as this play, will prove one of the moft popular produced on our ftage for many, many years past. his wife and child, and Adelaide and Henry, their faithful attendants, are difcovered in a German hotel, The title of the comedy obviously kept by an inftrument of the baron, fhews, that the fcene lies in a Ger- who has promifed this agent of his man hotel: the ftory of the plot is villany a hundred ducars, if he fo far fubftantially this:-Count d'Orville affifts him in his design, of obtaining having fent his fon on his travels, is poffeffion of Clariffa and getting rid afterwards difgraced at court, his of d'Orville, as to enable him to aceftate and goods are feized on, and a complish his purpose. A variety of price is fet upon his head. He feeks arts are practifed with this view. his fafety in flight, and the better The baron, under pretence of being to escape purfuit, he contrives to cir- the friend of d'Orville and his wife, culate a report of his death. The is fecretly endeavouring to effect news reaches his fan, and being thus, their remedilefs ruin. The hotelas he imagines, bereft of his parent, keeper duns them for the payment and all hopes of fortune, the fon re- of his bill, in a style of the most proturns to his native city, and under voking brutality and infolence, which an affumed name, is taken into the affords the baron an opportunity of fervice of Count Ferling, a power-voluntarily undertaking to fatisfy ful nobleman. Young d'Orville be-the demand. Clariffa, fhocked at comes enamoured of the count's only the indelicacy of laying under a pedaughter Clariffa, who entertains a cuniary obligation to a man who the mutual paffion for him. Her fa- fufpe&ts to be the fecret enemy of ther, however, infifting on her mar-her husband, as he had endeavoured rying his kinfman, baron Forck, to avoid a match which he detefts, Clariffa privately marries d'Orville, and as they defpair of obtaining the count's forgivenefs, (knowing that he was the oftenfible foc of young d'Orville's father, and the fuppofed author of his difgrace) they immediately elope, hoping by interceffion and humble fubmiffion, to be again re-ville, after having continued at the ceived into his father in-law's favour, after his refentment and anger fhall have fubfided. With this view, young d'Orville writes repeatedly to the count; but his letters are uniformly intercepted by the villainy of the baron, who having the art of imitating the hand-writing of another adroitly, takes the letters out of their covers, and encloses fuch as are calculated to pique the pride of the count, and enflame his refentment beyond all hopes of its ever diminishing. By fuch treachery the young couple are driven to the utmoft mifery, and reduced to the most pinching penury. In this ftate of affairs the piece opens; d'Orville, to fill her ears with tales of her husband's preference of another, would avoid receiving the favour, but the baron perfifts although he never means to perform his promife, the bill being afterwards difcharged by the generous Adelaide, who enjoins the landlord to fecrecy; an injunction which he violates. D'Or. hotel till the little remains of his money were wholly exhaufted, and he was left without the means to purchase food for his wife and child, rufhes forth in despair to punish the man whofe perfidious promifes of obtaining a place for him at court, which there never existed any probability of his obtaining; a rencontre enfues, and d'Orville having fallen in confequence of a flight wound, is feized by the guard and conducted to prifon. The ufe the baron makes of this circumftance is, first to fhock Clariffa with a report that d'Orville is no more; he next tells her the fact, that he is alive but feized, and as a deep ftroke of policy, Ascount of the German Hotel. exerts his influence to obtain his releafe, the better to recommend him. felf to the favour of Clariffa. When d'Orville, in confequence of the baron's intereft, is released and a interview takes place, d'Orville reproaches the latter with his perfidy and defign upon his wife, informing him that while in prifon the perfon he affailed had confetled himself to be his inftrument. By dint of confum. mate art, the baron prevails on d'Orville to believe and confefs that he had injured him with unjust fufpicions, and they quit the house toge ther, the baron having urged the neceffity of fafety to d'Orville as the only refuge from the refentment of count Ferling, promifing to fhew him the mandate iffued for apprehending him, the better to enforce his object. While thefe incidents are in progrefs, a ftranger has arrived at the hotel, and is visited by count Ferling, who recognizes in him his friend count d'Orville. An explanation takes place between them, whence it appears that count Ferling had diffembled in order to serve count d'Orville, and that he was then foliciting his - pardon, which he had hopes of obtaining within an hour or two. The two fathers naturally converse on the fubject of their children, the one fwearing never to forgive his daughter in the very moment that his heart ftill glowed with the warmest affection for her, and which could not have failed to have operated before, had not his feelings been deadened and his anger increafed by the infulting letters, which he conceived had heen fent to him by her buf band; and the other lamenting that be could hear no tidings of his fon. Count Ferling repairs to court to complete, his friendly purpofe, and in the interim, by the accidental meeting of William and Henry, the fervant of count d'Orville and the fervant of young d'Orville, ir appears that the ftranger in difguife is countd'Orville, acircumstance which 567 had been ftudioufly concealed from the hotel-keeper