Orphan. ciently inexorable for any provocation he has received, as the material circumftance, of which the is innocent, as yet remains unknown to him.

Monimia enters in foliloquy, feeking distractedly for Caftalio, who comes on with all the ardor of revived paffion, with every trace of refentment funk in oblivion.

Throughout this whole fcene there is an affectingpathos of expreffion, and confiderable variety of action: Monimia hints unintelligibly some hidden caufe of diftrefs, fome unfeen bar to the happiness he aims at, and which he fuppofes refts totally in her power. Grief and tenderness agitate him alternately, in a pitiable manner; at length Monimia leaves him without any explanation, an entire prey to doubts and fears.

At this gloomy period, upon this perilous temper of mind, Polydore enters, meditating on his own deplorable condition, which justly makes him weary of life. The brothers encounter, Caftalio enquires for Monimia, of whom Polydore gloomily affects a total ignorance; the word friendship being mentioned, Po lydore catches at it,and throws out ter.ns of fufpicion against Caftalio; this urges the latter to a very affectionate declaration, and a folicitation of comfort from the former, who intimates he has none to give. At length, Caftalio enters upon a perplexed explanation of his marriage with Monimia, this caufes Polydore to break into violent refentment, which he gives fcope to in very grofs terms: Caftalio manifefts an extraordinary spirit of forbearance; till, at laft, being repeatedly ftigmatized as a coward, he draws his fword, upon which Polydore voluntarily rushes, to end a being which the effects of his own

intemperance

Orphan. intemperance has rendered hateful to him. Upon Caftalio's perceiving the fituation his brother is in, all enmity vanishes, and he laments the circumstance which occafions Polydore to own his defign, to explain the occafion. Monimia comes in upon this blood-ftained fcene, and feeing the fatal circumftance which has happened, very juftly starts at the object. Caftalio now viewing her as an object of fingular guilt, feems to threaten death; the expiring brother exculpates our unfortunate orphan in fuch a manner, that her unhappy husband perceives his diffimulation has been the original and ultimate cause of fuch fad difafters. Thus the plot comes to a most interefting crifis; Caftalio becomes convinced of his own misconduct, and its fatal effects; while the innocent object of his rage and ill-treatment dies of poifon, administered by herself---A circumftance we could have wished our author to avoid, as fuicide fhould never be rendered pitiable.

Chamont immediately enters upon the decease of his fifter, fraught with the fame vindictive rage as poffeffed him when last he left the stage; but the irresistable tempest in Caftalio's breast overbears him, till that unhappy victim of violent love and a weak mind, falls by his own hand. Polydore, who has lingered much too long on the stage, yields his breath on Caftalio's receiving the fatal stab, and Caftalio himself expires in a few lines, lamenting the forrows which are brought upon his aged, kind father, and bequeathing his birthright to Chamont; who, after being a madman through all preceding fcenes where he has been concerned, immediately commences moralift, and concludes the piece with a most uncomfortable, vague and indefenfible pofi

Orphan. tion, that heaven maintains its empire by the miferies of mankind; whereas, we think, that the bounties and indulgences of providence, as they are much more extenfive and worthy of divine power, fo they are infinitely a greater proof of it than thofe difagreeable, painful circumftances, which the follies and vices of mankind bring upon themselves and fociety.

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In this tragedy we meet with many strokes of culiar fenfibility; the ftory affords great opportunity for fuch, and yet the plot not only abounds with improbable irregularities, but is originally founded upon a moft grofs and offenfive principle; every idea of delicacy is caft afide, and licentiousness made the vehicle of melting impreffions; the ftage is fo incumbered with blood and death, that it becomes a fpectacle of real horror; the characters give us in general a very unfavourable idea of human nature; however, they are well supported, according to the principles on which each appears to be founded.

Acafto is an elderly nobleman, who has paffed part of his life in a state of honourable activity; but being like many other worthy objects, neglected to make way for the preferment of more pliant, courtly tempers, now abstracts himself from all public concerns, and means to enjoy the comforts of domeftic felicity. He appears to be poffeffed of a good understanding, and a liberal mind; to his children a tender parent, to Monimia, as the daughter of a deceafed friend and dependent on him, a kind protector. No great requifites are wanting to render him refpectable in representation, yet have we never seen any performer equal to our idea of this character; Meffrs. SPARKS and BERRY, were neareft the mark. Meffrs. BRANS

BY

Orphan.

BY and GIBSON, are at prefent very poor apologies for it. Whatever ideas theatrical gentlemen may form of Acafto, we are perfectly of opinion, that he merits a capital actor to give him due confequence.

Caftalio is diftinguifhed by a foft, amorous turn of mind, whofe want of generous, open confidence, caufes all the diftrefsful circumftances which happen; he is much more an object of partial pity than eftimation. With refpect to his brother, he certain- . ly acts a mean, evafive part; and with Monimia, he alternately fhews himself a fool and a tyrant : his circumstances give great fcope for the exertion of various capital powers, which were amazingly well fupplied in the elegant figure, bewitching voice, and excellent acting of Mr. BARRY; who, in this part, defied the feverest criticifin, and justly claimed what he always obtained, the warmest applause that enchanted feelings could bestow.

Mr. Ross, tho' much fainter, has yet confiderable mcrit; he figured the part well, his voice had the merit of harmony, but wanted extent of power for the most impaffioned fcenes. Mr. REDDISH is heavy and inadequate through the whole; neither his love, grief nor rage, keeps pace with the author's meaning. Mr. SMITH'S conftant failing, fameness, lies remarkably heavy on him in this part; it is true, he rifes above infipidity, but does not ftrike out a gleam of leading merit. Mr. POWELL hit off the tender paffages much better than any other competitor, except Mr. BARRY; but in the fcenes of mere dialogue, he fell very fhort of Mr. Ross; who perhaps for characteristic ease and gentility in them should be placed first.

Polydore

Orphan.

Polydore is bold, open, licentious, rather brutal, both in character and expreffion; ungenerous and bafe in his conduct to Monimia to the laft degree; an object of much diflike, and very little esteem; despised, or rather detefted in life, unpitied in his fall, more against the actor than for him.

Mr. SPARKS was the most characteristic performer out of many that we have obferved; the spirit and fubtlety of this part, he marked with peculiar merit. We remember to have feen Mr. SHERIDAN make a most lamentable attempt at this character, and are bold to say upon recollection, that except the bare meaning of those words he uttered, the whole was fuch a piece of impotent, disgustful performance, as fcarce any actor of repute ever fhewed before or fince. Meffrs. CAUTHERLY and WROUGHTON are pretty equal competitors for the palm of infipidity; to fay which is worst would puzzle the acuteft criticism, and imagination is almoft at a lofs to conceive the wretchedness of either.

Chamont, in our account of the piece, has been marked as an oddity, and an extraordinary one he really is, but well calculated to shew an able actor advantageously. The quicknefs and fire of look, as well as expreffion and gesture, which so eminently distinguish Mr. GARRICK from all his cotempo, raries, no where operate more happily than in Chamont; paffions which are really abfurd and laugha ble, as the author has drawn them, are by him rendered refpectable and ftriking; the calmer paffages he delivers with unequalled fenfibility, and his tran fitions to the impetuous ones are fo masterly, that all attempts to describe his excellence must injure it. VOL. II.

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