500 Modern It alum Comedy : MAY, 



The Maestro di Cappella, the Astratto Geloso, the Presuntuoro, and 

 the Commedia in Villegiatura, are dramas of little originality as to plot 

 or construction, and not sufficiently relieved by wit in the dialogue, to 

 interest the English reader. The chief fault is the scantiness and want 

 of variety of the action. One marked character is nearly all that each 

 play has to live upon ; and a regular round of make-weight people 

 bully soldiers, waiters, valets, and chambermaids, with ladies prized for 

 any fancies rather than their honesty little more than repetitions of 

 each other fill up the rest of the piece. " The Chapel Master," is a 

 play rather of serious interest. The hero " Riccardo," is a gentleman 

 reduced in fortune, applying himself to music for a livelihood. He 

 produces an opera, which is unsuccessful ; but is recompensed by 

 receiving the hand of a woman of large estate. There is whim in the 

 character of the musical amateur, who is deaf. And the fifth-rate opera 

 singer, who is dissatisfied with his song, and insists on having a better 

 given to him, is sometimes comical. But the play was unfortunate ; 

 and this is one of the failures, for which the author, in a preface, blames 

 the actors. The chief character in the Commedia in Villegiatura is a 

 ridiculous poet, who has written one ode, and fancies all the world is 

 reading it. But we shall pass this comedy, as well as the Astratto Geloso, 

 and the Podesta di Bicenzo (a melo-dramatic piece, of respectable talent, 

 but which does not possess any points of striking originality), to come 

 to the Calzolajo Inglese a Roma the third play in the first volume, and 

 one of the liveliest as well as the earliest of our author's productions. 



The Calzolajo Inglese a Roma, (English shoemaker at Rome), borders 

 sometimes a little upon farce ; but the situations are bold and humorous, 

 and the action always lively and full of variety. The general spirit and 

 dialogue furnishes a curious example of what the Italian idea of Eng- 

 lish manners and character derived from their experience of English 

 visitors was forty years ago : and as a nation, though the Englishman, 

 of course, is the butt of the piece, we have no cause to complain of in- 

 justice perpetrated against us. The principal personage, the " Shoe- 

 maker," is freely and very ludicrously drawn ; but all in a temper of 

 candid, and even good-natured ridicule ; and, amid all the blunders and 

 extravagances that he is made to commit, perfectly fair play is shewn 

 to the strong points of the national reputation. 



The play opens with a scene in an anti-room of a locanda, or lodging- 

 house in Rome, where " Panchon," the master of the house, (the 

 hour being morning) waits the rising of an Englishman, who has 

 arrived on the night before. In a few moments " Trivella" appears, 

 who has been sent as a valet de place, to the stranger, by an agent, 

 " Signer Rosbif," to whom the latter has letters of credit and intro- 

 duction. The new comer, by way of jest, we suppose, upon the anti- 

 euphoniousness, in Italian opinion, of English names, is called " Signer 

 Psctth" how to assist our readers to any thing like a pronunciation 

 of the title, we don't know, and shall be glad to hear the result of any 

 orthoepist's efforts, who may attempt it : but the man himself is a rich 

 London shoemaker, who has been in love with a figurante at the Anglo- 

 Italian opera; and, in consequence of a quarrel which divided their 

 affections, has gone to Rome at the end of the season to forget her. 

 " Signor Rosbif," who has been recommended to this gentleman as a 

 guide and counsellor, in all matters for necessary knowledge to a 

 stranger, is an Englishman, domiciled in Italy; and the introduction 