and all his guests. The fervants mutually rejoice at the difcovery that the father and his long loft fon lodge in the fame hotel, and after the most extravagant raptures, communicated the fact to the count. The coont hears the tale with joy, and runs to embrace his daughterin-law. The interview fcarcely over, and the lady retired to her chamber, before count Ferling returns with letters of pardon, and of restoration to his estate, for count d'Orville ; the latter informs count Ferling, that he has difcovered his fon in the hufband of Clariffa; that he was then in the house; and warmly urges the count to receive and pardon his penitent daughter. Count Ferling afferts his determination to be as folid as the impenetrable rock, declares that he never will forgive his daughter, and that he is as ferocious as a tyger on the fubject. Count d'Orville renounces thereupon all his obligations to count Ferling, and informing him, that he will no longer own that man his friend, who can perlift in deferting his daughter in her utmost need, vows to protect his children or fhare in their diftrefs. Ferling is fenfibly affected with the nobleness of the fentiment, but fill perfifts in his refufal; count d'Or ville, however, obliges him to remain, and inftantly produces Clariffa,. the fight of whom, and her proftrate pofture, awaken all her father's fondnefs, and diffipate at once his indignation and his resentment. After the most tender endearments, the joy of the three is deftroyed by the delivery of a letter, figned d'Orville, informing Clariffs of his flight, and that he abandons her for ever, at the fame time affuring her, that he may ufe the letter as the fanction of their divorce, and advifing her to intreat her father's forgive nefs, perfuade him to get their mar riage annulled, and then give her hand to their common friend the baron. baron. This dreadful letter throws | dents cannot fail to be interefting. Had it been wholly the production of an English dramatist we might have expected more fubject for laughter, that the plot would have been more artfully worked, and that the main hinge of the denoument would not have turned on the accidental meeting of the two fervants, and the discovery of the keeper of the hotel, which would most probably have been related rather than have been made a part of the action of the play. It is to be remembered. however, that the piece is from a German original, that the drama them into the utmost confternation, and they retire to refto e Clariffa to herself, count d'Orville having first afferted, that although the writing is like the hand-writing of his fon, he is perfuaded no child of his was capable of acting in fo inhuman a manner. The ho el-keeper having by this time difcovered who his unknown guest it, and the connec tion between the young couple and count Ferling begins to dread a difcovery, and the lofs not only of his hundred ducats, but of his all; and after fome debate whether he may not get more by ferving the inno-tic writers of the continent pique cent, than acting any longer as the sool of villany, he brings himself to develope every mystery to the two counts, having first obtained their folemn affurance of reward and pardon. He informs them, that the -letter, which has caufed fo much alarm, was a forgery committed by the baron, and that all the letters which had fo greatly incensed count Ferling against young a'Orville were equally forgeries. The baron immediately afterwards repairs to the hotel and expreffes fome alarm at meeting his noble kinfman there, by whom he is, by the means of an honest equivoque, prevailed on to acknowledge, that the laft letter was his. The count induces him also to admit that all the other letters were hie, and thus his guilt being fully confeffed by himself, he is reproached with the unparalleled villany of his conduct, and difmiffed to the infamy that he deferves. D'Orville, who had been overtaken by the meffengers difpatched by his farther-in-law, at this period is brought in, and the play concludes with the happy change of fortune of all the innocent characters, and an observation made by Count d'Orville," that guilt carries with it its own punishment." themselves upon the fimplicity of their plots, and that there is not any thing improbable in either of the accidents attended to. The characters of this comedy are well drawn and confiftently preferved. The hotel-keeper, we have no doubt, though rather a caricature, is not altogether an unjust portrait of the rudeness, rapacity, and treachery of German landlords. The character of count Ferling and his idea that he is dead to all affection for his daughter, when in truth he is most alive to tenderness in her behalf, is perfectly in nature. The language of the German Hotel was for the most part eafy, elegant and nervous, and the fentiments noble and juft. Among the various excel. lences, no one charmed us more than count Ferling's declaration, that he knew not before how fweet it was to forgive." Upon the whole, the play, in our opinion, with many general defects, if tried by a com parifen with our conception of the proper construction of a comedy, has many and very powerful beau ties. We do no more than mention the resemblances to our Gamester and the English Merchant, because the original author might intend them, fince in Germany they were not From this detail of the fable the likely to be discovered, or if difcoreader will perceive that the inci-vered, were not likely to be confi dered on the Lof, of her Daughter. To Mrs. R 569 points of humour admirably given by Mrs. Mattocks. To Mrs. R, on the Lofs of ber "Each Moment has its Sickle." MADAM, Few comedie have been fo adinirably acted as the German Hotel.Wilion, in