materially altered-after Romont is gone out, Bellapert enters, and tells Novall Junior, that Beaumelle, in answer to his letter, consents to leave Dijon with him, and is waiting for him by the garden gate— the scene changes to the garden-Charalois enters -and then Beaumont-Charalois, on seeing Young Novall and Beaumelle, rushes off the stage-he kills Young Novall-Beaumelle rushes in-Charalois reenters, and the curtain falls.

Act 5th-Scene a Churchyard-Romont enters, and then Charalois-they are reconciled-Rochfort &c. enter-Charalois accuses Beaumelle-Rochfort condemns her-Charalois takes off a black cloth from the grave of his father, and discovers Beaumelle dead upon it-Old Novall enters with guards-Charalois is condemned-he kills himself.

The material changes made in the last two acts are much for the worse-in the original play, there is not the shadow of a doubt as to Beaumelle's guilther father condemns her-and then Charalois kills her-this is bad enough on the part of Charalois— but in the altered play, there is no proof of Beaumelle's guilt except a letter, which would hardly be sufficient foundation for a divorce-in Massinger, Rochfort urges Charalois not to call his daughter an adultress, before he is sure that she is one-Charalois replies

"I took them in the act:

"I know no proof beyond it"

-in the altered play, Rochfort gives this charge to Beaumont, and Charalois replies

"Sir, his senses will avouch it,
"I know no proof beyond it."

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Beaumont's senses could not avouch any thing, as he stands on the stage, when Charalois runs out, and kills Young Novall --besides it is a mockery of justice in Charalois to bring Beaumelle's cause before her father, after he had killed her the making of the last scene pass in a Churchyard is absurd and puerile-in Massinger it passes in a Court of Justice. Different Widows, or Intrigue a-la-Mode. Sir James Bellmont Powell: Sir Anthony Loveman = Pack: Dandle Leigh: Careless = Cory: Valentine Booth: Squire Gaylove (son to Lady Gaylove) = Wellar Lady Gaylove Mrs. Lawson: Angelica = Mrs. Prince Lady Loveman = Mrs. Porter: Lady Bellmont (mother to Sir James) = Mrs. Leigh :-the Different Widows are Lady Gaylove and Lady Bellmont-they are sisters-Lady Gaylove pretends to be a great observer of decorum, but is in reality fond of encouraging intrigues-Lady Bellmont is prudent— Sir James Bellmont is a good character, the rest of this C. has not much to recommend it-it was published without a date, and without the author's name-it has every appearance of being a summer play-it probably came out in 1703, as Powell returned to D. L. in June 1704-the Prologue alludes to the Stage Coach, which on Feb. 2. 1704 is called the last new Farce.

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Love Betrayed, or the Agreeable Disappointment by Burnaby. Moreno, Duke of Venice Verbruggen: Sebastian=Booth: Taquilet Dogget: Drances= Powell: Rodoregue - Fieldhouse: Pedro Pack: Villaretta Mrs. Bracegirdle: Viola (disguised as Cæsario)= Mrs. Prince: Laura (her confidant) = Mrs. Lawson: Dromia (an old lady) Mrs. Leigh:

Emilia, a part of some importance, is omitted in the D. P.-50 lines are professedly taken from Twelfth Night-the plot and main incidents come from the same source-the dialogue is written afresh -in a word this C. is rather to be considered as a very bad alteration of Shakspeare's play, than as a new one-Moreno-Drances-Rodoregue and Villaretta are taken from the Duke-Sir Toby-Antonio and Olivia-Taquilet is servant to Villaretta and is made to believe that she is in love with him, but he has no similarity in other respects to Malvoliohe fights with Viola, as Sir Andrew does in the original-Pedro, Sebastian's servant, is a new cha

racter.

