ftrophe, which he has founded on injuftice, is produced by fuperftition, the accomplishment of a prophecy. What conclufion can be drawn from hence, but that oracles, divinations, and prophecies, fhould be believed, and must always be fulfilled? Such notions can only tend to enslave the mind, and bring us back to the long exploded errors of ignorance and barbarifm. We wish therefore to fee a tragedy of Mr. Jephfon's free from thofe objections, and from which a better moral may be drawn than from the Count of Narbonne.

The Fair Circaffian. A Tragedy. As performed at the TheatreRoyal, Drury-Lane. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Baldwin.

THOUGH we do not in the Fair Circaffian meet with that artful conduct of the fable, and knowlege of ftage-effect, together with that even flow of language, correctnefs, and precifion, which fo eminently distinguish the Count of Narbonne ; it has, notwithstanding, a fufficient fhare of merit to entitle it to no inconfiderable portion of public applaufe, especially when confidered as the ingenious author's first dramatic production. We cannot, at the fame time, compliment Mr. Pratt on the choice of his fubject: which, though well calculated for an Oriental tale, adorned by Hawkefworth with pleafing machinery, fine fentiments, and eafy diction, does not furnish that chain of interesting events, or that difplay of character which are effentially neceffary to the formation of an affecting tragedy. The rivalíhip of two brothers, without fome very new and ftriking fituations that may deeply interest the fpectator, is a circumftance too common and familiar to furprise or affect us; not to mention that the author has, by no means, made the beft ufe of the few materials with which Hawkefworth had supplied him. The top put to the celebration of the nuptial rites, in the third act, by the treachery of the priest, awakens the attention of the audience, and feems to promise an interesting fufpenfe; but this lofes all its effect, and appears flat and infipid from the immediate difcovery of the whole by Omar. The tale is disbelieved by Hamet and Almeida, and every thing is juft in the fame fituation they were before the false oracle was delivered. In the two laft acts the plot is intricate and perplexed; the meeting of Almeida and Almoran in the dark, and her mistaking him for Hamet, are aukward and improbable circumftances; and the catastrophe, not being naturally produced, gives but little fatisfaction.

I

With

With all those disadvantages in point of fable, and the inartificial management of it, there are parts of this tragedy which lay claim to our warmeft approbation. The characters of Almoran and Hamet are well contrafted and supported; the fentiments juft and noble; and the diction, in general, eafy and poetical; though, in fome parts, not fo* chafte and correct as from a writer of taste, abilities, and experience might have been expected.

As a fpecimen of our dramatift's ftyle and manner, we shall prefent our readers with the first scene of the fecond act, be tween Hamet and Omar, where the venerable old priest speaks with great dignity, and gives his young mafter fome excellent advice in very good language.

'ACT II. SCENE I.

HAMET, OMAR.

Hamet.] Thou good old man-Thou full of days and honour, Guide of my youth, and glory of my crown, My bofom labours with a friend's impatience As now I lead thee to thefe facred feats,— These awful fepulchres, where Perfia's kings, My ancestors, repofe in folemn filenceOh, my heart throbs till I have told thee all.

Omar.] My prince, my child! I praise thy tender zeal, And though oppreffive time upon this head

Hath heavy fnow'd full many a winter's whitenefs,

Yet once this heart-the memory still is dear

Amongst the inaccuracies of language and expreffion, in this tragedy, may be reckoned the following, which we would with to fee corrected in future editions.-One of the lovers talks of drinking -large draughts of paffion;"

and speaking of his mistress, fays,

her eyes fhot funs.'

Almoran fays,

My defrauded world's at length restor`d.'

A defrauded world can never, with any propriety of language, fignify the world which I have been defrauded of.

To intercede the merciful-instead of to intercede with.

Who fo fit as thee--instead of thou.

Defcend thy choral choir-instead of make to defcend.

Depoft lov'd of ev'ry little care.'

This is another Caled of the core."

holy men their fan&tities prepare.'

Where's the virtues-for where are the virtues.

Thefe, with feveral others equally inelegant, improper, and ungrammatical, fhould be altered.

Felt

Felt a fond paffion, pure and warm as thine.
To all that rateth high a virgin's worth,
Senfe, beauty, foul, long fince was Omar wed.
Hamet.] If thou haft lov'd, with unfatigued ear,
Thou wilt allow the sweet prolixity,

Love's foft delay, and tender repetition.

"But, oh! by what fad ftroke of cruel fortune
Fell from thy reverend arms this dearest treasure ?”
Omar.] Full forty years Olmana to this bofom
Minister'd every balm of virtuous softness.
Paffion from reason caught the wish compos'd,
The hope obedient, and the fteady purpose,
A life devote to nature and to Heaven.

At length it pleas'd the gods to take her from me,
And pluck this pillow from my aged head;
Her death was fudden, but her life prepar❜d.

In

my firft widow'd days I felt as man;

At length her facred spirit seem'd to chide,
And whisper'd that it only went before
To intercede the Merciful for mine.

I left her with the gods, and wept no more."
But come, what fays Almeida ?

Hamet.]
How her name
Like fudden fun-beams darting thro' a cloud,
Lights up an inftant joy in Hamet's bofom.
Oh, had'st thou feen her all diffolv'd in paffion-
Paffion, tho' yielding, modeftly chaftis'd,
"And fhaded by a delicate referve,
Only to look more lovely thro' the veil"-
Had'st thou but feen her, eloquently dumb,
Sink in her father's arms, confefs her softness
In all the fweet diforders of the heart,

Then blusht and figh, and even weep for words!

