The Conductors of this Work print no Plays but those which they have seen acted. The Stage Directions are given from their own personal observations, during the most recent performances.

The instant a Character appears upon the Stage, the point of Entrance, as well as every subsequent change of Position, till its Exit, is noted, with a fidelity which may in all cases be relied on; the object being, to establish this Work as a Standard Guide to the Stage business, as now conducted on the London boards.

EXITS and ENTRANCES.

R. means Right; L. Left; R.D. Right Door; L. D. Left Door; S. E. Second Entrance; U. E. Upper Entrance; M.D. Middle Door. RELATIVE POSITIONS.

R. means Right; L. Left; C. Centre; R. C. Right of Centre; L. C. Left of Centre. The following view of the Stage with Five Performers in front, will, it is presumed, fully demonstrate the Relative Positions. The Reader is supposed to be on the Stage,facing the Audience.

THE GAMESTER.

730

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Beverley's Lodgings.

Enter MRS. BEVERLEY, followed by CHARLOTTE, R. Mrs. Bev. (c.) Be comforted, my dear, all may be well yet. And now, methinks, the lodging begins to look with another face. Oh, sister, sister, if these were all my hardships: if all I had to complain of were no more than quitting my house, servants, equipage, and show, your pity would be weakness.

Char. (R. c.) Is poverty nothing, then?

Mrs. Bev. Nothing in the world, if it affected only me. While we had a fortune, I was the happiest of the rich; and now 'tis gone, give me but a bare subsistence and my husband's smiles, and I'll be the happiest of the poor. To me, now, these lodgings want nothing but their master!-Why do you look so at me? Char. That I may hate my brother.

Mrs. Bev. Don't talk so, Charlotte.

Char. Has he not undone you?-Oh, this pernicious vice of gaming! But methinks his usual hours of four or five in the morning might have contented him, 'twas misery enough to wake for him till then. Need he have staid out all night ?-I shall learn to detest him.

Mrs. Bev. Not for the first fault. He never slept from me before.

Char. Slept from you! No, no, his nights have nothing to do with sleep. How has this one vice driven him from every virtue! Nay, from his affections too! The time was, sister

Mrs. Bev. And is. I have no fear of his affections. 'Would I knew that he were safe!

But that's

Char. From ruin and his companions. impossible. His poor little boy, too! What must become of him?

Mrs. Bev. Why, want shall teach him industry.— From his father's mistakes he shall learn prudence, and from his mother's resignation, patience. Poverty has no such terrors in it as you imagine. There's no condition of life, sickness and pain excepted, where happiness is excluded. The husbandman, who rises early to his labour, enjoys more welcome rest at night for't. His bread is sweeter to him; his home happier; his family dearer; his enjoyments surer. The sun that rouses him in the morning, sets in the evening to release him. All situations have their comforts, if sweet contentment dwell in the heart. But my poor Beverley has none. The thought of having ruined those he loves, is misery for ever to him. 'Would I could ease his mind of that!

[Goes R.

Char. (c.) If he alone were ruined 'twere just he should be punished. He is my brother, 'tis true; but when I think of what he has done, of the fortune you brought him, of his own large estate too, squandered away upon this vilest of passions, and among the vilest of wretches! Oh, I have no patience! [MRS. B. returns.] My own little fortune is untouched, he says. 'Would I were sure on't! ·

Mrs. Bev. (R. c.) And so you may-'twould be a sin to doubt it.

Char. I will be sure on't-'twas madness in me to give it to his management. But I'll demand it from him this morning. I have a melancholy occasion for it. Mrs. Bev. What occasion?

Char. (R. C.) To support a sister. [Takes her hand. Mrs. Bev. No; I have no need on't. Take it and reward a lover with it. The generous Lewson deserves much more. Why won't you make him happy?

Char. Because my sister's miserable.

Mrs. Bev. You must not think so. I have my jewels left yet. And when all's gone, these hands shall toil for our support. [Part.] The poor should be industrious. Why those tears, Charlotte?

