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peatedly declared, amidst bursts of laughter, that but for the difference of FIGURE and coftume, he could have fworn it was a scene from Cervantes, and that mr. H. was reprefenting Don Quixotte CUTTING UP the wine bags!

Perhaps were the patentee here, as Come fay he should be, things would be better managed: he, by the bye, if report fay true, is playing the unwife part of the man in the fable, who was poffeffed of the invaluable goofe that each day laid a golden egg. His fkill as to matters of TASTE in general, has been so fully acknowledge ed by a writer of no common critical acumen, that there would appear but little hazard in allowing him fome imputed praife:

Jones who directs wi;h equal skill, The bill of fare and play-house bill,' Is of fuch unequivocal import, as might filence the fnappifh cenfurer, and lead him to derive from other caufes than contempt of public opinion, the homely bill of fare for this dramatic Table d'Hote. Mr. J. may have heard, nay read, of a kindred fpirit of antiquity, who commenced his entertainments with the fimpleft fare, and rofe fucceffively to all the piquant provocation of fauces, &c. fo that his guests were impelled to prolong the pleafures of the table; taking the matter in this way, which is in the moft favourable point of view, the only objection is, that of prefenting to liberal guests, well used to luxuries and of eager appetite, the best dishes from the receipt books of Shakefpeare, Centlivre, &c. dreffed and ferved in fuch a manner as might difguft even the keenness of hunger.

'Carpe diem-is the best motto in
the prefent cafe, for

• Soft the vulgar vapour clears,
Methinks a stranger form appears
Diffufing light."

Yes, to British Baia' we are un-
der much obligations: fhe fent us
mrs. Edwin, who has with

Humour light, Yet chaften'd, charm'd the wintry night.” And now in the perfon of mr. Melvin gives prefage of that fpecies of elegant and finifhed comedy which had been nearly loft, to a Dublin audience, being revived with much fplendor; while mr. Young has given full affurance' of an actor equal to the range of tragedy. He poffeffes many requifites a good figure, expreflive countenance, aud graceful deportment; his voice of great extent and articulate to a letter, capable of much flexibility, and adaption to the different paffions. Judging from the parts he has appeared m, he would feem to play wholly from his own conception of character, unfhackled by the trammels of fervile imitation, and difdaining to take the field in borrowed armour. This was remarkably prominent in his Hamlet, which exhibited great knowledge of nature and the author, and prefented the character in a new point of view, fo as to render it almoft original. was a fine delineation, unalloyed by the traditionary paufe, ftart, and attitude which we too ufually witness, and which make even the hackneyed critic exclain-O! imitatores. SERVILE pecus!' No; the man was himself in Hamlet, and has ftruck out new bufinefs which may ferve as a good model to thofe puny people, who cannot, as fuperior geniufes do, carve for themfelves.'

6

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Mr. Holman in Horatio, would find matter fufficient to exercife his talent: he thould have given his affiftance in this character-it requires at least equal abilities to Neville, Harry Thunder, Elvirus, and many

N O T E.

Oh! there be players that I have seen play, and heard others praife, and that highly-not to speak it profufely; that neither having accent of Chriftians, nor the gait of Chriftian, pagan, nor man, have fo STRUTTED and BELLOWED, that I have thought fame of nature's journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they imitated humanity fo abominably."

others

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others, which, as an actor, he perfon- of a young gentleman who afcended

