22 The Account of Almida, a Tragedy. fee or reward, than the glory of having performed fo fine a cure.---Yes, you shall perform it Madam, and I fwear at your feet, by your lovely felf, that I will endeavour to render my heart worthy of you.... Servan, you could not oblige me more fenfibly, and I declare, unless you had confented to this propofal, the Marquis should never have had my hand, dear as he is to me. Take it Marquis, but remember, I give you my hand only: you have been mafter of my heart. Ah! happy weakness! An Account of the Tragedy called ALMIDA, as it is performing at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. TH HE city of Syracufe having been for a long time diftracted by inteftine broils, the Senate were prevailed on by the party which efpouted the cause of Orbufon, a nobleman of great military abilities, to banith a young knight called Tancred, who was def cended from a noble Gaulifh family, and had enjoyed an honourable poft in the armies of the Syracufans, which, together with his eftates, were given to his rival Orbuson, by a decree of the national affembly, who made it death to any of their citizens that fhould give any entertainment to, or hold the leaft correspondence with, the unfortunate Tancred. During thefe tranfactions, the Sultan Soliman invaded the land of Sicily, with a powerful army, and laid fiere to Syracufe, which made the inhabitants unite for the general good, and defend themselves with fo much valour, that Soliman, tired with the tedionfnefs of the fiege, propofed making peace on certain conditions, one of which was, that Almida, the daughter of Armolph, one of the first noblemen in the republic, a young lady eminently diftinguithed for her beauty and merit, fhould be given him in marriage. This proposal was extremely difagreeable to Arnolph, who could by no means think of making his daughter a facrifice to a Muffulman, and used all his influence with the fenate to make them reject Soliman's terms, which they did accordingly, and enacted, with the confent of Arnolph, that Almida fhould give her hand to Arbufon, whom they made commander in chief of their forces. At this period the play commences: Almida, who had been educated at the court of Cæfar, where the was at a very carly age betrothed by her mother to Tancred, whofe amiable qualities made a lafting impreffion on her heart, was extremely fhocked at the determination of her father and the fenate, and endeavoured to postpone the marriage for fome days, in order to find a method of acquainting Tancred with her unhappy fituation. Orbufon, who was remarkable for roughness and aufterity of manners, and who confidered the match merely a political one calculated to procure the public happinefs rather than his own, made no difficulty of deferring the nuptials for a fhort time. Almida then acquainted her confident Sophia, that the had received intelligence that Tancred was in difguife at Meffina, and refolved to feize the first opportunity of prefenting himself before the citizens of Syracute, and afferting his rights, to the utter confufion of his enemies. This The Account of Almida, a Tragedy. This information was communicated to Almida by a trufty flave belonging to Tancred, who had found means to pass through Soliman's troops, and get into the city. To this faithful meffenger Almida delivered a letter without any fuperfcription for her lover, defcribing her own diftrefs, and inviting him to Syracufe, declaring the did not doubt but he would reign there as much in the hearts of the people as he did in her own." The unfortunate flave had fcarcely got without the walls of the city, when he was intercepted by Orbufonds's guards, who, fuppofing him a fpy belonging to the Mahonetan army, killed him on the fpot, and, on examining his papers, found Almida's epiftle, which, from the contents, was univerfally believed to be intended for the Sultan. Aftonished and enraged at the account of this fatal circumstance Arnolph acquiefced with the fenators in dooming his daughter to immediate death, as the betrayer of her country, and the lady received the news of her fate without difcovering the perfon for whom the letter was really defigned, and with a magnanimity that furprized all the beholders. At that time an ancient custom prevailed in Syracule, which was, that if any courteous knight interfered in the favour of a woman who was condemned to death, and challenged or fought, and conquered her accufer, the was by the laws of chivalry deemed guiltlefs, and preferved from punishment. Or bufon, who was affected with the fate of the lovely Almida, expreffed fome inclination