of feveral unconnected words on a piece of paper to which every perfon prefent affigns a different connection. As to Dr. A.'s fentiments concerning French mufic, if they offer nothing new, they certainly are juft. LETTER VI. "On the notions of the French Ladies refpecting their fuperior Tafte in Drefs, and perfonal Ornaments. Meddling Difpofition of the French Women." LETTER VII. "On the Gait and Air of French Women- - Beauty not fo common in France as in England." The fubjects of these two letters are fully difplayed in the contents. LETTER VIII. "On the Difference of Difpofition between the French and English Women. Strictures on fome French Ladies. Ninon de L'Enclos." In the powers of captivating, the French, according to Dr. Andrews, excel our fair country-women; though he allows that they poffefs the nobleft qualifications, in an upright heart and a fenfibility of foul. "The French women, who are lively and entertaining, captivate by their dexterity, and we are charmed with their manner and addrefs. "The English, on the other hand, being both beautiful and fenfible, they enchant alike our eyes and our understanding; and the value we fet on their minds is enhanced by the lovelinefs of their perfons." In fpeaking of the gallantry of the French women, he thus fpeaks of the celebrated Ninon de l'Enclos: "They feem, indeed, in what relates to gallantry, to follow, with a fort of reverential implicitnefs, the maxim attributed to the famous Ninon de L'Enclos, jamais delicate fur le nombre, mais toujours fur le choix de fes amours. Never delicate in the number, but always in the choice of her lovers. Pursuant to the principles of that celebrated lady, her imitators, who are numerous among the fair, feem to think that provided their connections in this line are formed with perfons of rank and reputation, it matters little how frequently they are engaged in amorous intrigues. It may not be, on this occafion, improper to remark, that the example of the lady above cited has in all likelihood contributed to that freedom, or rather licentiousness of manners, to call it by its proper name, which too much pre vails among the females of high rank in France. "She was in all refpects, but that of gallantry, a woman of irreproachable character: her behaviour was a model of perfect decency and good breeding; her fentiments were noble and generous in the fublimeft degree, and her actions entirely correfponded with them. Many are the anecdotes recorded of her magnanimity and beneficence. What was particularly remarkable, her loves always ended in the ftricteft and fincereft friendfhips; her fidelity had frequent trials in the troublesome times fhe lived in; but always remained inviolable. As her attachments were indifcriminately among the celebrated perfonages that divided France into factions at that day, fhe became of courfe acquainted with many of their fecrets, and was often entrusted with depofits of the higheft value. But the never betrayed the confidence of any man; and while the fpoils of her numerous lovers, friends, and acquaintance lay at her option, either to secure for their owners, or to wafte or embezzle without fear of detection, fhe was never known to fwerve in one fingle inftance from the strictest rules of difinterestedness and integrity. "This was the more fingular and praife-worthy, as fhe was furrounded by examples of perfidy and baseness. The ministry of Cardinal Mazarin was an era of the moft fhameful venality.. Public fpirit and private probity received a dreadful fhock under his government; and the French were become loofe and profligate beyond the precedents of former periods. "When we view Nir n de L'Enclos in this illuftrious and exemplary light, when we reflect that he was admired, beloved, and careffed by all that was great and exalted in France, royalty itfelf not excepted, and that cafting the veil of oblivion on one fingle frailty, fhe was a pattern of every ac complishment that dignifies her fex; when when all these confiderations are duly weighed, we need not be furprized that her name is fo refpectfully remembered in her country, and that her failing is loft and forgotten in the enumeration of the many virtues and eminent qualities that compofed her cha racter. Unhappily, however, for the generations that followed, the fplendour that accompanied her public life and actions feemed in fome measure to apologize, and even to atone for her private irregularities. They of courfe who felt an inclination to imitate her in the least meritorious part of her conduct, did not fail at the fame time to propofe to themselves an adequate imitation of her excellencies. "Determinations of this kind have doubtlefs helped to people France with numerous copies of this celebrated original. Neither fhould it be denied, that many of them have been remarkably fuccefsful. They have had the art of allying a fyftem of voluptuous immorality with the exercife of many valuable qualifications, and have often proved very beneficial members of that fociety, which their actions did not always edify. "But in the midft of those freedoms, in which Ninon thought proper to indulge herself, the had an excufe to plead (if any excufe can be admitted) which is not always in the power of her followers to alledge. She was a fingle woman, and remained fuch all her life, notwithstanding, the follici tations of men of the first confequence in the realm, to favour them with her hand. "She knew her own nature; and being difpofed to perfift in the indalgencies fhe had granted it, she had too much honour to deceive any man by falfe appearances. "Such probably was the motive that kept her out of the pale of matri mony. Had the ever been prevailed upon to alter her condition, it is equally probable, from the native greatness