29. Kemble acted Iago--he seems to have acted

the character but twice.

Feb. 1. Mountaineers.

Florante Miss Smith.

6. Hamlet Kemble: Polonius Munden.

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9. Never acted, Begone dull Care, or How will it end? Solace (superintendent of Sir Arthur's mines) Emery: Modern Lewis: Sir Arthur St. Albyn Pope: Algernon (his son) C. Kemble: Lord Blushdale Fawcett: Danvers (his nephew) Brunton: Selina (niece to Sir Arthur) = Miss Smith : Cicely (a young girl brought up by Solace)

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= Miss Norton Deborah Mrs. Davenport :-acted about 16 times-the late Lord Blushdale had died in America-his younger brother had succeded to his title and estates, as Modern, who is son to the late Lord, had always been considered as illegitimateSir Arthur is greatly in debt, notwithstanding that he has a fine income-he is at variance with his son -and very desirous that his niece should marry Danvers-Danvers on his part promises, that his uncle should cancel a bond for £16,000, which Sir Arthur had given to the late Lord Blushdale - Selina is very averse from an union with Danvers-Algernon writes word to his father, that he and Selina are privately married—at the conclusion it appears that this supposed marriage was only a stratagem-Algernon marries Cicely, and is reconciled to his fatherModern proves to be legitimate- and consequently heir to his father's title and property-he marries Selina-this is on the whole a poor C.--it must however be allowed that Reynolds has very adroitly concealed his catastrophe to the last-at the beginning of the 5th act, it would be difficult to guess How it

will end?-on the other hand, it is very improbable that Modern's mother should never have given her son any intimation that he was legitimate, and have contented herself with merely sending a certificate of her marriage to England by Danvers-this certificate Danvers, for sinister purposes, conceals till the last act-Cicely is in love with Algernon-on hearing that he is married to Selina, she runs away from the house of her benefactor-she talks of going to sleep in a wood-but Deborah accommodates her with an apartment in a small villa belonging to Lord Blushdale-Lord Blushdale arrives at his villa very unexpectedly he finds the door of his bed room locked, and passes the night very quietly in a great chair- Reynolds in his preface complains of the critics-but if a man will obtrude wretched stuff on the public, he has no right to complain of those who are disgusted at it--Reynolds says "the constant "cry is why don't you give us the good old legiti“mate drama-such as flourished in the days of Shakspeare-Jonson-Vanburgh-and Congreve? "-kind, liberal readers! why only select for com"parison the best authors! why not bring into com"petition the ephemeral productions of Etherege,

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--

Shadwell, Taverner and D'Urfey ?"- Etherege and Shadwell were not ephemeral authors-Reynolds himself is an ephemeral author, if ever there was one -when he published his Life in 1826, he had survived nearly the whole of his numerous dramatic offspring -Reynolds adds-" yet there are people who would "still recommend the Horatian maxim of Nonum prematur in annum'—by which maxim in 36 years "a man might compose 4 dramas"--Horace does

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not say that a man should write only one play in 9 years, but that he should revise and correct any play that he may write, for 9 years-a man may write one or more plays in every year, and yet not violate Horace's maxim-Reynolds justly observes that modern refinement has banished from our theatres one inexhaustible source of mirth-that of double entendre.

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25. Wanderer, with, never acted, Who wins?, or the Widow's Choice. Iambic Extempore Fawcett : Caper Liston: Matthew Mole Simmons: Widow Bellair Mrs. C. Kemble: Lisette Miss De Camp: -this musical F. is attributed to Allingham-acted

21 times-not printed.

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Friar Lawrence = Hull. Miss Norton, 1st time.

Cooke made his 1st app.

29. Romeo and Juliet. March 7. Jane Shore 10. Man of the World. this season, and was well received-this was the greatest money house, one excepted, ever known in the theatre. (Dunlap.)

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14. Richard 3d Cooke: Richmond = Brunton : -on the 21st C. Kemble acted Richmond.

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22. Travellers in Switzerland, revived. Daniel= Munden Sidney Blanchard: Count Friponi Fawcett Robin Emery: Nerinda Mrs. C. Kemble: Lady Philippa Mrs. Davenport :-acted twice. 28. Othello. Othello Pope : Iago = Cooke.

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31. Man of the World, with, never acted, Bonifacio and Bridgetina-or the Knight of the Hermitage-or the Windmill Turret-or the Spectre of the

North East Gallery-with a Prelude. Sir Hildebrand (Knight of the Hermitage) = Simmons: Bonifacio (his nephew) = Blanchard: Baron Sacripandos (a reputed wizard, and captain of Banditti) = Farley : Nicholas (a rustick, attached to Sir Hildebrand) = Liston: Poignardo (lieutenant of Banditti) = Taylor Bridgetina (wife to Bonifacio) = Mrs. Gibbs: Babet (his mistress) Mrs. Liston:-acted about 6 times- -this piece was altered from the French by T. Dibdin-it was intended to ridicule the taste for Melo-dramas-but the design was badly executedSir Hildebrand tells Nicholas that he has been deprived of his castle and his daughter (Bridgetina) by Sacripandos-at the conclusion he recovers them, and Sacripandos is carried off as a prisoner-at p. 46 the characters form a picture-Nicholas says that the conjuror is close at their heels, and runs off -Bonifacio protests that he would not spoil the picture for ten conjurors--this is the best stroke in the piece-the Prelude is supposed to pass in the principal box-lobby of C. G.-Blanchard, Farley, and Thompson acted Medley, the author, and the box. book-keeper.

April 5. Every Man in his Humour. Kitely= Cooke: Bobadill Fawcett : Brainworm Munden: Master Stephen = Liston: Justice Clement Emery: Mrs. Kitely Mrs. H. Johnston :-Bobadil is always spelt in the bills with one 1--but it ought to be spelt with 2 11-it is so spelt by Gifford-and in the folio of 1640.

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9. For bt. of Lewis. Fashionable Lover. Colin Macleod Cooke: Lord Abberville Lewis: Tyrrel = C. Kemble: Mortimer Murray: Aubrey Pope :

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Dr. Druid Blanchard: Augusta Aubrey Smith Lucinda Bridgemore Mrs. Dibdin: Mrs. Bridgemore Mrs. Davenport :-acted twice-it had not been acted since May 9 1786-and then for 1st time at C. G.

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21. Two Gentlemen of Verona, revived, with alterations. Proteus (Protheus) = Pope: Valentine = Kemble: Duke of Milan Murray: Thurio= Liston: Launce Munden: Speed = Blanchard: Silvia = Miss Norton: Julia Miss Smith: Lucetta Miss Waddy-acted 3 times.

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Kemble has added some lines of his own-and made considerable use of Victor's alteration of this play- see D. L. Dec. 22 1762.

Acts 1st and 2d. Kemble saw the blunder which Victor had committed in making Protheus enter with Julia's answer to his letter, before she had received it --this he corrected-but he adopted some of Victor's alterations for the worse, and even his gross absurdity in consolidating the 1st and 4th scenes in the 2d act of the original play.

Act 3d, scene 1st. Shakspeare makes Protheus say of Valentine-" for which the youthful lover now "is gone"-that is Valentine - Kemble changes youthful to confident, being conscious that his own appearance was not youthful-neither he nor Pope were in their persons at all suited to the parts they acted.

Act 4th, scene 1st.

"But, since your falsehood, shall become you "well

"To worship shadows," &c.