Commiffary Mr. SHUTER played the old widow with fingular humour, and Mr. SPARKS was not much amifs in the representation of her; Mr. PARSONS was much better in Doctor Catgut than probably we shall fee again, though as to the fick, monkey-face, Mr SuмMERS, looked it inimitably-Mr. WESTON is fo well in the Coachman, that we heartily wifh for more of him; and Mrs. GARDNER hits off the convenient Mrs. Mechlin with talents worthy warm applaufe; this lady is much wanted at Drury Lane, to fave several of Mrs. CLIVE's parts from the dreadful mutilation they undergo at present; as to all other perfons we have feen, in this piece they are totally effaced from the table of memory.

It would be a point of critical injuftice, not to say' that Mr. WILKINSON, who poffeffes good imitative faculties, may give pleasure in the COMMISSARY, to those who have not feen the original; but, for our parts, we muft declare against FOOTE, as well as GARRICK, at fecond-hand.

We shall take leave of this comedy, with heartily wifhing, for public good, that the author's patent was a winter, inftead of a fummer one; the mental gloom, for which Britons are fo remarkable, is not materially prevalent in the fun-fhine, as the cloudy feafon; wherefore, it would be better if this dra`matic electrician was to practice when enthusiasm, fpleen and fuicide, most commonly lay baleful fiege to the human fpirits and understanding.

VENICE PRESERVED.

A Tragedy by OTWAY.

TWAY has been defervedly diftinguished as a tragic writer by the epithet tender; indeed his two living pieces, the ORPHAN, and that we are now entering upon, never fail to call a melting tribute from the heart, evidenced by tear-filled eyes; yet we may juftly compare them to a couple of females poffeffed of bewitching features, manifefting offenfive deformity of shape.

Among the exceptionable paffages and circumftances we must pafs previous cenfure at large upon every scene where Aquilina is concerned, as fuperfluously prejudicial to regularity, offenfive to de-, cency, impotently ludicrous, and contemptibly abfurd; as a juftification for the author, it is faid, the buffoon fenator Antonio, was introduced to caricature the Earl of Shaftesbury, by order of Charles the fecond; a monarch more remarkable for uneffential humour and licentious diffipation, than moral feelings or folid fenfe. His late majefty, we have been informed, once ordered the scenes we condemn to be restored in action; which is not fo much to be wondered at, if we confider his very limited knowledge of the English language; however, the audi ence exerted their undoubted right to critical authority, and fnatching them even from royal influence, fentenced moft justly fuch vile excreffences to obliVOL. I.

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vion :

Venice Preferved. vion we wish they were omitted in print as well as on the stage.

VENICE PRESERVED opens with Priuli, a senator, upbraiding Jaffier as the inftrument of difgrace and perplexity to his family, by having ftolen his daughter; the old man's taunts are fevere, and in fome places illiberal, Jaffier's defence is the real delicate offspring of a modeft mind deeply affected; his description of the circumftance which engaged Belvidera's affection, is poetically interefting, and juftifies her ftealing into a match with the person who gallantly preferved her life at hazard of his own: Priuli's unrelenting nature, as well as the poverty of his fon-in-law, are laid open with natural ftriking propriety; from what he says in his laft fpeech of this fcene, we are apt to pronounce drefsing Jaffier in rich cloaths an impropriety; it is not to be supposed that a man, who is upon the errand of follicitation for pecuniary affiftance, fhould equip himself with fplendid garments; or, if he had done fo, Priuli muft naturally have faid, instead of “reduce the glittering trappings of thy wife," reduce thy glittering trappings-Yet we have often feen the author's meaning reverfed-Jaffier wearing a fuperb fuit, and Belvidera equipped with a plain black velvet, which is as humble an appearance as any lady can affume on the ftage; one point we think the author might have availed himself of in this scene, which would have prevented the charge of disobedience against Belvidera, and the abuse of confidence in Jaffier's clandeftinely marrying her;

I

that

Venice Preferved. that is, to have made it appear Priuli had denied his confent to make them mutually happy; the father's carrying his refentment even to the fecond generation, and wishing that a helpless infant may want bread, is a shocking, and therefore blameable picture of depraved nature; he might have been drawn an obftinate, without being pictured a favage parent; the following line of Jaffier's is a grofs breach of measure

But I might fend her back to you with contumely

The account of Jaffier's circumftances, given by himself in his foliloquy after Priuli's departure, fpeaks to a feeling heart affectingly; Pierre, at his entrance, and in fome fpeeches afterwards, makes us agreeably acquainted with his own character; the differtation upon villainy and rogues in power are admirable; however, fomething further on, where. mention is made of Aquilina, Pierre finks much in our esteem; wherefore the mode of reprefentation, by omitting all thofe paffages, does our author a piece of juftice he should have done himself.

There is a great degree of dramatic policy in making Pierre unite Jaffier's fufferings with those of the public; the feelings of poverty are an excellent ground for artifice to work upon; an honeft mind, incumbered with care, may be very fufceptible of fuch impreffions, as in a ftate of freedom it would effectually refift; the picture drawn both of the national and Jaffier's private fufferings, is very diftinct, and highly finifhed, the different parts of Pierre's narrative, are finely imagined and powerSf2 fully

Venice Preserved; fully enforced; his mention of Priuli, as having figned the legal authority for plundering Jaffier's dwelling, falls in well to roufe that unfortunate man's mind into a state of defperation; which purpofe he more effectually compleats, by his introduction of Belvidera as the capital figure in that group of diftrefsful images which he has prefented to view; Jaffier's manner of receiving the melancholy tidings, his melting only at the fufferings of her he loves, recommends his character much; and his reluctance to enter upon vindictive measures of a public nature, though irritated by private wrongs, is commendable; however, we find that Pierre fo far touches the mafter-ftring of his heart, as to precipitate him into a fympathetic degree of resent ment; in confequence of which, an affignation is made to meet on the Rialto at midnight, which Pierre very improperly calls his evening walk of meditation; lonely would we apprehend fuit the feafon much better than evening.

After his friend's exit, Jaffier, in a fhort and apt foliloquy, defcants on his own distressful state; juftly remarking, that fenfibility, in fuch a fituation, must be a fource of pain; Belvidera's entrance immediately after the excellent preparation we have just received for her, is happily defigned; the comes upon us in the double view of a moft oppreffed daughter, and unhappy, though amiable wife; the tender treatment she affords her afflicted husband amidst misfortunes, as it ftands forth an indifputable teft of inviolable affection, fo it conveys

an