of her foul, that she would have proved a model of conjugal fidelity. "It were fincerely to be wifhed, for the honour and happiness of her fex in France, that the had confented to become a wife, as every reafon concurs to render it likely that fhe would have done the higheft credit to that appellation. In the mean time, as vice, efpecially of the pleasureable kind, is more readily imitated than virtue, her failings have many more votaries than her good qualities; and the variety of intrigues for which the was remarka ble feems to be an encouragement to the ladies of the prefent age to tread in her footsteps with equal alacrity. "Inconftancy, therefore, may be looked upon as a fort of prerogative among the fair fex of high rank in France. They who embrace contrary maxims may almoft be faid to give up their right and title to what is become their due by long prefcription." (To be continued.) ART. XXXVI. Fashion, an Ode; with other Poems. Dodiley. THE verfification of thefe poems is cafy, and generally correct. In the Ode on Fashion there is real poetry. The poems fubjoined to the firft piece are An Ode on the Viciffitude of Pleasure and Pain; Retrofpection; Beneficence; and an Ode to Amanda. This laft our readers will find in the poetical department of our Mifcellany. As a further fpecimen of this poet's talents we shall transcribe BENEFICENCE, THE wintry blasts of bleak Difdain London. 2s. 4to. The only fhelter he could gain His tender frame by Nature's care The fury of the icy gales O'er ev'ry finking trembling limb prevails: No more inform'd with gen'rous fire, ▲ rapid A rapid hand across the lyre, * From heav'n to earth, from earth to heav'n can fly; With fond imploring gaze, their luftre gone, His eyes are fix'd on heav'n and heav'n alone: Nor fix'd in vain. A fudden light No tranfient dawa of Hope, no gleam Around his glowing car attends The drops of pleafing forrow wet her cheek: Before his ray the cloud departs THE ENGLISH THEATRE, AND REGISTER OF PUBLIC DEC ENTERTAINMENTS. DRURY-L A NE. EC. 5 was performed, for the firt time, THE METAMORPHOSIS, a new opera, the mufic by Mr. Jack fon of Exeter, the dialogue by a perfon unknown, and the fongs, at leaft part of them, as we have been credibly informed, by Mr. Tickell. The following are the characters and fable: Sir Charles Freeman Freeman Neville Toupee Simon Mrs. Neville Charlotte Julia Mary Mr. Suet. Mr. Packer. Mr. Barrymore. Mr. Williams. Mr. Dodd. Mr. Chapman. Mrs. Hopkins. Mifs George. Mijs Phillips. Mrs. Wrighten. FABLE. Freeman, the fon of Sir Charles Freeman, being fecretly attached to Charlotte, daughter to Mrs. Neville, and having no hopes of obtaining her mother's fanction to their union, from the indifferent footing he is upon with Sir Charles, in confequence of his patt extravagancies, contrives to obtain entrance into Mrs. Neville's houfe in the character of a Jew painter, in order to enforce his fuit with Charlotte. In this difguife he has frequent interviews with his mistress, from whom he receives every favourable encouragement. The family, befides the ladies already LOND. MAG. Dec. 1783, mentioned, confifts of a fon; and Julia, the daughter of Mr. Marlow, whofe misfortunes having obliged him to leave England, his daughter receives protection under Mrs. Neville's roof. In this fituation fhe wins the affections of young Neville; but as the patronage of Mrs. Neville does not arife from the most liberal views, the propofes Julia to receive the hand of one of her tenants named Simon, who was on the point of being married to Mary, one of her fervants. Mrs. Nevil'e, en requiring Mary to give up her pretenfions to Simon, is informed in return the Jew painter is not what he pretends to be, as his beard is artificial. This puts Mrs. Neville on her guard, and Freeman, finding himfelf difcovered, abfconds; his father, Sir Charles, at this time entering, obferves it is the firft proof he has ever given of his good fenfe, and that if he perfeveres in fo laudable an intention, he fhall again receive him to his favour. Julia, foon after having an interview with Simon, is glad to find he is unwilling to give up his ruftic Mary, and therefore makes him her confidante to see her to a neighbouring village, where fi.e means to remain, to avoid the marriage Mrs. Neville recommends. The circumftance of her going with Simon occafions great alarm to Neville, who immediately goes in fearch of her. In 4 B the the mean while young Freeman metamorphofes himself into a crippled foldier, and in the prefence of Mrs. Neville and his father again fucceeds to a meeting with Charlotte. Sir Charles having expreffed himself at this moment favourably of his fon, the dif. quifed foldier avows himfelf, and is made happy by his father's forgivenefs, and the hand of his Charlotte. Marlow, who returns from abroad, is filled with apprehenfion for the fafety of his daughter Julia; but he is inftantly relieved by her appearing before him the wife of Neville. Mary being united to Simon, for the fake of dramatic justice, and to ftrengthen the finale, the piece concludes. This opera is an inftance-we mean the fate of it-an inftance of that degeneracy to which the flage has arrived by means of the low arts of puffing in newfpapers. The mufic is exquifitely fine, and fhews its author poffeffed of original genius. Moft of the airs were received with the loudest applaufe, and encored; the words of many of them rife infinitely fuperior to the infipid trash that now paffes for fashionable, and the dialogue is unexceptionably chafte. The ftrokes of wit, although not numerous are of the true attic kind, and there is a neatnefs of expreffion throughout the whole which keeps us from thinking any part of it tirefome. Yet all this availed not. The author fent no paragraphs