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nament; fo that our tragedy is but a very faint fhadow of the old. Learned critics, however, do not, perhaps, confider, that if it be expedient to revive the Chorus, all the other parts of the ancient tragedy must be revived along with it. Ariftotle mentions mufick as one of the fix parts of tragedy, and Horace no fooner introduces the Chorus, but he proceeds to the pipe and lyre. If a Chorus be really neceffary, our dramas, like thofe of the ancients, fhould be rendered wholly mufical; the dancers alfo will then claim their place, and the pretenfions of Veftris and Noverre must be admitted as claffical. Such a fpectacle, if not more natural than the modern, would at least be confiftent; but to introduce a groupe of spectatorial actors, speaking in one part of the drama, and finging in another, is as ftrange and incoherent a medley, and full as unclaffical, as the dialogue and airs of the BEGGAR'S OPE

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"Unapt, or foreign to the general theme. "Nec quid medios, &c.

"On this paffage the author of the English commentary thus remarks:

How neceffary this advice might be to the writers of the Auguftan age cannot certainly appear; but, if the practice of Seneca may give room for fufpicion, it should feem to have been much wanted; in whom I fcarcely believe there is one fingle inftance of the Chorus being employed in a manner confonant to its true end and character."

"The learned critick feems here to believe, and the plays under the name of Seneca in fome measure warrant the conclufion, that the Chorus of the Roman ftage was not calculated to anfwer the ends of its inftitution. Ariftotle has told us just the fame thing, with an exception in favour of Sophocles, of the Grecian Drama. And are fuch furmifes, or fuch information, likely to ftrengthen our prejudices on behalf of the Chorus, or to inflame our defires for its revival?"

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the Chorus the author of the English commentary thus remarks:

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This important advice is not always eafy to be followed. Much indeed will depend on the choice of the fub ject, and the artful conftitution of the fable. Yet, with all his care, the ablest writer will fometimes find himself em barraffed by the Chorus. I would here be understood to fpeak chiefly of the moderns. For the ancients, though it has not been attended to, had fome culiar advantages over us in this respect, refulting from the principles and prac tices of thofe times. For, as it hath been obferved of the ancient epic mufe, that the borrowed much of her state and dignity from the falfe theology of the pagan world, fo, I think, it may be justly faid of the ancient tragic, that fhe has derived great advantages of pro bability from its miftaken moral. If there be truth in this reflection, it will help to juftify fome of the ancient choirs, that have been moft objected to by the moderns.'

"After two examples from Euripides; in one of which the trufty Chorus conceals the premeditated fuicide of Phædra; and in the other abets Medea's intended murder of her children; both which are most ably vindicated by the critic; the note concludes in these

words:

In fum, though thefe acts of fevere avenging juftice might not be according to the exprefs letter of the laws, or the more refined conclufions of the porch or academy; yet there is no doubt, that they were, in the general account, efteemed fit and reasonable. And, it is to be obferved, in order to pass a right judgement on the ancient Chorus, that, though in virtue of their office, they were obliged univerfally to fustain a moral character; yet this moral was ra ther political and popular, than ftrictly legal or philofophic. Which is alfo founded on good reafon. The fcope and end of the ancient theatre being to ferve the interefts of virtue and fociety on the principles and fentiments already fpread and admitted amongst the people, and not to correct old errors, and inftruct them in philofophic truth.'

"One of the cenfurers of Euripides, whose

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whofe opinion is controverted in the above note, is Monfieur Dacier; who condemns the chorus in this inftance, as not only violating their moral office, but tranfgreffing the laws of Nature and of God, by a fidelity, fo vicious and criminal, that thefe women [the Chorus!] ought to fly away in the car of Medea, to escape the punishment due to them. The annotator above, agrees with the Greek fcholiaft, that the Corinthian women (the Chorus) being free, properly defert the interefts of Creon, and keep Medea's fecrets, for the fake of juftice, according to their cuftom. Dacier, however, urges an inftance of their infidelity in the Ion of Euripides, where they betray the fecret of Xuthus to Creufa, which the French critick defends on account of their attachment to their mistress; and adds, that the rule of Horace, like other rules, is proved by the exception. • Befides continues the critic, in the true fpirit of French gallantry) fhould we fo heavily accufe the poet for not having made an affembly of women keep a fecret?'

D'ailleurs, peut on faire un fi grand crime â un poete, de n'avoir pas fait en forte qu'une troupe de femmes garde un fecret?

He then concludes his

note with blaming Euripides for the perfidy of Iphigenia at Tauris, who abandons thofe faithful guardians of her fecret, by flying alone with Oreftes, and leaving them to the fury of Thoas, to which they must have been expofed, but for the intervention of Minerva.

