SUCH was the introduction of a most excel lent and moral comedy. The advice, it is too 1 true, has not been followed; on the contrary, the rage for play has gone on with encreasing violence. The comedy concludes with the language of a reformed gamester; but, as one of the company observes, '« The sinner preaches, "but his lectures will make few penitents." Wilding says, The Syren's voice shall charm my ear no more; Thus we find that Garrick scorned to rummage the Continent of Europe for new fangled plays, and sooterkins of tragedy and comedy from Germany. He resorted to the old school, and was never at a loss for some novelty from his own pen. On Mrs. Pritchard's benefit-night, he revived the farce of Lethe, with the additional character of Lord Chalkstone, performed by himself. Which had most merit, the actor or the writer, was a question that the best critics could not decide. The piece was repeated frequently, and has ever since made a firm stand on the stage. THE farce of the Male Coquette is another of Garrick's productions, written and acted, as it was said at the time, within a month. He gave the first performance of it to Woodward for his benefit in the month of March, 1757. Fribble and Captain Flash had, before this time, exploded two miscreants that were a disgrace to society. A single instance of the effeminate character appeared some years since at a village in Surry, and having no appearance of either the masculine or fe minine gender, all who saw this motley being, agreed to give to such a phoenomenon the name of The It. That was the last of the puny race. Daffodil, the Male Coquette, has little or no resemblance to Fribble. He makes love to every woman he meets, and as soon as he flatters himself that he has insinuated himself into her good graces, drops her acquaintance, with the air of a gallant, who has triumphed over her virtue. The farce succeeded greatly, and owed much of its reputation to Woodward's admirable acting. The moral is expressed in the following lines: Coquettry in the fair is loss of fame; In the male sex takes a detested name, That marks the want of manhood, virtue, sense, and shame. } CHAP. XXVI. 1 Mrs. CENTLIVRE's Comedy of the WONDER-Review of that Play-GARRICK in DON FELIX-Dr. SMOLLET'S Farce, called the REPRISAL, or the TARS OF OLD ENGLAND-Account of the Piece-GARRICK's Letter to Dr. SMOLLET, about the Charge on the Author's Night-AGIS, a Tragedy, by JOHN HOME-The late Mr. GRAY's Opinion of it-ISABELLA, or the FATAL MARRIAGE, altered from SOUTHERNE, by GARRICK-SOUTHERNE'S Reflections on Tragi-comedy-The same Play revived with great Success by Mrs. SIDDONS-The Farce of the UPHOLSTERER: GARRICK in PAMPHLET; WOODWARD in the BARBER; Mrs. CLIVE in the Part of SLIPSLOP. September 1757 to June 1758. THE Wonder, or a Woman Keeps a Secret, was revived in the beginning of November. This is the best comedy in the whole collection of Mrs. Mrs. Centlivre. The subject is shortly this: Don Pedro is the father of Violante, and, that he may convert her fortune to his own use, is resolved to place her in a convent, But the lady has no nun's flesh: she is in love with Don Felix, a young nobleman of honour and integrity, but of a jealous temper, His sister, Isabella, is destined by her father, Don Lopez, to be the wife of Don Guzman, to whom she has a fixed aversion. To avoid being forced into such a marriage, she escapes from her father's house, and takes shelter under the care of Violante, who promises to give her a safe retreat, and conceal her from all enquiry. This is the grand secret, which we are to wonder to find kept by a woman. From that point of honour spring all the embarassments that follow. Violante acts with inviolable truth and constancy: she hides |