grew up his amiable qualities made fuch an impreffion on the old gentle man, that the latter adopted him for his fon called him by his own name, and made him heir to his whole eftate fome time after on the death of his daughter, who, being well acquainted with the capricious turn of her father's temper, and feeing her fon as well provided for as the could poffibly expect, never divulged the cricumftance of her marriage. Mr. Stockwell, foon after the birth of his fon, returned to England, where, by his attention to commerce, he amalled a confiderable fortune, and obtained a feat in parliament. His affection for his boy made him keep up a conftant correspondence with his old malter, who, about twenty years after the birth of young Bellcour, died, after a fhort illness, recommending the youth, in his laft moments, to the protection and friendship of Mr. Stockwell, whom he looked upon as a man firmly attached to the intereft of his family. About this time the play begins: Stockwell is difcovered in his count ing-houfe perufing a letter, which informs him that young Bellcour is cabis voyage to Europe. The profpect of feeing his long loft child, and his apprehenfions left his difpofition fhould not turn out fuch as may contribute to his future happiness, caufe great perturbation in his mind, which is prefently relieved by the entrance of a failor, who acquaints him with the young gentleman's arrival, and delineates his character in a few words, by faying, there was not a dry eye in the whole Ifland of Jamaica when he left it. A great quantity of the WeftIndian's baggage is then carried over the ftage by a number of negroes, and Stockwell's footman tells his fellowfervants, the fhip has brought rum and fugar enough to make punch of the whole river Thames. Bellcour makes his appearance foon after, and is very affectionately received by Stockwell, who finds him a fine, fpirited, agreeable young fellow, whofe violent paffons feem likely to plunge him into numberlefs difficulties. After fome humourous remarks on cuftom-houfe officers, and the manners of London, Bellcour and Stockwell retire, and the kene changes to the apartments of Lady Rufport, mother-in law to Char lotte, a girl who is to have a confiderable fortune in a few months, when the comes of age. Charlotte has been treated with great feverity by Lady Rufport, who fufpects her to be in love, as he really is, with her cousin Charles Dudley, an enfign of foot, whofe father, Captain Dudley, married Lady Rufport's fifter; and after thirty years fervice found himself greatly embarrassed in his circumItances. Young Dudley, on prefenting himfelf before his aunt, to pay his refpects to her, is treated with great coldnefs by the lady, who is extremely chagrined at hearing his father and filter are arrived in town, and, in the courfe of her converfation, takes care to let her nephew know, that though his grandfather has left her every thilling of his immenfe fortune, neither he, nor Captain Dudley, can expect any ailistance from her. Major O'Flaherty, a rough, brave, open, honeft Irithman, who, upon account of his having been bred a Roman Catholic, had ferved in the French and Auftrian armies for thirty years, without any other reward than a cross of St. Louis, and a kifs of the emprefsqueen's hand, interrupts this scene and retires with Lady Rufport, for whom he profeffes a pailion, after fhewing fome tokens of pity for Charles Dudley's fituation. Captain Dudley, whofe fole motive for coming to town was to raise the fum of 200l. to give a brother officer in exchange for a commiffion in a regiment at Senegambia, having taken an obfcure lodging with his fon and daughter Louifa, at a bookseller's shop, which is kept by one Fullmore, a needy, malignant, rafcally fcribbler, is extremely unhappy at the news his fon brings him from Lady Rufport, as he imagined her humanity would not have refufed him fo fmall a fum upon fuch an urgent occafion. Louifa, who is remarkably beautiful, runs in during this fcene, and expreffes the alarm her fpirits have been thrown into at the ftrange behaviour of a gentleman who had accofted her in the street. Bellcour enters the fhop immediately after, in purfuit of her, and the Dudleys being gone to their apartment, enquires of Mrs. Fullmore about the lady whofe beauty had ftruck him fo fuddenly, R 2 out but receiving no fatisfaction upon that head, and over-hearing Fullmore tell his wife fomething of Captain Dudley's diftrefs, defires the bookfeller to introduce him to the good old officer, which is accordingly done; and Bellcour, on hearing his ftory, voluntarily offers to fupply him with the fum he is in need of; but finding this propofal from a ftranger had wounded the old gentleman's delicacy, haftily delivers him two notes folded up in a letter, which he pretends is only to inform him of the method in which he propofes to ferve him, and after privately expreffing his fatisfaction at getting rid of the money (which he intended for a fine girl), and obferving that it is much better laid out in relieving an object from diftrefs than in plunging one into it, leaves the Captain abruptly. in the mean time, Charlotte having heard of her mother-in-law's unkind treatment of Capt. Dudley, and being determined, at all events, to fupply him with the money for his commiffion, prevails, with great difficulty, upon her lover, Charles, to