Char. They flow in pity for you.

Mrs. Bev. All may be well yet. When he has nothing to lose, I shall fetter him in these arms again; and then what is it to be poor?

Char. Cure him but of this destructive passion, and my uncle's death may retrieve all yet.

Mrs. Bev. Ay, Charlotte, could we cure him! But the disease of play admits no cure but poverty; and the loss of another fortune would but increase his shame and his affliction. Will Mr. Lewson call this

morning?

Char. He said so last night. He gave me hints too, that he had suspicions of our friend Stukely.

Mrs. Bev. Not of treachery to my husband? he loves play, I know, but surely he's honest.

That

Char. He would fain be thought so; therefore I doubt him. Honesty needs no pains to set itself off.

Enter Lucy, L.

Lucy. (L.) Your old steward, madam. I had not the heart to deny him admittance, the good old man begg'd so hard for't. [Exit LUCY, L.

Enter JARVIS, L.

Mrs. Bev. (c.) Is this well, Jarvis? I desired you to avoid me.

Jar. (L.) Did you, madam? I am an old man, and had forgot. Perhaps, too, you forbade my tears; but I am old, madam, and age will be forgetful.

Mrs. Bev. The faithful creature! how he moves me! [To CHARLOTTE. Jar. I have forgot those apartments too. I remember none such in my young master's house; and yet I have live in't these five-and-twenty years. His good father would not have dismissed me.

Mrs. Bev. (L. c.) He had no reason, Jarvis.

Jar. I was faithful to him while he lived, and when he died he bequeathed me to his son. I have been faithful to him too.

Mrs. Bev. I know it, Jarvis, I know it.

Jar. I am an old man, madam, and have not a long time to live. I asked but to have died with him, and he dismissed me.

Mrs. Bev. [Laying her hand on his R. arm.] Pr'ythee no more of this! [Weeping.] "Twas his poverty that dismissed you.

Jar. Is he indeed so poor then? Oh! he was the joy of my old heart. But must his creditors have all? And have they sold his house too? His father built it

when he was but a prating boy. The times that I have carried him in these arms! And, Jarvis, says he, when a beggar has asked charity of me, why should people be poor? You sha'nt be poor, Jarvis; if I were a king nobody should be poor. Yet he is poor. And then he was so brave! Oh, he was a brave little boy. And yet so merciful, he'd not have hurt the gnat that stung him.

Mrs. Bev. (c.) Speak to him, Charlotte, for I can

not.

Jar. (L. c.) I have a little money, madam; it might have been more, but I have loved the poor. All that I have is yours.

Mrs. Bev. No, Jarvis; we have enough yet. I thank you though, and will deserve your goodness.

Jar. But shall I see my master? And will he let me attend him in his distresses? I'll be no expense to him; and 'twill kill me to be refused.- -Where is he,

madam?

Mrs. Bev. Not at home, Jarvis. You shall see him another time. [Goes up the Stage, and sits. Char. (L. c.) To-morrow, or the next day.-Oh, Jarvis! what a change is here! [Apart to JARVIS. Jar. A change indeed, madam! my old heart aches at it. And yet, methinks- -But here's somebody coming. [Retires up the L. side of the Stage.

Enter Lucy, with STUKELY, L.

Lucy. Mr. Stukely, madam. [Exit, L. Stuke. (L.) Good morning to you, ladies. Mr. Jarvis, your servant. Where's my friend, madam?

[To MRS. BEVERLEY, who rises, and advances, R. Mrs. Bev. I should have asked that question of you. Have you seen him to-day?

Stuke. (L. c.) No, madam.
Char. (c.) Nor last night?

Stuke. Last night! Did he not come home then? Mrs. B. (R. c.) No.-Were you not together? Stuke. At the beginning of the evening, but not since. Where can he have staid?

Char. You call yourself his friend, sir, why do you encourage him in this madness of gaming?

Stuke. You have asked me that question before, madam; and I told you my concern was, that I could not