So ON ENGLISH FLAYS. Sept. 21. 



Lethe. 



The fcene which exhibits Lord Chalkftone is good. The reft 

 are trivial, and quite in modern tafte. 



The Deuce is in him. 



This piece has uncommon merit. The plot is well fancied, 

 and agreeably managed. The dialogue is natural and charac- 

 teriftic, without flatnefs, or that ftudiedcompofition of the poet, 

 yhich appears, for the mod part, in -our modern comedy. I am 

 agreeably furprifed to find in this very modern Colledion, one 

 piece on which I can bcftow fuch commendation. 



The Knights. 



The plot is foolifh enough, and the foolifh charafters are lu- 

 dicrous and diverting enough, to pleafe very highly a London 

 audience. 



The Chaplet. 



The Beggar's Opera is the onlymufical entertainment of true 

 genius in the Engliih language, I mean of the comic fort. The 

 Comus of Milton is in a high ftyle. Whoever can read thefe 

 pieces, or has feem them performed on the ftage, and can bear 

 with patience this, and all the reft of our Engliih operas, 



*' May juftly be reckon'd an afs." 



I except our charming Scots paftoral, the Gentle Shepherd, and 

 defpife all diftin<5tion? of South and North Britain ; happy, and 

 vain to think, that Shakefpear?, Milton, &c. were my country- 

 men, in fpite of Ihallow partial pride. 



Taje. 



I venture to aflert, that this age has produced no genius for co- 

 mic entertainment, but Foote alone. Yet even he is far Ihort of 

 the fterling humour, fenfe, and happy expreffion of the old poets. 

 He was a diflipated pleafant fellow, and could not afford the 

 pains or patience of forming a complete piece of regular come-:, 

 dy, if the Minor is not one. Yet his farces are amufing on the 

 ftage, asd in the clofet. 



