il^l' ON ENGLISH PLAYS. 79 



tioufnefs of Englifh fervants, and a low kind of humour, moftly 

 affedled, and wholly unnatural. The beft part of the fatire is 

 levelled againft high life, and is an aukward imitation of the in- 

 comparable Beggar's Opera. 



The Mock Doctor. 



The naivete, fpirit and humour of Moliere, a true dramatic ge- 

 nius, are happily enough preferved in this tranflation, incompar- 

 ably fuperior to the former rtiodern pieces in this volume. The 

 fongs are in the true unmeaning modern Englilh tafte, and no 

 part of the original play. 



The Virgin Xhimq/ked : by Henry Fielding, Efq; 



The affeded ftyle and character prevail fo much in this piece, 

 that I wonder not it is in vogue. The fongs too are wrttched. 



The Upholjlerer. 



The outre prevails in every character and fcene, to pleafe a Lon- 

 don populace. 



The Mayor of Garrat : by Fooie. 



The fimple Jerry Sneak, and his termagant fpoufe, are comical 

 charafters. Jerry was created to fit the peculiar humour cf 

 Wefton the player, and probably will never be fo entertaining, 

 by the performance of any future aftor. Major Sturgeon, a cha- 

 radter outre, as ufual in modern comedy, fuited the extravagant 

 drollery of Foote, the author. The reft is infipid. 



The Reprifal. By Dr SmoUet. 



This gentleman had humour, and parts, of which his Roderick 

 Random, and fome other pieces, will be a lading monument. 

 In that now before me, the charafter of the Iriihman and Scotf- 

 man are natural and entertaining. Heartly and the Lady are no 

 characters at all. And tofuit the ungenerous pride of a Lon- 

 don rabble, the Frenchmen are too much debafed, and treated 

 with illiberal contempt ; though Captain Lyon's concluding 

 fpeech makes fome amends for tliis fault. The fongs are in the 

 low modern ftyle. Hearts of Oak is borrowed. 



