The licentious Court of France also, though in this second
case under the Regent, furnishes the subject of a drama by BUCKSTONE, produced this week at the Adelphi. It is called The Duichess de la Vauballiere ; a title of such resemblance to that of Mr. BULWEtt'S heroine, that we half expected to see an anticipatory burlesque of his play. The simi- larity of name and of subject seems merely accidental, however ; and the interest of the piece is serious and romantic. Julie, the daughter of Leonard, a farmer, is carried off by force, by the Duke de la Van- balliere : her father implores the Regent for justice upon the abducer ; who is punished by being compelled to marry the girl, though her honour is unsullied. This reparation proves to be more cruel than the wrong itself ; for Julie has a lover ; but, to appease her father, who looks upon this marriage as the only way to stop the breath of scandal, abe gives her band to the Duke ; and the bride and bridegroom separate by mutual consent on leaving the altar. After a lapse of time, the Dutchess is astonished by a visit from the Duke; who comes with the benevolent intention of relieving her of the burden of existence by poisaning her. For this purpose he has seized upon a medical student ; who is brought blindfolded into the chamber of the Dutchess, and is urged by threats and promises to write a recipe for some drugs, innocent in themselves, but deadly when mixed together. Ile affects to consent, but prescribes a harmless potion ; from the effects of which the lady soon recovers, and finds her first lover in the person of the medical student. The Duke is confounded ; and his discomfiture is complete when be learns that the frustrator of his murderous purpose is his elder brother, the real heir to the title and estates, and now to be the husband of his Dutchess, the marriage having been invalid. The agent by whom this extraordinary concatenation of circumstances is revealed is Morisseau, a notary, who is the good genius of Julie all through the piece : and never did a guardian spirit in a fairy talc more completely defeat and punish a wrong-doer. The old father might as well have been kept alive to share in the general satisfaction, while the author was about it. Mrs. YATES'S performance of Julie is beautiful and touching ; and O. SMITH, as the maddened and heart-broken father, is powerfully affecting. YATES dresses and acts the part of the Regent with courtly dignity ; and Mr. LYON, as the Duke, looks a proper heartless libertine. BUCKSTONE, as the bustling, knowing, little busy-body of a Notary, was very comical, as he always is : but his hands-rubbing and the accompanying exclamation " man of the world ! " with which be signalizes each proof of his shrewdness, did not tell so well as these pokes in the ribs of an audience generally do. The buffoonery is a leetle too obvious and startling amidst the sober sadness of the action. The scenery and costumes are excellent, and the piece is "a hit," as YATES would say.
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