THE INCONSTANT: A COMEDY, En Five Acts. BY GEORGE FARQUHAR. PRINTED FROM THE ACTING COPY, WITH REMARKS, To which are added, A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUME,-CAST OF THE CHARACTERS, ENTRANCES AND EXITS, RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORMERS ON THE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE OF THE STAGE BUSINESS. As now performed at the THEATRES ROYAL, LONDON. EMBELLISHED WITH A FINE WOOD ENGRAVING, By Mr. White, from a Drawing taken in the Theatre, by LONDON: JOHN CUMBERLAND, 19, LUDGATE HILL. REMARKS. The Inconstant. THE plays of Farquhar are of a light, bustling, and humorous cast. They have less wit than those of Vanburgh, Congreve, and Wycherley; but they have less indelicacy, and are better adapted for representation, with the exception, perhaps, of "Love for Love." Farquhar had no deep insight into character-his design was to produce a lively sketch of every-day manners. His dialogue, however, is nei. ther pert nor low, as Pope describes it, but easy and gay; and his plots are well conducted, and full of interest. The three first acts of The Recruiting-Officer are so charmingly written, that we should unhesitatingly pronounce it not only his best comedy, but one of the best comedies of its time, were not the two last so unequally written. As it is, we may give the preference to The Inconstant; for the interest is maintained very ingeniously to the close. The plot of this comedy, and some of the scenes, are borrowed from Beaumont and Fletcher's Wild-Goose Chase. The incident in the fifth act, upon which the denouement turns-viz., that of Oriana, disguised as a page, rescuing her lover in the courtesan's house, is said to be founded on a real circumstance, that happened to the au thor himself, when on military duty abroad. It is introduced with great propriety, and managed with skill, and gives a serious and moral tone to the conclusion. The scene is laid in Paris, and has a sufficient reference to French manners. Young Mirabel is a lover of singular whim; his passion must be taken by surprise; he must be cheated into bliss; he will not seize happiness when it courts his acceptance; it is only when it is gone by, and seemingly unattainable, that it has any charms for him; then, indeed, he regrets his indifference, and, like the spendthrift of time, exclaims— "But now it is past, and I sigh And I grieve that I prized it no more." Old Mirabel is an ancient reveller, somewhat too free in his conversation and manners, yet withal a reasonable man; for he can make allowance for his son's follies, which seem to be part of the young gentleman's patrimonial inheritance. Like Dr. Johnson, who would never suffer anybody to abuse Garrick-but kimself, Old Mi rabel is particularly tenacious of Bob's reputation, except when it is in his own hands; he then avails himself of his parental privilege and lays about him without mercy. Bisarre is a character truly French; she is gay, satirical, mischievous, and intriguing. Durutête is an original-an odd medley of awkward bashfulness and modest assurance: he is a gentleman of too much sensibility to endure flouting; a sharp word strikes him dumb-a scornful look annihilates him. Nothing can be better conceived than the interviews between this comic pair. The scene where Bisarre, after having fairly danced and walked him out of breath, desires him to sit down, and deliver his despatch, and then reads him a lecture, which every fop who makes light of female reputation would do well to hear; and that, also, where she receives from him her lesson in ogling, and undertakes to confess her faults; the mock-gravity of her responses; her substitution of “puppy” for "flirt;" her horse-laugh when she is commanded to cry like a queen in a tragedy; and the apropos entrance of the ladies to banter "the mighty man” with the “bull face”—the “great dairy-maid in man's clothes;" are equal to anything in the comedy of that day. The wit and spirit of this lively lady are more than matched in Young Mirabel. Was ever Virgil so comically quoted, or poor Dido so irreverently introduced, as in the scene where he drowns the lady's angry English with elegant Latin! All the characters in this comedy are kept up with astonishing spirit: the wit (that species of wit in which Congreve luxuriated) does not abound; but humour, vivacity, and whim, are never allowed a moment's respite. Bannister, in Durutête, and Mrs. Jordan, in Bisarre, who does not remember, that was present at the revival of The Inconstant, twenty years ago? Bannister's good-humoured face dimpled into a thousand smiles--Mrs. Jordan's countenance, arch and beautiful in expression; Jack's irresistibly comic tones-Thalia's voice, "most musical, most melancholy," though on this occasion she dispensed with the latter quality-give us an utter disrelish for all succeeding attempts. The crown must be divided between Elliston and Charles Kemble, in Young Mirabel;-yet, as Juliana says, in The HoneyMoon, "we cannot help our dreams;" and Elliston, at Old Drury, surrounded by the comic host which once adorned that magnificent theatre, sometimes surprises us, tweaking, in his own peculiar manner, the Bravo's nose. DG. STAGE DIRECTIONS. The Conductors of this Work print no Plays but those which they have seen acted. The Stage Directions are given from personal observation, during the most recent performances. EXITS AND ENTRANCES. R. means Right; L. Left; R. D. Right Door; L. D. Left Door; C. D. F. or M. D. Centre Door in the Flat; R. D. F. Right Door in the Flat; L. D. F. Left Door in the Flat, or the Scene running across the back of the Stage; R.S. E. Right Second Entrance; R. U. E. Right Upper Entrance; L. S. E. Left Second Entrance: L. U. E. Left Upper Entrance. RELATIVE POSITIONS.' R. means Right; L. Left; C. Centre; R. C. Right of Centre; L. C. Left of Centre. R. RC. C. LC. L. The Reader is supposed to be on the Stage facing the Audience. |