"On the whole, it appears that the moral importance of the Chorus must be confidered with fome limitations: or, at leaft, that the Chorus is as liable to be mifufed and mifapplied as any part of modern tragedy.'

The merit of the poetical paffages above quoted would appear in a much stronger light if we could have allowed room for the original. The difficulty of the talk would then have been more apparent, and the real excellence of the verfion would be more readily acknowledged.

THE ENGLISH THEATRE, AND REGISTER OF PUBLICENTERTAINMENTS.

HE Theatre in the Haymarket, under the direction of Mr. Colman, opened on the 31st of May, and exhibited a fcene of alteration and improvement that has been planned with great tafte and judgement.

Mr. Garrick, as chief proprietor of Drury-lane, led the way a few years fince in this fort of theatrical improvement. Meff. Adams were then thought to have worked a wonder, by having contrived to give the interior of an old gloomy theatre a new, a gayer, and even a gaudy appearance. When the firft feelings of furprife were over, men began to reflect a little on the propriety of ftyle adopted in the alteration, and it was generally agreed, that though the whole gave evidence of great fkill and fancy in the architects, it was but ill fuited to the purpofe, Ence the audience part of a play-houfe ought by no means to divert the eye of the fpetiator from the ftage, and

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diftract it by an affemblage of unnatural objects, difplayed in all the glare of no-meaning painting.

A few years afterwards, prompted more by liberality than any real occafion, it became the bufinefs of Mr. Harris to add to the pleafure and accommodation of his beft patrons, the public, and to decorate Covent-Gar den theatre. A nicer tafte was confulted to affift the alterations, and though the convenience and fatisfaction of the audience were principally confulted, the house was rendered more ornamental, without facrificing to decoration what ought to be, at leaft the fe condary object in every playhoufe, the preferving throughout the building a theatrical appearance.

With thefe examples before him, Mr. Colman had the difficult task to atchieve, of calling forth the public approbation to an alteration of the Hay-market theatre, and from the

concurrent

concurrent teftimony of the public, it appears he has fucceeded most eminently.

Whether the merit belong wholly to Rooker, or is to be shared between that able artist and the manager, we hefitate not to fay there is great merit in the alteration, which in the ftrongeft fenfe of the word may be termed an improvement. The ftile of it is wholly different from that of the alteration of Drury-lane, or the more recent alteration of the theatre in Covent-Garden. Without being liable to blame for the falfe gaiety of the one, it does not partake of the folid magnificence of the other, which, however praifeworthy in itself, can only be praifeworthy in a winter theatre. It is neat without formality, and airy without inagnificance; in fhort, the alteration is exactly what it ought to be in a fummer theatre, lightly elegant, and not too extravagantly gay, or, to fpeak in other words, and in more familiar phrafe, it appears to be well dreffed, without looking like a petit-maitre. What most recommends it, is, that it conveys an idea of agreeable coolnefs and placidity before that of any other impreffion.

În order to give thofe who are filled in fuch matters a profeffional defcription of the alteration, we fhall inform them that the Theatre-Royal in the Haymarket is fitted up in the fol

lowing manner:-The ftage-boxes, and thofe over them, up to the cielings, are fupported by fluted columns, with water-leayed capitals, partly gilt and white; the reft of the fupports are pannelled pilafters, green and white, with gold mouldings, with an elegant dental entablature over the whole, the frieze of which is painted green, decorated with gold feftoons, interfperfed with masks and vafes: the fronts of all the boxes are gilt open work, from the hand rail, which is covered with crimfon morine, half way down; this ornament, and the entablatures, are, by an elegant fweep, connected with and carried round the fronts of both galleries; the cieling is painted blue, with white ornament, confifting of wreathes of laurels, &c. the frontifpicce confifts of fluted pilafters of fone colour, and a green curtain with gold fringe. The motto is "Spectas et tapectabere," in a fhield, decorated with ftone-coloured foliage.

Mr. Colman has changed his motto, but not without keeping his predeceffor, Foote in view, by an obvious imitation of his ftage infcription. Foote wrote up, Quid rides? de te fabula narratur; Colman now fays, Speñas, et tu fpectabere:-may he prefent as true a mirror as his predeceffor!

When the curtain drew up. Mr. PALMER came forward, and addreffed the audience in the following

PROLOGU E:

OF real novelty, we're told, there's none;
We know there's nothing new beneath the fun;
Yet still, untir'd, a phantom we purfue;
Sall expectation gapes for fomething new!
To whet your appetite, and pique your taste,
Each bard ferves fome old difh in new puff
pafte;

Crams with hard crufts the literary glutton,
And, like Lord Peter, fwears they're beef and

mutton.