leave a valuable pair of her diamond ear-rings, as a pledge, with her neighbour Stockwell, till the can repay him the 2001. The merchant acquaints Bellcour with the fingular circumitances of a young lady, of her great expectations, taking fuch a step, and refolves to fend them back to her with the money and jewels, in hopes his figure and converfation may be agreeable to her, as he appears very delirous to engage the Weft-Indian in an honourable matrimonial connection. At this inftant Bellcour receives a note from Mrs. Fullmore, who having difcovered that Mifs Dudley was the object of his purfuit, acquaints him the dias got the lady in her houfe, whofe perfections fo attracted his attention, and begs to fee him directly. Elated at this news, Bellcour perfuades Stockwell to go firit to Charlotte with the money, in order to pave the way for fending him with the jewels, and hurries to Fullmore's, where, in a conference with the miftrefs of the houfe, who perceives how eafily his paffion may be turned to her advantage, he receives every imaginable encouragement to make him hope he will eafily be in poffeffion of his withes; but on hear ing Mrs. Fullmore mention her as the fifter of Charles Dudley, and confequently the daughter of the Captain he relieved, a principle of generofity interpofes with his defigns, and he refolves to think no farther about her. Mrs. Fullmore, however, on finding out his objection, artfully contrives to make him belive the is only called Charles's fifler, to blind the world, and is in reality his kept mistress. On this intelligence he determines to have herat all events; and being affured by his procurefs, Mrs. Fullmore, that every woman has her price, and that Louifa is exceedingly fond of trinkets, jewels, &c. he having no money about him, is at length, with great difficulty, prevailed on to give Charlotte's ear-rings to Mrs. Fullmore, in order that the may prefent them at a proper time to the idol of his foul. An interview with the young lady immediately follows: but his forwardness, in confequence of his fuppofing her a kept woman, having given her great difguit, the retires with precipitation. Bellcour fhocked at the unjuftifiable ftep his paffion had hurried him to take, with regard to Mifs Charlotte's jewels, in order to repair the injury he had done, buys a new fet of diamond earrings, and proceeds, according to his promife, to Stockwell, to introduce himself to that young lady, to whom he returns her fuppofed ear-rings again with great politeness; but Charlotte inftantly difcovers that the jewels are much more valuable than her own, which brings about an eclairciffement, and Bellcour candidly confeffes he has difpofed of her ear-rings to a woman, whofe extraordinary beauty deprived him of his prudence and refolution. During this interview, Charlotte receives a letter from Charles, by which fhe is informed her kind intentions in favour of his father are rendered unneceffary, by the aftonishing generofity of a Mr. Bellcour, which gives her a very exalted opinion of her new acquaintance, who is not a little furprifed to fee Louifa enter foon after, nd addrefs Charlotte with the greateft familiarity. This produces a very entertaining fcene, in which Bellcour, as he fcorns a lie, acknowledges to Charlotte, that Louifa is the lady to whom he gave her ear-rings. Mrs.Fullmore and her husband, fear 7 ng they will be called to account for the jewels the fo fraudulently obtained, whenever a detection of the affair fhould take place, decamp in the night, and Bellcour returning to vifit Louifa, is highly cenfured by that lady for the falfehood he propagated to Charlotte with regard to the prefent he had made, which he mistaking for her being defirous of the jewels he had bought, as they were more valuable than the other, proceeds to take great liberties with her, and catching her in his arms the fhrieks out, on which Charles immediately enters, and attacks Bellcour fword in hand, accufing him as a villain, who wanted to dishonour his family; this language produces the greatest refentment from the West-Indian, who proclaims to Charles, that he knows his real connection with his fifter, as he affects to call her, and affails him with great fury. The duel is happily interrupted by Major O'Flaherty, who boldly rushes in between them, and Louifa having fainted, the combatants, with the affiftance of the Major, who advises them never to draw their fwords again before a woman, lead her to her apartment. This honeft Hibernian having been told by Lady Rufport, of her treatment of Captain Dudley, remonftrates warmly with her on her want of humanity; You are worse than a byana, madam, fays he, for the most barbarous animal in the world is a buman creature without pity. On being left by himfelf he declares his defire to relieve old Dudley, but obferves, he bas the beft excufe in the world for giving him nothing having nothing at all to give. An old Attorney, about this time, makes his appearance at Lady Rufport's, and, in a private conference, informs her, that he is in poffeflion of her father's last will, by which the knight's whole eftate is devifed to her nephew, Enfign Dudley, who was, by a former will, difinherited; diftract. ed at this piece of information, and fatished that old Six-and-eight-pence bad told her the truth, the, as Charles knows nothing of the paper in his