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April 28. Mrs. Porter's bt. never acted, As you Find it. Hartley Verbruggen: Sir Pert Bowman: Sir Abel Single Dogget: Bevil Betterton: Ledger Powell: Jack Single Pack: Orinda Mrs. Bracegirdle: Eugenia Mrs. Barry: Mrs. Hartley Mrs. Bowman: Chloris Mrs. Lee: Lucy = Mrs. Prince-Jack Single marries Chloris, who pretends to a vast deal more virtue than she possesses in reality his father, Sir Abel, refuses to forgive him, tho' he had himself made Chloris an offer of marriage-Hartley neglects his wife, and is ready to intrigue with any other woman-in the last scene he meets a masked lady in the Park by appointment -she unmasks and proves to be his wife-he promises to reform-Bevil marries Orinda-this play was written by the Hon. Charles Boyle-it was printed in 1703—and again in 1739 with the works of his grandfather, the first Earl of Orrery-it would not be easy to find a more dull C.-the poet, like

Bayes, has forgotten the plot-the dialogue is sensible.

June 1. Mrs. Lee's bt.-Rival Queens.

2. For bt. of Mrs. Elford, a dancer-Theodosius. 7. Mrs. Prince's bt.-Fair Penitent.

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14. Villain. (Bills from B. M.) Fickle Shepherdess by Amintas (a mad shepherd-in love with Urania) Mrs. Bracegirdle: Damon and Alexis (in love with Clorinda) = Mrs. Bowman and Mrs. Prince: Claius (father to Amintas and Amaryllis) Mrs. Lawson: Adrastus (priest of Ceres) Mrs. Lee: Menalchas Mrs. Willis: Dorylas the little boy: Clorinda (the Fickle Shepherdess) Mrs. Barry: Amaryllis (in love with Damon): Mrs. Porter: Urania (in love with Amintas) Mrs. Alison: Flavia = Mrs. Martin :—this piece was printed in 1703-it appears from the Prologue that it came out in the Spring it is a bad alteration of Randolph's Amyntas-the Pastoral is reduced from 5 acts to 3-and the blank verse to prose-the name of Laurinda is changed to Clorinda -the Editors of the B. D. say-" the Fickle Shep"herdess was played entirely by women-the scene "lies in Arcadia"-this is very incorrect-the part of Dorylas was played by a boy, and the scene lies in Sicilia.

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Amyntas, or the Impossible Dowry, was written by Randolph-it is said to have been printed in 1638 -many years before the piece begins, Philobus, the son of Pilumnus, was in love with Lalage-she married Claius, and died in childbed of Amyntas and Amaryllis Philobus died of grief-Pilumnus prayed to Ceres to revenge him on Claius-Ceres by an

oracle declared that marriages should be unhappy in Sicily, till the blood of Claius had quenched and kindled fire-Claius left Sicily-in process of time, Amyntas had fallen in love with Urania, the daughter of Pilumnus-Pilumnus, as the Priest of Ceres, had a right to receive a dowry for his daughter, instead of paying one-Ceres gave another oracle about the dowry

"That which thou hast not, maist not, canst not "have,

66

Amyntas, is the dowry that I crave.

"Rest hopelesse in thy love, or else divine
"To give Urania this, and she is thine."

Amyntas, conceiving it Impossible to give the required Dowry, lost his wits-here the play beginsDamon and Alexis are in love with Laurinda-she shows a preference to neither of them-at last she says, that the nymph, who shall first come out of the temple of Ceres on the ensuing morning, shall determine the point for her-Amaryllis comes out the first she is in love with Damon-Damon refuses to abide by her determination-she is resolved to determine the point-Damon stabs her, but not mortally -he makes his escape, it being death to shed blood in the sacred valley-in the mean time Claius had returned to Sicily after an absence of 16 years-by his skill in herbs he restores Amyntas to his sensesClaius and Damon are on the point of being sacrificed-Amyntas expounds the first oracle in such a manner that Claius and Damon are acquittedUrania, supposing it Impossible that her Dowry should be paid, is about to make a vow of perpe