to newfpapers - he courted no proft tuted pen, and the play, of courfe, fell to the ground. Let it be remembered, however, that we fpeak of the merits of this play only in comparifon with its contemporaries. If operas were really excellent this would fall to the ground; as they are, however, we must declare, and we do it without partiality, that it is fuperior to molt we have been used to fee of late. The performers did their bet, particularly Mifs Phillips and Mifs George. Mr. Barrymore's ftile of playing in the third act was perfe&ly new, and did him the greatest credit. It is to be hoped the manager or authors of this houfe will not lofe fight of his peculiar talent in fo changing his voice that it is impoffible to difcover him under a difguife. Much ufe may be made of this in comedy. COVENT-GARD E N. thousand pounds, who is niece to Dr. Feelove. The Doctor is defirous of the union, on account of Evergreen having confented to take her with a moiety only of her fortune, and leave him to the poffeffion of the refidue. As a ftimulative to the young lady's fayour, Evergreen affumes the title of Lord Penmaenmawr. On the other hand, the young lady is beloved by Bellair; fhe is, however, a ftranger to his partiality, and though fhe has an affection for him, he hardly feems acquainted with her own feelings, cr to know the fource from whence they fpring. Bellair obtains admiffion to her by vifiting her uncle in the affumed character of a fick perfon, and by giving him frequent fees he is always received with welcome. The confidante of Bellair in this contrivance is Carlton, who is attached to Mi Archer, whom he had accidentally feen at the Pantheon the previous fpring; but he has never been able to gain an interview with her. She has alfo another admirer in the perfon of Sir Marvel Mushroom, who, in refentment for the indifferent treatment he has received, writes a lampoon against her: Carlton agrees to pafs for the writer of it, in order to get introduced to her: which Sir Marvel promifes to effect, that he may obferve how his fatire operates. The meeting accordingly takes place, but no explanation is made to favour Carlton's addreffes. It is here neceffary to remark that Sir Marvel affects a knowledge of the claffics and mythology, and in both is continually making errors. Juvenal, who is a female fatyriit, is made ufe of to acquaint Mifs Archer of the jeu d'efprit which had appeared against her, but her information had been anticipated by feveral other friends. In the mean while Bellair having contrived to fend Dr. Feelove to Hampstead to vifit a pretended patient, vifits in his abfence Arabella, and informs her of the love he bears her. She agrees to elope with him, but in order to prepare a reception for her, he visits Evergreen, and telling him how he is circumftanced, is promifed the ufe of his houfe, for the young lady's accommodation. Arabella is accordingly brought, and left under Evergreen's roof, who, on the departure of Bellair, appears and reproaches her with her mifconduct; tells her that Bellair had brought her there, in concert with himself, and by giving an unfavourable colour to what Bellair had told him in confidence, almoft perfuades her he had been betrayed, Evergreen having got her thus in his poffeffion, is determined to carry her off into the country, and leaves her with a view of providing for the jour ney. Mifs Archer here enters, and understanding the intentions of Evergreen, and how averfe Arabella is to be united with him, conveys her inadvertently to the lodging-houfe where Carlton refides. Upon his entering, Mifs Archer conceiving he had followed her reproves him for his rudenefs; nor is this matter explained tili a fecond meeting of the very fame nature takes place.-To come back to Bellair; it is proper to remark, that during his abfence from Arabella, he had feen. his uncle Dr. Feelove, who mistakes him for the brother of his late patient, but as his niece is gone off, and he has feveral motives for being offended at Evergreen, he promifes his confent to give her in marriage, with a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, to whoever can aflift him to find her; Bellair embraces his offer, and returns to Evergreen's houfe, with a view of meeting Arabella. He is in a state of defpair on finding her gone, but is foon relieved by Sir Marvel Mushroom, from whom he learns the place to which the had been conveyed. He finds her, as inftructed, in company with Mifs Archer and Carlton, who by this time have agreed on being united. Evergreen being rejected by Arabella, informs Dr. Feelove, that the fick patient, who had fo often vifited him, was no other than Bellair in difguife. The Doctor, though much incenfed, forgives the device, and adheres to his promife, of giving his niece to Bellair. The material characters of the play are difpofed of as above related; and Sir Marvel Mushroom and Juvenal make their exits out of the dramatic world, juft as they come into it. As this comedy is far inferior to any Mrs. Cowley has ever produced, it follows that we cannot speak of it in terms of approbation. Indeed, we never faw any thing fo execrably bad palmed on the public, under the name of comedy. Caricature, puns, buffoonery, and farce conftitute the leading feature. The molt impudent nonfenfe of puffing has been employed, and has fupported this comedy for a few nights; and the fame caufe may operate throughout the feafon, as there are but few who judge for themfelves, but all fuch paragraphs are but tacit confeffions of weaknefs, and will not, after all, refcue bad plays from the oblivion they justly deferve. The prologue cannot be mentionedthe epilogue, as it is fpoken by Mifs Young, who compares herself to Venus, afforded us a laugh, though perhaps 4 B 2 not |