ated. To be fure it is damned hard, after a man has worn the knots, to be reduced to the ranks.' The parafitical old courtier found a moft excellent fupport in that judicious actor, Fullam; it was a highly finished picture. He might introduce that excellent advice to Laertes, which were there need for confirmation, would prove an abfolete idea, that 'tis of fervice to an actor, to be well acquainted with the meaning of the author. Mifs Walftien's Ophelia was highly interefting:-fome of the wild notes of her mad fcene were fuch as would feal the tear down Pluto's iron cheek.'- -Apropos !-It has been laid to the charge of lord Lyttleton, that he commonly thewed to his vifitors, the improvements of his neighbour Shenstone in the most unfavourable point of view. It would not be fair, on mere furmife, to attribute this lady's fituation in the theatre at prefent to a fimilar motive; but it must be fuppofed to arife from a great confidence in her powers, who, after having been feen, and with pleafure, in Lady Macbeth, Califta, and many other characters of equal confequence, could give temporary importance to Leonora, and the water-gruel daudles of modern comedy. We have heard fome degree of cenfure paffed on mrs. Fullam's not refuming her fituation in the theatre, which the fuftained to creditably to herfelf, and advantageoufly to the intereft of the pieces the was concerned in; but perhaps the has too much spirit to fubmit to ill-treatmeut, and withdrew herself.

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the pulpit, who I fufpected was only to have read the leffons, and that fome of our popular preachers was to have preached the fermon. In this I was difappointed; for when the leffons were ended, the fame young gentleman announced the text, which was in Ifaiah, chap. xlix. verfe 10. They fhall not hunger nor thirst; neither fhall the heat nor fun fmite them; for he that hath mercy on them, fhall lead them, even by the fprings of water fhall he guide them."

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To attempt giving you an outline of the fermon, or to defcribe the eloquence and oratory of the young preacher, would be a tafk I am not adequate to. I have heard a Kirwan, a Douglas, a Hawksworth, and afure you I never heard the orphans' caufe more ably pleaded than I did on Sunday laft. Not a word. from the beginning to the ending of his fermon that did not come home in the most powerful manner to the feelings of the humane and charitable. His addrefs to the paffions was the most affecting and finished piece of oratory I ever heard; indeed the whole of his difcourfe was fo interefting not only for its morality but fuitablenefs on the occafion, that it had a very powerful effect on the audience, as I understand the collection was much larger than formerly.

On inquiring who this young gentleman was, I understand he is a mr. Mc Ewen, recommended by the prefbytry of Belfast, and has been chofen by the members of Ufher's-quay mecting-houfe, and is fhortly to be ordained as their ftated paftor. If fo, I moft heartily congratulate them on the occafion, as I am convinced I do not prefume when I affert that there will not be fuch a preacher in the fynod of Ulfter. Inftead of preaching to empty walls on Uther'squay, there will foon. be a crowded congregation.

8th Jan. 1808.

R. M. Romance

Imance of the Pyrenees. By a Lady. (Continued from page 720, December Magazine, 1807.)

CHAP. LVI.

to continue unnoticed fo near the caftle of Palermo. In her father's life time she had feldom vifited this castle, round which, he took for granted, the vaffals lived in comfort, protected and affifted by their lord; for as her father had been fo prodigal to her, the believed he was liberal and generous to all his dependents. Since his death forrow had monopolifed every thought, and the had yet made no enquiry into the state of her vaffals.

Upon father Leopold's return from his embaffy he informed Viola (what the before fufpected) that the stranger was don Ambrofio, who appeared to him to be dangerously ill, he faid, and fo much under the dominion of despair, that he obftinately refused all nourishment and medicine.

