could obtain nothing from the barbarian: the was forced to capitulate; and, vanquished by neceffity, the permitted him to come to fupper with her. After a meal which was spiritless, the citizen pressed her to fulfil her promife. The poor woman took him to the cradle where her child was fleeping; and then preffing it to her bosom, her eyes full of tears, she faid to it"Drink, my dear babe! drink freely; thou yet receivest the milk of a virtuous woman, whom neceffity alone stabs to the heart. To-morrow, for alas ! I cannot wean thee-to-morrow! thou wilt drink the milk of an unhappy"-her tears finished the fentence. The citizen beheld-and was moved at the fightThrowing his purse at her feet, he exclaimed " It is not poffible to resist so much virtue!" ANNA MARIA PORTER. A CHARACTER NOT VERY COMMON. of his HUMANUS converts almost every article expences into an act of benevolence and humanity; he reads the papers, apers, and drinks his coffee at one widow's; he buys his poultry of a fecond, who in children and grand-children has feventeen in family; his coals of a third; and his fish of a man that has feven children. Though he has a barber just by him, he goes a quarter of a mile to be shaved by one with a large family; and the fame principle induces him to go a mile to buy his shoes, which are cleaned by a woman past all other labour. He wears no wove stockings, because his doing fo would deprive the poor woman who knits them of a week's fubfiftence. If he goes by water, he always takes the oldest man at the plying it is always place; and if he lays out a penny in fruit, with those that are paft their labour, if there are any in his way. THE 1 I THE DRAMA. Let the vain tyrant sit amidst his guards, CHURCHILL. to IT is a fentiment of Mr. Pope's, that "the man who confesses his errors, only says that he is wifer day than he was yesterday." Advice is often rejected, not because it is advice, but that the manner in which it is given, implies no little superiority in the giver; nearly in the same temper do we refuse to acknowledge our faults; we think that the acknowledgment must degrade us. In this point of view Mr. Pope has been uncommonly felicitous; for while, in fact, he leads us to the immediate confeffion of our faults, he spares us the reproach through which we hefitated to confess. When this work was undertaken, it feemed proper to establish a "Theatrical Journal" in this department of our plan. Experience, however, which is the test of truth, hath shewn us the fallacy of this idea, by convincing us that the space which it has confumed, cannot afford the advantages we had proposed to derive from it. There is much to be attended to in our theatres: too much indeed, to give one page of our Dramatic Review to measures of no lafting importance. Our readers, we trust, will not have any thing to regret in the abolition of our "Theatrical Journal: we shall keep as constant, and, if poffible, a more vigilant look out towards the dramatic field, than we have yet done. A RETROSPECT OF OUR THEATRES DURING THE LAST WINTER, if there had been any thing material to notice, would have prefaced the Drama of this VOL. II. Gg season. season. We had, at least, hoped to have gathered from this fource, fome idea of the tafte of the age. Here also, we are difappointed. For we should be forry, indeed, to estimate the manners of a great and enlightened people, at the clofe of the eighteenth century, by buffoonery and trickery (strangely called incident and dialogue) which at present disgrace the English thea tres. by the Reflecting on our conduct both towards actors and writers, from the commencement of THE MONTHLY VISITOR to this day, we hope that we may think ourfelves independent; and that our Subfcribers are thus far fatisfied. We profess to continue in this line : it is for others to judge of our veracity. DRURY LANE, MRS. WALCOT. September 21, The character of Mrs. Rigid, in the Will, was this evening affumed by a lady of the name of Walcot, from the Edinburgh theatre. The caft of parts, for which she stands forth as a candidate, is that which Mrs. Hopkins lately refigned; and which the may with propriety fill to a certain extent. Her figure is rather clumfy than agreeable; nor do her features poffefs any peculiar attractions. Her voice, however, which the manages with skill, is naturally a good one; and from her adequate knowledge of ftage business, we anticipate continued success. THE CHIMNEY CORNER. On Saturday, October 9, there was a very pleasant Chimney Corner provided for the vifitors of this theaIt is not wonderful that two lovers should be tre. feated feated in the chimney corner. The lovers of this night underwent a variety of oppofitions-and then obtained their end. The music of this after-piece is its excellence. It is always pleasing, and often delightful. MISS HUMPHREYS, Proposed by fome as the fuccessor of Miss Farren, came out on the 14th, as Lady Emily, in the HEIRESS. This lady has fuffered in being whispered as a Farren. Her perfon is strong rather than beautiful and the has talents which attention will improve. MISS BIGG, From the Bath theatre, made her appearance on this night, October 17, as the widow Brady, in the IRISH WIDOW. For this part the is evidently fitted; and her talents will shine in this cast of character: but, out of this line, we are not of those who expect highly of Mifs Bigg. MISS DUFOUR. October 19. A Miss Dufour, well known in the musical world, this evening made her first appearance, on any stage, as Adela, in the HAUNTED TOWER. This lady poffefses a voice of much compass and sweetness, but it wants volume. Confidering it as a first appearance, on the score of diffidence, with which the feemed much oppreffed, we ought to make a confiderable allowance; but this allowance muft not screen her from the observations of just criticifm.Animation is in the lift of this lady's wants, and a general coidness pervades the whole of her dialogue; consequently, as a substitute for Storace, the appears to great difadvantage. COVENT GARDEN. THE MRS. ABINGTON. HE newspapers have lately teemed with high encomiums on the conduct of Mr. Harris in again bringing forward Mrs. Abington at his theatre. But, for our own parts, we have not been able to difcover what great benefit the public are to derive from her re-appearance. The novelty of the circumftance may indeed bring money to the treafury, and enrich the coffers of Mrs. Abington; but, we are convinced, that it will be the means of draining the purfes of the public, without either heightening their pleafures, or even fulfilling their expectations. ters. Her former Beatrice Mrs. Abington, while on the stage, acquired a welldeferved celebrity in many characters. The elegance of her gait, the vivacity of her mind, and the sprightliness of her manners, qualified her for excelling in the But, when age, unhigher walk of genteel comedy. mindful of fuperiority, destroyed the fafcinating influence of these charms, and difpoffeffed her of those powers of attraction which her youth commanded, she should have reflected, that it would be but a fruitless labour to undertake the reprefentation of her primeval characchafte, animated, unaffected, and captivating performance: but her Beatrice of this night, was, for the greater part, languid and unattractive. Her deportment, however, is eafy and graceful; but her perfon is too big and heavy to give any effect to the more gay and sprightly scenes. We conceive it to be the height of folly and imprudence in her to come forward in the prefent advanced period culated for the department, and attempt characters of her exiftence; and that too, with a perfon fo ill calwhich demand all the vigour and activity of youth. was a Her |