ring, with diamonds, in a gold fnuff-ruled by princes, independent, though box. There was for the fecond a little Cupid fet with brilliants. There was befides these a fet of fine china for the tea-table, enchafed in gold, Japan trunks, and fans, and many gallantries of the fame nature. All the men of quality at Vienna were spectators; but the ladies only had per miffion to shoot. The arch-duchefs Amelia carried off the prize. I was very well pleased with having been at this entertainment; and I do not know bat it might make as great a figure as the prize-shooting in the Enid, if I could write as well as Virgil. This is the favourite pleasure of the emperor, and there is rarely a week without fome feaft of this kind, which makes the young ladies fkilful enough to defend a fort. They laughed very much to see me afraid to handle a gun. My dear filter, you will eafily pardon an abrupt conclufion. I believe by this time you are ready to think I fhall never conclude at all. profeffing the faith of Mahomet. Almaimon, its fovereign, quitting Cairo to collect an army, at the approach of Selim left therein Zoraida, who is defcribed as an orphan, brought to the court of Egypt, while an infant, by peasants, who found her expofed at the door of their cottage, with a writing declaring her of noble birth, and recommending her to Almorad's protection, the then lord of Egypt, and fire of Almaimon. The Prince and Zoraida being educated together, are reprefented as increafing in affection for each other from childhood, and as mutually betrothed, when Selim, invading Egypt, laid fiege to Cairo. At this period the piece begins; Almaimon returns with his army to the relief of Cairo, is de feated, the city is taken, and Zoraida made captive to Selim, who becomes In the mean enamoured of her. time, Ofman, aga of the Janizaries to the fultan, and offended at him for forcing from 'him a beautiful captive he had taken in battle, confpires againft him, and finding means to be introduced to Almaimon, who had retired to the cell of a neighbouring dervife, concerts with him a fcheme to furprife the camp by night. This fails of fuccefs by an unexpected accident, while Almaimon is feized by the fultan in Zoraida's tent, and commanded to be given up to the foldiers, who had mutinied and demanded Zoraida's life, when they found the attempt was made for her fake. Ofman faves him, exculpates himself, tells of a letter he had fent to Almaimon to defer their enterprize, and appoint a second meeting; but the flave to whom the paper was configned, betraying his truft, THE fable of this piece is Eaftern, gives it to Salim, who furprifes Ofman, the outlines of which are as fol- reproaches him for his perfidy, and low:-Bajazet, emperor of the Turks, then forgives him, which makes fuch and father of Selim the Firft, was an impreffion on Ofman's mind, that, murdered by a confpiracy aimed at the returning to his allegiance, he refufes whole reigning family; but the cou-to affift Almaimon farther, who by rage and fidelity of the vizir Abdallah this means is reduced to defpair. In preferved his fon, and placed him, yet the mean time a captive, dreffed by a youth, on the Othman throne. This Ofman, in the appearance of AlSelim afterwards invaded Egypt, thenmaimon, and given up to the camp to Account of ZORAIDA, a new Tragedy, as it was performed, for the firft Time, on Monday, December 13, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. DRAMATIS PERSONE. Mr. Smith. Almaimon, 3 Selim, Ofman, Moralmin, Zirvai, Mr. Aickin. Metophar, Mr. Norris. Heli, Achmet, Zoraida, TH Mr. Philimore. Mrs. Yates. Mrs. Sharpo. deceive The true Point of Honour. 657 no doubt of their efficacy; but the fhortnefs of time, and her prefent diftance from the afflicted object, puts it out of her power to give an account of their fuccefs, and her sense of the obligation, would not permit her to poftpone her acknowledgments. Oxfordshire, Nov. 10, 1779. M. N. The TRUE POINT of HONOUR. deceive them, and the Sultan deceives Mr. de Lutherbourgh has exerted his talents to great advantage in the fcenery, and the managers have fpared no expence to ornament it with dreffes and decorations. The prologue was poetical, and to the point the epilogue extremely laughable and entertaining.