RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. Sheridan's interest in D. L. ceased before the opening of the theatre for this season-Dr. Watkins in his Memoirs of Sheridan observes-" thus termi"nated the theatrical history of Mr. Sheridan, whose "conduct, both as proprietor and manager, neither sophistry can justify nor charity excuse; for while "he always appeared on the alert to profit by the "advantage which he possessed, he never paid the 66 slightest attention to the economy of the estab“lishment, nor took any pains to uphold its credit"his talents were exerted only to exhaust the re"sources of the theatre for his private purposes"The actors suffered greatly by Sheridan's extravagance-Miss Pope, tho' an economist, was at one time obliged to sell stock to meet her current expenses, notwithstanding that she had a large sum due to her from the theatre-the other performers no doubt were subjected to similar inconvenienceit seems that all of them were obliged to take 25 per cent. for the arrears of the salary which were due to them. Moore in his Life of Sheridan says less of him as proprietor and manager of D. L. than he ought to have done-he very improperly extenuates his conduct in pecuniary matters. Watkins adds-" whatever were the talents of "Sheridan for the direction of D. L., he wanted "the radical qualification of steadiness and resolu"tion to conduct it with advantage when new pieces were submitted to his perusal, he commonly threw them aside, and on being pressed "for a decision upon them, the manuscripts were "either returned unread or could not be found." For Sheridan's treatment of King, as deputy manager, see D. L. 1788-1789-Kemble, after he had conducted the affairs of the theatre for some few years, found himself much annoyed in his management-he was with great difficulty induced to retain his situation-see Boaden vol. 2 pp. 75-185. Moore, in his Life of Sheridan says-" There "remain among his papers 3 acts of a Drama, with"out a name-written evidently in haste, and with scarcely any correction the chief person. 66 * "ages upon whom the story turns are a band of "outlaws, who, under the name and disguise of "Devils, have taken up their residence in a gloomy "wood, adjoining a village, the inhabitants of which "they keep in perpetual alarm by their incursions " and apparitions-in the same wood resides a her"mit, secretly connected with this band, who keeps "secluded within his cave the beautiful Reginilla, "hid alike from the light of the sun and the eyes of "men-she has, however, been indulged in her prison "with a glimpse of a handsome young huntsman, "whom she believes to be a phantom, and is encou"raged in her belief by the hermit, by whose con"trivance this huntsman (a prince in disguise) has "been thus presented to her in the 3d act "there is a scene in which the devils bring the pri"soners whom they have captured to trial "this Drama does not appear to have been ever “finished—with respect to the winding up of the "story, the hermit, we may conclude, would have "turned out to be the counsellor whom the Duke "had banished, and the devils, his followers ; while "the young huntsman would most probably have "proved to be the rightful heir of the dukedom." Moore considered the subject of this Drama as wild and unmanageable-he had no suspicion that Sheridan had borrowed many of the leading circumstances of his Drama from Suckling-in the Goblins, Tamoren and his friends, having been defeated in a battle, retreat to the woods, turn thieves and disguise themselves as Devils--their custom is to blindfold the persons who fall into their hands, and extort confessions from them-Orsobrin falls in love with Reginella, who seems to have been brought up under ground-at the conclusion, he turns out to be the Prince's brother-Tamoren and his friends are pardoned-in Sheridan's Drama the rightful heir to the crown had been shipwrecked-in the Goblins, Orsobrin says in the 1st scene-"a storm at sea threw "me on land"-Moore gives us the whole of a love scene between the Huntsman and Reginilla Hunts. But, may I ask how such sweet excellence as thine could be hid in such a place? Reg. Alas, I know not-for such as thou I never saw before, nor any like myself. Hunts. Nor like thee ever shall but would'st thou leave this place, and live with such as I am? Reg. Why may not you live here with such as I ? Hunts. Yes-but I would carry thee where all above an azure canopy extends, at night bedropt with gems, and one more glorious lamp, that yields. such bashful light as love enjoys-while underneath, a carpet shall be spread of flowers to court the pressure of thy step, with such sweet whispered invitations from the leaves of shady groves or murmuring of silver streams, that thou shalt think thou art in Paradise. Reg. Indeed! Hunts. Ay, and I'll watch and wait on thee all day, and cull the choicest flowers, which while thou bind'st in the mysterious knot of love, I'll tune for thee no vulgar lays, or tell thee tales shall make thee weep, yet please thee-while thus I press thy hand, and warm it thus with kisses. Reg. I doubt thee not Pevidor enters. Pev. So fond, so soon! I cannot bear to see it. What ho, within, (Devils enter) secure him. Seize and bind the Huntsman. At the close of the 3d act of the Goblins there is a love scene between Orsabrin and Reginella. Reg. I know not what I am, Or. Nor ever shall. Oh! how came you hither? Sure you were betray'd. Will you leave this place, And live with such as I am? Reg. Why may not you live here with me? But I'd carry thee where there is a glorious light, Studded with twinkling gems, Beauteous as lover's eyes; And underneath carpets of flowr'y meads A thousand thousand pleasures Or. Yes indeed I'll bring thee unto shady walks, And groves fring'd with silver purling streams, And whilst thou bind'st them up mysterious ways, Tamoren and Peridor enter. Tam. Fond girl: Her rashness sullies the glory of her beauty, And weaken my designs; Go part them instantly, And bind him as before. The thieves blind Orsobrin and carry him away. In a subsequent scene Peridor tells Orsobrin that Reginella was "A mere Phantasme rais'd by art to trie thee." Moore adds-" In a more crude and unfinished "state are the fragments that remain of his pro"jected Opera, The Foresters'-to this piece Sheri |