.
complete triumph. Montalbert is made piisoner by -1 0
real', who 140 w expects to glut his revenge fur the :06
of his- own wife and child, by sacrificing Montalbert'
with him the bride. Trefusis, however, by her entrean'f-ie.
induced to forgive the injni y inflicted on him, caul
vide, for her ant for Montalbert, an escape from'
1)po"n to
Claudina, under the care of thu priest Carbal, sets waftlif
towards a cave by the sea, whi her Montalbert is to brineß,o
boat for her escape. As she passes Ontreali's tent, she
Tiefusis made prisoner, and condemned to die. She pritl
covers herself. Onireali sentences her to die in the fon'A,-11,
sacrifice, Claudina is now brought out for sacrifice. anill;
fearful of a lescue, hurries the priest, and the fatal l''°„.eif
given. Clandina diops a necklac; by which he d' ifs,
that she is his daughter ; he attempts Moutalbert's life', .7
and buries his chgger in his own bosom. n the
We may web congratulate the Public °•-,
ea
success of ihis.Tragedy, which is not writ'
e,
with the ferocious energy of the German 14,10
but upon those principles which have "-roe
sanctioned by the precepts and examples of s°.es
of our best dramatic antlebrs. Its chief properild
are strength of effect, vigorous ddireation,iii 0.
uniform consistency of character, The fka.leals
by no means imprebehle, though many °' its
incidents are unexpected, aild calculated to "Li/4
surprize. There are perhaps "repetitions, as in
his
freventlamentations of Omreah for the less °f Iris
wife and daughter, but they serve to illustrate to
nature, and to justify his revenge, for
peculiar character and temtier of his Co'"ities
The fable proceeds without perplexi, y, and Ocige ,
a strong interest thtoughout. The 1011g11„,c.
is In general unaffected, and, when the ;oil
casion admits, reaches poetical elevation r,
energy. The Author has displayed consii.6eo
able ingenuity its effectually concealing' iir-toi
the audience that Claudina is the daugiLt re
of Omreah, and' also in not presenting bel°o
them the act which occasions her death, as ito
performed amidst the witnesses who surren"''i
savage altar, and is only known on their set"' it
tion. Hence an anxiety to know the rent
strongly agitated the general•feelings. \ireconeu-01
that as Montalbert had by the dying declarati°
Claudina preserved her life in infancy, thins: of
cumstence ought to have softened the reve°E9-ovi
Omreah in his last moments ; and that, evert :eft
der the other dreadful evils which he had solxe'es•
he would have died more nobly with an egl',.oll
slots of forgiveness. But in a work of sO'D. the
general merit, and which will doubtless underg.,.;o4
Author's revision, as representation suggests —,iop
hints that cannot be anticipated, we will not tees
to indulge in critical objections. The actiogtreJ
excellent, particularly that of Keitti., who Of; of
into the savage and unmitigated vengeoc;col,
Omreah with admirable spirit, and. whose P-he
liarities were exactly correspondent with the cos
ratter which he performed. Mrs. W"l'disa,
highly interes,.ing and affecting in ciali.ois'
and Mr. H. KEMEi.R displayed great °tilos
tion and feeling in Trefusis. HoLLANP sc•
very respectable in Maloci and llENGotie}libert‘
quitted himself sufficiently well in ted
The piece was deservedly received withridel'
warm applause throughout, and with tcia,
pliant shunts of approbation on its c'cly is
sion. The avowed Author of this Trag.e jpro
LIORACR Twiss, Esq. a Gentleman of the tots
who has given many specimens of poetical 010
and talents. The Prologue was written ilsr.
Gentleman, and the Epilogue by the Hon./ Nfr'
SPENCER. The first was Well delivered by bit‘
H. KEVIRLE, and the latter by Mrs. MAR9l:s'tbil
we are sorry that we have no room for diet°
day.