No longer by disease confin'd, To fing the great Jehovah's praife!- VERSES ON LATELY SEEING HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE FREDERICK PLAY AT CHESS WITH THE REIGNING DUKE AND DUKE FERDINAND OF BRUNSWICK. SW BY JAMES JOHNSTONE, ESQ. WEET Prince, as foon as feen admir'd, Belov'd-ador'd as foon as known; Whofe foul in funthine Heaven inspir'd, Whofe very faults are Virtue's own. While with thofe whofe arms withstood you The Gallic Hydra's hiffing ftrength, And made it, track'd by it's own blood, Drag frighted home it's crippled length: While you, with those, tho' but in play, The field with bounding horsemen fcour, Advance the foot in firm array, Or plant the fur-commanding tower; We Britons con your future praife, And lift our hopes to mighty things; The Bishop who mates fuch as thefe, Will foon, like them, give check to Kings. ADDRESS TO PITY. HALL, lovely power! celeftial maid! Soft, pleafing Pity, hail! Whofe gentle influence, balmy aid, Sufpends A tion's tale. Mil as the dew falutes the earth, Ere morn begins to appear, From thy bleft manfions, humbly great, O teach me, with endearing love, To heal affliction's fmart! Teach me to foften every care Or, mindful of ftill lovelier deeds, That, e'en where filent forrows plead, ACTED AT WOODSTOCK ACADEMY, DE< CEMBER 19, 1783. BY THE REV. MR. MAVOR. OUNG on the stage of life's eventful play, You And younger ftill in art's fictitious way, Till confcience fcarce it's ruin'd quiet mourns; PUBLIC Ο PUBLIC DRURY LANE. AMUSEMENTS. N the 5th of this month was performed at this theatre, a new comic opera, called THE METAMORPHOSIS. DRAMATIS PERSONE. THE plan of this opera is as follows. Freeman, the fon of Sir Charles, being fecretly attached to Charlotte, daughter of Mrs. Neville, and defpairing of ever being able to obtain her mother's fanction, in confequence of his paft extravagance, contrives to obtain admiffion into the old lady's house in the character of a Jew Painter. In this difguife he has frequent interviews with his miftrefs, from whom he receives great encouragement. The family, befides the ladies already mentioned, confifts of Mr. Neville, brother of Charlotte; and Julia, the daughter of Mr. Marlow; whofe misfortunes having obliged him to quit England, his daughter is protected under Mrs. Neville's roof. In this fituation Julia gains the affections of Neville; but as the patronage of the young gentleman's mother does not arife from the most liberal views, the wishes Julia to receive the hand of her tenant Simon, who is on the point of being married to her fervant Mary. Mrs. Neville, in a converfation requiring Mary to give up her pretenfions to Simon, receives the first inti mation that the Jew Painter is not what he pretends to be. This puts the old gentlewoman on her guard; and Freeman, finding himself difcovered, immediately abfconds. Julia now has an interview with Simon, who, fhe is glad to find, is unwilling to abandon Mary: fhe then makes him her confidante, and procures him to escort her to a neighbouring village, where the propofes to remain concealed, that the may avoid the marriage recommended by Mrs Neville. The circumftance of her eloping with Simon gives great alarm to Neville, who immediately goes in fearch of her. In the mean time, young Freeman, metamorphofed into a crippled foldier, in the prefence of Mrs. Neville and his father, obtains another interview with Charlotte; and Sir Charles accidentally expreffing himfelf favourably of his fon, the difguifed foldier avows himself, and receives his father's forgiveness, with the hand of Charlotte. Marlow, returning from abroad, is filled with apprehenfion for the fafety of his daughter Julia; but he is foon relieved, by her appearing before him as the wife of Neville; Mary being at the fame time united to Simon, for the fake of winding up with as many weddings as poffible. The dialogue of this opera is genteel, but it by no means abounds with wit: the humour is chiefly confined to Mrs. Wrighten. The fongs are neatly written, but they are not of the epigrammatic kind. The mufic is pleafing and claffical; and the overture had confiderable pretenfions to originality. The words, as well as the mufic, are by Mr. Jackfon of Exeter. The Metamorphofis was got up with confiderable care and attention; but, as it was not greatly relished by the public, it was performed only a very few nights, and will probably never be again acted. THE leading incident of this comedy fprings from a new mode of courtship, conceived by Bellair, the hero of the piece; who, entertaining a paffion for Mifs Arabella Belville, niece to Fee-love, a phyfician, introduces himself to the houfe of the latter under pretence of ficknefs; where, while attended and fupplied with drops and cordials by the young lady, he infpires her, notwithstanding his apparent debi lity, with a reciprocal affection. Previously to this, Fee-love had contracted his niece to Evergreen, an old batchelor, and uncle to Bellair, on confideration of having the young lady's fortune, and this without the knowledge of Bel lair, lair, who was just returned from the university of Leyden. After a few visits at Fee-love's, (for which his pretext is the benefit