Vain was his art, (for do whate'er he cou'd)
There was no comfort without flesh and blood:
To Venus he addrefs'd his fervent pray'r,
That the thould animate the obd'rate fair;
For Venus can, whene'er fhe will, impart
A yielding foftness to the hardest heart.

His pray'r was heard-to him she turn'd her head,
And o'er her limbs the glow of life was spread:
Convinc'd at laft, he feels her pulfe beat high,
And wanton feem'd to roll her am'rous eye;
Loos'd was her tongue, fhe was indeed a wife,
And he no more complain'd he wanted life.

Lord Villiers admirably supported the very difficult character of Lord Townly, both as to voice, figure, action, and elocution :-He was eafy, animated, and graceful; and perhaps the character never appeared to more advantage in the hands of any performer, except Mr. Barry. If any part of his performance can be found fault with, he did not seem to express fufficient difpleasure in his countenance at his Lady's conduct; but that is not to be wondered at, as Lady Villiers never gives him reafon to practise it; and without practise it was impoffible to be feigned, when the enchanting Mifs Hodges, in the character of Lady Townly, was fmiling before his eyes.

We beg both Meffrs. Yates and Macklin's pardon, when we fay we prefer Mr. Fury to either of them for

a Sir Francis Wronghead; and if he could be prevailed upon to appear on either of the London Theatres, we would advise the Managers to lofe no time in ftriking a bargain with him.

Mr. Milles, who filled the part of Manly, we are told frequently treads the stage at North Afton; but he is more used to Tragedy than Comedy; it is a pity that the prompter did not put him in mind he was acting Comedy that night; but we have been informed, that office was filled by a reverend Divine, who poffibly advised him to make fo moral and fo grave an appearance.

It is to be regretted, that Count Baffet was not acted by a perfon less delicate in his principles than Lord Malden; for it required one more hackneyed in the ways of the world, to do the Count that justice which Vanbrugh intended him: however, let us not forget to fay, that Lord Malden was generally thought to act as well as any of them, when he made love to Mifs Jenny.

'Squire Richard was fo well performed by Mr. Onflow, that we really imagined Lord Villiers was fo diftreffed for a gentleman performer, that he had been obliged to put up with one of his young tenants in the country. Mr. Onflow did fo totally

diveft himself of his own character, and entered fo thoroughly into that of 'Squire Richard.

Captain Stewart, in the part of honeft John Moody, was humorous and characteristic; both his dress and addrefs were eafy and natural: In fhort, the Captain seemed to be perfectly at home in the character, though I fufpect, from his accent, that he was a little further north even than Yorkshire. At the fame time one would fuppof, from his en bon point, that he was not quite fo far as the Cave of Famine.

Mr. Hodges would have done Manly's fervant better if he could have kept his gravity; but he unfortunately laughed too much at his mafter.

Lord Townly's fervant was a little too bashful— We are told he has a place at Court; fo there are fome hopes he will mend of that fault by the time he has been a little longer there.

So much for the Gentlemen; now for the Ladies.

Mifs Hodges made an incomparable Lady Townly-It is but common justice to say, that this Lady performed her part in a style far fuperior to any thing we have ever seen on the Theatres. The beauty of her face, the melody of her voice, the elegance

C 3

elegance of her perfon; her eyes amazingly expreffive! her eafy yet graceful deportment, were fuch as have never been united in any female who was an actress by profeffion: One might juftly fay with Milton-" Grace was in all her steps, Heaven in her " eye; in every gefture, dignity and spirit!"

Mifs Harvey, in Lady Wronghead, was as natural as could be expected from a maiden Lady, who was to appear the mother of fuch well grown children; and the truly maternal affection she seemed to fhew them, makes one regret that she has none of her own :-If the perform that part again, we would recommend Jefs motion of her body and eyes, and more of her

arms.

Modefty, and the fober joys of domeftic life, could not be better expreffed than by Mifs Clarke, in Lady Grace. We will not fay fhe was without a fault; for fhe did not exprefs near enough of feeling for her friend Lady Townly.

The two Mifs Hopkins we have seen to more advantage in various characters; but, perhaps, they did not think it neceffary to exert themselves in a country company.

Monfieur

Monfieur le Teffier might with great reafon be diffatisfied, if we were to conclude without paying him that compliment which is due to his merit in the after-piece of Pygmalion; we could enlarge upon it with pleasure, were not Mr. Garrick alive; but as he is, and we hope will long continue, we would not, by invidious comparisons, displease one by whom we have been fo often pleafed; however, thus much we must fay, that for juft, natural, lively, expreffive, animated action, we never faw any rival or competitor to our English Rofcius, at leaft none that ought to give him the fmallest degree of jealoufy, but Monfieur le Teffier.

After the play, Lord Villiers entertained the company with a moft elegant and fumptuous fupper, and a ball. There was a profufion of the choiceft wines, and most exquifite viands: and it was a very doubtful point with the company, which they thould most admire, his Lordship's elegant tafte, his engaging affability, or his unbounded hospitality.

Every part of the entertainment was conducted with the greatest propriety; and the most polite attention was paid to every perfon prefent.