to ftand forth as her champion on this awful occafion; but finding . from a converfation with her, as her foul was above diffembling, that her heart was abfolut ly engaged to another, refentment took place of pity, and he not only left her to her fate, but urged it on with all the rancour that dilappointment and hatred could infpire. At this juncture, Soliman having withdrawn his troops to a fhort difstance from the city, Tancred, and his friend Alzamon arrive in difguife at Syracufe, where they foon hear the story of Almida's correfpondence with. 23 Soliman; ftruck with horror at her fuppofed infidelity, which is corroborated by feveral circumftunces, Tancred refolves to tear her from his heart, but at the fame time penetrated with grief at the diftracted state of her father, and burning with rage against Orbufon, he offers himfeif as a champion in her caufe, and dares his rival to fingle combat. Orbufon, without knowing his opponant, accepts the challenge, and is killed in the contest; during which the Sultan, at the head of his army, returns to the charge and prepares to affault the city in feveral places. Tancred, who is regarded by the people, with the highest admiration, for his conduct towards Almida, offers himself to head a party of Syracufans against Soliman, being determined, as he imagines his miftrefs falfe, to seek a glorious death amidst the foes of his country. His offer is gladly accepted by the citizens, and just as he is going off, Almida enters to thank her deliverer; whom the foon difcovers to be her long loft lover, but fears to proclaim it, on account of her edict which had paffed against him, and is not a little diftreffed to guefs the cause of his coldness. Tancred, after abfolving Almida, in private, from her vows of fidelity, without affigning the caufe, requefts her to forget him, and leaves her abruptly to lead his troops to the attack. Penetrated with anguifh, refentment, and despair, Almida grows outrageous, reproaches her father, and execrates the fenators as the origin of all her forrows, and refolves to follow Tancred to the field, for an explanation of his ambiguous behaviour. The fally, conducted by Tancred, fucceeded beyond expectation; the Mahometans were put into confufion by the wonderful atchievements of this extraordinary ftranger, who was faluted by the Syracufans as the faviour of their country; and on his true character being at length discovered, the fenate agreed, as a reward for his fignal fervices, to repeal the act they had paffed against him, and restore him to his hereditary honours. 24 The Account of the Weft Indian, a Comedy. This news feemed to afford fome profpect of happiness to Almida, who by this time had conjectured the true cause of her lover's jealoufy; but it was of very short duration, for as he was entering the city, amidst the acclamations of the people, the Sacacens rallied and renewed the fight, in which Tancred engaged with abfolute defperation, and totally routed Soliman's army, but received a mortal wound, that filled all Syracufe with forrow. Finding his death at hand, he fent a note to Almida to this purport, "I die from your perfidy." The unhappy lady had just time to clear up the mystery before her beloved Tancred breathed his last upon her bofom, and the herfelf expired foon after in a paroxifin of diftraction Such are the outlines of the fable of this performance, which is taken from a celebrated tragedy of Voltaire's, called Tancrede, The English play is faid to be written by a daughter of the late David Mallet, Efq; who was married fome time fince to the Conful at Genoa, where the now refides. It met with uncommon encouragement from the fpectators, who feemed to contend with each other in bestowing repeated teftimonies of their approbation on Mrs. Barry, whose admirable perform ance of Almida furpaffed all defcription. The Story of the New Comedy called the WEST INDIAN, as it was performed, for the first time, at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, an Saturday the 19th January. merchant in the island of Jamaica, privately married the only daughter of that gentleman, who, finding herself with child, and dreading the eff. Ets of her father's refentment, took every step in her power to keep her fituation a fecret; and being delivered of a fine boy whilst he was negociating fome business in England, contrived, upon his return, to have the infant introduced to him as a foundling, that had been left at his door. As the boy grew up, his amiable qualities made fuch an impreffion on the old gentleman, that the latter adopted him for his fon, called him by his name, and