of the air, the doctor's houfe being fituated at the extre-. mity of the town) he finds an opportunity, when alone with Arabella, to inform her of bis penchant, and undeceives her with regard to his pretended illness. Arabella, who is all nature, innocence, and fimplicity, agrees to elope with him the fame evening, to avoid being married to Evergreen the next day. Bellair carries her to the houfe of his uncle Evergreen for fecurity, and places her under the protection of Mifs Archer, Evergreen's ward. This young lady's peculiarities give birth to an under-plot. Carlton, a friend of Bellair's, having a paffion for Mifs Archer, gets introduced to her by Sir Marvel Mushroom; who, we understand, had been either an iron or cheefe-monger, but is now retired from bufinefs with an ample fortune, and fets up for a man of birth and confequence. This gentleman's prevailing foible is a defire to difplay his newly-acquired knowledge of history; and his confequent blunders, by the mifapplication and confufion of names, characters, dates, and events, afford no fmall entertainment. In company with this gentleman we find a Mifs Juvenal, whofe whole employment is writing, or procuring others to write, fatirical lines on her acquaintance in the newspapers. A production of this kind having appeared that day, reflecting on the character of Mifs Archer, Carleton confents to be impofed on her as the author; and by this means, and alfo by affuming all manner of effrontery and impertinence, finds out another new and extraordinary way of recommending himself to the favour of a mistress. Evergreen finding that the lady whom his nephew had brought for protection to his houfe, is no other than the identical Mifs Arabella Belville, prepares to take her away in his carriage; but is prevented by the arrival of Sir Marvel, whom Mifs Archer perfuades to wrap himself up in the cloak intended for Arabella, and thus diverts the attention of Evergreen, while the two ladies drive off in Sir Marvel's carriage, and are fet down by mistake at Carleton's lodgings. This produces fome embarraffing and diverting interviews between him and Mifs Archer. The plot of this piece is extremely involved, and it is quite impoffible to follow it through it's numerous mazes: let it fuffice to fay, that Fee-love, who, to favour the escape, had been amufed with a fleeveless errand to Hampstead, finding, on his return, that his niece had eloped, and with the perfon whom he had pronounced, on his credit and reputation as a fon of Æfculapius, to be irrecoverably gone in the laft ftage of an atrophy, confents, in order to fave himfelf from being expofed, to the union of Bellair with Arabella; and the audience are left with every reason to expect a fimilar connection will foon take place between Carleton and Mifs Archer. This comedy met with the fame teftimonies of applaufe as have ufually attended this cele brated author's former dramatic efforts, Mrs. Cowley certainly yields to no author in knowledge of the ftage, and in the mechanical conftruction of the drama. As Comic Operas, wretchedly as they are in general written, feem to be the chief dramatic favourites of the prefent day, we could wish to fee a performance under this defcription from Mrs. Cowley's elegant pen. On the 23d inft. a new Pantomime was per formed at this theatre, under the title of FRIAR BACON; or, Harlequin Gulliver's Adventures in Lilliput, Brobdignag, &c. This piece, which is faid to be manufactured by Mr. O'Keefe, commences with Friars Bacon and Bungy's watching the brazen head they had made, and from the fpeech of which (according to the well known legendary tale) they were to acquire the power of encircling England with a wall of brafs. A chorus of impatient enquirers without vociferously demand to know if it has fpoke. When they are filenced, the two Friars, unable from inceffant watching to keep awake any longer, call on Harlequin, (who appears in the capacity of Bacon's fervant) and, charging him to awaken them on the leaft fymptom of the head's being about to speak, they both fall into a profound fleep. Harlequin, instead of following the directions he had received, amufes himfelf with the words that iffue from the opening mouth. It first articulates, Time is;' next, 'Time was;' and laftly, Time is paft;' when it falls to the ground, and breaks to pieces. Bacon awakes with the noife, denounces vengeance against Harlequin for his disobedience of orders, condemns him to perpetual filence, and goes off in a rage. Friar Bungy then rifes from his flumber, laments the fad accident which has happened, but pity fuperfedes his refentment for Harlequin, and he gives him the hat and fword to direct his future fteps, and protect him against the implacable revenge of Friar Bacon. At this period the pantomimical bufinefs commences with Harlequin taking Columbine from a nunnery, and bargaining with a failor for a paffage. To appease her father's anger, or rather to gratify his determined refentment, Bacon engages to raise a ftorm; this paves the way for the difcovery of Harlequin, who is next feen fast asleep in the vicinity of Mildendo, the capital city of Lilliput. A Lilliputian countryman aflifts a milkmaid over a