IN about a month after the death the marchefe of Palermo, Viola was thocked and amazed by the aparance of don Ambrofio at the caf The duties of his profeffion, hich called him immediately from cily, he pleaded in excufe for fuch a early intrufion; and then, with all the fafcinating rhetoric his artful eloquence could fupply, with all the figas and tears, with all the infidisblandifhments, the feducing looks he well knew fo judicioufly how to Tume, he urged his fuite: but alough now without a father to conal her, he found Viola inflexible, ho rejected him with the cool im- Viola was flocked, was grieved, effive dignity of determination. In was agitated. She had once tender"ain did prudence ftrive to veil, with ly loved Ambrofio; the ftill admircourtely, the horror and contempt ed his great talents and many virMe now entertained for him. The tues, while the contemned his vices, wary Ambrofio faw the defpifed him. and recoiled with horror from him, His heart bled, but did not amend at when through the eye of fufpicion, thehumiliating, agonifing conviction: the glanced at him as the murderer he retired in defpair, and left the caf- of her father. But although the had tle in a state little fhort of diffraction. fo many reafons to ahhor him, the In a few days after, Viola was in- ftill was diftreffed at being the caufe formed that a ftranger lay dangerouf- of mifery to any one. Earneftly the ly ill at a fisherman's hut, not far therefore entreated father Leopold to from the caftle, who refufed every return to don Ambrofio, and exert kind of nourishment which the mife- towards him the duties of his functirable poor pefcatore could offer him; on. Convince him of the impiety and that he had no friend, no atten- of his conduct,' faid the; awaken dant, to take care of him, or give that fortitude in his mind which I the fmalleft information relative to well know he poffeffes; fummon who he was; which the ftranger every medicinal aid for him; do all himfelf refufed to tell. that can be done to affilt, to comfort, The humanity of Viola, ever to restore him to himfelf: but feed awake to the fufferings of others, him not with one fingle ray of hope commiffioned father Leopold to go from me; for know, holy father, nmediately to the hut, and to have that although I fhould be shocked, very poffible thing inftantly done thould grieve at his death, I could or the accommodation and benefit not be his, even to fave his foul's exof the ftranger; and to afford all iftence. neceffary relict to the pefcatore and his family, whofe poverty, the was Mocked to hear, had been fuffered January, 1808.

From this time father Leopold was almoft conftantly with Ambrofio; and whenever he returned to the caf

B

tle,

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fit his death bed; and to hear, in his laft moments, fomething of the utmost importance to his eternal falvation.

Viola was dreadfully fhocked and agitated. Leopold told her, it was her duty to give comfort to an expiring fellow creature, whofe death fhe had, though innocently, abfolutely occafioned; and although he had deftroyed his peace in this world, fhe could not be fo cruel, fo unjuft; fo wicked, fo diabolical, as to deprive him of every hope in the world to come.

She

The archibishop of Montreal was at this period gone to Palermo to stay fome days, both upon ecclefiaftical bufinefs and to arrange the train for fettling the affairs of the late marchefe. Viola now keenly deplored his abfence; for the doubted not that his great piety and judgment would have due influence to roufe all the dormant virtues which Ambrofio poffeffed in- Viola fhuddered; but, convinced to action; while the fufpected both that it was her duty, acquiefced. the powers and inclination of Leopold, Every moment was precious, Leo who though long her father's favou- pold faid, where fo few remained rite, had never been efteemed by her. and the muft inftantly go. She knew that he had violently op wifhed for Clementina to accompany pofed the marchefe's taking her into her; but Leopold objected to her as favour a second time, and had exert a companion upon fuch a folemn oced himself to impede the re-union of cafion, both from her youth, and her parents; as hers and her mother's not poffeffing fufficient firmness to prefence had totally put a period to engage in fuch a scene. 'From thofe improprieties in her father's your prefent agitation,' faid he, I conduct which Leopold had, inftead fee you will want fupport; therefore of cenfuring not only approved, but take Zingarefca with you.'-After a promoted. After the marchefe of moment's reflection Viola thought Palermo's re-union with his wife, he he was right, and, that he might not made a new difpofition of his proper- give any unneceffary uneafinefs to her ty, and in this his laft will bequeath- beloved coufin, would not even tell ed not one filling to Leopold di Pef- her what a diftreffing fcene fhe was fimo, whom in a prior teftament he about to encounter; and unknown to had nobly provided for. This proof Clementina fhe fet out with her late of alteration in her father's opinion of father's domeftic chaplain and Zinga. Leopold, united with her own difap- refca, who had been placed by her probation of his general conduct, de- father about her perfon upon her first termined her to difmifs him from his reftoration to his favour, and who facred flation in her family, as foon had ever fince evinced herself a faithas fhe could do it without an appear- ful, affectionate, intelligent domef ance of difrefpect to the memory of tic. him who had placed him in that fituation.

