Man and Wifes

a turnfpit puppy in office roafts himself what pity that he did not add, to give the wit additional brilliance, and bafted himself.

Upon a retrospect of this comedy, if it must be called so, we find the first act,at least the former part of it, animated by laughable bustle,tho' rather farcical, the latter is fatirically pleafant; the second act begins agreeably, but is afterwards egregiously infipid : the third act confifts of laborious intricacy, without nature to authorize, humour to fupport, or incident to gratify the fufpence aimed at the plot is founded upon a most pitiful device, and unravelled poorly. We find that the author feems unacquainted with ca nonical hours, which are precisely observed in marriages by publication of banns, nay, by licence, unlefs it be fpecial; we are prefented with two cha racters habited for the masquerade, and hear of o thers being come; is it probable that they could be thus prepared, when the forenoon was engaged as at the Jubilee, or indeed any where, for a masked ball before seven o'clock at foonest yet Colonel Frankly and his bride juft come from church at this time; though the matrimonial ceremony, under fuch circumftances as we mention, cannot be celebrated unless between eight and twelve in the fore-noon; perhaps the author might have been led into this mistake, by entering the honourable ftate himfelf in the evening through fpecial authority.

In point of character there is variety, but nothing very original; the dialogue is eafy, and in fome. places fpirited; the humour rather trite, yet, entertaining;

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Man and Wife.

taining; and, as to the moral, we fhall give Mr. COLMAN'S words at the conclufion; "we derive, fays Crofs, fpeaking of his daughter's marriage,from this incident, one material piece of inftruction, 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 sentence 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 reprefentation; this, we think, extremely liberal, confidering him in the double light 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, second 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 fhall juftify in general the idea he thereby inculcates.

Cross is a peevish, filly fellow, who after his first fcene, becomes mighty inconfiderable, and an infipid engine of the plot; Mr. SHUTER being freer from grimace in this character than any other, is extremely deferving of applaufe; but we apprehend VOL. I.

Eee

the

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

1. 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 feen was better figured, or better dressed.

Kitchen, who has more novelty and uniformity about him than any other character in the piece, fell moft happily into the hands of Mr. DUNSTALL, 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 fpectator 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 spirit from, and stood much indebted to Mr. LEWES, whofe voluble and spirited expreffion rendered fo fhort 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 firft paffenger, performed the ceremony of dispatching a

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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 fresh-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 he does not understand, and opiniated of judgment she 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 husband, and infipidity enough to set an audience afleep. Sally, her younger fifter, is in no shape comic, except in fome strokes where, confidering her age, a charge of couched licentiousness 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 justice 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 estimation,

ZENOBIA.