:

Man and Wife. taining; and, as to the moral, we shall give Mr. COLMAN'S words at the conclufion; "we derive, says Cross, speaking of his daughter's marriage,from this incident, one material piece of instruction, that no family can be well governed where there is a difagreement amongst THOSE who are placed at the head of it and that nothing is fo neceffary as harmony amongst THOSE whofe interefts are fo intimately connected as THOSE of Man and Wife," by the words particularized it will appear this fentence is not remarkable for elegance or compactness.

Mr. COLMAN, in a previous advertisement, has paid a genteel compliment to the performers for their great excellence in the representation; this, we think, extremely liberal, confidering him in the double fight of manager and author, though we could with the word great had been omitted in deed, we have heard his approbation interpreted differently; first as a defign to recommend the houfe, fecond as a verbal bribe to engage the actors on his fide, in the contention with his brother patentees, and laft, to approve his own great talent in writing for, and adapting characters to the executive faculties of each performer; however, we are apt to interpret his praise more ingenuously, and thall justify in general the idea he thereby inculcates.

Crofs is a peevish, filly fellow, who after his fitft scene, becomes mighty inconsiderable, and an infipid engine of the plot; Mr. SHUTER being freer from grimace in this character than any other, is ex tremely deferving of applaufe; but we apprehend VOL. I.

Eee

the

Man and Wife. the dryness of humour aimed at, would have found better fupport in Mr. YATES.

Marcourt, by Mr.WOODWARD, has not,as we remember, one touch of Harlequin; his degagée pertnefs is admirably expreffed, and no part that we have ever seen was better figured, or better dreffed.

Kitchen, who has more novelty and uniformity about him than any other character in the piece, fell most happily into the hands of Mr. DUNST ALL, through him nature articulated every line with agreeable unaffected humour; without grimace or fineffe of any fort, he sustained the author becomingly, and without one laborious effort gave every intelligent Spectator fingular fatisfaction.

The Landlord, who could be little elfe than Bonniface in the gout, was hobbled through well enough by Mr. MORRIS: Luke, the waiter, received great fpirit from, and stood much indebted to Mr. LEWES, whofe voluble and fpirited expreffion rendered so short a part very confpicuous. Buck and Mr. DAVIS did not difagree, he looked the riotous Bacchanalian well, and expreffed his inebriated state with fome degree of pleasantry. Mr. WIGNEL tragedized Snarl fo laughably, that, for the few lines he spoke, it becomes matter of great doubt, whether he was not the most comical perfonage of the drama. Mr. QUICK Spoke the Hoftler well enough, but was far too petit to figure fuch a character; Mr. BARNSHAW would have looked it exquifitely. Mr. Fox, in the first paffenger, performed the ceremony of dispatching a

2

toaft

Man and Wife. toaft and fome mulled wine dexterously; nor was he at all amifs in delivering the blunt expreffions put into his mouth. As to Mr. HERBERT, there furely never was fuch a lifelefs frefh-water failor feen before.

Mrs. Crofs is as pofitive as her husband, but rather more filly and violent; devoted with ideas contemptibly narrow, to a lavish imitation of perfons in high life; fond of what she does not understand, and opiniated of judgment the has not; a perverse wife and indifcreet mother; fuck are her outlines; however, the picture is but very faintly finished, it received confiderable animation from that correctness and vivacity which always diftinguishes Mrs. GREEN's performance of fuch characters. Charlotte is, confidered in the theatrical view, as mere a trifle as ever hung heavy on the drama; with just cunning fufficient to pick up a hufband, and infipidity enough to fet an audience afleep. Sally, her younger fifter, is in no shape comic, except in fome ftrokes where, confidering her age, a charge of couched licentioufnefs may be brought against her; fhe was performed with very confiderable merit. Lettice fat eafy enough on Mrs. MATTOCKS, but is fuch a chambermaid as never appeared before; extremely eager to forward intrigue, without having any thing to do or fay worth notice. The Landlady is well drawn, and had great juftice done her by Mrs. GARDNER, whofe capability is equal to much more material undertakings. As to the two female paffengers, we have really forgot

Man and Wife. them, and therefore avoid offering any opinion, as we would be equally tender of those who play one, as those who play ten lengths,

As a farce, MAN and WIFE may do on the ftage after a Tragedy, by no means after a Comedy, and in the closet can never gain any degree of eftimation.

ZENOBIA.

ZENOBI A.

A TRAGEDY,

ANONYMOUS.

Pening the drama with foliloquy, unless what the character speaks appertains peculiarly to felf, we cannot entirely approve; and what Zelmira offers at the beginning of this tragedy, we deem an uneffential, faint, trite effort at defcription; what The fays to her hufband Zopiron, concerning the havoc which ambition caufes, is expreffed in terms commendably humane; a moft hateful picture of Pharafmanes is given, and we are informed, that he holds in captivity a beauteous dame, diftinguished by the name of Ariana, for whofe virtue Zelmira conceives tender apprehenfions; the entrance of Zenobia is well prepared, by mention of the diftrefs her mind appears to wear; and her fainting under a load of forrow when he comes in view, affects the tender mind: there is fomething pretty in her fenfe of obligation for the tender affiduity of her attendants, and their difinterested attachment; but we think them very ftrange, very improper messengers to fupervise and bring intelligence of the impending battle; it must convey an Amazonian idea to suppose them capable of fuch a charge; befides, Zopiron, who now difappears fo oddly, might have either undertaken the matter himfelf, or recommended a proper meffenget.

In