The Lyceum now fills well from the combined attractions of
Barnaby Budge and KEELEY; the latter being the more potential, however. KEELEY is most amusing in a comic scene where he and Mrs. WAYLETT represent the embarrassments of A Lady and Gentleman in a Peculiarly Perplexing Predicament; which is nothing less than that of two strangers being reduced by necessity to pass the night in the same chamber : the means by which they are placed in this delicate dilemma, their vain endeavours to extricate themselves from it, and the comical contrivances to which they resort to insure the lady from molestation, are ingeniously planned ; and KEELEY'S quiet and seemingly unconscious drollery give to the situation an irresistibly ludicrous effect. The uncomfortable position of the two tired travellers, compelled by force of circumstances to put up with a stool and an arm-chair, while a snowy bed invites their wearied limbs to repose, is in itself provocative of merriment : the bed, however, is not so tempting as it looks ; for, as KEELEY says of it, " when they put the feathers in they forgot to take the fowls out of them." The equivocal situation of the parties is artfully exemplified, without any infringement of propriety, by a number of little incidents too minute for description, but very effective and diverting in the representation. This clever trifle is translated from the French by Mr. SELBY ; whose adaptations preserve the sprightly character of the originals.
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