--Mrs. Yates (who played Zoraida incomparably) did the epilogue ample juftice. In a Series of Letters. LETTER L. M. NORTHON, jun. to bis SIR, YOU have repeatedly told mey YOU "that we feldom stop at the firit crime, and I know it to be true, by fatal experience. I will not enter into the detail of my trangreffions; they are fuch as not to deferve your pity. Forget an ingrate, who has pushed his ingratitude as far as poffible, notwithstanding the admonitions of a heart of the greateft fenfibility and tenderness. Yes, Sir, on the point of loofing my life either by the hands of an enemy, whom I have challenged, or on a fcaffold, to which my duel may configu me; my only concern is, that I have embittered thofe days which I would have rendered happy by the facrifice of my I die highly fenfible of the kindneffes I have received from the Baron. I was not, indeed, worthy of the bleffing which he had intended for me, and heaven owed Eliza a huf band that could render her more happy. I am fenfible of the influence of her virtues and her charms; but I muft do myself the juftice to add, that a heart tainted by a disgraceful fame, was not worthy of being offered to her. 4 P own. Alas! What have I not suffered this fright ful morning! I have endured the fight of this dear girl in the agonies, of death, together with the defpair and reproaches of her father. His grief rendered him unjuft, and was fo violent for fome moments that he forgot all my deferts, and remembered only that I was the aunt of the unhappy youth, whom he accused, not unjust LETTER LI Madam NORTHON in Continuation. JUDGE, my dear, what effect fuch a letter must have had upon my bro-ly, with the lofs of his daughter; for ther: as for me, it deprived me of my in the condition that I found Elizı, fenfes. It was probable that Northon I had not the thoughts of fecuring had taken the precaution that this let- the letter, which had brought on this ter fhould not reach us, till after the catastrophe, and he read it. Excepttime appointed for the duel. To have ing this circumftance, every other recourfe to authority under fo much would have inclined him to commi uncertainty, was to expofe him to the ferate us: but his grief was fo viopurfuits of justice. The prefence of lent, that it closed his heart againf the Baron, who entered the room, to- every other paffion. gether with his daugher, was an addition to our diftrefs: we were obliged to fmother our tears, and conceal under the mafk of an exterior compofednefs the most dreadful agitation. My brother could not fupport this diffimulation, he went out; I pretended that I wanted to fpeak a word with him, and topped him on the ftair-cafe, to know what he had determined: in my hurry I dropped the fatal letter, as I was putting it into my pocket. The Baron, who was amuling himself with About seven in the morning her pulfe feemed to beat more regularly, the phyfician and furgeon ordered her to be fprinkled continually with the coldeft water that could be procured, and fome ice was introduced to make it the more penetrating. This odd prefeription, at laft, produced an effect which I could not expect. She opened her eyes, and having diftinguished me from the rest of the group with which fhe was furrounded, she turned her languid eyes towards me, and faid The true Poin: of Honcur. Is he dead, my dear friend? Is his eternal irrecoverable?" I was moved by an unaccountable emotion, for I cannot have the prefumption to think I was inspired; and my reverential regard for truth would not permit me to be guilty of a falfehood; I replied.-" He is alive, my dear child, and lives only to atone for his faults, and to love you." How furprising are the effects of love and paternal affection! this fhort sentence metamorphofed both the father and the daughter immediately. The countenance of Eliza was covered with a blush, which difperfed the gloom of death, that feemed to have furrounded her; her eyes brightened, and 1 never faw them more brilliant. fat down with the vivacity of a perfon in found health, and offering me her hand-"Ah, my dear Mama, if he be alive, if he repent, I fhall think that the evils he has made me fuffer, are bleffings. They will be dear to me; all is forgotten, pardoned." She then raifed her lovely eyes towards heaven, and in an animated and fervent ejaculation, thanked Providence for the miracle which had been wrought in our favour. She The Baron, on this unexpected re covery, approached towards his daughter's bed, contemplated her in filence, feemed to devour her with his eyes, and reluctantly to fmother the tokens of his tenderness, that he might not 'interrupt her addreffes to the Deity. The fpectators were ftruck with awe. It feemed as if the prefence of the All Powerful had manifefted itself in this apartment in a fingular manner; it feemed to them a temple in which he would be adored; every one fell on his knees, not excepting even thofe of the faculty. After fome minutes fpent in the moft fervent prayer, Eliza thanked us by a charming fmile, in joining her in thankfgiving to the Divine Mercy, and ftretched out her hand to her father, as it were afking for his. The Baron, no longer able to contain himself, flung himself at her fide, overwhelmed her with his careffes, 659 and gave a loofe to the deluge of joy. Eliza's heart was melted with thefe marks of paternal tendernefs, her tears, her fobs mingled with his and mine, the could utter nothing articulate, and I began to fear the confequences of this circumitance, when the phyfician difpelled my fears." She is fafe," cried he, "let her emo ions be free, let her shed tears; I was apprehentive only of a clojure of the heart, which produces a kind of infenfibility." The Baron, no longer apprehenfive of the danger of his daughter, recol lected the harsh manner with which he had fpoken to me, and the excellence of his heart would not fuffer him to remain a moment without repairing his fault. "What am I not endebted to you," said he, kiffing my hand. "You restore me my daughter; proceed in rendering me content, by excufing the reproaches which I had the hardinefs to make to you."