1828.] The Plays of Gherardo da Rossi. 513 



Our limits already exceeded, compels us to break off here ; and a great 

 part of the dialogue we have already been under the necessity of con- 

 densing. But the scene from this point runs on with the rapidity, and 

 almost with the intricacy of a scene in pantomime, to the end of the 

 interlude. Gerlino continues trying, in vain, to wake Susannah, who 

 keeps replying to what he says, in her sleep, and constantly exclaim- 

 ing " More Patties," while the crowd of masks who pass by, stop 

 to laugh ; and Rosina exclaims " The whole room is looking at 

 her ! I shall die with shame !" In a few moments, the Count Spa- 

 simo enters, with Giacinto, under his arm, whom he still takes to be a 

 woman; and Rosina charges him with perfidy and ill manners for 

 quitting her. Volpino, by joining in the conversation, contrives to 

 speak of her attachment for Giacinto ; whom she directly reviles, say- 

 ing, that he is her dupe only, and that she detests him; and never 

 meant any thing more than to marry him. On this, Giacinto loses 

 patience, and discovers himself, overwhelming her with reproaches and 

 surprising all the company, and most, the Count Spasimo; who finds 

 that the supposed woman is a man. At the same moment, the Mar- 

 chioness Clarissa comes in, and seeing the Count, flies upon him. He 

 runs off : she follows ; and the Marquis Livio hastens after them, to 

 prevent his wife from exposing herself in public. In the mean while, 

 Susannah wakes, half tipsy. The general affair gets buzzed round the 

 room, and the ladies find themselves in some danger of being affronted. 

 Being then in utter distress, and unable to find any other protection, 

 they are compelled to beg Signor Gerlin to see them home; who 

 assents. As they are going off (making already but a bad retreat) 

 Mamma Susanna's pottles of sweetmeats and cakes break, and fall about 

 the room. And the curtain drops upon this last unlucky accident, amid 

 the laughter of the crowd, and cries of " More Patties !" 



THE ADVENTURER'S STORY. 



'Tis a melancholy thing for those who possess any romance of character, 

 to find how little of the savage is now remaining to us. Men very 

 generally wear skirts to their coats, and brigands, pirates, bandit chiefs, 

 and others of the same interesting species, are growing very tame. 'Gad ! 

 it was a satisfaction to be pilfered in those days, when a tall horseman 

 in black, struck with the appearance of your travelling carriage, in- 

 sinuated a pale aristocratic hand, and declared as he was a gentleman, 

 that your purse was all he desired. But this, after all, was but a silly 

 mode of entertainment, compared with the horrible delights of an all 

 but murder in Italy, or the Black Forest. Singular the sweetness of 

 being torn from your family, thumped on the head by genuine despera- 

 does, gagged, blindfolded, handcuffed, or what not, and after a fortnight 

 of bread and water, giving up half your patrimony as a ransom. Ye 

 mountains of Abruzzi, and ye dear villains, who were wont to murder 

 so beautifully, though I have never myself been slain, nor robbed of 

 aught but two bad pocket handkerchiefs, somewhere near Covent 

 Garden. Oh ! sabres, scymitars, caves, and all other bloody places ! 

 Oh ! money and lives lost. Oh ! daughters ravished ! Oh ! eternal 

 ruin ! What rapturous visions do these holy ideas excite ! 



Such have been the exclamations of some amongst the giddy rout, 

 who rush from merry England for excitement abroad. I grieve for the 

 M, M. New Series* VOL. V. No. 29. 3 U 