Old magazines each manager too plunders,
Like quacks and mountebanks, cries Wonders!
Wonders!

Detection fcorns; rifks contradictions flat;
Boafts a black fwan! and gives us—a black cat!
Two magpies thus, all winter charm the ear;
The felf-tame note our cuckoo dwells on here!
For we, like them, our penny trumpets found,
And Novelty's the word, the whole year round.
What tho' our houfe Be threefcore years of age,.
Let us new vamp the box, new lay the ftage,
Long paragraphs fhall paint, with proud parade,
The gilded front, and airy balustrade;

While on each poft, the flaming bill difplays
Our old New Theatre, and new old plays.
The hag of fashion thus, all paint and flounces,
Fills up her wrinkles, and her age renounces.

Stage anfwers ftage: from other boards, as here, Have fenfe, and nonfenfe, claim'd by turns your

car.

Here late his jefts Sir Jeffrey Dunftan broke;
Yet here too Lillo's mufe fublimely fpoke:
Here Fielding, foremost of the hum'rous train,
In comic matk indulg'd his laughing vein!
Here frolic Foote your favour well could beg,
Propp'd by his genuine wit, and only leg;
Their humble follower feels his merit leis,
Yet feels, and proudly boafts, as much fuccefs.
Small though his talents, fmaller than his fize,
Beneath your miles his little Lares rife:
And, oh as Jove once grac'd Philemon's thatch,
Oft of our cottage may you lift the latch!
Oft may we greet you, full of hope and fear,
With hearty welcome, tho' but homely cheer!
May our old rosf its old fucce's maintain,
Nor know the Novelty of your difdain!

80

This prologue is the production of Mr. Colman, and, in many of its turns and allufions, is very happy.

June 3. This evening Mifs George made her firft appearance in the character of Rofetta in Love in a Village, and afforded fuch ample gratification to a large and brilliant audience, that enough can fcarcely be faid in her commendation, or in praife of the manager, whofe affiduity difcovered fuch a theatrical jewel, and whofe good tafte led him to bring it forward as the most effential ornament of histheatre.

Since Mr. Colman produced Mifs Harper, no one finger has been brought out at either of our playhoufes, with a tithe of Mifs George's qualifications, or who has promifed to prove fo valuable an acquifition to the ftage. Mifs George is apparently very young, and poffeffes an agreeable perfon, with a fet of features fufficiently recommendatory. Her manner and deportment are not yet theatrically formed, as indeed it would be a wonder if they were, but they will doubtless improve by practice. Her voice is clear, powerful, and full of melody.

June 19 A very young lady about twelve years of age appeared in Sally, in the farce of Man and Wife. She is rather neat and elegant in her perfon, and of a pleafing countenance: the en

M R.

tered into the fpirit of the part with remarkable vivacity, and promises to make an useful actress.

July 10. This evening Mifs Fródfham played Rofalind in As you like it, for the fecond time, and with so much eafe, archnefs, and fpirit, that we make no manner of doubt, but with inftruction fhe will become one of our first comic actreffes. Her figure is genteel, her features beautifully feminine, her eyes fparkle with vivacity, her manners are unembarrassed, and her action is full of character and propriety. She fpeaks as if the had made Shakfpeare her peculiar ftudy, and had caught his meaning minutely, but at the fame time the delivers it with a grace that feems almoft beyond the reach of art. Having feen and admired her father on the flage, we are extremely happy to find that his daughter promifes fo well, and appears to have imbibed fome of his genius. With attention and care he cannot fail of fulfilling our prophecy.

July 5. A new comedy intituled A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED, was this evening introduced to the public.

The prologue, which is the produc tion of Mr. O'Bryen, the author of the play, was fpoken by

PALMER.

IN times long paft, ere Fashion's powerful fway,
Dragg'd men and things, and heaven and earth

her way;

A fober knight, who would be what he chofe.
Bought, and long wore, a pair of worsted hofe:
But stockings muft, like empires, feel difeafe;
And Time, that alters all things, alter'd thefe.
From worsted they grew filk; for with much art
His fempftrefs darn'd with filk each broken part;
Till, like old boroughs, they became deranged,
And e'en their very conftitution changed.

