The Sun. — 1842-02-26 (London, England)

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.  A new play, in five acts, from the pen of the late Mr. Gerald Grilin, entitled Gisippus, was brought out on Wednesday at this theatre. It was highly succes.ful, and deservedly so, for it abounds in passages of sweet and graceful poetry ; and the majority of the incidents are dramatic, without being forced or exaggerated, in order to produce effect. Gisippus, we understand, was writtsn by Mr. Griffin before he had completed his twentieth year, and was shown to two judges, both of whom pronounced unfavourably of it as an acting play ; fortunately, however, it was afterwards submitted to Mr. Macready, who reversed this decision, and the reception the piece met with on Wednesday has proved the soundness of his judgment. Before detailing the plot we may as well give the east of the characters. It is as follow :—Titus Quintius Fulvius. Mr. Anderson ; Gisippus, his friend, Mr. Macready ; Medon, the brother of Sophronia, Mr. Graham ; Pheax and Chimes, Athenian youths, Mr. Elton and Mr. Hudson; Ljcius, a Phcenician and freedman of Fulvis, Mr. G. Bennett ; Davus, an usurer, Mr. W. Bennett ; Sophronia, betrothed to Gisippus, Miss Helen Faucit ; and Hero, her friend, Miss Turpin. Gisippus, in the opening of the first act, is presented buoyant and j, yous in the extreme ; he is on the eve of his nuptials with Sophronia ; indeed, the scene represents the Parthenon, or temple of Minerva, on the Acropolis, with the hymeneal altar, whose sacred fire already blazes, preparatory to the ceremony. Fulvius, it appears, has loved Sophronia, who, however, has p. omised her hand to Gisippus. Fulvius and Sophronia meet ; they have neither of them understood each other ; Fulvius is all passion, but Sophronia tells him that it is too late, that she is not her own mistress—that, in short, she is betrothed to Gissippus, his friend. Mutual regret is expressed, but Sophronia, overflowing with the highest regard for Gisippus, declares her attachment to him unalterable. Gisippus has overheard this, and, after many and severe struggles, gives up his bride to his friend, her first lo7e, and their marriage is immediately solemnized. Meantime Davus, the usurer, pi esses certain pecuniary claims upon Gisippus; he cannot meet them, and in his exigency he applies to his richer friend Fulvius. Athens is up against c,isippus, the popular clamour is, that he has sold his peerless bride for pelf. The usurer is inexorable, Fulvius is summoned by the Emperor to Rome; Gisippus, in agony, has made an appointment with him on the subject of his pecuniary embarrassment; but Full ins departs without keeping it, leaving Gisippus to deprecate the hollowness of his friendship. The claims of Davus are pressed; Gisippus, the scoff and scorn of Athens, is sold as a slave and sent to Rome. Fulvius has returned, covered with honour from his conquests in At menia ; an oration is awarded to him, and he is made a Praetor. in the sordid garb of a slave, Gisippus meets the Praetor, is struck down by his lictors, and seeks refuge in an adjacent burying-ground. Here Chremes is assassinated by Lycius, the freedman of Fulvius, between whom there had been anything but goodwill. Gisippus flies to the rescue; it is too late, however. Weary of life, he gives himself up as the murderer, and is condemned to death. Fulvius just arrives in time to stay the execution, Lycius having admitted himself to be the criminal. The result may be easily anticipated. The friends, convinced of their ino..