1799.) 
of the beft paffages of the play is fingu- 
larly happy; and the anecdotes it relates 
heighten its intereft to the reader. It is 
proper to obferve, that the piece was firit 
played by the author’s friends in private. 
TO MY DEAR HENRY ARVELIUS. 
IT is the duty of a friend to participate in 
painful recollections ; and this play will im- 
pofe itupon thee. Thou muft recolleét the 
happy evening when my Frederica played 
Amelia; and thou Frederic, befide her. Canft 
thou fee her before thee, as I now do, enter- 
ing the dungeon with the flafk of wine? How 
fweetly, how affe€tionately, the fpake! She 
was then treading the boards of our private 
theatre for the laft time. Who iwould have 
fuppofed it? 
<< At length, indeed, one of them lies down 
to fleep, and that one is happy: the other 
walks to and fro, and laments that he cannot 
fleep.” 
Ah! who could imagine that fhe herfelf 
would fo foon lie down to fleep! She ex- 
pected not the ‘ approaching night.” She 
had not feen her £¢ young plants flourifh” 
around her, fhe was removed early in the 
day—And I—it is I—who walk to and fro, 
and jament that I cannot fleep. 
Excellent, beloved Arvelius! You were 
the play-fellow of my Frederica. You were 
the witnefs of our love, of our connubial fe- 
licity ! how dear fhe was tome! During fix 
years you have fpent many happy hours with 
us; your heart is my. pledge that you will 
alfo {pend with me the-hours of affliétion. 
Now, indeed, I envy you your fyftem of ne- 
ceflity, your cold peaceful philofophy. 
But ftay! or my Dedication will become a 
fong of complaint. Rather let me be filent ; 
for of what can I fpeak to the deareft friend 
of my heart, but of the forrow of my foul. 
If this Dedication be worth thy thanks, thou 
oweft them to thy excellent performance of 
Frederic, a charaéter which could be filled 
only by one who poffefled the fpirit and heart 
of my Arvelius. 
Fare thee well, good kind foul, and ac- 
cept the preffure of a hand which, no longer 
bound by the fweet tie of love, is more 
clofely cemented to thee by the bonds of 
friendhhip. 
In the preface to this play, he relates an 
anecdote concerning his Menfcheuhafs und 
Reue, which will gratify the admirers of 
‘¢ The Stranger,’ and probably be 
thought by them to be a fufficient anfwer 
to the extremely f{crupulous objections 
made againft this play by a faftidious and 
prudifh critic. Inftead of hardening the 
guilty in vice, it is a fact, that it was 
the means of reftoring a deluded woman 
to the arms of her hufband. And it may 
fairly be inferred, that the dramatic repre- 
fentation which could fo influence a mind 
Kotzebue’s Dedication to his Natural Son. 689 
which had already erred, will not have a 
bad effeét on hearts perfeétly tree from 
reproach or containination. Hee, 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
T muft be a fatisfaétion to many of 
of your readers, as well as to mytelf, 
to hear that fo benevolent ‘an inftituiion as 
that mentioned by, your, correfpondent - 
W.R. in your Magazine for July, is at 
all likely to be carried into effect: nor 
would I urge any confiderations which, 
by propofing a lefs efficient icheme, fhould 
divert the attention of the public frm that 
already propofed; which, if once efta- 
blithed, would probably lead to the adop- 
tion of ali that my plan could devife for 
‘the benefit of the female part of the com- 
munity. But it will be obvious to your 
readers, that the prevention of the evil 
_ which here excites attention, is of higher 
importance than the refcue of individuals 
from the preffure of it: though the laiter 
fhould not for a moment be neglected, yet 
the former fhould clofely and infeparably 
accompany it. Ifthe withes I ventured 
to exprefs in your Magazine for June, 
feem too extended, by including ce‘titute 
male as well as female charaéters; might 
not a plan be’ ftruck out, and meet the 
public encouragement, which fhould have 
for its fole object a provifion of employ- 
ment, and confequent fupport, for feniales 
only? It is not perhaps enough confider- 
ed, in how many inftances the condition | 
of unfortunate females is the fad confe- 
quence of either inadvertence, infidious fo- 
licitations, or treacherous promiles; and 
fometimes even of mere pecuniary want, 
in which the wrath of fome offended 
fuperiors, forgetful of the claims we all 
make upon mercy, have involved them. 
On this fubje&t your correfpondent A. E. 
has, in your laft Magazine, made fome 
juft and admonitory remarks ; which, as 
they are probably founded in a knowledge 
of taéts that would enforce his admonition. 
and advice, I could have wifhed he had 
extended and fupported by fuch faéts, the 
relation ef which, avoiding names and 
every thing which might render them pers 
fonal refleétions, would do more than any 
thing elfe towards exciting the public at- 
tention to the fubject; fince mankind are 
too little difpofed to inquire into the 
grounds and origin of human milery, and 
are too incredulous to the charitable apo- 
logies which a better acquaintance with 
thefe would furnith for many. of, the moft 
culpable, as well as the moft unfortunate 
characters. 