Thus chang'd, our manufacture of to-night
Firft from the loom, as Farce, it faw the light.
Our weaver view'd the ftuff with courteous eye,
And bade it be wrought up to Comedy.
And, when you fee its texture, may you find
Threads like that weaver's filk remain behind.
Once on two legs it crept; then crawl'd on four;
And now it limps on three, as once before.
Unfix'd its title too, as well as frame-
For as its figure chang'd, it chang'd its name;
As fait as politicians change their friends,
Or as mankind all change to gain their ends.
Poets there are, of generous foul, who grudge
The town the trouble from their tafte to judge;

With pomps and pageants, and proceffions vie,
To blind the fenfe, and glut the gaping eye:
As women hide in paint a wrinkled face,
Or dwarfs conceal deformities in lace.
Some, nobly trampling upon nature, draw
Such myftic moniters as no eye c'er faw;
Or, fcorning idle words, fublimely glow
To trance mankind in jig and raree show.
Or teize with frippery till your reafon fhrugs,
Like craw-fick ftomachs cramm'd with nau

feous drugs.

Fare how he may, our poet fought but this,
To paint plain life precifely as it is.
And all may trace the likeness, for you meet
The pictures whence he draws in every street.
Judge then, with temper, of our novice bard,
For 'tis true wifdom not to be too hard.
The poet, like the ftateman, when difgrac'd,.
Joins factious crowds, and roars to be replac'
Damn'd bards at bards triumphant hifs and

grin,

As the out-itatefman thunders at the in:
And each (fuftain'd by kindred fpirits near him).
Plagues you with Off! Off! Off!or Hear him,
Hear him,

Yet

1

Yet do not think our bard would bribe your choice;
He trufts that faireft judge, the public voice.
None thould purfue a trade which is unfit,
And of all quacks the worft's a quack in wit-

The idea of expofing a dangerous character, whofe aim is to prey upon mankind, merits the attention of a dramatic writer. In defiance of the vigilant exertions of private affociation. and public juftice, we meet with these pefts of fociety but too frequently in our metropolis:

"Safe from the bar, the pulpit, and the throne, "And aw'd, if aw'd, by ridicule alone!" They are, therefore, fair game for theatrical sportsmen.

Such exhibitions, however, be it remembered, fhould be managed with MRS.

Blame if he fail, applaud if he fucceed;
When you're moft juft, you then are "Friends
indeed!"

confiderable addrefs, and require no fmall fhare of dramatic ingenuity. When held forth in fuch colours, they may almoft command fuccefs.

The authors of the FRIEND IN NEED, feem to have paid particular attention to this opinion, and have in fome measure fucceeded. The play, however, has not a fufficient degree of humour, or ftrength of comic character, to ensure popularity.

The Epilogue, which is the production of the Manager's fertile pen, was spoken by

BULKLE Y.

WOMAN, of all who feel the hour of need,
Wants most, most rarely finds, a friend indeed!
Doom'd in each fex, alas! by turns to prove
Falfe, hollow triendship, and infidious love.
Hogarth, on whom-fweet humour's darling child!
At once Minerva and Thalia fmil'd;
Whofe pencil'd fatire Vice and Folly fmote,
Who many a comedy on canvas wrote;
With coat tuck'd up, ftraw hat, and linen gown,
Draws honeft Marg'ry juft arriv'd in town:
With ruddy health and innocence she glows,
Fresh as the morn, and blooming like the rofe:
In the inn-yard a hag, who ready ftands,
Lays on the harmlefs maid her harpy hands:
Foo well the beldam knows the treach'rous art,
To tempt and to corrupt, the female heart;
Too foon to ruin the decoys her prey,
"Then cafts her like a loathfome weed away."
"Pooh! pooh! (cries Citpup) this is all a lie!
Poets and painters will make free-Oh fie!
Poor fouls! they love to bounce, and think they
rally,

Nothing but truth and honour in 'Change-alley!
Plump Marg'ry at a monstrous premium went-
Prodigious intereft-almost cent. per cent!
I found her poor, not bleft with half a crown;
Stampt her my own, and brought her upon town-

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Her thousand charms-and hundred thousand
pounds.

But fhe, who pines in want, whose early bloom
Deceit would canker, or diftrefs confume;
Let jealous fears her ev'ry step attend,
And mark the flatterer from the real friend!
He who with gold would bribe her into vice,
Buys but her honour at a dearer price!
Not generous, but prodigal and vain;
A bofom traitor! cruel, not humane!
But he, whofe virtuous hand her wants supplies,
And wipes the tears of anguish from her eyes;
Who rears o'ercharg'd with grief, her drooping
head,

And fummons Hymen to the genial bed;
Let love and gratitude his merits plead,
And lodge him in her heart a FRIEND INDEED!

The characters were as follow:

Mr. Parfons.
Mr. Palmer.

Mr. Williames.

Mr. Baddely.
Mr. Edwin.

When this Comedy is published, we fhall examine the plot and characters, in our Literary Review. At prefent we must content ourselves, with obferving that the Comedy poffeffes many points of humour. Thefe, however, lofe

LOND. MAG. July 1783.

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