favour, offers him the fum of five thousand pounds to fecrete the teftament. This converfation is partly overheard by O'Flaherty, who refolves to get the whole fcene of villainy out of the lawyer, who being frightened at the boisterous behaviour of the Major, and finding the plan detected, delivers up the will into his hands and runs out of the houfe. The Major, after carefully putting up the will in his pocket, in order to produce it against my lady at a proper opportunity, proceeds to Stockwell's houfe, in order to call Bellcour to account for his infult on Mifs Dudley. After having, in the prefence of Stockwell, given the Weft-Indian two Bank notes of 100l. each, as an acquittance of Capt. Dudley's obligation, he acquaints him that young Dudley is waiting at the London Tavern, and demands immediate fatisfaction. The challenge is instantly accepted, and Stockwell, who is extremely anxious about the life and honour of Bellcour, who difcovers great courage and humanity in the difcuffion of the affair, determines to accompany him as his fecond. In the midst of thefe tranfactions Mrs. Fullmore and her husband having offered the ear-rings to fale, are taken into cuftody by the jeweller, and foon after make a difcovery of the illicit manner in which they came by them. This circumftance is communicated to Stockwell, who orders them to attend at the tavern, in hopes their confeflion may contribute to terminate this difagreeable difpute. His hopes turn out to be well founded, for upon a full explanation of the mat→ ter, in which Bellcour's mistake, from the infamous conduct of Mrs. Fullmore, plainly appears; the young gentlemen are honourably reconciled, and mutually apologize for their behaviour. The good qualities of Bellcour making Stockwell very anxious to difcover himself, and embrace him as his fon, he invites the Major and Charles to his houfe, where on their arrival, they are agreeably furprized to find Mifs Charlotte had taken fanctuary at the merchant's, to fcreen herself from Lady Rufport's refentment, who had found out the defigned to elope with Charles to Scotland. The lady enters foon after, and peremptorily demands her daughter-in-law, but is foon filen. ced by the honeft Major, who, to the aftonishment of the whole company, difcovers her wicked confpiracy with the the Attorney, and produces the will which makes Charles fole heir of his grandfather's eftate. Lady Rufport rushes out in a fit of rage and execration; Charlotte gives her hand to her lover; Mifs Dudley, convinced of Bellcour's affection, and of the trick that had been played him, at length receives him as the partner of her heart, and the play is happily concluded by the interefting circumftance of Stockwell's difcovering himself to Bellcour, whofe heart expands with gratitude for the bounties bestowed on him by an all-feeing Providence. Confiderations on the Conduct of the Fable. THE ftory of this piece is exceedingly incorrect, and is, on a variety of occafions, carried on in a manner repugnant to probability. A young Lady, like Mifs Rufport, educated all her life in the city, and the daughter berfelf of a Lord Mayor, could by no means think of reducing Mr. Stockwell, a merchant of the first eminence, and a member of parliament, to the level of a common pawnbroker: placed befides under the care of a rigid ftep-mother, who obliges her to receive her friends by ftealth, fhe would not furely pledge her diamonds with any perfon who knew her, efpecially as the must be fenfible of the numberlefs fhops in this metropolis, where money-lending is a trade, and where a fecurity instantly obtains a fum, without once expofing the character of the borrower. But let us even admit, that Mifs Rufport was either totally ignorant of this, or that he chofe to run fome rifque for the fake of placing her jewels in honourable hands-is it at all confiftent with the politenefs or the generofity of Stockwell, to communicate her neceffities to Bellcour, or to fend a total stranger to her with the jewels, when he himfelf carries the money to her, and treats her with a degree of almoft paternal tenderness? It may poffibly be obferved, that Mr. Stockwell was defirous of forming not only an acquaintance between Belcour and Mifs Rufport, but a connexion of a fofter nature, and was therefore impatient for an opportunity of introducing him any way. He could not however take fo bad a way as this. The gentleman must be em barraffed-the lady difconcerted-the pledge and the loan, as they have both delicate minds, would have overwhelmed both with confufion. But fuppofe it would not-why does Belcour, which is actually the cafe, fuffer Mifs Rufport to afk him repeatedly for the jewels, before he gives her the newly purchased ones? Hefitation is more likely to make her examine the contents of the cafket he delivers ber-and as he is not afraid to tell her candidly how he has difpofed of her's, what neceffity is there for his labouring to conceal the fubftituted diamonds at all, fince they are fuperior in value to Mifs Rufport's; and fince a more mortifying eclairciffement muft follow, the moment fhe discovers the exchange? But let us even overlook the improbability of all this, what purpofe is anfwered by Belcour's breach of truft with respect to the diamonds? It does not procure him even an interview with the woman he is fo paffionately, may fo prepofterously fond