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Is, every breath, a death; and thus unknown,

Pitied, not hated, to the face of peril
Myfelf I'll dedicate."

Dr. Johnson obferves, that, this is a foliloquy of Nature, uttered when the effervefcence of a mind agitated and perturbed fpontaneously and inadvertently difcharges itself in words. The fpeech throughout all its tenor, if the laft conceit be excepted (which conceit we have omitted) seems to iffue warm from the heart. He first condemus his own violence; then tries to disburden himself, by imputing part of the crime to Pifanio; he next fooths his mind to an artificial and momentary tranquility, by trying to think that he has been only an inftrument of the Gods for the happiness of Imogen. He is now grown reasonable enough to determine, that having done fo much evil he will do no more; that he will not fight against the country which he has already injured; but as life is not longer fupported, he will die in a just caufe, and die with the obfcurity of a man who does not think himself worthy to be remembered.

Account of the New
By Mr.

HE Piece taken from

Tragedy of her Scyther, which he left unfinished, as he informs us in the Preface to it, where he ftiles it a feeble Effort, and intimates a wish that it might be compleated by fome other hand.-The Characters are as follow:

In the first A&t, we learn, from a converiation between Hermodon, (the Prince of the Republic) and his Son Indater, that Seyfel, an ancient General, having been banished from Perfia, had fought for refuge with his Daughter Zobeide, in this Country. Indater folicits his Father to give them an hofpitable reception, which is granted. The General is then introduced, who relates the Story of his banishment. The charms of Zobeide having inftantly kindled the paffion of love in the bofom of young Indater, he defires permiffion of Hermodon to marry her, which is granted, and likewife obtains the confent of Seyfel, on condition that it met with the approbation of Zoheide. Flushed with the hope of fuccefs, Indater retires to Zobeide, who yields to his folicitation,

and

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and preparations for the folemnization of the nuptials are immediately ordered by Hermodon.

In the fecond Act, we learn, from a converfatiou between Zobeide and Sulma, her Confidante, the motive which induces the former to yield her hand to Indater, viz. the fuppofition that the perfidy of Athamond, a Prince of Perfia, her former Lover, had been the occafion of her fail from the fummit of grandeur.-A Proceffion to the Altar is next introduced, and the folBowing Epithalamium is fung by the Prieft and Attendants.

EPITHALAMIUM. From I'naus proud top, great Vefta hear, Propitious Goddefs of the fruitful year. For thee behold our purest victims bleed, The fpotless heifer and the milk white Reed.

Hear Vefta, hear thy humble fuppliant's pray'r,

And pour thy bleffings on the plighted pair:

AIR.

Mild Goddess hear their mutual vow,
And fmile upon their nuptial hour;
Here all thy richest gifts bestow,

And ftrew their path with ev'ry flow'r.
CHORU S.

Bear VESTA, hear thy humble fup.

pliant's pray`r,

And pour thy bleffings on the plighted pair.

While the marriage rites are performing, Athamond, with Hafan, an Attendant, arrive in Scythia, in purfit of Zobeide, the having fled from Him with her Father. This unexpected circumftance breaks in upon the vites, and occafions Zobeide, and all prefent at the ceremony, to retire, fo uddenly on his approach, as to render doubtful to Athamond, whether Zrbe de was of the party; on which Jacount he refolves to delay the execution of his intended measures.

In the third Act, Athamond is informed by Hafan, of the particulars of Zobaide's marriage with Indater. This unexpected ftroke roufes the alternate paffions of Love and Refentment, and le refolves to rescue her by force of arms, and carry her back to Perfia. With this intention, he waits her re

m from the marriage, difcovers

himself, and intreats her to renounce her engagements to Indater, and return with him.-In order to win her to his purpose, he exculpates himself of being the caufe of Seyfel's banishment, by affuring her that it was done by order of Cyrus, King of Perfia, his uncle, who, being fince dead, the might return with her father in fafety.-On this information, Zobeide reflects on the confequence of her vow to Indater, but refolving not to break it, the rejects his propofal, and retires accordingly. This difappointment creates the highest distraction in the mind of Athamond, which is natural.

The fourth A&t commences with a meeting between Athamond and Indater.The former reflects with great haughtiness and contempt, on the inferior condition and fituation of the latter. This treatment roufes the indignation and refentment of Indater, and they resolve to decide their difpute by combat, and retire for that purpofe; but not unobferved by Hermodon and Seyfel, who express their apprehenfions on the confequences likely to Tucceed, and the event proves as they foreboded, for Athamond foon returns, and acquaints them of his having killed Indater in the combat, and thereby fatisfied his vengeance. This accomplished, he purfues his intention of forcing Zobeide to return to Perfia. A Battle enfues between the troops Athamond had brough with him, and the Scythians, in which Athamond is taken, while he is endeavouring to carry Zobeide off.