-Then calling me alide, "How can we fupport," faid he, "the pretext which has reftored her life." This apprchenfion, or rather this certainty of the greatest misfortune, had not fuffered me to enjoy the reco very of Eliza; nor could I help being apprehenfive of a relapfe, if I should be obliged to tell her the truth. I was difcovered by my fears to the Baron, when a domeftic entered, and told my brother, "that a countryman, in the next room, asked for him." At thefe words I turned as cold as ice, and if I had not been enabled, from a fear of expofing Eliza to inevitable death, I believe I thould not have had itrength enough to fupport the dreadful condition I was in; for I firmly believed that the meffenger came to inform my brother of the death of his fon. This apprehenfion had fuch an effect upon me during my brother's abfence, that wonder it did not coft me my life. Indeed, my lady, I cannot fuffer more at the crifis of diffolution; a cold fweat trickled down in fuch profution, that it wetted my cloaths, even to my fkin: I am not hyperbolical; the moiftnefs pervaded my fhoes, and the floor showed the marks: a thick mist 4 P 2 came before my eyes, and my palenefs showing my anguish, extorted a tigh from Eliza. 2. A paffion of the mind, a houfe of entertainment for travellers, omittine a letter, an article, and a imall co 3. Three fourths of to fell, frozer water, half the reverfe of ugly, fou fevenths of a domeftic, and part of i metal. "Dear friend! faid fhe, addreflection of houses. fing her father, pray give her your affiance. Really my knees knocked together, and could fcarcely faulter ou: a few words, that my condition refulted only from a terror, which I had lately experienced. 4. A colour expunging a letter, three fifths of the goddess of love, and part of a fign of the zodiac. The Baron had feated me on Eliza's bed; the phrician applied falts to my nofe; the furgeon chafed my tem-fevenths of a vegetable pls. Eliza had not ftrength enough to import fo alarming a circumftance, and was on the point of relapfing. My brother's return changed this melancholy fcene. His eyes flashed with joy; he held a paper which he killed frequently, and he was tranfported fo much, that he could not take notice of my weakness. Certainly Ifition, and a reproachful afperfion. then underwent a relapfe, more dangerous, and which would have extinguished the lamp of life, if they had not immediately opened a vain; but nothing could fufpend my queftions, and thofe of the Baron; my brother's countenance announced an event which we burned to know. 5. Half a covered basket, and four 6. A third part of a fcience, half word of denal, two fourths of a title and a quadrupede, leaving out a letter. 7. A number, a French artick, a liquid, half a man's chriftian name, a ferpentine letter, two thirds of a bird, the initial of a month, and a conforant. 8. A place for education, a prepo My brother asked the phyfician if there were no danger in our making a fudden tranfition from joy to grief, and received this anfwer: "All the mifchief which might be affected by joy is over, and I hope it will prove fo; on the other hand, you have a letter which may cause a revultion, when heard; and to leave you at liberty to read it, we will retire to the next room." This precaution was feafonable; but if this good gentleman had given his advice, neither of us was in a fituation to reflect on it, and my brother might have publifhed on the house-top the news which tranfported him. I fend you this letter; I have fo much to write, that I have not time to copy it. (To be continued.) An Enigmatical Lift of Plays. 1. Two fifths of an amphibious animal, half of an head-piece, and an interjection. 9. Three fevenths of one who fights, the first letter of a spice, and two fifths of a town in France. 10. An emblem of peace, the fir letter of a precious ftone, half a flower, one quarter of a perfume, and the re verse of ill. An Enigmatical Lift of Ladies Names of PETERBOROUGH, in NORTH. AMPTONSHIRE. 1. A colour, and a bird-trap, chang ing the laft letter. 2. Half a liquor, a musical inftrument omitting a letter, a confonant, and a cloth measure. 3. Part of a knife, changing a letter. 4. What few are, and half of cuitom. 5. A ufeful piece of furniture, omit. ting a letter, and half a trade. 6. What we all are, adding a vowel. 9. An ant, and a useful quadrupede, changing a letter. 10. A place of divine worship, changing a letter, and a letter. 11. Three fifths of a metal, and half the place where I wish to go, and one third. 12. A feafon in the year, changing a letter. POE |