of; and though it may be an argument of his unartfulness to lodge fo valuable a prefent with a bawd, who is utterly unknown to him, it argues a degree of weaknefs very injurious to the credit of his understanding. His opinion of Mifs Dudley is well known; he has no hopes from her affection, but from her venality. On the contrary, by thinking her the mistress of a man, whofe poverty he is well acquainted with, he has every reafon to imagine her inflexibly attached to the young enfign; confequently as Belcour has no expectation whatever of fucceeding but by purchase, the fame mercenary difpofition, which he then attacks, renders her at any future period affailable, and he only parts with the jewels, as Bayes fays, merely to carry on the plot, in evident oppofition to common fenfe and propriety. The moft extraordinary circumstance, however, in the whole affair of the diamonds, which is made thus effentially neceflary to the entire construction of the piece, is that when Belcour carries jewels of value, greatly fuperior to thofe he has left with Mrs. Fulmore, the cunning bawd refuses to confult her own interest, and will by no means make an exchange fo obvioufly in her own favour, though her avarice avarice is the fole fource of all her infamous machinations. It may be faid, perhaps, that he has fold the diamonds-what, when the is taken up, upon offering them to fale? This, therefore, is a manifeft defect in the ground-work of the piece, and cannot efcape the requifite anathema of critical disapprobation. Mr. Cumberland, in the conduct of his fable, imitates Alexander with the Gordian knot; he cuts whatever he is unable to antye, and brings about his events without regarding the appearance of probability.Thus though the Irishman "bas the best reafon for giving nothing to poor Dudley, because be has nothing at all to give;" yet he goes to bare his nothing with the Captain. In like manner, though the Major turns himself out of Lady Rufport's houfe, from a generous indignation at her inhumanity, we find him vifiting there repeatedly afterwards, and even talking of his honesty, while he commits an actual robbery. The Lawyer to be fure is an arrant rafcal, but that gives the Major no title to rob him of the will---and a few threats of expofing his villainy to the world, might terrify him into juftice, and answer every purpofe of the Irishman's injudicious violence. Poffibly Mr. Cumberland may say, that as an Irishman, the Major's abfurdity is peculiarly fortunate: but he him. felf prepares us in the prologue to respect the honeft Hibernian, and tells us that the blunders of his pronunciation, are the only ridiculous ingredients in the compofition of his character. The more we confider the fable of this comedy, the more materially we find it inaccurate. Belcour, a man of fine fenfe, is made defpicably weak, in believing that Mifs Dudley is not really the daughter of the Captain, efpecially after feeing her at Lady Rufport's. He knows the near relation between the Dudley family and Lady Rufport-Lady Rufport muft bave known whether he had, or had not a niece, and the Enkign of confequence would have found it impoffible to pass a profeffed wanton as a fter upon his miftrefs. But fuppofing the circumftance perfectly probable, how can Belcour as a man of Honour, as a friend to Mifs Rufport, conceal the infamy of the Enfign's procedure? To introduce his ftrumpet to a young lady of character, a young lady generously ready to throw her whole fortune at his feet, to introduce her moreover in the tender light of a fifter, would be an act of unpardonable bafenefs in young Dudley, and fuch as common humanity obliged every gentleman to expose. Yet the fentimental Weft-Indian keeps the fecret of a fuppofed fcoundrel whom he detefts, instead of refcuing an amiable woman, whom he steems, from ruin; and makes a merit of not difclofing an act of villainy, though abfolutely neceflary under his miftake, for the immediate prefervation of virtue. In fhort, the whole of this circumftance is glaringly incongruous-An idiot only could credit Mrs. Fulmore's contemptible tory, and the very reafon affigned for young Dudley's withing to be thought the brother of his miftrefs, namely, his defire of keeping an unwarrantable amour from the knowledge of Mifs Rufport, is the very individual reafon why Belcour fhould instantly difcover the fcandalous falfehood of the report. Mifs Rufport was the laft perfon exifting upon whom the impofition could be practifed; he was bred up from her infancy with young Dudley, and was naturally intimate with every thing relative to his family. To fum up our opinion on the fable, the grofsnefs of it, in any refpect, is too palpable. Putting Mils Rufport wholly out of the question, the father who could fuffer his fon's ftrumpet to affume a daughter's name, the fon that could dishonour himself by claiming the clofeft tie of blood with infamy, and the woman who could be made a convenience of fuch a kind, would not be long in diftrefs for 2001; the beauty fo univerfally admired would be made an univerfal traffic, and from Mrs. Fulmore's feeming affiduity in Belcour's fervice, there could not be a poflibility of wanting fufficient customers. Laying the fcene fo frequently in Fulmore's public fhop, where they love, fight, and tranfact bufinefs of the moft fecret nature, is very inju dicious. THE CHARACTERS |