ftile, drives her cow out of the fold, and while fhe is milking teftifies by his geftures the fincerity of his love for her: when he has done, he drives the cow back, helps up with her pail, and is going off, when the fight of Harlequin (whofe figure, compared to theirs, is truly gigantic) operates very powerful on his fears, he throws down his fcythe, and the her pail. They knock at the door of a cottage, and call down an old man to behold the wonderful fight. A failor enters, who is at first a little frightened, but foon recovers himself, takes a fresh quid; and, laying hold of Harlequin's nole, afks, What cheer?' At this the motley ftranger fnores, the peasants run away, but the failor draws his hanger, and stands on his guard. Per ceiving Harlequin fecure again in a found deep, he goes off with an air of contempt for the inanimate lump he had been detained by. A country fquire, with two blacks, come on, and Harlequin rifes. The fquire calls on a conftable and two foldiers to arreft him: after fome hesitation, he fubmits to their dictates, and is guarded off. The whole hunt now appears, to whom the fquire defcribes what has happened, and offers to lead them to a fight of the wonderful object, but the found of the horn calls them the oppofite way; the fquire alfo gives the chace the preference, and all go off with a view of holoo! This fcene is followed by a proceffion of Lilliputian officers of ftate and magistracy to the Council-chamber, where Harlequin, after fentence of condemnation is paffed upon him, lifts one of the council upon his head, takes one under each arm, and runs off purfued by the reft of the court and the guards. After fome very humorous bufinefs in a street fcene, between an old barrow-woman, fome chairmen, &c. Harlequin, with his three prisoners, is pursued across by the whole train of Lilliputian magiftrates and members of the council, and the fcene changes to the front of a bagnio in Brobdignag. A Brobdignagian watchman having fallen asleep, remains in the box till two children are paffing by. in the morning to fchool; after they have fung a very humorous and characteristic duet, one of them tears a leaf out of his book, lights it at the watchman's candle, and fets it on his toe; he fwears out an oath or two, cries the hour, and falls faft afleep again. Harlequin and Columbine, alarmed at the gigantic appearance of the figures, hide themselves in a pair of boots that are standing at the door. An officer and his girl, who were before feen to walk into the bagnio, are, with others, frightened by the watchman's cry of fire, and appear at the window in great confufion; which finishes the first act of the piece. The fecond act prefents Harlequin and Columbine returned home again. A variety of perplexities, which are always expected to form part of a pantomime, fucceed each other. Bacon and Bungy oppofe each other's efforts to accomplish the fate of Harlequin, which at laft depends on his fuccefs in a hall of combat, where Columbine is pronounced to be the reward of the victor. In this last scene a variety of feats are performed by groups of combatants, chevafiers, amazons, &c. The conqueror throws off his difguife, proves to be Harlequin, receives Columbine for his reward, and the piece concludes with a grand chorus by the priests of Hymen. The fcenery does the painters great credit; particularly Friar Bacon's ftudy, the Lilliput country, cafcade, china-fhop, and the concluding fcene of the piece. Mr. Shield's genius for compofition never fhone with greater luftre. The p ece admits of variety, and he has very happily embraced the opportunity to fhew how much he is capable of yielding. The words of the fongs are in Mr. O'Keefe's ufual ftile, as will fufficiently appear from the following fpecimens. VOL. III. Roll, thunder, roll about; The fkies foon fhall clear, Kind Fortune foon fhall fmile, and richer gild. the scene; And all thy days be happy, tranquil, and serene. AIR LILLIPUTIAN BARROW-WOMAN. A very honeft poor woman am I, And pretty enough, though I'm paft my prime; Apples and pears in the fummer I cry, And oysters I fell through the winter time! Come, who'll buy? Ho! here am I! And thus I roll my barrow through the world. Look round the globe, by land and by fea, And all fell fomething, both woman and man; Though few deal so fair, and so honeft as me, Yet they all, like me, will cheat if they can. With come, who'll buy? &c. AIR MR. REINHOLD. Deferve her you love, and your tongue I'll let loofe; But first lend an ear, for you know not it's use: The tongue often leads, in the journey of life, Through flowers and brambles, fweet peace, or rude ftrife. Your questions be few, and with caution reply,, Left Folly prevent what fage Prudence defign’d. Who think you fpeak truth, you should never deceive, Nor wrong the fond maid who your vows may believe. E PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY. HOUSE OF LORDS. (Continued from Page 385.) DECEMBER 2. ARL Spencer and Lord Hampden took the oaths and their feats. Lord Abingdon rofe to fay a few words refpecting a speech faid to have been delivered in that Houfe on the first day of the prefent feflion, (his lordship having been abfent at the time) the