230 The Drama. ^ [FKB. 



knew that handkerchiefs are proverbial for conjugal infidelity. He 

 looks again at the cambric proof; and that the audience might not 

 think him rash and hasty, he shews them the mark, X. Y. Z. He says, 

 in a concentrated voice, " Very well, my lady ! I'll do your business/' 

 and off he goes. 



Act the 2d. Noblemen are seen idling (a thing common enough, to be 

 sure). Count St. Megrin is in a deep reverie. The Duke of Guise 

 declines fighting the Count, because he is only a count. Herewith the 

 amiable King, to obviate the difficulty, creates St. Megrin a Marquess and 

 a Duke at once ; but now see the strange perversion of human nature 

 they are as far from fighting as ever. Is this fair ? we candidly ask, 

 supposing a Mr. Smith, or a Sir John, is made a peer, that he may 

 vote in favour of Reform, will not this Mr. Smith, or Sir John, get a 

 title under false pretences, if he does not stand by the original agree- 

 ment ! But let that pass. The Duchess is melancholy, and talks with 

 a pretty page. The Duke comes, and desires her to write a letter she 

 obeys when, lo ! it is an assignation for the Count. She suspects foul 

 play, and declines. " You won't, hey ?" quoth the Duke, with a malig- 

 nant sneer. He puts on his gauntlet, and then squeezes the Duchess's 

 delicate wrist so tightly, that it makes her cry out " Do?it, Henry, you 

 hurt me !" a piece of intelligence which we thought superfluous. The 

 barbarous Duke does not relent. What can she do ? She writes. 



Act the 3d. The Count comes to the assignation, in spite of a hint 

 from the astrologer. He, however, takes a charm which will render 

 him invulnerable. A very distressing scene we do not recollect the 

 exact words, but the spirit of them runs thus " Oh, Heavens ! why do 

 you come ?" " That's good ; why, because you told me." " Yes ; but 

 'tis all a plot you will be murdered !" "Bless us, you don't say so ! 

 Oh, treacherous woman !" " Accuse me not, the cruel Duke obliged 

 me to write." " Well, well, that alters the case ; but do you love me ?" 

 " Upon my honour." " That's enough ; I die content !" 



A noise is heard the Duke advances confusion and despair a 

 ladder of ropes is thrown in by the page. The Duchess enacts with 

 her arm the part of an iron bolt. The Duke tugs at the door, while 

 the invulnerable lover escapes by the window. The lady's arm at 

 length gives way, as we had anticipated, and the Duke, in a phrenzy, 

 exclaims " Holloa ! where is he ?" Gone ! The invulnerable lover 

 is, however, dispatched under the window as well as the page, whilst the 

 Duchess lies writhing under the combined tortures of a compound 

 fracture and poison, &c. &c. 



Such is the outline of the plot of the tragic drama " Catherine of 

 Cleves," translated and abridged, adapted, and materially altered, by 

 Lord Leveson Gower. We think his lordship's powers might have 

 been much better employed on a different subject. There is no dig- 

 nity no stamina in " Catherine of Cleves," to elevate it to the rank of 

 tragedy ; it will make an excellent two-act melodrame, but no more. The 

 exhibition of bodily torture is, to say the least, excessively repulsive ; and 

 the only two stirring situations in the play owe their chief interest to 

 that exhibition. 



The " Bride of Ludgate" has been performed with complete success 

 atDrury Lane ; but the star of the season was produced on Wednesday 

 last, entitled the " Rent-Day," by the same author. Mr. Jerrold is 



