School for Rakes. however, he professes an honest design, dictated by ardent love, in the clandeftine marriage effected him; this strikes Mrs. Winifred with the pleafing hopes of repairing every thing, and she goes off to prevent Sir William from coming abruptly upon the young couple, as they feem to be in a fair train of reconciliation; but this female politician appears much out in her calculation, for Harriet's offended virtue and delicacy remain inexorable to entreaty, and fhe retires, difclaiming every idea of connection with fo unworthy a betrayer: here Sir William enters, full of the injury done him through his daughter, and a very warm altercation enfues, which is fupported on Lord Euftace's fide with as much decent fpirit as the circumftances will admit; to Sir William's violent decifion, he very properly oppofes his own consciousness of error, which is a fufficient reason why courage fhould not exert itself against an injured perfon; however, the baronet's perfifting in aggravation, compels him at last to accept the challenge, in confequence of which, a meeting is appointed at eight o'clock the next morning, with feconds. After Sir William has expreffed fatisfaction that his fon the colonel is abfent, as this affair of the duel must have fallen upon him, Mrs. Winifred bolts in, and accufes her brother of turning matters topfyturvy; she also mentions Harriet's haughty refusal, which feems to give the old gentleman fingular fatisfaction. His fifter's wifh for being attached to nobility at any rate, gives rife to fome pertinent reflections upon the mingled pride and meannefs which mark her character; Sir William treats her notions with afperity and contempt, and then haftes to Vol. II. comfort F School for Rakesi comfort Harriet, whofe rejection of Lord Euftace, has replaced her in his favour. Mrs. Winifred, in a high miff at the flight fhe has received, wants to affert her own infallibility, by cafting the blame of what has happened upon others, and concludes, with applying to herself Lord Chatham's declaration, of not being accountable for measures that she is not fuffered to guide. Lord Eustace and Frampton begin the fifth act, conferring on the unlucky circumftance of the former having met Sir William, and the challenge confequential to it, which Frampton fenfibly observes, ought not to be fulfilled; however, Lord Euftace folicits him to act as a fecond, which for fubftantiał reafons he denies. Marriage of Harriet is urged as a palliative, but the young peer dreads an imputation of cowardice. Upon Frampton's abfolute denial to be concerned, Lord Eustace requests his delivery of a letter, in cafe he should fall, to his father, and goes off to fearch a lefs fcrupulous friend to act as a fecond. Frampton defcants fome time on the contrariety of Lord Euftace's difpofition, and goes off, refolved to avert, if poffible, thofe perils which hang over his head.. Harriet, accompanied by her aunt, gives vent to an unequalled, and apparently incurable perplexity of mind, occafioned not only by the bafenefs of her fuppofed husband, but by the impending duel, which The urges Mrs. Winifred to prevent at any rate, for which purpose the old lady retires just as Sir William appears he perceives Harriet's concern, and tenderly tries to foften her, but endangering his life on her account, prevents the defired effect; as the baronet will not relax thofe ftrict notions of honour, School for Rakes. which urge him on to fo defperate a mode of fatisfaction. Captain Lloyd's approach occafions the afflicted Harriet to retire; we find that the captain has been fummoned to act as Sir William's fecond; to this end the baronet acquaints him with the duel he is engaged in; a circumftance which draws from the fon of Neptune fome whimsical remarks on fighting, for which he seems to have a very good stomach, but thinks breakfast an effential preparative. This caufes Sir William to take him into another room, and leaves the stage open for Lord Eustace, who comes on with Colonel Evans, as his fecond. By what drops from the colonel, we find, his lordship, through romantic notions of justice, has determined to ftand Sir William's fire, without returning it. At the fame inftant, Harriet and her father enter at oppofite doors, the colonel is immediately faluted with the titles of fon and brother, but is reproved as appearing the abettor of that man who has difgraced his fifter; this young Evans disclaims, and treats Harriet with rough contempt; then takes the quarrel upon himself, and gives Lord Euftace a regular challenge, which, upon finding Harriet's innocence, he seems more warmly bent to enforce. As he and Lord Euftace are going off, Frampton enters, who, hearing Harriet exclaim, "when will my miferies end," replies, "I hope this moment, madam." This dawning of an eclairciffement occafions furprize in all the parties, and enquiries of what he means; when he declares, that he has been with, and is just come from Lord Delville, who approves Harriet for a daughter-inlaw, and has charged him with a letter to Sir Wil School for Rakes, liam Evans upon that fubject. This letter being perufed, the baronet pronounces it a mark of honour in the old peer, yet fays it cannot atone for the mifconduct of his fon Lord Euftace; this ftarts a fresh difficulty, which however is removed by a declaration, that Lady Anne Mountfort never was an object of serious attention to Lord Euftace, and is in reality the lady whofe hand is deftined for Colonel Evans: hence a reconciliation and mutual congratulations enfue on all fides. Captain Lloyd, upon feeing fuch an affemblage of unexpected characters, feems disappointed that the propofed engagement is not likely to take place; however, like an honeft, good natured man, fympathizes in the general joy, with which the comedy concludes. But what could induce the author to tag half a dozen very indifferent lines together, by way of deducing a moral, we fhall not pretend to fuggeft; let it fuffice to fay, that we could wish nature and the established mode, which rejects rhimes, had been more strictly regarded. Upon a general view of this comedy, it appears to be written with a good intention; the dialogue has confiderable eafe, but not much fpirit or elegance; the plot is tolerably interefting, and the fcenes regularly enough difpofed, but the catastrophe is rather huddled up; and the delicacy which Sir William Evans and his daughter seem so strongly poffeffed of, at last vanishes almost imperceptibly. The characters, without a grain of originality, are well imagined, and fupported with tolerable confiftence; Lord Euftace is an odd medley of virtues and weaknefs, for his errors are certainly more the effect of warm paffions and inadequate judg ment School for Rakes. ment than abfolute vice; there is a face of meanness in his proposed connection with Lady Anne, which cafts a fhade that refts on him, even when matters are made up. In reprefentation, he is what performers call a tolerable walking gentleman, and is not much beyond the abilities of Mr. CAUTHERLY, who, by never attempting any thing higher, would deferve fome degree of praise. Sir William is a perfon of nice feelings, and a fond, without being a foolish father. Mr. HOLLAND, who was certainly better calculated for a particular caft in comedy, than any thing he ever did, or could do of a tragic nature, gave juft and fingular fatisfaction in the Welch baronet; fince his death, Mr. HURST has undertaken him, with some degree of fuccefs, which could not happen without fome merit; though certainly the audiences of London have lately been much weaker in their judgment, or more extensive in good nature, than they were seven years ago. May the difpofition continue till there is a fresh fupply of intrinfic merit to ftand the test of criticism. Colonel Evans is a very immaterial object, and can never gain any credit for either author or actor, what can be done for him in action Mr. PALMER fupplies agreeably enough. Frampton is certainly a well drawn child of nature; one who, notwithstanding the want of prudence to preserve his circumftances in' a state of comfort and refpect, nevertheless has a heart which fcorns, even in the midst of dependance, to flatter or promote for intereft, the vices of an opulent patron; nay, who hazards the favour of that patron by labouring to fave him from himself: he is a moft ami able |