It is the evident intention of the A his fuit, the fuppofes that he is pro- | parental forgivenefs, and a promise pofing love to herfelf,-and, while of filial reformation. matters were in this equivocal state, fir Simon enters, and bitterly re-author of this piece to give a dafpingproaches the captain for fuch difho- portrait of thefe dajning times, rather nourable intentions. The captain than to build a comedy upon the had previously defired fir Simon to regular bafis of dramatic rules. be his fecond in his intended duel new fpecies of comedy has arifen of with Harcourt, and fir Simon dif- late years, tending more to ridicule plays fo furious a fpirit, even at the prevailing manners than to draw life idea of being a fecond, that the cap- as it is likely to appear in all ages. tain, finding fir Simon will hear no éxplanation, concludes that the lat- ceeded very well. He has fable In this refpect the author has fucter will not be fatisfied without a enough for this purppfe, and his fa hoftile conteft. Sir Simon, how- ble is not without intereft or moral. ever, foon proves a wretched pol- In one point, the author has adhered troon, and is beaten by the captain. to the advice of the critics, for he Harcourt, before he quits the King's has given a due contraft of characters. Bench, advifes Young Flourish to get There is an old man affecting refined a day ruke, vifit his father, and pretend breeding, and another valuing himhe has just returned from his travels, felf on his blunt fincerity; a young intimating that fir Simon's pleafure man converfant in all the tricks of at feeing his fon, will induce him to the town, and another a specimen of pay all his debts. Young Flourish ruftic ignorance; an intriguing fa adopts this advice; and, being obliged fhionable wife, and a young lady to take one of the officers of the pri- recommended by modeft fimplicity; fon with him, he paffes off the latter a tradefman rough and brutal, and as a German count. Some whim- another fubtle and fawning. These fical events arife on the interview characters, and many others, fuch as between the father, the fon, and the this motley town affords, are all well pretended count. At length both employed; and the whole is calcuthe fathers difcover that their refpec-lated to produce much entertaintive fyftems of education are equally erroneous, and that both their fons are tenants of the King's Bench. It fhould be obferved, that when Young Tefty visits mifs Hartley, at his father's defire, to make matrimonial propofals, he mistakes the maid for the miftrefs, and marries the former; who, the moment the ceremony is over, attends her husband to the King's Bench, the officers having dogged him into church. As Old Tefty finds that his for cannot marry mifs Hartley, and as captain O'Neil, having come to an explanation with Harcourt, recommends his caufe to fir Simon; the latter, fearful of exciting the refentment of the Hibernian, and Old Tefly, confent to the marriage of Harcourt and mifs by England against Spain on Hartley; the piece concluding with account of the Spani fucceffion, an ment in an audience difpofed to indulge their rifible feelings. duction of Mr. Holman, of Covent This piece is faid to be the proGarden theatre. It was originally annotinced under the title of The King's Bench, which was afterwards altered to the prefent, as we underftand, by the fuggeftion of authority. THE PRISONER; A TALE. (Embellished with an elegant Engraving.) D URING the war carried on - Engli English officer, of the name of Wilfon, was quartered for fome time, with the troops under his command, in a town in Portugal. He was young, handfome, and generous; and not a little attracted the notice and favour of the ladies with whom he converfed. But among all he met with, he found none who made fuch an impreffion on him as a young Portuguefe of the name of Therefa. Her beauty, vivacity, good-nature, and sense, kindled in his heart the of men; fuffice it here to fay that, after various skirmishes, in which he bravely fought against those whom he confidered as the enemies of his country, he was at laft furprised, overpowered by numbers, wounded, and taken prisoner. (To be continued.) ON SCANDAL. GAINST flander there is no flame of love; and the principles of A defence. Hell cannot boat honour and virtue which the manifested in her whole conduct, exalted his affection to a fincere and ardent paffion. fo foul a fiend, nor man deplore fo fell a foe. It ftabs with a wordwith a nod-with a flrug-with a look with a finile. It is the pestiThe young foldier told his foft lence walking in darkness, spreading tale, and was received with recipro- contagion far and wide, which the cal love; but her relations ftrongly moft wary traveller cannot avoid; oppofed their union. The differ-it is the heart-fearching dagger ence of religion appeared to them of the affaffin ;-it is the poisoned an infuperable bar; but, in her arrow whofe wound is incurable; breaft, love triumphed over fuch-it is the mortal fting of the deadly fcruples. Frequently they met, and adder. Murder is its employment wandered through the groves, or by innocence its prey-and ruin its the banks of a winding ftream, vow-fport.