! 
1796.) 
five thoufand pounds—an expence un- 
paralleled in the hiftory of engraving. 
Mr. BrowwneE has finifhed, and Meffrs, 
Boyvvettis have publithed, the largeft 
Jand{fcape ever engraved in the kingdom, 
from a picture by Botr. 
Two of the prints engraving by 
Eartom, from Hogarth’s admirable 
feries of Marriage Alamod:, are nearly 
ready for delivery. 
AA characteriftic and fpirited copy, in 
‘fircke engraving, has been juft puolith- 
ed, from a print by Hogarth, of which, 
it fgems, there are only the two impre{- 
- fions in the poffetion of Mr. Joun Ire- 
LAND. This very fingular engraving, 
View of the Drama. 
230 
which, to colleéters and connoiffeurs, 
muft be highly interefting, fhows the 
powers of this great painter of the paf- 
fions in a new point of view. It isa 
ridicule of the abfurd reprefentations 
which the ancient painters made of Sacred 
Beings, their ridiculous perfonification of 
the Deity, &c. Mir. John Ireland (well 
known as the ingenious author of Hogarth 
Iivjiratcd, in two vols.) has left one of 
the original prints at the Shakfpeare 
Gallery ; and this print, as we are in- 
formed in one of his advertifements, he 
obtained from the executrix to Hogarth’s 
widow. 
en ETI 
RETROSPECTIVE VIEW OF THE DRAMA. 
, Drury-Lane. 
Saturday, 
VORTIGERN. 
VATE have already announced the eager- 
nefs of the public, and the prepa- 
rations at this houfe to gratify the curio- 
fity excited iby this drama. ‘The com- 
pany affembled on the occafion was nu- 
merous and refpeciable, although few 
ladies were prefent ; and it was requetted, 
by means of a handbill, ‘that the play 
might be attended to with that candour 
that has ever diftinguithed a Britith au- 
_ dience.”’ 
Fable.) Conftantius, king cf the Bri- 
tons, adopts Vortigern, one of his chief 
tains, as his coadjutor. ‘The latter, not 
content with ba/f a crown, murders his 
Benefactor by affaflins, and imputes this 
atrocious crime to certain foreigners then 
at court. Afterthis, he endeavours tocut 
off the two fons of the late king, but they 
eicape into Scotland, and their caufe is 
_ there warmly efpoufed by the fovercign of 
that country, who fends them into Eng- 
land with a large army. In this diftreds, 
Vortigern calls in the affiftance of -Hen- 
gift, king of the Saxons. Jn the mean 
time, Aurelius, fon of the murdered Con- 
ftantius, becomes enamoured with Fayvia, 
the daughter of the ufurper, who, with 
her brother Pafcentius, efcapes to the 
‘borders, and takes refuge in the Scottith 
camp. Jn the enfuing engagement, the 
Saxons prevail, and their cheftain, Hen- 
gift, conceives the idea of becoming ma- 
fier of the kingdom, by means of his 
daughter Rowena, with whofe charms 
the doating Vortigern is captivated to 
fuch an uncommon degree, notwithftand- 
ing his confort is ftill alive, that he or- 
ders her to be proclaimed queen of iing- 
~ wala } 
April 2. 
land. This conduét having irritated his 
own fons, and excited the indignation of 
the barons, who were jea!ous of the re- 
{pect fhown to foreigners, they arm their 
followers, defeat the allied army, and’ 
kill Hengift. On this, Rowena poifons 
herfelf, and Vortigern, the ufurper, be- 
ing defeated in fingle combat by Aure- 
lins, the eldeft fon of the late king, is 
faved by the interpofition of his own 
daughter Favia, who is united to the 
conqueror, 
‘The outline of the fable, fo far as it 
relates to the calling in of the Saxons, is 
borrowed from a memorable event in our 
hiftory, and affords ample fcope for in- 
cident, paffion, and pathos. The audi- 
ence liftened for a considerable time wit! 
great attention and liberality ; but at laft 
an unfortunate laugh, infinitely more fatal 
than athoufand hiffes to anew tragedy, 
having been fomchow excited, the the- 
atre afflumed one continual fimper dur- 
ing the whole night. 
By many of the critics this play has 
been confidered as a paficcio; in other 
words, the dialogue is deemed by fome — 
to be a compilation, not only from Shak{- 
peare himfelf, but alfo from Jater writ 
ers... Pafcentius’s *¢ Progrefs of Morta- 
lity,” is given as a familiar inftance of- 
the firft, andthe pafflage containing a poe - 
tical defcription of Death’s progrets, is 
thought to afford an example of the lat- 
ter charge, 
The following quotation will afford an 
oppertunity for the candid and unpreju- 
diced to decide for themfelves : 
Act VY. Scene II, 
Vortigern. Time was, alas! I needed not 
this fpur, ; 
But here’s a goading and a ftinging thorn— 
7, “That - 
