ing they will be called to account for the jewels the fo fraudulently obtained, whenever a detection of the affair frould take place, decamp in the night, and Bellcour returning to vifit Louifa, is highly cenfured by that lady for the fallehood 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 thrieks out, on which Charles immediately enters, and attacks Bellcour sword in hand, accufing him as a villain, who wanted to difhonour his family; this language produces the greatest refentment from the Weft-Indian, who proclaims to Charles, that he knows his real connection with his fifter, as he affects to call her, and aflails 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 advifes 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, remonstrates 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 human creature quithout pity. On being left by himself he declares his defire to relieve old Dudley, but obferves, he has the beft excufe in the world for giving him nothing -baving 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 poffeffion of her father's laft will, by which the knight's whole estate is devised to her nephew, Enfign Dudley, who was, by a former will, difinherited; distract. ed at this piece of information, and fatished that old Six-and-eight-pence had told her the truth, fhe, 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 scene 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 house. 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 presence 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 inftantly accepted, and Stockwell, who is extremely anxious about the life and honour of Bellcour, who difcovers great courage and hu manity in the difcuffion of the affair, determines to accompany him as his fecond. In the midst of these transactions 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 circumstance is communicated to Stockwell, who orders them to attend at the tavern, in hopes their confeffion may contribute to terminate this difagreeable difpute. His hopes turn out to be well founded, for upon a full explanation of the matter, 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 son, 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 screen 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 filenced by the honeft Major, who, to the aftonishment of the whole company, discovers her wicked confpiracy with the the Attorney, and produces the will which makes Charles fole heir of his grandfather's estate. Lady Rufport rufhes out in a fit of rage and execration; Charlotte gives her hand to her lover; Mifs Dudley, convinced of Bell cour'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 beftowed on him by an all-feeing Providence. Confiderations on the Condu& 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 Mils 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 firft eminence, and a member of parliament, to the level of a common pawnbroker: placed befides under the care of a rigid tep-mother, who obliges her to receive her friends by stealth, fhe would ot furely pledge her diamonds with any perfon who knew her, especially as the must be fenfible of the numberlefs fhops in this metropolis, where money-lending is a trade, and where a fecurity inftantly 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 the 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 himself carries the money to her, and treats her with a degree of almoft paternal tendernefs? 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 muft 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 ask 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 her-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 fubfituted diamonds at all, fince they are fuperior in value to Mifs Rufport's; and fince a more mortifying eclairciffement must follow, the moment the difcovers the exchange? But let us even overlook the improbability of all this, what purpose is anfwered by Belcour's breach of truft with refpect to the diamonds? It does not procure him even an interview with the woman he is fo paffionately, may fo prepofteroufly, 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 weak nefs 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 ac quainted with, he has every reason 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 at tacks, renders her at any future period aflailable, 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 most extraordinary circumftance, however, in the whole affair of the diamonds, which is made thus effentially neceffary 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 intereft, and will by no means make an exchange fo obvioully in her own favour, though her avarice avarice is the fole fource of all her infamous machinations, It may be faid, perhaps, that the has fold the diamonds-what, when he is taken up, upon offering them to fale? This, therefore, is a manifeft defect in the ground-work of the piece, and cannot elcape the requifite anathema of critical difapprobation. Mr. Cumberland, in the conduct of his fable, imitates