-Maria was a fatal inftante. ing to each other eternal fidelity, and bleft in the mutual confidence they repofed in each other's fincerity. In this world, happinefs like this is commonly tranfient. Captain Wilfon's corps was fuddenly ordered to proceed, by forced marches, to a confiderable distance from the town which held the object of his fond affection. He could not even find an opportunity to take leave of her; but left a letter, in the hands of a perfon in whom he could confide, to be delivered to her, expreffive of his love, and fixed refolution to return and fee her again the moment it fhould be in his power. His adventures in the field, his marches, countermarches, onsets, retreats, and the numbers who fell by the hands of himself and his party, fhall be left to be recorded by that more dignified hiftoric Mufe whofe attribute it is to record the miferies Her head was a little raised from the pillow, fupported by her hand, and her countenance was exceedingly forrowful-the glowing blush of eighteen vanished from her cheeks, and fever rioted in luxury upon her damak fkin. It is even fo;-a bursting figh laboured from her bofom;-virtue is no protection while detraction breathes malignity-while envy fearches for faults, and tortures truth. I might have been happy! but oh! ye bufy thoughts, recall not to my memory those joyful hours!-the ftruggled but in vain. The invifible power of darkness clofed her eyes, and her heaving breaft panted with the last throbbings of a broken heart. She is now no more. Scandal triumphed over the lovely maid. Superior qualifications made her the dupe of envy, and a feyer followed. She fell a facrifice to exquifite feelings! SHOW and USE; or, the Two PRESENTS. and was content with fending them to the curate of the parish. At four years old, Young Peer [From Dr. Aikin's "Evenings at started for a fubfcription-purfe, and Home."] NE morning, lord Richmore, came in fecond out of a number of competitors. Soon after, he won a country plate, and filled his master now turned all his attention to the turf, made matches, betted high, and was at firft tolerably fuccefsful. At length, having ventured all the mo match, Young Peer ran on the wrong fide of the poft, was distanced, and the fquire ruined. welcomed with the tidings that his favourite mare, mifs Slim, had brought a foal. and also that a fheafs, kept for his lady's ufe as a milker, had dropt a young one. His lord-ney he could raife upon one grand fhip fimiled at the inequality of the prefents nature' had made him.As for the foal, (faid he to the groom) that, you know, has been long promised to my neighbour Mr. Scamper. For young Balaam, you may difpofe of him as you pleafe." The groom thanked his lordship, and faid he would then give him to Ifaac the woodman. In due time, mifs Slim's foal, which was the son of a noted racer, was taken to squire Scamper's, who received him with great delight, and out of compliment to the donor named him Young Peer. He was brought up with at least as much care and tenderness as the fquire's own children-kept in a warm stable, fed with the best of corn and hay, duly dreffed, and regularly exercifed. As he grew up, he gave tokens of great beauty. His colour was bright bay, with a white ftar on his forehead; his coat was fine, and fhone like filk; and every point about him feemed to promife perfection of fhape and make. Every body admired him as the completeft colt that could be seen. So fine a creature could not be deftined to any ufeful employment. After he had paffed his third year, he was fent to Newmarket to be trained for the turf; and a groom was appointed to the care of him alone, His mafter, who could not well afford the expenfe, faved part of it by turning off a domeftic tutor whom he kept for the education of his fons, VOL. XXVII. Meantime young Balaam went into Ifaac's poffeffion, where he had a very different training. He was left to pick up his living as he could in the lanes and commons; and on the coldest days in winter he had no other shelter than the lee-fide of the cottage, out of which he was often glad to pluck the thatch for a subfiftence. As foon as ever he was able to bear a rider, Ifaac's children got upon him, fometimes two or three at once; and if he did not go to their mind, a broomstick or bunch of furze was freely applied to his hide. Nevertheless he grew up, as the children themselves did, strong and healthy; and, though he was rather bare on the ribs, his fhape was good, and his limbs vigorous. It was not long before his mafter thought of putting him to fome ufe; fo, taking him to the wood, he faftened a load of faggots on his back, and fent him with his fon T m to the next town. Tom fold the faggots, and mounting upon Balaam, rode him home. As Ifaac could get plenty of faggots and chips, he found it a profitable trade to fend them for daily fale upon Balaam's back,Having a little garden, which from the barrenness of the foil yielded him nothing of value, he bethought him. of loading Balaam back from town with dung for manure. Though all he could bring at once was contained 3 R in the enemy, who for the space of ten years has given you fo much alarm." "Ah! my fon, (anfwered the father) it is thus at your age a youth fhould fignalife himself, and not by filly amours." "Father, (replied Aucaffin) no reflections, I entreat you; I have difcharged my engagement; now think of performing yours." in two small panniers, yet this in time amounted to enough to mend the foil of his whole garden, so that he grew very good cabbages and potatoes, to the great relief of his family. Ifaac, being now fenfible of the value of his afs, began to treat him with more attention. He got a fmall ftack of rufhy hay for his winter fodder, and with his own hands built him a little shed of boughs and "What, my dear fon?" mud, in order to fhelter him from "What! did you not make me a the bad weather. He would not folemn promife, that if I would go fuffer any of his family to ufe Ba-out to the battle, I fhould once more laam ill, and after his daily journies fee and exchange a kifs with Nicohe was allowed to ramble at plea- lette? If you do not recollect the fure. He was now and then clean- engagement, I, for my part, have ed and dressed, and, upon the whole, not forgotten it." made a reputable figure. Ifaac took in more land from the wafte, fo that by degrees he became a little farmer, and kept a horse and cart, a cow, and two or three pigs. This made him quite a rich man; but he had always the gratitude to impute his profperity to the good fervices of Balaam, the groom's prefent; while the fquire curfed Young Peer as the caufe of his ruin, and many a time wifhed that his lordfhip had kept his dainty gift to himself. "May I die inftantly if I agree to it! I would rather, were fhe in my power this moment, throw her before your face into the flames." "Father, is that your final refolution?" "Yes, by heavens!" "Indeed, I am much concerned to find you capable of fuch a breach of honour."