Beggar's Opsra. our opinion, foremost; at prefent it does not deferve notice at either houfe.

Lockit is obvious and easy to hit, yet all we have seen never exceeded mediocrity; fome fink him into an abfolute black-guard, which there is no reafon for; and others foften the natural gloom of his ftation too much; the late Mr. BERRY was we apprehend, the moft tolerable of any person for feveral years. Filch is well defcribed by the author, and never was, nor never need be better expreffed than by Mr. PARSONS of Drury-lane, who, if it would not feem an aukward compliment, looks, deports, and fings the pickpocket to perfection.

--

Polly is an agreeable young woman, imprudent, yet delicate, and conftant in affection; the com mits a breach of filial duty, 'tis true, in point of her fecret marriage, but fuch parents as hers appear to deferve little confidence; no character in the drama has furnished fo many young adventurers as this, feveral of whom have made ample provision for themselves through her introduction into life; and, upon the whole, there never was a part in which fo many unequal performers made a tolerable ftand; out of a large number in our recollection, the following ladies deferved confiderable praife, Mifs NORRIS, Mifs FALKNER, and Mrs. CHAMBERS.

Mrs. PINTO fung it better, and brought more money by far than any perfon fince the firft feafon of exhibition; Mrs. ARNE alfo had great mufical

3

merit,

Beggar's Opera. merit, but neither of them poffeffed a shadow of acting Mrs. CIBBER was to the eye, heart, and ear, worth all we have mentioned, and the only fenfible fpeaking female finger that we remember-were the understanding to be pleased with sensibility of countenance, emphafis, and found, we could wish to fee Mifs MACKLIN do the part at present.

Lucy is a character, who, through weakness or vice, has forfeited her virtue; fhe is composed of violent paffions, and, as we have fhewn, of a bad heart; yet, even with moderate merit, muft please in acting; Mrs. CLIVE, though she squalled the fongs did the part more justice than any body else. We presume Mrs. MATTOCKS would fhew more character and spirit in it than any one now on the stage.

Mrs Peachum was extremely well represented by Mrs. MACKLIN, and does not fuffer injury from Mrs. VINCENT; but, we apprehend, would be much better in poffeffion of Mrs. GREEN; as to Mrs. Dye, and the other ladies, we fhall take no notice of them, as we cordially wish they were never to be feen again.

From obfervations already made, we have fhewn that there is fcarce any moral deducible from the BEGGAR'S OPERA; that it is, upon the whole, a loathfome, infectious carcafe, cloathed in an angelic garb; that it is founded upon folid fenfe and fatiric truth, yet rifes into a fuperftructure of licentioufnefs; that it is highly entertaining, not at all inftructive; that it is an exquifite burlesque upon Italian operas, and not a little fo upon virtue; that it is inflammatory VOL. I

S

with

Beggar's Opera with humour, and vulgar with elegance; in fhort, it is one of those bewitching evils, which offended reafon must wish had never been brought to light, while delighted taste muft lament the very idea of its annihilation.

OTHELL

O THE LL

Written by SHAKESPEARE.

It is very much to be wished that tragic writers

T

would rather bend their thoughts to familiar circumftances in life, than those which concern elevated feelings and abstract paffions; the latter may indeed furnish matter to genius of a dignified nature, but the former moft effectually appeal to general inftruction; thus we may fafely affert, that though our author's Julius Cæfar is equal to any piece, ancient or modern, for importance of fubject, greatness of character, and liberality of fentiment; yet feebler efforts of genius carry in their nature and compofition a greater degree of focial utility; not that we confider the noble fpirit of patriotism, ás too great or copious for any British bofom, at leaft any honeft one; but it is not fo relative to common domeftic concerns, as many other feelings which work effential advantage, or overbearing mifery.

Thus much we premise in favour of this tragedy founded on that fever of the mind, jealousy, which Doctor Young most emphatically calls "the Hydra of calamities;" a paffion often arifing in every ftation of life from fparks of inflammation, at firft Scarce perceptible, into "a conflagration of the foul."

OTHELLO Commences with a fcehe between Rd= dorigo and Iago, defigned to let the audience know that the latter is chagrined at his general, the Moor,

Othello

for not promoting him according to his defire, and that the former has a very affectionate tendre for the commander's new married lady; it appears plain that the amorous fimpleton is made an abfolute tool to the deep defigns of Iago, who not caring to appear himself as the Moor's enemy, fets. on the glib-tongued coxcomb to alarm Brabantio with the elopement of his daughter; this fcene is well written, but the paffages hereafter pointed at, are egregiously offenfive, and if performers will not voluntarily omit them, ought to be condemned into obfcurity, at least from the stage, by public repulfes.-Iago's fecond speech to Brabantio under the window, beginning, "Sir, you are robb'd," is most grofsly conceived; and what immediately fucceeds thefe words of the fame character, if poffible, worse, "because we come to do you fervice, you think us ruffians" Iago's departure and leaving Rodorigo to be the old Senator's guide is very politic.

Upon appearing, with Othello we find the doubledealing Ancient, working into Othello's confidence by fpecious proffeffions of attachment to his inclination and intereft; which prepares us for his future infidious tranfactions; while the Moor's contempt of Brabantio's refentment, fhows that true dignified fecurity of mind, which confcious innocence beftows

the following fcenes till he appears before the fenate are rather trifling, fave that a meffage from the ftate faves Othello the difgrace of going as a prifoner.

The fenate scene has ever been deemed an important one, and indeed with confiderable juftice;

the