Alexander with the Gordian knot; he cuts whatever he is unable to untye, and brings about his events without regarding the appearance of probability. Thus though the Irishman "has the best reafea 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 after wards, and even talking of his honefty, 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 juf tice, and anfwer every purpose of the Irifhman's injudicious violence. Poffibly Mr. Cumberland may fay, that as an Irishman, the Major's abfurdity is peculiarly fortunate: but he him. felf prepares us in the prologue to refpect the honeft Hibernian, and tells us that the blunders of his pronunci, ation, are the only ridiculous ingre. dients 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 have known whether the had, or had not a niece, and the Enfign of confequence would have found it impoffi ble to país a profeffed wanton as a fter upon his miftrefs. But fuppo, fing 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 baseness in young Dudley, and fuch as common humanity obliged every gentleman to expole. Yet the fentimental West-Indian keeps the fecret of a fuppofed fcoundrel whom he detefts, instead of refcuing an amiable woman, whom he fteems, from ruin; and makes a merit of not difclofing an act of villainy, though abfolutely neceffary under his mistake, for the immediate prefervation of virtue. In fhort, the whole of this circumftance is glaringly incongruous--An idiot only could cre dit Mrs. Fulmore's contemptible ftory, and the very reafon affigned for young Dudley's wishing 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 reason why Belcour fhould instantly discover the fcandalous falfehood of the report. Mifs Rufport was the laft perfon exifting upon whom the impofition could be practifed; the 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 Mil 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 closest 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 poffibility of wanting fufficient customers. Laying the fcene fo frequently in Fulmore's public fhop, where they love, fight, and tranfact bufinefs of the molt fecret nature, is very injudicious. THE CHARACTERS Indian is a mixture of licentioufnefs and generosity, very frequent on the ftage, and always introduced in the compofitions of the circulating library. He is Ranger, Young Belmont, Lovelace, and a thousand fimilar characters-The Irish Major, is the Irish officer in Love A-la-mode, only without a fortune-Mr. and Mrs. Fulmore are the Mr. and Mrs. Subtle of the Englishman in Paris-Lady Rufport is an inferior Lady Brumptonand the other characters have not a trait of originality THE SENTIMENTS In many places do honour to humanity-they are often new-generally ftriking-and always the dictates of benevolence. They merit and receive the greatest approbation. THE DICTION Is not unexceptionable-The WeftIndian is often in burlesque heroics on the most ferious occafions.-The Irishman is a gentleman-and his calling Lady Rufport-" Old Tabby, and old cat," is exceedingly coarse. There is fome humour in Fulmore's dialogue, but his wife's favours rather too much of the bagnio. The rest of the characters generally fpeak a language confiftent with their fituations, and often express themselves with elegance. THE MANNERS Violated glaringly--The women court the men through the whole piece. Mifs Rufport actually forces herself upon young Dudley-and Mifs Dudley entertains a first-fight paffion for a man, who treats her conftantly as a woman of the town, till the catastrophe in the fifth act. It may be faid his generofity to her father excites this tender partiality-but furely as he has fuch an early reafon for thinking that generofity infamous, it fhould ferve rather to fteel her bofom against Belcour, than foften her into an immediate approbation of his addreffes. The manners are alfo notoriously violated in the Irishman; the following couplet in the prologue "But yet despise him not-for on his prepares us for a man of honour; and through the play we have many fentiments of rectitude in his character, but furely it is not confiftent with the ideas of honour, to court an "Old Tabby, an old cat," merely for the fake of her money. The Major is poor, but poverty does not justify a difhonourable action. The Major befides talks of having five different wives then living-how he can reconcile the marriage of a fixth to his notions of probity, is totally beyond our comprehension. THE MORAL Excellent; to inculcate virtue generally through life, and in particular to fhew the dangerous confequences of gallantry. : THE REPRESENTATION. We have been thus minute in our examination of the Weft-Indian, becaufe as it was received with uncommon approbation, the public may be peculiarly defirous of an ample critique. We therefore declare, that with all its imperfections on its head, it pleafes very much in the reprefentation-A variety of incidents keeps the attention continually alive; and the air of benevolence breathing fo frequently through these incidents, excites an intereft that makes us forget their obvious improbability.