-Then, turning to Bongars, "Count of Valence, (faid he) are you not my prisoner :" Moft affuredly, fir." "Then give me your hand, and make a folemn oath never to omit AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE. an occafion, during life, to hurt and A TALE. [From the Tales of the Minstrels; tranflated from the French of M. Le Grand.] (Concluded from p. 468.) HE count Bongars, hearing the cries that announced the capture of Aucaffin, had made hafte to partake of the triumph. Aucaffin, in his retreat, recognised the count, and gave him fo violent a blow with his fword upon the helmet, that he unhorfed him. He then feifed and dragged him into the city, to prefent him as a prifoner to his father. "Sire, (faid he) here is difgrace my father." "Sir, I am your prisoner, and you may require for my ranfom what you pleafe. Demand gold, filver, horses, dogs, furs, either white or grey; I will engage for all:-but ceafe, I pray you, to treat me with mockery and infult." "I will have no reply, no gainfaying (anfwered Aucaffin); either comply with my requifition, or die this moment by my sword." Bongars, terrified at this menace, made no further refiftance, but took all the oaths required; after which his conqueror conducted him to one of the gates, and fet him at liberty. But all that Aucaffin acquired by his achievement, was the count's order to to be arrested and imprifoned in the tower. Nicolette continued in her con finement strictly watched. One night, being unable to compofe her eyes to fleep, the perceived the moon fhining with prodigious brightnefs in the firmament, and heard the nightingale's plaintive notes refound in the garden; for it was in that pleasant time of the year, when the days are long, and the nights ferene. Her thoughts were then engaged on Aucaffin, her lover, and the perfecution she suffered from the count Garins. The old woman appointed to guard her was at that moment afleep, and Nicolette thought the opportunity favourable for her efcape. She rofe without noife, put her filken mantua upon her fhoulders, and fixing her fheets, tied together, to the fafh of the window, the ufed them as a rope, and flipped down into the garden. By the light of the moon the difcerned the garden gate, which fhe opened; and, obliged to crofs the town in her flight, the arrived under the very tower in which her lover was confined. This tower was ancient, and had crevices open in feveral places. The maid, as fhe paffed along, fancied fhe heard a perfon complaining; and, applying her ear to one of thofe openings, fhe knew the voice to be that of Aucaffin, who was lamenting his hapless love. When the had liftened for fome time, "Aucaffin, (faid fhe) gallant bachelor, why weep and lament in vain? I am hateful to your father and your family; we cannot meet and live together: adieu! I am going to crofs the feas, and to hide myself in a far diftant country:" on faying which, fhe cut off a lock of her hair, and threw it into the tower. The lover received the gift with tranfport. He kiffed it in raptures, and then concealed it in his bofom. But what Nicolette had juft announced to him filled him with defpair. "My charmer, the cried) you must not leave me, unless you mean to doom me to deftruction." The fentinel, pofted upon the tower, overheard their difcourfe, and pitied them. All at once, he defcried, at the further end of the ftreet, the foldiers coming their rounds, with drawn fwords under their cloaks. "She will be difcovered and arrested (faid he within himfelf): what a pity that fo beautiful a damfel fhould perifh!-Alas, Aucaffin, my prince, will alfo fuffer! The charitable fentinel would fain have warned Nicolette fully of her danger; but that the foldiers should not discover it, he could do it no otherwife than by a fong appofite to the occafion. The fair one easily divined the meaning of the fong; and, after breathing out an acknowledgment to the kind fentinel, fhe wrapped herself up in her mantua, and, favoured by the shadow of a post, hidd herself in an angle of the tower, fo that the foldiers paffed by without obferving her. When they had got to a distance, fhe bade adieu to her lover, and approached the walls of the town, to feek a paffage for her efcape. Her There was the terrified, at first looking over, with the fight of a very deep ditch; but the danger that already threatened her, from the anger of the count Garins, overcame all leffer apprehenfions; fo, after commending herfelf to God, the flipped down into the moat. delicate hands and tender feet, not ufed to fuch encounters, were wounded in feveral places: nevertheless, her fears made her insensible of the pain. But to have reached the bottom of the ditch was not enough: it was necessary to climb the other brink; and here lay the difficulty. Her good fortune, however, directed her to one of thofe fharp pointed ftakes, that had been hurled by the defenders of the town upon the 3 R2 euemy |