1829.] The Theatres. 173 
which Mr. Dimond has employed it. The papers have pointed out the story 
in an old collection of French nowvelles, as well known to the French, as 
patient Grizzle is to us: the name of the heroine, while she appears as a 
man, being Agenor D’Agen,—afterwards, Leonor. But did Mr. Dimond 
never read Moliere? There is a play of Moliere’s, from which many English 
writers, of the days gone by, have pilfered. Dryden, for instance, in his 
**Mock Astrologer ;” Ravenscroft, in his ‘‘ Wrangling Lovers ;” and Van- 
brugh, in his “‘ Mistake ;’—we allude to the “ Dépit Amoureux.” To this play 
we think we can show that Mr. Dimond’s wnborrowed plot is to be traced. 
Our stock farce of “ Like Master like Man,” is the underplot of Vanbrugh’s 
modification of the same original. Mboliere, it is said, took it in his turn from 
a Spanish romance, called “‘ Deceptio Vissus,” or “‘ Seeing and Believing are 
Two Things ;” which some romance afforded Corneille the ground-work of 
his “ Engagemens du Hasard ;” but it is more probable that he owed it to 
the ancient Italian piece “ La Creduta Maschia,” or “ The Daughter believed 
to be a Son,” which contains all the leading events of Moliere’s fable. A 
French enthusiast for Moliere, Monsieur Cailhava, was so particularly struck 
with the beauty of this very play, that, finding it mutilated by the players till 
it had entirely lost its first form, he took infinite pains to re-establish it in five 
acts. Discovering a copy of the Italian piece, he concocted a five act 
arrangement of the story from that and from Moliere. 
The personal theatrical -history of the month is brief. Young Kean 
re-appeared rather creditably at Drury Lane, and old Kean dis-appeared 
rather discreditably from Covent Garden. He was to have acted Richard 
II., but in his dressing-room was taken //, and was thence taken home. 
No manager being in the house, Mr. Warde called a council of safety, 
and told the audience the calamity, and begged for time to collect per- 
formers for the Beggar’s Opera, which did not begin till after eight, when 
Fawcett took advantage of the first disapprobation to come forward in 
déshabille, profess his devotedness, explain his absence, and state that he 
* supposed Mr. Kean was ill,” in a way which, an epigrammatist says, plainly 
“ meant that no one else should suppose it.” The papers have taken up the 
matter, and nettles have been thrown about, ‘which may sting Mr. Kean 
when he comes again to Covent Garden. At the Surrey, old Elliston has 
shewn himself again ; and, though he looks wrinkled, plays as well as ever. 
Young Elliston has appeared there, but with nothing of the father but the 
name. Stansbury’s entrée at Covent Garden we have already noticed. Jack 
Johnstone’s exit from the world occurred on the 26th of December. To the 
great surprise of many, who had venerated him as a man worth fifty thousand 
pounds, he has left but twelve thousand: about one thousand in legacies, and 
the rest closely tied up for the children of his daughter. 