language of which was fo fpecious, that he thought it incumbent on him to fay fomething by way of reply. This fpeech, he obferved, had reprefented the Preliminary Articles of Peace, fettled by the late administration, as difgraceful, humiliating, and inadequate. Lord Stormont called him to order, and appealed to the Houfe, whether he had a right to obtrude a fubject on them in that irregular manner in which he was pleafed to introduce it. Lord Abingdon, notwithstanding this interruption, refumed his obfervations on the fpeech above alluded to, and defended the conduct of the late administration refpecting the Preliminaries; in which, he faid, they were perfectly juftified by the circumstances of the times, and the preffing neceffity of the cafe. He obferved, that the noble lord at the head of the late adminiftration had purfued his measures with a degree of integrity which will ever reflect the greatest honour on his character; but that the malignant fpirit of faction had unfortunately defeated his good intentions, by forcibly feizing on the government of this country; a trefpafs as nefarious and fla. gitious as any that had ever exifted. His lordfhip, after having faid a few words more, concluded; and, upon a motion of Lord Sandwich, the Houfe adjourned to 'Thursday. DECEMBER 4. Read a fecond time the Malt-bill. Ordered that the proper officers lay before th Houfe copies of Letters, Papers, and Accounts of the Eaft India Company. Adjourned to Tuesday. DECEMBER 9. Mr. Morton, from the Eaft India Company, prefented feveral papers, which were ordered to lie on the table. The bill for the better regulating the Eaft India Company's Affairs being then read, the Duke of Portland moved, that it be read a fecond time on Monday next. Lord Temple faid he should seize this firft opportunity of entering his folemn protest against fo infamous a bill, and conceived himself perfectly parliamentary in giving it fuch an epithet, as it infringed upon the most inestimable part of our conftitution, our chartered rights: that, notwithstanding it had been carried with so high a hand in another place, he trusted their lord hips would not fanction it, without a thorough conviction that the plea which had been used that of abfolute neceffity-was juft; and, in order to be convinced of this, they ought to examine with attention every kind of evidence which could be procured, and not be fatisfied with that partial felection of papers then upon the table. He defired to know whether minifters, thould a motion be made for other papers, would object, and take the fenfe of the Houfe upon it. He was aware, he faid, that he was not perfectly in order; but as the noble duke had fo long been extolled for candour in his proceedings, he wished the whole investigation of the bill to be made as candid as poffible, and hoped for a reply to his question. The Duke of Portland faid he thought the papers then upon the table fufficient to enable them to determine on the bill; but should others occur to him as neceffary, he would certainly introduce them. Lord Thurlow agreed with Lord Temple, that every precaution ought to be taken, and every circumftance carefully examined; and that the House ought to have the most stubborn facts to juftify their conduct, before a bill of fuch an alarming nature received their fanction. His lordship called it a violation of the rights of Englithmen, and an invafion of the Company's property, as it difpoffeffed them of their charter. He faid he did not mean to charge the Duke of Portland with having purposely fuppreffed any papers; but as he looked on it as almoft impoffible for any man not to make a partial felection of papers in fupport of a measure he wished to accomplish, he did not confider thofe on the table as fufficient to enable their lordships to decide on the bill. Lord Townshend thought the noble, duke had given a fatisfactory anfwer to the question concerning papers, when he ftated that he had no objection to others being produced. He said he was convinced that the interference of parliament was highly neceffary to rescue the India Company from immediate ruin; that it required fuch a bold and rapid measure as had been adopted; that he liked a bold and active minifter; and had we been in poffeffion of fuch a one during the late war, matters might have terminated more to our advantage. He concluded with obferving, that the Company's charter, which allowed them a monopoly of trade, was not to be taken from them, farther than to prevent them in future from committing fuch horrid ravages and maffacres as they had done; and that the bill fhould meet with his fupport. Lord Loughborough warmly fupported the bill; and wished their lordships to convey their thoughts to India, where war and rapine were yet defolating that country; where the Company's fervants had feized on a prince because he had treasure; and who, as was natural, had effected his escape, and ftimulated other princes to join him in a war against our settlements. A treaty, he admitted, had been concluded; but on what conditions? not to reftore peace, which was so much sighed after, but to join, and endeavour between them to extirpate another powerful prince, and to share |