66

Banner-Othello.

Come, Desdemona, I have but an hour
Of love to spend with thee."

Othello-Desdemona.

Banner-Richard the Third.

"I am myself alone!"
Richard the Third.

Banner-King Henry VIII.

Read o'er this;

And after, this:-and then to breakfast, with
What appetite you have."

Henry VIII.-Wolsey-Norfolk-Suffolk.

Banner-The Comic Muse.

"Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee
Mirth and youthful Jollity."

Comic Muse-Laughter-Humour-Mirth-Jollity.`

Banner of Queen Elizabeth.

She shall be

A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed."

Queen Elizabeth-Ladies in waiting.

Banner-Shakspeare's Arms.

"He was a man, take him for all in all,
We shall not look upon his like again."

Representative of Shakspeare.

Guards, Inhabitants of Stratford-upon-Avon, &c.

The whole terminating with a grand Allegorical Natal Tableau; homage of the Drama; Coronation of Shakspeare by the Tragic and Comic Muses. Fall of the curtain.

THE EAST INDIAN:

A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS.

BY M. G. LEWIS.

As performed at the Chesnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia.

THE EAST INDIAN.

ACT I

SCENE I.-A Room in a Hotel.

WALSINGHAM is seated at a table; ROBERT waiting. Walsingham. Beauchamp, say you?

Robert. I think that's the gentleman's name, sir. Wal. Show him up. [Exit ROBERT.] I'm glad that he's returned to England, for, though a young man, and a gay man, Beauchamp is among the few whom I esteem. My dear Ned!

Enter BEAUCHAMP.

Beau. Mr. Walsingham! This pleasure is quite un ́expected; but where have you been concealed these hundred years? I was afraid that Cynthia, wearied of her Endymion, had pitched upon you for his successor, and believed you at this moment an inhabitant of the

moon.

Wal. No, no, my young friend; the goddess has too much taste to select such an old weather-beaten fellow for a cecisbeo. But if you seriously ask, what I've been doing for these last three years, you must know I've been fool hunting.

Beau. Fool hunting?

Wal. Yes. Being of an adust cynical constitution, infinite laughter is absolutely necessary for my health; for this purpose my physician prescribed me a course of fools, and truly I've reaped great benefit from his advice.

VOL. IV.-12

Beau. Why then leave Great Britain? Heaven knows, a scarcity of fools is not one of our wants!

Wal. True; but the growth of English absurdity for the year '95 not being to my taste, I determined to change my fools, as other invalids change the air; but, after all, I must give the preference to the folly of my own country.

Beau. Your own country is very much obliged to you; but since this is your taste, I've a superb feast for you in Lord Listless.

Wal. What, your uncle?

Beau. No; to my sorrow he sleeps with his forefathers, while my noble cousin possesses his title and estate, and, what is worst, has me entirely in his power.

Wal. How so?

Beau. "Tis a tedious story, but the short of it is, that, when I married, my generous uncle discharged my debts to the tune of three thousand pounds; unluckily, he neglected to destroy my acknowledgment, which, falling into his son's hands, the present Earl wisely keeps it, and calls himself my sole creditor. Discharge it for some time I cannot; but, however, unless we disagree, he will not press me for immediate payment.

Wal. Well, well, and even if he should, we'll find means to satisfy him; and so away with that gloomy face, dear Ned! As soon as I saw you, I guessed that something was wrong; but I am glad 'twas nothing more than a pecuniary difficulty.

Beau. Would to heaven it were!

Wal. Hey? why, what other cause?

Beau. Oh, Mr. Walsingham, how shall I tell you-
Wal. Out with it!

Beau. That I have been-that I still am-a villain! Wal. I don't believe one word of it; he who dares own that he has been a villain, must needs already have ceased to be one.