The sceptics that doubt the decline of the drama have
only toga and witness the melodrama of The Emigrant's :Daughter, at the The sceptics that doubt the decline of the drama have only toga and witness the melodrama of The Emigrant's :Daughter, at the
Lyceum. It is termed "new," but is evidently the product of the last age ; and, for ought we know, might have enraptured our fathom, when they sought the relaxation of the theatre after the fatigues of
sham fight in Dunhill Fields. Both language and sentiments up worthy of the Lady's Letter-writer ; and the interest is so intenre, that several persons near us, unable to control their emotions, went into fits of laughing hysterics ; while the rest of the audience were mute with emotion. Even the actors were carried away by the cunning of the scene BAKER, who has been accused of want of energy, actu. ally tapped his waistcoat when he identified himself with "prudence and friendship ; " and once he gave a stamp that would have gone fat towards endangering a fly ; his exhortations were worthy of the pulpit; and they had such an effect on BILINDAL, that, though his character was. a male coquette, he afterwards became quite paternal in his affection. The two friends wore white pantaloons and short black gaiters • and only wanted a bit of fur boa over their livery hats in addition to the tall feather stuck in the cockade, to realize the "Brave British Volunteers," Miss MELVILLE looked bewitching in a suit of white dimity bed.ferni- ture, full-trimmed with worsted bobs ; and went mad with laudable discretion. The interest is wound up with the clock ; and a very striking effect is produced by the original idea of platting back the hands of the dial, to save the life of a prisoner doomed to die at a certain hour,—thus making time give the " quarter " refused by man. We will not spoil the reader's pleasure by entering more fully into the incidents of the piece : whoever wishes to contrast the present style of dramatic composition with that of the "good old times," will go and see The Emigrant's Daughter—and the test of their taste will be the act of sitting it out.
Previous page