made him heir to his whole eftate fome time after the death of his daugther, who, being well acquainted with the capricious turn of her father's temper, and feeing her fon as well provided for as the could poffibly expect, never divulged the circumftance of her marriage. Mr. Stockwell foon after the birth Conftables, Sailors, Negroes, Ser- of his fon, returned to England, vants, &c. SCENE, London. where, by his attention to commerce, he amaffed a confiderable fortune, and obtained a feat in parliament. affection for his boy made him keep up His MR. Stockwell, at an early period a conftant correspondence with his old of life, having managed the affairs of Old Bellcour, a confiderable master, who, about twenty years after the birth of Young Bellcour, died, after The Account of the Weft Indian, a Comedy. after a fhort illness, recommending the youth, in his last moments, to the protection and friendship of Mr. Stockwell, whom he looked upon as a man firmly attached to the intereft of his family. About this time the play begins: Stockwell is difcovered in the counting-house perusing a letter, which informs him that Young Bellcour is on his voyage to Europe. The profpect of feeing his long loft child, and his apprehenfions left his difpofition should not turn out fuch as may contribute to his future happiness, caufe great perturbation in his mind, which is prefently relieved by the entrance of a failor, who acquaints him with the young gentleman's arrival, and delineates his character in a few words, by faying that there was not a dry eye in the whole island of Jamaica when he left it. A great quantity of the Weft Indian's baggage is then carried over the ftage by a number of negroes, and Stockwell's footman tells his fellow fervants, the hip has brought rum and fugar enough to make punch of the whole river Thames. Belcour makes his appearance foon after, and is very affectionately received by Stockwell, who finds him a fine, fpirited, agree able young fellow, whole violent paf. fions feem likely to plunge him into nun.berlefs difficulties. After foine humourous remarks on custom-house officers, and the manners of London, Bellcour and Stockwell retire, and the fcene changes to the apartments of Lady Rufport, mother-in-law to Charlotte, a girl who is to have a confiderable for fane in a few months, when the comes of age. Charlotte has been treated with great feverity by Lady Rufport, who fu'pects her to be in love, as the really is, with her coufin Charles Dudley, an enfign of foot, whofe father, Captain Dudley, married Lady Rufport's fifter; and after thirty years fervice, found himself greatly embarrafted in his circumftances. Young Dudley, on prefenting himself before his aunt, to pay his refpects to her, is treated with great coolness by the lady, who is extremely chagrined at hearing his father and fifter are rived in town, and, in the courfe of her converfation, takes care to let her VOL. VI ar 25 nephew know, that though his grandfather has left her every fhilling of his immenfe fortune, neither he, nor Capt. Dudley, can expect any affistance from her. Major O'Flaherty, a rough, brave, open, honeft Irishman, who, upon account of his having been bred a Roman Catholic, had ferved in the French and Auftrian armies for thirty years, without any other reward than a cross of St. Louis, and a kifs of the em prefs queen's hand, interrupts this fcene, and retires with Lady Rufport, for whom he profeffes a paffion, after fhewing fome tokens of pity for Charles Dudley's fituation. Old Capt. Dudley, whofe fole motive for coming to town was to raise the fum of 200l. to give a brother in exchange for a commiffion in a regiment at Senegambia having taken an obfcure lodging with his fon and daughter Louifa, at a bookseller's fhop, which is kept by one Fullmore, a needy, malignant, rafcally fcribbler, is extremely unhappy at the news his fon brings from Lady Rufport, as he imagined her humanity would not have refufed him fo fmall a fum upon fuch an urgent occafion. Louifa, who is remarkably beautiful, runs in, during this fcene, and expreffes the alarm her fpirits have been thrown into at the frange behaviour of a gentleman who had accosted her in the street.. Bellcour enters the fhop immediately after, in purfuit of her, and the Dudleys being gone to their apartment, enquires of Mrs. Fullmore about the lady whofe beauty had ftruck him fo fuddenly, but receiving no fatisfaction upon that head, and, over-hearing Fullmore tell his wife fomething of apt. Dudley's diftrefs, defires the bookseller to introduce him to the good old officer, which is accordingly done; and