composition is sometimes no more than an humble copier) Alonzo, the revengeful husband, on the lady's waking and looking at him, cries out, in transport,

Ye powers! with what an eye she mends the day!

Farther, in the same scene, Alonzo still pursues the brilliant image with unrelenting fury:

But oh those eyes! those murderers! O whence,

Whence did'st thou steal those burning orbs! from Heav'n?
Thou did'st, and 'tis religion to adore them!

In the Brothers this image of ocular beauty is still carried to a greater wantonness of expression, to little less than a quibble. Philip had killed the two sons of the Thracian king; but the sister, preserved by the conqueror's remorse and pity, revenges the wounds of her murdered brothers by the lustre of her eyes.

Brothers. Act I.

She grew, she bloom'd, and now her eyes repay
Her brother's wounds on Philip's rival sons.

Two parts in this play were acted admirably; the noble warmth of Demetrius was congenial to the native fire and energy of Mr. Garrick; and Mossop happily seized the cruel and insidious disposition of Perseus, and made him a proud, unrelenting, royal villain. Berry, though a very good general actor, in tragedy and comedy, wanted dignity of behaviour, and elevation of mind, to represent Philip.

This actor's great fault was too violent an attempt to pathetick feeling; his tears were shed abundantly indeed, but often loudly and ungracefully. Miss Bellamy had not art to represent the pride and passion of Erixene.

The tragedy of Boadicea was brought forward in November 1754; great expectations were formed of its success from the reputation of the author, who had acquired very great and deserved praise from his heroick poem of Leonidas. But his poetical fame, though great, is inferior to his character as a patriot and true lover of his country.

The amiable author read his Boadicea to the actors. But surely his manner of conveying the meaning of his poem was very unhappy; his voice was harsh, and his elocution disagreeable. Mr. Garrick was vexed to see him mangle his own work, and politely offered to relieve him by reading an act or two; but the author imagining that he was the only person fit to unfold his intention to the players, persisted to read the play to the end, to the great mortification of the actors, who would have been better pleased with the fine melody of their master, who excelled all men in giving proportional weight to the various characters of a dramatick piece.

The language of Boadicea is pure and classical, the sentiments just, and sometimes elevated; but the fable is not greatly interesting, nor are the characters very strongly marked. The Dumnorix of Glover is inferiour to the character of Caratach in Fletcher's Bonduca. Boadicea is detestable from

her cruelty and ingratitude: Enobarbus is a faint, cold image of his namesake in Shakspeare's Antony and Cleopatra: Venusia is innocent and sentimental; but many such characters are to be found in our English tragedies.

From the spirited quarrel in the first act, between Boadicea and Dumnorix, the audience entertained hopes of seeing a perfect tragedy; but they were too soon-acquainted with the catastrophe from every little inartificial incident. Mr. Garrick, whose spirit was invincible, endeavoured, in vain, to support the languid action of the tragedy. It was dragged on to the tenth night, and has never since been revived. Mr. Glover has preserved a custom of the Druids, who enjoined the persons who drank their poison to turn their faces towards the wind, in order to facilitate the operation of the potion.

Dumnorix to Venusia. Act V.

Now stand a while before the fanning breeze;

So with its subtle energy, the potion
Less rudely stealing on the powers of life,

Will best perform its office, to remove

Pale fear and grief for ever from the breast.

But Mr. Glover's masterpiece in tragedy is his Medea. Notwithstanding it is a subject rather of admiration than pity, yet the author has contrived from scenes of horrour to draw tears of compassion; at least Mrs. Yates, by her admirable action, has melted every audience that has seen her inimitable Medea.

The story of Creusa is taken from the Ion of Euripides, a fable which is lost in mythology; but the poet intended to do honour to his country by the choice of it. Creusa, daughter to the king of Athens, is vitiated by Apollo, whose offspring, Ion, is dedicated to him by the priestess of Delphos. The mother is married to Xuthus, a prince who assisted the Athenians in their wars against the Eubæans; for his reward he is chosen their king, whose successor is young Ion.

Such a plot seems but ill adapted to the taste of a modern audience; but the skill of the poet contrived to draw from it a pleasing picture of a young prince's education, and to give excellent lessons of politicks and morals; and herein consists the chief merit of Creusa. In vain did the author strive to force a tear for Creusa's misfortunes. Mrs. Pritchard fainted, and Mr. Garrick discovered himself to be her husband, without any effect. However, the latter displayed a skill in delivering didacticks, which proved him to be a perfect master of elocution. The language of Cruesa is not vigorous; but it is simple and elegant. Creusa's contempt of Xuthus is as unwarrantable as disgusting; and her minister Phorbas is little better than a politician run mad.

1

CHAPTER XVI.

The Chinese Festival..... Preparations for it....Commanded by the king....Account of the disturbance occasioned by it.

THE success of Drury-lane theatre, under the direction of two managers who knew their interest, was great and uninterrupted; but Mr. Garrick foresaw that the repetition of his best characters would in time beget satiety; for while he was able to act, the people would expect to see him; he wished, therefore, to contrive some particular mode of management which would attract their attention without him. Mossop, Woodward, and others among his best comedians, were employed occasionally in some revived plays with advantage, and the usual Christmas dish of a new pantomime had the temporary effect of drawing the high and low vulgar after it;but all arts were supposed ineffectual to fix the wavering taste of the publick, unless Mr. Garrick made a part of the entertainment. However, he sought to divert and win them, by fixing their attention upon a new object.

In the summer of 1754, Mr. Garrick invited the celebrated Mr. Noverre to enter into an engagement with him for the ensuing winter, and to compose such dances as would surprise and captivate all ranks of people.

Noverre's compositions, in all the varieties of graceful movement, had long been admired and ap