In the fifth Act, Zobeide, is informed, that according to the laws of Scythia, fhe is obliged to facrifice the murderer of her husband with her own hands, to his manes. This horrid injunction awakens compassion, and rekindles the latent fparks of her former love for Athamond; and when enjoined by the Scythian Chiefs, to the performance of the facrifice, fhe takes an equivocal oath, in which the promifes to flay a victim with her own hand, as by the law required. Athamond is now brought bound, to the altar, who, addrefling himself to Zobeide, declares his innocence with refpect to the banishmant of her and her

father;

father; and affures her of his love, by the relation of what he had fuffered during her abfence from Perfia. Here, all her former aflection is kindled up again, and the openly avows her attachment for him. However, being preffed by the Scythian Chiefs to perform her vow, that juftice may be fatisfied, the refolves to fulfil it, which he does, by ftabbing herself instead of Athamond, having firft obtained a promife of free pardon for all the Perhans taken prifoners, by the victory of the Scythian army over the troops of Athamond.-The facrifice being made by the death of Zobeide, Athamond is fet at liberty, who fully proves the fincerity of his profeffions by putting an end to his own life, with the fame dagger with which the unfortunate Zobeide had fixed the period of all her troubles, preferring death to the furvival of fo generous and faithful a lover, which finishes the catastrophe. Thefe are the cutlines of the Story, which is well chofen for theatrical Reprefentation, and the Conduct of it is fufficiently regular with refpect to the unities. The incidents are interefting and important, and the fituations truly pathetic. Zobeide's Character is well drawn, and appears to have been purpofely written for Mrs. Yates, as it gives her an opportunity of difplaying all her theatrical Powers to the utmost extent in the different Paffions of Grief, Rage, and Defpair. With respect to the Language, it is truly poetical, and contains many good Sentiments.

The Author has greatly altered the. Original in the three firit Acts, and till more fo in the fourth, and the fifth may, in fact, be confidered as entirely his own, and as the deviations from the Original Piece are evidently for the better, we have not a doubt but M. Voltair's withes are perfectly compleated. Zobeide's account of the grandeur from which the had fallen, in the fecond Act, is finely defcribed; and the different opinions of Athamond and Indater, respecting the merits of poverty and grandeur, in the fourth Act, are extremely well contrafted. Up n the whole, though it is not a first-rate Performance, it is

215

greatly fuperior to many of our late Tragedies; and, as the Author has fucceeded fo well in his first attempt, he gives us reafon to hope, that he will rife to fuperior excellence, fhould he chufe to renew his acquaintance with the Tragic Mule. Were we difpofed to examine this Piece with the utmost critical attention, we could point out many improprieties, and fome circumftances rather bordering on improbability; but, we are unwilling to exercife severity on a first attempt, elpecially as the Author has not produced this Piece on motives of advan tage; for being a young Gentleman of fortune, we are informed, he has generoufly affigned the emoluments arifing from it, to Mrs. Yates. Jult cenfure is undoubtedly the prerogative of criticifm, but, to cenfure merely with a view to find fault, is an entertainment that humanity never re lithes, and is only practiced by the envious and illiberal. The Public is to judge and the Public hitherto, have decided in favour of this Piece, but time is the only infallible touchstone of taste. With respect to our opinions, though we acknowledge this Piece to have fome defects, we think its merits preponderate in its favour; not that we have the prefumption to juftify our decifions either on this, or any other occafion; for that point must be extremely clear, which admits not of variety of opinion. The fud den paffion of Indater for Zobeide, and her confent to yield to his wishes, is rather too precipitate; and we think, the Author has erred, a little in the fecond Act, where Athamond first enters, who though he fees Zobeide at the altar, is not fuppofed to know her, though the does not quit the Stage till he enters.

This Tragedy is well fupported in the Reprefentation, except in the Characters of Hafan and Sulma, for neither Mr. Owenfon's perfon, which is refpectable, nor the elegant dress he has for the Part can reconcile us to his aukward geftures, and raven-like croaking in his pronunciation; and though we are pleafed that the Managers have not difcarded Mrs. Vincent, whofe private Character entitle

her

SIR,

TH

HE inhabitants of Britain have an amiable King; he is the father of his country, a friend to the diftreffed, a lover of justice, but more a lover of mercy; a pattern of piety and filial affection, and a moft indulgent and exemplary hufband and father. Unfortunately, however, it is to be feared, that this amiable prince, this Patriot King, is milled by fome of his abandoned MThough he is confeffedly a man of penetration, yet how difficult a task muft it be to dive into the deep-laid fchemes and fnares, which are contrived by a fet of cun. ning, artful, and defigning Vs. How often are the most fenfible men

-S.

impofed upon, by placing their mo

implicit confidence in those, whom they afterwards have found have taken every method to deceive and betray them? Ceafe then, ye discontented mortals, to revile your best of K-S, when it is certain, that even the most wary Monarch may be impofed upon, and though he means every thing for the good of his country, he is fometimes mistaken, owing to the wicked artifices of fome of those, in whom he has placed a confidence.

I am, SIR,

Your's fincerely,

B. C.

To