At length Leopold brought intelligence to Viola of Ambrolio's being at the point of death; that the phyficians had declared he could never fee another day; that he had made his confeffion, but pofitively refufed to receive abfolution, or the hoft, until Viola fhould be prevailed upon to vi

In the most pitiable agitation of both mind and frame, the young and guilolefs marchefa was fupported by father Leopold about a quarter of a league along the fea-fhore to the fisherman's hut, where the was ftruck with amazement upon beholding don Ambrofio, not in his bed, as the expected to find an expiring man, but feated in an elbow-chair,

looking

boking certainly wan, languid, and in attenuated, but by no means in that d deplorable ftate he was taught to believe him in. We cannot fuppofe Viola was angry at not finding her lover at the point of death; but the was highly offended at being fo meany and dishonourably trepanned thiwther; and darting an upbraiding look at Leopold, fhe was about to retire, when Ambrofio, throwing himself at her feet, and grasping her robe to detain her, pleaded, with all the feducing eloquence he was mafter of, for her to pity, and not confign him to mifery and death.

IT

The marchefa anfwered him only by a look of ineffable difdain; and while ftruggling to get free, indignantly demanded from father Leopold what could have induced him to act a part fo degrading to the facred profeffion he belonged to?

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My folemn promife to your deceafed father,' replied the undaunted Leopold. In the laft confeffion of the marchefe of Palermo, he informed me that he had bafely wronged the man who had nobly and gallant ly attempted to preferve his life at the peril of his own; that, averfe to your union with a foreigner, he had unge nerously fabricated anecdotes to don Ambrotio's difadvantage; and to make all the retribution in his power, he, at that awful moment, bound me by a folemn, facred vow, to ufe every means that mortal ingenuity could devife to promote your union with the noble but ill-treated don Ambrofio de Montalvan.'

It would ill befit me, faid Viola with a look of firm incredulity, to fay I disbelieve the affertions of a man who has devoted his days to the fervice of the Almighty; but you muft forgive a child for believing her parent incapable of fuch bafenefs, fuch difhonour. To the archbishop of Montreal my father made his laft awful confeffion; but if to you the marchefe of Palermo entrufted a fe

cret and wishes of fuch importance, why did you not evince your respect to his memory, by fooner imparting this intelligence to me, and in a manner more honourable to his chaplain, and lefs degrading to his child ?"

Leopold now loft his temper, and in a moft turbulent and unbecoming manner called upon all that Heaven contains to atteft the truth of his affertions. He then intemperately reprobated the cruelty and injustice of her conduct to Ambrofio; and proceeded to denounce the most dreadful maledictious upon her, and to threaten her with all the anathemas of the church if the perfifted in fuch cruel and undutiful conduct.

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Viola was fhocked, but not fhaken, by his violence. That I once loved don Ambrofio, and gave him that encouragement you accufe me of,' faid fhe, I deny not. I am not afhamed to own it; for to be fenfible of merit is no crime. In the femblance of every virtue don Ambrofio firft prefented himfelf to me in that form he won my affection, and I både him hope. But was I in fault becaufe he had two fouls, two characters? that he was one day fufceptible of every virtue, the next a flave to every vice? that he could this hour, with every action that was noble, juft, and generous win the friendship, of him whofe happiness in the next he would not fcruple to blast for ever? that he could, with the moft heroic valour, obtain for himself fame and honour, and in the next moment tarnish his fame and blight his laurels, by infulting with every indignity, and wounding by every cruelty, those whom his hand had deprived of liberty, who therefore more forcibly claimed his kindness? Such is the real character of don Ambrofio' de Montalvan; and when I had inconteftable proof of its being fo, I found the Ambrofio I had loved a delufive phantom, with which my affection vanished. Such is the portrait facts

have

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