sent time, the part has only been supported, with cele brity, by women.

The noted Mrs. Woffington was highly extolled in Sir Harry; and Mrs. Jordan has been no less admired and attractive.

But it must be considered as a disgrace to the memory of the men of fashion, of the period in which Wildair was brought on the stage, that he has ever since been justly personated, by no other than the female sex. In this particular, at least, the present race of fashionable beaus cannot be said to have degenerated; for, happily, they can be represented by men.

The love story of Standard and Lurewell, in this play, is interesting to the reader, though, in action, an audience scarcely think of either of them; or of any one in the drama, with whom the hero is not positively concerned. Yet these two lovers, it would seem, love with all the usual ardour and constancy of gallants and mistresses in plays and novels--unfortunately, with the same short memories too!, Authors, and some who do not generally deal in wonders, often make persons, the most tenderly attached to each other, so easily forget the shape, the air, the every feature of the dear beloved, as to pass, after a few years separation, whole days together, without the least conjectụre that each is the very object of the other's search! Whilst all this surprising forgetfulness possesses them, as to the figure, face, and mind of him or her whom they still adore, show either of them but a ring, a bracelet, a mole, a scar, and here remembrance instantly occupies its place, and both are

a

immediately inspired with every sensation which first testified their mutual passion. Still the sober critic must arraign the strength of this love with the shortness of its recollection ; and charge the renewal of affection for objects that no longer appear the same, to fickleness rather than to constancy.

The biographers of Farquhar, who differ in some articles concerning him, all agree that he was married, in the year 1704, to a lady, who was so violently in love with him, that, despairing to win him by her own attractions, she contrived a vast scheme of imposition, by which she allured him into wedlock, with the full conviction that he had married a woman of immense fortune.

The same biographers all bestow the highest praise upon poor Farquhar for having treated this wife with kindness; humanely forgiving the fault which had deprived him of that liberty he was known peculiarly to prize, and reduced him to the utmost poverty, in order to support her and her children.

This woman, whose pretended love was of such fatal import to its object, not long enjoyed her selfish happiness her husband's health gradually declined, and he died four years after his marriage. It is related that he met death with fortitude and cheerful. ness. He could scarcely do otherwise, when life had become a burden to him, He had, however, some objects of affection to leave behind, as appears by the following letter, which he wrote a few days before his decease, and directed to his friend Wilks:

.

Dear BOB, “ I have not any thing to leave you

to

perpetuate my memory, except two helpless girls; look upon them sometimes, and think of him that was, to the last moment of his life, thine,

66 GEORGE FARQUHAR."

Wilks protected the children---their mother died in extreme indigence.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

DRURY LANE. COVENT GARDEN. Sie HARRY WILDAIR Mr. Elliston. Mr. Lewis, ALDERM. SMUGGLER Mr. Dowton. Mr. Quick. COLONEL STANDARD Mr. Barrymore. Mr. Farren. CLINCHER, JUN. Mr. Collins. Mr. Blanchard. BEAU CLINCHER Mr. Bannister. Mr. Cubitt. VIZARD

Mr. Holland. Mr. Macready. Tom ERRAND

Mr. Wewitzer. Mr. Powell. DICKY

Mr. Purser, Mr. Simmons. CONSTABLE

Mr. Maddocks. Mr. Thompson. SERVANTS

Mr. Fisher, 8c.

Exter

LADY LUREWELL Mrs. Powell.
LADY DARLING Miss Tidswell.
ANGELICA

Miss Mellon.
PARLY

Mrs. Scott.
TOM ERRAND'S WIFE Mrs. Maddocks.

Miss Chapman.
Miss Platt.
Mrs. Mountain.
Miss Stuart.

Sc Vi

insuf

has con

Enter VIZARD with a Letter, kis SERVANT following:

Vizard. Angelica send it back unopened! say you?
Sero. As you see, sir?

Vizard. The pride of these virtuous women is more
insufferable than the immodesty of prostitutes-After
all my encouragement, to slight me thus !

Serm. She said, sir, that imagining your morals
sincere, she gave you access to her conversation; but
that your late behaviour in her company
vinced her that your love and religion are both hy-
pocrisy, and that she believes your letter, like your-
self, fair on the outside, and foul within; so sent it
back unopened.

Vizard. May obstinacy guard her beauty till
wrinkles bury it.--I'll be revenged the very first op-
portunity. Saw you the old Lady Darling, her
mother?

Serv. Yes, sir, and she was pleased to say much in your commendation,