the Linalord, difplayed great powers of exhibiting dry humour, and no fmall knowledge of character. Holman, was interefting aud natural, Aickin at once manly, dignified, and pathetic; Farren proved himself capable of reprefenting the art of deep deugn with infinite adroitnefs and polish; but T was not with a little uneafiness Quick great exceeded any effort he that I heard of your lofs; to fuch had ever made as a comedian. His a difpofition of mind as you are pofpantomime and dumb fhew in the feffed with, it must be infinitely fcene with the Barou in the last act great. Confider with yourself á litwere excellent beyond the reach of ric, and you will find, that Proviour commendation. The audience dence has only retaken what he bad confeffed by their reiterated plau- lent you for a feafon; your daughdits, the electrical effect of his mai ter, sweet soother of your cares, terly and fignificant expreflions as is only gone before you, to that welt of action as of geiture and fea- country from whole bourne, no tures. Mrs. Pope was extremely traveller returns. Suppofe fome affecting throughout, and Mrs. Mat-earthly king had required her attendtocks, particularly in her fcene with the Baron, fhewed, her uncommon powers as an actress. It might be pronounced the counterpart of Quick's merit in the fcene above alluded to. Nor ought Blanchard and Bernard to be forgotten; Blanchard especially in his half laughter than where the is gone; her and half cry of joy. ance at his court, would you have prevented her from going? And can you be forry the King of Heaven has required her? In her abfence, let this reflection adminifter comfort to your evening hours, that you could not have disposed of her bet mind and gentle difpolition, her goodness of heart, and virtuous actions have fecured her endless happinefs in Parad:fe. For, as a learn ed divine (Dr. Scott) justly observes, "Heaven is not to be look. The piece was prefaced by a preLude fpoken by Mr. Ryder, as the poet of the night, and Mr. Davies, and Mr. Bernard as gentlemen of the town. It turned on the habt of damning plays on the first nighted upon as the reward, but as the of reprefentation, as a matter of natural effect of a virtuous life." fport, without confideration of the author's genius, labour, or feelings, and contained fome juft compliments to the merit of the School for Scandal, and the general liberality of a British audience. It was tolerably well given, but had no great effect. The Epilogue was a duetto of Speaking between the fuppofed author and Mrs. Mattocks, with feveral "How fad a fight is human happinefs, To thofe, whofe thoughts can pierce The Spider's most attenuated thread Your daughter always made it her study to fhine inwardly, to adorn her REYNARD's HALL, DERBY. her mind with thofe virtues, which [hogfhead knocked down a brother rendered her happy during her fhort officer, and there are two vacancies ftay here, and which are now flown at the prefent hour." with her, to flourish to all eternity, in Heaven. Let fuch an example, as fhe has left to the fair fex, be imbibed into their bofoms, he has fhewed them how to live, and (how great the price of knowledge) has taught them how to die. I cannot conclude my letter better than by quoting a paffage out of Tacitus's Life of Agricola, "If there is a manfion for the månes of the juft, if, as wife men hold, worthy fouls do Hot die with the body, may thou reftit, and here divides the counties of in peace. I remain, Your's fincerely, c. Anecdote of SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, STR [Embellified with a beautiful Engraving.] Dovedale, Ovedale, in Derbyshire, takes its name from Duve, a shallow, rapid ftream that, rifing in the parish of Alftonfield, runs through Derby and Stafford, running fometimes close to the rocks on one side, fometimes on the other, often barely leaving a foot-path. These rocks are grey, of a very wild and grotefque variety of height and shape. About a mile from the entrance, the dale, fuddenly contracting its dimenfions, is no wider than the rocky channel of the river, and foon after opens into the meadows where the cattle are grazing. Yew, aflı, whiteleaf, and other trees grow out of the crevices fcattered in various parts, and fometimes form a thick wood from the bottom to the top. Of the feveral caverns here, one particularly attracts attention, a perforated crag rifing just before it in the form of a magnificent arch This leads to a cavern called Reynard's Hall, and to another called his kitchen. IR Robert, who lay under fome electioneering obligations to a man of fome weight in a western borough, had repeatedly promifed him a place, and as offen pleaded prior engagements He was forry for it but a certain great man nult be obliged; however he might de. pend on the next," and fqon. After The rocks continue repeated difappointments of this fome diftance beyond this, and then kind, the man began to defpair, are loft by degrees, fhooting to a when a land-furveyor at Bristol being very confiderable height in the most killed by the fall of a fugar-hogfhead; fantastic fhapes. Thofe on the left he waited again on fir Kobert, who are diverfified with wood. The told him," that place had been pro-river is of varicas width, very clear, mifed a twelvemonth, but my dear feldom deep, and produces trout friend,- (added he) the very next and grayling. It almost always runs that becomes vacant, you have it, rapidly, and has many falls, but on my word, as a man of honour." none of confequence. Its bed is "Why then (lay he) fir Robert, Ifometimes overgrown with weeds, am the luckieft fellow alive, for, if and the fides often fo, which takes my intelligence be not falfe, the fame off much of its beauty. The |