Bellcour, on hearing his ftory, voluntarily offers to fupply him with the fum he is in need of; but finding this propofal from a ftranger had wounded the old gentleman's delicacy, haftily delivers him two notes folded up in a letter, which he pretends is only to inform him of the method in which he proposes to ferve him; and after privately expreffing his fatisfaction at getting rid of D the 26 The Account of the Weft Indian, a Gomedy. the money (which he intended for a fine girl,) and obferving that it is much better laid out in relieving an object from diftrefs than in plunging one into ît, leaves the captain abruptly. In the mean time, Charlotte having heard of her mother-in-law's unkind treatment of Captain Dudley, and be, ing determined, at all events, to fupply him with the money for his commiffion, prevails, with great difficulty, upon her lover, Charles, to leave a valuable pair of her diamond ear-ings, as a pledge, with her neighbour Stockwell, till the can repay him the 200l. The merchant acquaints Bellcour with the fingular circumftance of a young lady, of her great expectations, taking fuch a ftep, and refolves to fend them back to her with the money and jewels, in hopes his figure and converfation may be agreeable to her, as he ap pears very defirous to engage the Weft Indian in an honourable matrimonial connection. At this inftant Bellcour receives a note from Mrs. Fullmore, who having difcovered that Mifs Dudley was the object of his purfuit, acquaints him the has got the lady in her houfe, whofe perfections fo attracted his attention, and begs to fee him. directly. Elated at this news, Bellcour perfuades Stockwell to go first to Charlotte with the money, in order to pave the way for fending him with the jewels, and hurries to Fullmore's, where, in a conference with the mistress of the houfe, who perceives how easily his paffion may be turned to her advantage, he receives every imaginable encouragement to make him hope he will eafily be in poffeffion of his wifes; but on hearing Mrs. Fullmore mention her as the fifter of Charles Dudley, and confequently the daughter of the captain he relieved, a principle of generofity interpofes with his defigns, and he refolves to think no farther about her. Mrs. Fullmore, however, on finding out his objection, artfully contrives to make him believe the is only called Charles's fifter, to blind the world, and is in reality his miftrefs. On this intelligence he determines to have her at all events; and being af fured by his procureis, Mrs Fullmore, that every woman has her price, and that Louifa is exceeding fond of trinkets, jewels, &c. he having no money about him, is at length prevailed upon to give Charlotte's ear-rings to Mrs. Fullmore, in order that the may prefent them at a proper time to the idol of his foul. An interview with the young lady immediately follows: but his forwardness, in confequence of his fuppofing her a kept woman, having given her great difguft, the retires with precipitation. Bellcour fhocked at the unjustifiable ftep his paffion had hurried him to take, with regard to Mifs Charlotte's jewels, in order to repair the injury, he had done, buys a new set of diamond ear-rings, and proceeds, according to his promife, to Stockwell, to introduce himfelf to that young lady, to whom he returns her fuppofed earrings again with great politeness; but Charlotte inftantly difcovers that the jewels are much more valuable than her own, which brings about an ecclairciflement, and Bellcour candidly confeffes he has difpofed of her ear-rings to a woman, whofe extraordinary beauty deprived him of his prudence and refolution. During this interview, Charlotte receives a letter from Charles, by which the is informed her kind intentions in favour of his father are rendered unneceffary, by the astonishing generosity of Mr. Bellcour, which gives her a very exalted opinion of her new acquaintance, who is not a little furprised to fee Louifa enter foon after, and addrefs Charlotte with the greatest familiarity. This produces a very entertaining fcene, in which Bellcour, as he fcorns a lie, acknowledges to Charlotte, that Louia is the lady to whom he gave her ear-rings. Mrs. Fullmore and her husband, fearing they will be called to account for the jewels the fo fraudulently obtained, whenever a detection of the affair fhould take place, decamp in the night, and Bellcour returning to vifit Louifa, is highly cenfured by that lady for the falfhood he propagated to Charlotte with regard to the prefent he had made; which he mistaking for her being defirous of the jewels he had bought, as they were more valuable than |