Dumnorix to Venufia. Act V. Now ftand a while before the fanning breeze; Pale fear and grief for ever from the breast. But Mr. Glover's master-piece in tragedy is his Medea. Notwithstanding it is a subject rather of admiration than pity, yet the author has contrived from fcenes of horror to draw tears of compaffion; at leaft Mrs. Yates, by her admirable action, has melted every audience that has seen her inimitable Medea. The ftory of Creufa is taken from the Jon of Euripides, a fable which is loft in mythology; but the poet intended to do benou to his country by the choice of it. Crenfa, daughter to the king of Athens, is vitiated by Apollo, whofe offspring Ion is dedicated to him by the priestess of Delphos. The mother is married to Xuthus, a prince who affifted the Athenians in their wars wars against the Eubæans; for his reward he is chosen their king, whofe fucceffor is young Ion. Mrs. Such a plot seems but ill adapted to the taste of a modern audience; but the skill of the poet contrived to draw from it a pleasing picture of a young prince's education, and to give excellent leffons of politics and morals; and herein confifts the chief merit of Creufa. In vain did the author ftrive to force a tear for Creufa's misfortunes. Pritchard fainted, and Mr. Garrick difcovered himself to be her husband, without any effect. However, the latter difplayed a skill in delivering didactics, which proved him to be a perfect master of elocution. The language of Creufa is not vigorous; but it is fimple and elegant. Creufa's contempt of Xuthus is as unwarrantable as disgusting; and her minifter Phorbas is little better than a politician run mad. CHAP. CHA P. XVI. The Chinese Festival---Preparations for it--Commanded by the king----Account of the difturbance occafioned by it. THE fuccefs of Drury-lane theatre, un der the direction of two managers who knew their intereft, was great and uninterrupted; but Mr. Garrick forefaw that the repetition of his best characters would in time beget fatiety; for while he was able to act, the people would expect to fee him; he wished, therefore, to contrive fome particular mode of management which would attract their attention without him. Moffop, Woodward, and others among his best comedians, were employed occafionally in fome revived plays with advantage, and the usual Christmas difh of a new pantomime had the temporary effect of drawing the high and low vulgar after it; but all arts were fuppofed ineffectual to fix the wavering taste of the public, unless Mr. Garrick Garrick made a part of the entertainment. However, he fought to divert and win them, by fixing their attention upon a new object. In the fummer of 1754, Mr. Garrick invited the celebrated Mr. Noverre to enter into an engagement with him for the ensuing winter, and to compofe fuch dances as would furprize and captivate all ranks of people. Noverre's compofitions, in all the varieties of graceful movement, had long been admired and applauded by the connoiffeurs, in all the courts of Europe; and to convince the world he understood dancing fcientifically, he published a very learned and philofophical treatise upon that fubject. In October, 1754, he composed that accumulation of multifarious figures, called the Chinese Festival; a spectacle, in which the dreffes and cuftoms of the Chinese were exhibited in almost innumerable fhapes and characters. That nothing might be wanting to render this entertainment as perfect as as poffible, the most skilful dancers in Europe were hired at a confiderable price. But between the planning of this public diverfion, and the reprefentation of it, hoftilities commenced between England and France; and, as if we had at the fame time declared war against ingenuity and the polite arts, the uninformed part of the people, ftimulated by others, whofe envy of fuperior merit and good fortune is ever difguised with the fpecious fhew of public fpirit, denounced vengeance against the managers, and particularly Mr. Garrick, for employing fuch a large number of Frenchmen in an English theatre, at a time of open war with their countrymen. Nothing could justify this unexpected attack but an exclufion of the English in preference of foreigners; but that was not the cafe, for all England and Ireland were ranfacked to fill up the various figures projected by the composer of the Chinese Festival. The prejudices of the people were fo violent, and fo openly divulged against this entertainment, that the king was prevailed upon |