Case.

fpectable, and we have received fome pleasure from Mr. CLARKE, in this treacherous senator.

Syphax is a rogue also, and disloyal to his prince, but he is fo upon rather a ftronger principle than Sempronius, for having conceived a fixed antipathy against the Romans, whofe polished manners he interprets effeminacy, and being enraged at Juba's attachments to Cato, he endeavours to perfuade him therefrom, which being declined with harfh terms, the testy old Numidian takes the personal affront close to heart, and thoroughly connects himself with Sempronius's views. This character we deem better drawn than any other in the piece, and supported with great uniformity of spirit.

Mr. THE. CIBBER, in our judgment, formed a more adequate idea of Syphax than any other performer; his diffimulation and teftinefs was defcribed excellently by that judicious comedian; but he retained fo much of the cant, which is now happily exploded, that we could only applaud him for what he meant, not what he did. Mr. GIBSON is a mighty lukewarm reprefentative of the old Numidian, but unless Mr. HULL fhould venture on him, is as well as any other perfon at present in Covent Garden. Indeed, to say truth, take it for all in all, there never was such a mangled fpectacle seen at a Theatre Royal, as this tragedy was in April, 1770, at that house; and however ftrange the affertion may seem, it is ftrictly true, that Mr. GARDNER manifefted more characteristic merit in Lucius, than any other perfon in the whole drama. Of all

the

Cato.

the Decius's we have feen, we don't recollect one fufficiently to authorize particular mention.

Marcia is a lady possessed of just and elegant fentiments, a worthy offspring of the great Cato, except where she is rendered rather ridiculous by the metamorphofe and fall of Sempronius: Mrs. WorFINGTON gave that importance to the character by her figure and action, which Mr. ADDISON left for the actress to supply; Mrs. BELLAMY fuftained the part very well, so did Mrs. HAMILTON; as to Mifs MILLER, lately, fhe was inoffenfive, and that's as high as most of the young performers can reach.

Lucia is a very tender-hearted fair one, violently enamoured, yet fays or does very little worthy the the leaft notice; a good tragic actress might be rendered infipid by fuch a part, no wonder then that Mrs. MATTOCKS fhould move through it without any degree of praife; Mrs. STEPHENS's manner and expreffion is better calculated to make things of this fort agreeable, than any other theatrical lady we know.

Party is of a very dangerous nature to dramatic representations, but both whigs and tories taking this piece as a compliment to themselves, ftrenuously fupported it, and gave a fanction it never deserved, for we must abfolutely deny its theatrical excellence; it is certainly a moral, colloquial poem of great merit, but a tragedy full of defects; it fhould be immortal in the closet, but cannot justly claim poffeffion of the stage.

AS You LIKE It.

A COMEDY by SHAKESPEARE.

THIS paftoral comedy, for such it may proper

ly be ftiled, opens with Orlando and Adam, the former a young gentleman, recounting to the latter, fteward of the family, the fcanty provifion made for him by the will of his father, and the cruelty of his elder brother, who treats him with much contempt, not only neglecting his education, but putting him under the fevere neceffity of affociating with menial fervants; this, he confeffes, rankles in his mind, and he expreffes a commendable determination to bear it no longer. Here his elder brother, Oliver, appears, and accofts him in a churlish manner, to which he replies at firft with complacence, but, upon irritation, makes fpirited retorts, and their conference rifes to a quarrel, which the old man endeavours to foften ; Orlando claims his fmall patrimony, or more refpectful ufage; the former feems moft agreeable to Oliver, who partly promifes it, and then not only difiiffes his brother with much malevolence, but forbids Adam his house also.

From an interview between Oliver and Charles, the wrestler, we find that Duke Senior is banifhed by his brother, but that Rofalind, on account of the affection Celia, Duke Frederic's daughter, bears her, does not go into exile with him; upon Charles's

mention

As you Like it. mention that he hears Orlando has a private intention of wrestling with him, fuggefts to Oliver a most brutal idea, no less than the deftruction of his innocent brother, and this he cultivates by bribing the wrestler to exert all his fuperior strength against him, with the utmost malevolence; and after this ready agent of his malice difappears, gives a moft extraordinary reason for his hatred of Orlando, no other than the many amiable qualities of that youth, which he is either unable or unwilling to imitate.

Rofalind and Celia fucceed this worthy blade, the former expreffing a dejection of fpirits, on account of her father's exile, the latter offering cordial confolation, which prevails, and produces fportive mention of love, which Celia rather feems to think dangerous to play with; fome fpeeches, when fortune is propofed as a fubject of their mockery, we cannot help tranfcribing, on account of the truth and pleasantry of thofe ideas they create. "Benefits, fays Rofalind, are mightily misplaced, and the bountiful, blind lady doth most mistake in her gifts. to women:" to which Celia prettily replies, " "Tis true, for those that she makes fair, fhe scarce makes honeft, and those that she makes honest she makes very ill-favoured :" however, we think, according to a custom of SHAKESPEARE'S, they play too long upon words, and wear imagination threadbare; the clown appears as a meffenger, and defires Celia to go to her father, in that familiar ftile adopted by fuch gentry; his affuring the truth of what he

has

As you like it. has faid upon his honour, occafions an egregious but laughable quibble of terms.

When Le Beu enters, he acquaints the ladies that they have loft much fport; upon enquiry into the nature of the amufement they have miffed, it appears to be a wrestling match, wherein three young fellows have had many bones broke, are in danger of their lives, while their aged father is diftracted with grief at their misfortune, which, as the clown fenfibly observes, must be notable sport for ladies.

Duke Frederic, with Orlando, Charles, &c. enter, the duke humanely pitying Orlando's inequality of perfon for an athletic contention, has endeavoured to diffuade him from the trial, but in vain; wherefore Frederic defires the young ladies to try their perfuafion; this kind task they readily undertake, and delicately enter upon the subject; however, the young man appears to be under a gloominefs of mind, which makes life or death a matter of indifference to him; the ladies feeing him fo hazardously bent afford him all they can, good wishes for fuccefs.

The wrestler vaunts his fuperiority with great apparent confidence, while Orlando fhews engaging contrast modefty; this contention, though an odd incident for the ftage, occafions an agreeable anxiety, and the effect of it, Orlando's victory, very pleafing fenfations; making Rofalind and her coufin extend favour to the weaker party, is a juft, and genteel compliment to female generofity.

Upon