i@ 
fauch ill will among the ladies, on ac- 
&ount of the intrigues of hair-dreffers, 
which he expofed on the ftage. This was 
done with {uch great adroitnefs, that all 
the {pectators judged that M. ALBER- 
GaTI muft have ‘converfed very much 
with hair-dreflers, either as rivals or 
f{pies. When it was performed in Bo- 
logna, a lady in a box fainted away at 
the fight of one fcene, and another lady 
applied to the cardinal legate to have it 
forbidden. The ladies’ hair-dreffers alfo 
combined in a plot to thrafh the come- 
dians ,and the poet. : 
«© Love not to be Concealed’ is the laft 
work that ALBERGATI wrote in verfe: 
it was publifhed in 1775, and performed’ 
by the author himielf and his private 
company. * a 
“« The Fits’ was a petite piece, intend- 
ed to turn into ridicule the exceflive de- 
licacy of the fair fex: its keeneft ftrokes, 
however, were direCted againft thofe who 
followed, feduced, or flattered them. 
The goodnefs of 2 hufband, the vile 
adoration of a gallant, the affected affi- 
duities of a phyfician, do more injury 
to the ladies than they are able to do 
themfelves. 
The play called “ What a ftrange Ac- 
eédent ” was taken from aFrench novel 
inferted in the Tales of Mifs Uncy. 
Tts aim was to correct certain faults of 
perfons in high life. This play was 
highly approved of by all in the middle 
ranks of life, but much difliked by the 
Italian nobility. (¢* It is very fingu- 
lar,” faid M. ALBERGATI, “ that we 
can relifh on the ftage, all forts of vices 
and crimes in kings and queens exhi- 
bited in tragedy, and yet not fuffer prin- 
eeffes and ducheffes to be turned into 
ridicule.” ; 
“¢ The Enamoured Widows” is a play 
which deferves particular attention, for 
the’manner in which it was written. The 
author was at his country-feat, with two 
of his friends. They agreed that their 
names fhould be thrown into a box, from 
which the firft that fheuld be drawn out 
was to compote the firft act of a comedy, 
at his fancy; the fecond was to continue 
the fecond a&t, and fo on, No ene-was 
mformed of the preceding a€t till the 
piece was delivered for continuation. 
Itis truly curious how, in fo jocofe 2 way, 
an excellent comedy could have been 
written. 
© The Slandering Quack” appears to 
be among dramatic works what the 
“*. Lreatife on Crimes and Penalties of Bec- 
" 4 ‘ 
Monty. Mac. No. XXIX. 
Eminent Living Italians.,..Albergati Capacelli. 
e 
207 
caria”’ is in philofophy, a remedy for 
curing a barbarous cuftom—that of caf- 
trating children. ‘The author turns into 
ridicule the caftrated muficians. * Hede- 
clares, however, he does not intend to 
derogate from: their merits in learning 
and honefty, but inveighs merely again{t 
their profeffion, and againft the difho- 
nourable ufe of preferving and encourag- 
ing fuch degraded*beings. It is high 
time, indeed, that the Italians fhould drop 
the pra€tice of facrificing thofe innocent 
victims ; degrading human nature only 
to footh our ears with a fong ! 
“¢ The Deferving Man” is apiece of 
ridicule, attaching to thofe reputed wife 
men, who are a calamity to families. Jt 
is very common, in Italy, for families to 
fubmit themfelves to the direftion of an 
unworthy adminiftrator. ‘This kind of 
perfons are the moft defpicable of any, 
and very often, under pretence of go~ — 
verning, ruin the beft houfes. M.Au-~ 
BERGATI, however, had no intention to 
ake this charaéter appear odious on the 
ftage: he reprefented it only as a mixture | 
of ignorance and prefumption, of honefty 
and of carelefsnefs. 
<¢ The Virtuous Revenge?’ is the laft co-~ 
medy written by the Marquis ALBER- 
GATI, and moit probably it will be hig 
laft work. The title of the play feems 
to imply fome contradiétion. But virtue 
and revenge may be united when we aét 
lawfully. A young lady, from whom 2 
father is, by calumnious artifices, taken 
away by the hangman, and who is thus 
condemned to fuffer infamy, fo exerts her- 
felf as to reftore the reputation and glory 
of her father, and fhe afterwards forgives 
his calummniators. 
A complete edition of ALBERGATI’S 
works was publifhed in Venice in 1733, 
in 12 vols. 8vo. anda judicious collec- 
tion of his chefs d’aeuvres was publifhed 
Jaft year in London, in two large vo- 
lumes in 8vo. by M. ZavELLi, an 
Italian, who dedicated it to her majefty. 
M. ALBERGATI will probably write no 
more. ‘* I am old,” fays he, ** and my 
fancy is yet older than myfelf: it was never 
indeed very firong ; and the many trifles I 
have voritten have ferved to weaken # 
more and more. Should I ever find myfelf, 
however, among a humourous company, 
who would affift me with their abilities and . 
correciions, I might yet afpire to write 
fome other plays, of which 1 have the 
plans in my mind, and the originals un- 
dermy eyes.” 
Ee : CRIGINAL 

