We now come to those recent agents of the Comic Muse, whose works have heen repeatedly exhibited for Public amusement; and in reverting to the efforts of Mr. Reynold's, we wish it to be understood that any thing we may observe on his Dramatic talents, will not arise from personal prejudice, as that gentleman is quite unknown to us; and we hope, from the general tendency of the work, our readers will see a greater inclination to applaud than decry the efforts of those who may be the subject of our remark where truth will admit of panegyric; and it would give us infinitely more pleasure to observe that the above Gentleman's labours contained all the qualities which Cervantes has affirmed a good Comedy ought to possess, than to be painfully obliged to consider the whole of his Dramatic works a caricature of nature, and wanting every requisite to render them worthy of Public admiration.

It has been said in palliation of this author's compositions, that though there was nothing sterling either in sentiment, wit, humour, or language, to be found in any of his Comedies, yet considering that every subject was barren, and the advantage CONGREVE and others had is now lost from the multiplicity of Comedies written since his time, having engrossed all the materials to be found in life, the Pieces Mr. Reynold's produced, however trifling, are extraordinary efforts of the mind. It is certainly true that they are extraordinary efforts of mind, and such as a regular Dramatist would be ashamed to own, the effects of which, if continued, will lessen the importance of the Stage. But in answer to the position which has been laid down, as an excuse for

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the various Comedies Mr. R. has offered the town, we must be permitted to observe, is not true. Any person who had a value for his public name, or a wish to give an audience a Drama worthy their attention, would not be at a loss to find interesting materials for the composition of a good Play; indeed there are several recent instances to support our position, which we shall have occasion to mention in the course of our remarks on this subject. Nature has still a sufficient diversity of feature in which a penetrating and judicious mind will always have an inexhaustible source for the use of his pencil.

The friends of this Author have softened down the. absurdities of his efforts, by observing that his Comedies are a mirror of the fashionable manners and habits of the day. But can a single part in any of his eighteen Plays be considered to possess the qualities of genuine character? Nothing but unnatural extravagance is the obvious feature of his works, in which there is not a single lesson useful to society, or an example of any virtue to endear an audience to its pursuit. If a Bond Street Lounger has been the prominent feature of his scenic picture, there is nothing in the language or sentiment of the part to lead youth to view the trifling pleasures of a town with disgust, and the indulgence of idleness, intrigue, and prostitution, as a habit destructive of all the grand qualities of the mind, and subversive of the moral duties of society. But on the contrary, the tricks, follies, vices, and foppery, of this gay personage, are described in colours that enchant the young beholder into a love of those habits which make an audience laugh at the Stage hero. The

other characters of his Dramas have been drawn to play up to the leading personage of the piece, and the persons on whom Mr. Lewis (who has generally been the prop of the Drama) cracks all the author's jokes, which principally consist of Joe Miller's wit, altered and disguised so as to lose the full efficacy of its point, or some current but vulgar phrase, such as "what's to pay," &c.; and when this nonsensé has not served, then up turned the flap of a large round table, to conceal Mr. Munden in some whimsical attitude; or to approach nearer to Pantomime, the Performer has been obliged to go suddenly up the chimney, or through the stage. This is the stuff that has been suffered too long to disgrace our National Theatre.

If an auditor gives the utmost attention to any of the works of this gentleman, it will be impossible to find a plot, or connect the scenes; persons come on and go off the stage without any visible reason, unless it is to fill up time, which the audience expect to be employed in some way; and agreeably to the reported sentiment and known practice of the above writer," you may put any thing in a modern Comedy except sense."

A recent offspring of this gentleman's muse has given ample proof of his very just remark; no Drama ever contained such an heterogeneous mixture of unconnected nonsense as the comedy of "Three Per Cent's;" and we hope we may date a revolution in public taste, from the very magnanimous spirit of disgust, which was very properly manifested to this imbecile progeny of the brain. The ray of glorious and independent reason which. pervaded the auditors of both Theatres on the birth

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night of two Dramatic trifles, in their not only op→ posing the existence of the above trash, but giving a death-blow to an execrable After-piece called

Scapin in Masquerade;" said to be the production of a gentleman at the bar, of the name of PORTER, has led us to augur future wisdom and firmness in a public decision, when Managers insult the town, with the wretched efforts of any author whom they may be inclined to countenance, and we hope that the public mind will soon be compleatly satiated with those vile mediums of entertainment, which have too long disgraced the metropolitan Theatres, and which tarnish the taste of a polite. and civilized people. The existence of so many worthless Dramas is owing to a false and highly improper indulgence in an audience. Previous to the representation of a new Play, the Manager jesuitually circulates a report that the embrio Drama will cost, for instance, a thousand pounds in getting up; the public, therefore, wishing the Manager to be remunerated for his labour and expence, in rendering the Drama fit for the public eye, countenance on the night of trial that Piece which their understanding often leads them to despise. This foolish kindness has been the ruin of the Stage, but it is the characteristic feature of Englishmen, and though an amiable quality in the national mind, yet from being so well known to the Manager, it is often not only played upon, but frequently an extravagant liberty is taken with it, in decorating the most unmeaning composition in the most expensive drapery, to which the Managers look for patronage aud sup port, from having taken the liberty to sacrifice the

proper use of the Stage to useless shew and buffoonery; and after any abortion of folly has passed the first night's ordeal from a phalanx of strength, always at the command of a Theatre, managerial influence rapidly puffs it into celebrity, and a great portion of those persons who only gave the piece support on the first night, from a wish to remunerate the Manager for the expence incurred in the decoration of an ill conceived offspring, afterwards frequent from fashion the very exhibition that was the subject of their most biting sarcasm; and in giving the Drama serious consideration conclude that they have been dupes to their own ridiculous good nature, from having allowed that Play to exist on the first night, which would not draw from any intelligent auditor any thing but disgust and ridicule.

The firmness and spirit manifested by the public on the night above mentioned, ought to be considered as a memorable period of revolution in the Drama and taste of the people, and ought to operate on the Proprietors of a Theatre, as a caution not to trifle with public feeling in giving encouragement to the individual, whose efforts stamp disgrace on their judgment, dishonours the English Stage, and is a medium of gross insult to that people, who have by their countenance raised the dignity of the National Theatre. And though we shall have to encounter much calumny and abuse, from the free animadversions we have made,' and' intend to continue, on the amusements of the Theatres; yet we shall not relax either through fear or opposition, but always feel it our duty to advocate Public right,