The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-18 00:00:00

liz T.iig.k-1411u.

•
COVENT-CAdDRN —The new Comedy; wbich
had been long aWnooteed, was last night brought
forward at this Theatre, under the title of A
Word for the Ladies.

CHARACTERS. . .
Old Bowerscourt \lr.. W. FARREN.
Young Bowcrseourt ,Mr. ABBOTT.
Winterland Mr. MACREADY.
Dorrington Mr. C. KEMBLS.
Larum Mr. YOUNG.
Adamant
Silrertongue Mr. Lrsros.
Currette Mr. JONES.
Scud Mr. EMERY.
Gray Mr. CUAPMAN.
Miss Adamant Miss BRUNTON,
Clara Winterland Mrs. FAUCIT.
Mrs. Singletini Mrs. YATES.

The scene lies principally on the sea-toast of this country,
but no particular county is specified, and the main interest
of the piece rests upon the distress of Young U'interland,
who, haring incurred the displeasure of his uncle, on whom
his fortunes depended, is disinherited, and hides from his
creditors in a fisherman's cottage. His sister, who shares his
misfortunes, is attached to Young Dorrington, his sworn
friend, to whom he has formerly Mole great sacrifices, and
who has been to the West Indies to take possession, as he be-
lieves, of a rich inheritance. On his return, the Winter!ands
depend on his fulfilling their hopes, both of marrying Clara,
and relieving her brother. Hiscontluct,however, becomes mys-
terious and equivocal ; and the most affecting of the situations
arise from Winterland's resentment of his conduct, the disap-
pointed passion of Clara, and the severe reproach of her feel-
ings, which she incurs from the high spirit and wounded pride
of her brother. Circumstances render Dorrington the bearer of
an offer of marriage to Clara from Young Bowerscourt, who had
suffered overtures to be made inClara's prosperity,and which his
father holds him more than ever bound to follow up; an ex-
planation ensues between Dorrington and Clara, when he de-
clares himself disappointed also of his inheritance, and urges
the suit of Young llowerscourt, in order to save Wi uterland
from despair and ruin. Bowersconrt's heart has, however,

in spite `of his better reason, been ensnared by Miss Ada.
in•ant, a gay woman of fashion, of a generous disposition, but
flighty manners, which revolt him. The difficulties of these
parties ate' finally removed by a seasonable discovery—Mr.
Hustings, the uncle of Wiuterland, had left the property to
an unknown stranger, who had saved his life from robbers
on the coast of Cornwall, on his identifying himself; if not,
it passes to a Mr. Silvcrtongue, a more distant relation. Sil-
vertongoe, by a cowardly caution to avert the supposed indig-
nation of Dorrington, calls on him to explain his conduct,
and unfolds particulars which prove Dorrington himself
to be the fugitive incognito, in the last hour allowed him to
set up his title. Ht arrives, however, at Old Bowerecouit's,
the trustee, just in time, anti the possession of the property
enables him to do justice to Winterland, and to confirm his
engagements with Clara. Young,Bowerscourt is thus released
of his obligation—both he and his father become reconciled
to Miss Adamant, Who remains the mistress of his heart.—
Mr. LartiM is a natural agent in the plot, and some amusing
situations arise out of his having abandoned his wife, from
a hasty and erroneous conviction of her infidelity; and being
afterwards employed by Old Bowerscourt to promote a match
with her for the old gentleman, she being then unknown to
him under the name of Singleton. This leads to a satis-
factory explanation, by Which they are also reconciled. The
impertinent gallantries of a Mr. Corvette, which have a
great tendencyto create the jealun fancies of Young Bowers-
court, form also a considerable share of the earlier acts of the
comedy.

This Comedy is understood to be- the avowed
production of Air. K kNNY, to whom the. Public
have often been indebted for dramatic amusement.

bears many parts analogous to the spirit of his

former writings, hut is not on the whole very iw-
teresriug. The character of Laren is a misnomer,
for it does not imply his natural disposition, as his
temper is supposed to be soured by tnisfortune.—
It is a miToure of The Stranger, Penruddock,
and The Green Man.—The rest of the cliarac-
ters have bo claim to originality. In fact, the
piece is overliutpled with characters, and if some
of them were thrown overbo3rd, ihe dramatic
vessel would sail more securely, and not fear

e stoi nos of criticism, %vliich assailed it last

night. During the middle of the Play, the
audience seemed to be seized with a contagious
cough, that prevented a due developement of the
plot, which in itself, however, seemed to be ra.

er Rio intricate to be perfectly intelligible in its

languid progress. Bat there was too much
dialogue, and by no intans a sufficiency of
action and incident.—Much allo►Sance o►►ght
to be made for the disappoiottnent bf the Author,
who is understood to have written a character for

Miss KELLY, and consequently, however well
represented by the substitute, could hardly be
expected to operate with the same effect as if
performed by the person for whom it was origi-
nally intended, and for whose peculiar talents it

was purposely designed.—The acting thr,,ughout
:vas good. YOUNG, C. KEMBI.I3, MACREATYY,

FARREN, LISTON, 21111 JONES appeared to promi-
nent advantage. Mrs. YATES had little to do, but
her depnt•tnment was easy. i\Jiss 8141) teITON'S cha-
racter was hardly intelligible, and she siinpered

though it, slit‘%ing her beautiful teeth, as usual.—
Mrs. PAUctT, always respectable, %vas equally so

act night.

We leave our Readers to judge them-

selves of the merits O the Prologue awl Epilogue,
whleh they will find in our last Page. The Co-

rnedy, as we have hinted, received some coughing

criticism during its progress, but the hostility, on
its being announced fur repetition, was certainly
less than the approbation which supported it.-,-
The Theatre was completely full.