—Mr. Garrick has great merit in the accuracy, with which, to make use of a technical term, he has got up this play and the performers deserve great commendation, for the fpirit with which they fuftain their respective characters, The female parts are rather inconfiderable; yet Mrs. Abington, who is certainly one of the first comic actreffes that ever existed, makes fo much of Miss Rufport, and blends her advances to Dudley with fuch genuine ftrokes of unaffected delicacy, that he almoft renders forwardness refpectable: the peaks an excellent epilogue alfo, written by Mr. Garrick, with inconceivable vivacity. Mr.King, in the Weft-Indian, is every thing that the fevereft criticism can poffibly defire. Mr. Cautherly manifefts no little fenfibility, and Mr. Moody has justly extended his reputation for preeminence in the Irishmen. Τα To the AUTHOR of the LONDON MAGAZINE. I SIR, Have read the effay on the name JEHOVAH, printed in your Magazine for June laft, and have obferved from it, that the knowing the true time when God firft declared or publithed this name, will correct many miftakes which fome able writers have fallen into for want of it. In proof of this obfervation I think it proper to give an inftance or two only in one particular cafe. Eufebius (Lib. 7. cap. 2. de Præpar. Evang.) fuppofes that the book of Genefis was written by Mofes during the time of his keeping the flock of Je tbro his father-in-law in the land of Midian. But this we now fee was impoffible, because he frequently repeats the name Jehovah in it, as an hittorian writing his history for the use of the fubjects of the theocracy. Yet when he records the covenant made with Abraham, he introduces God calling himself by another name. When Abram (fays he) was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram and faid unto him, I am the God SHADDAI; walk before me, and be thou perfect, and I will make my covenant between me and thee." Gen. xvii. Again when Jacob came out of Padan-aram God appeared unto him and faid, "I am the God Shaddai, be fruitful and multiply, a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee." Chap. 35. This agrees with what follows in the fecond book of Mofes at the fixth chapter, where God spake unto him and faid, "I am JEHOVAH, and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Ifaac, and unto Jacob by the name of the God Shaddai, but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them." This name then is an undeniable proof of the error of Eufebius, and thows to a demonitration that the book of Genefis could never have been written under the patriarchal covenant, which was the only one that fabfifted during the retirement of Mafes in the land of Midian, and Shaddai the only name of the God of his fathers during that retirement. The book of Genefis therefore, like all the reft of the Pentateuch, muft needs have been written after his Jan, 1771. divine legation at the burning bush; when the name JEHOVAH was firft pronounced. In like manner the afcertaining the true time of the first declaration of this name of God will correct many, mistakes concerning the book of Job. Our own Bifhop Patrick, in the preface to his Paraphrafe upon it, calls it the most antient book in the whole, Bible, and fays, the old tradition is," that Mofes could not find any thing like it for the fupport and fatisfaction of the Ifraelites in their Egyptian Lond age, and therefore took the pains to tranflate it into their language out of the Syriack, wherein it was first writ ten. He then tranfcribes the old le gendary tale of the writer of the commentaries upon this book under the name of Origen, who truly pretends to tell us the very words which Mojes spoke to the people with a pleating countenance, when he delivered it into their hands. All this old wives fable is confuted at once, only by faying, that the theocratic name of God is mentioned nine times in the very firft chapter of it. The fame is continued in the fecond chapter; fince they are both of them plain hiftorical narration, as a prologue to introduce the poetical part of the book, which begins in the third chapter. Again when God appears himself in the 38th chapter, as a judge to decide the long controverfy, the preface which introduces him at firft, and all the fpeeches between him and Job afterwards, makes ufe of the name of God under the theocracy. And in the last chapter, where the hiftorical narration returns and finishes the book, as the epilogue to the poem, the name Jehovah is constantly used. This proves with equal certainty, that the book of Job could never have been written till after the erection of the theocracy; and that Mofes himicif, had he been the author of it, could never have done it before that time. Yet still in the poetical part of it, in which the difpute is fo warmly carried on between Job and his friends, the writer has generally made ufe of the patriarchal name of God: fo gene. rally indeed, that the name of God under the theocracy has never clcaped him but once; and that is at clap. C |