Omar.] When does Abdallah's daughter then confent.Hamet.] Hear it, ye favouring heav'ns, and every breeze, Bear on your viewless wings the tender tidings,

I fhall to-morrow claim

Omar.]

To-morrow!

Knows royal Almoran this fudden purpofe?

Hamet.] Ah Omar thou haft fprinkled drops of ice

Cold on my heart, to freeze the flame of love.

Not all the jealous vigilance of fondness;

Not the still waking eyes of faithful Ali

Can foil the felon arts of wily Caled.

Almoran again hath feen her, friend-and much,
Still much I fear left-

Wear not a doubtful eye upon a brother,

Nor let fufpicion fear thy generous heart.

Hamet.] Heaven knows my fondnefs: knows the generous love, Refpect fincere, and tenderness I bear him,

VoL. LII. Dec. 1781.

Hh

And

And the foft fhade I caft o'er all his failings :"
Dear is my brother to this faithful heart,

As the warm tide that conftant flows to feed it.
Omar.] The fainted Solyman thou know'ft decreed,
That ye should wear his yet unblemish'd crown
In amity together, wield his fceptre

As brothers and as friends.-Unite to blefs,
By a well-order'd government, the land:
The fmiling arts of peace diffufe around,
Or give where patriot virtue points the caufe
To be the cause of heav'n-fresh nerves to war;
O'er the wide wave to spread the advent❜rous fail,
Lift modeft genius from the lowly vale,
And bid it bloffom in a warmer foil,

More near its native fkies.

Deep are thy counfels 'grav'd upon this heart.

Omar.] Yet fpare a moment to the voice of truth,
Even from the hour of panting foftness fpare it.
Oh ne'er forget, thou noble youth, 'tis thine
To tatte with Almoran the bliss fupreme

That flows from all the great, the glorious virtues,
Worthy of kings, on kings alone conferr'd;
Pity that foftens juftice: merit, guarded
From bolder arrogance, e'en by the shield,
The temper'd fhield of royalty itself.
"Bleffings deriv'd from bleffings well beftow'd,
Delights like thefe-oh, may they long be thine,
Grow greater by divifion." Yet remember
If e'er thou'rt tempted-which the gods forbid―
Should't thou, as faction or as favour urges;
Should privare paffions, or domeftick broils,
Frauds of the ftate, or follies of the palace,
A miftress or a minister, c'er lead

Thine eye, thy hand, thy heart from what thou ow'ft,
From what the laws, the land, the people claim.

Claim as a duty from the prince they ferve,

Not Perfia's utmost pomp combin'd to foothe thee,
"Not all the graces of the lov'd Almeida,
Nor yet the princely pledges of her faith
Climbing thy knee and blooming round thy board,
Not ev❜n the husband's pride, the father's tranfport,"
Can fnatch thee from the fhame referv'd for him,
Who, bafe and lawless, wantons with his
"Covers with blood his violated country,
To an enfanguin'd fabre turns his fceptre,
And more than traitor defolates the empire.

power:

Hamet.] Oh, never, never may this breaft, which throbs With all a patriot's, all a parent's ardour,

To ferve the weal of Perfia, feel a curfe

So charg'd with anguifh, or fo full of horrour!

With

With my lov'd fubjects teach me, gods, to share
The plenteous glories of this fertile land,
While royal Almoran partakes the joy,
And late pofterity attefts our virtue!

Now, then, my friend, I muft require thy aid..
Omar.] What would my gracious prince ?
Hamet.]

His fecond father in an inftant office

Engage

Of tender import-This letter-take it Omar.
Why trembles thus my foolish hand to give it?
'Tis to my brother, and contains-oh heav'ns!
Omar.]" The tidings of to-morrow. This perchance-
"Tis dangerous; [afide] foft-is there no other way?
Hamet.] Why paufes Omar ?

Why deeply bent to earth his thoughtful eye?

Omar. Thy love hath fpoke, I doubt not, brotherly.
Hamet.] Omar, my heart was in it. Take it then,
O take it, friend!" There, in that little space
Are all my future hopes and fears infcribed;
It is the hiftory of a brother's love,

Writ to a brother's friendship-Yes, my Omar,
This is the hour which Almoran devotes

To private kindness, and unburthen'd freedom:
Upon his facred moments thou haft claim;
And who fo fit as thee to grace a message
Where Hamet's happiness so closes, centres ?
Omar.] Dear to this feeble bofom are ye both;
I honour, love, refpect-do all but fear you.
The man we dread was never truly lov❜d.

Hamet.] Delay no longer then-oh think a little,
Something allow to ardent love's impatience;
No rest fhall Hamet know till thy return,
But trembling, anxious, wait thy coming, Omar.-
In the blefs'd grove that fhades Almeida's chamber,
There will I kneel, there awful bend to heaven,
That all our wishes may be crown'd in peace.

[Exit Hamet. Omar alone.] I would not check his joys too far; and yet

Too plain, alas, these aged eyes can fee

A train of mischiefs gathering round our heads.
This letter notes the hour, when to the mosque
Hamet conducts his fair Circaffian bride.
Ye mighty Powers, who rule the royal foul,
And touch the mafter chords that sway our nature,
Let kindred kindness fave my kings from difcord,
Preferve the publick welfare, private quiet :
And these old eyes fhall pour their thanks in tears.

[Exit.'

There are many other paffages in the Fair Circaffian, which will give our readers pleasure in the perufal. The deferved applause and favourable reception which this tragedy has met with, will, we hope, encourage the author to produce another till more worthy of our attention. FOREIGN

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