124 The Hiftory of Party, &c. to clog the wheels of state on every occafion, and held himself up at the fame time to the people, as a criterion of the most difinterelted rectitude and virtue. Nay more, he and his friends condemned Mr. P. in the most vehement terms for joining with Lord B. though they themselves had readily alfented to the fame junction, when they were flattered with an equal participation of employments. But to be out of place in this country, is to be a patriot, and to be in, is enough to incur the univerfal déteftation of the kingdom. Mr. P. was execrated for ins union with the favourite, and Lord T. was celebrated, because he had the merit of being disappointed in the very fame union, and made that very difappointment the fource of his oppofition to government. While this administration was fettling, a few perfons condefcended, from real motives of public good, to form a kind of pro tempore miniftry, and, in reality, though their continuance was but very short, and though nó great opinion was entertained of their abilities, the nation has more obligations to them, than to any who have appeared at the head of our affairs during the prefent reign. This band of real patriots (for while their office continued, they applied themfelves indefatigably to promote the public welfare, and levied no contributions on their country)--was chiefly directed by the Marquis of Rockingham, who prefided at the Treafury: during their momentary existence the Stamp Act was repealed, and a num ber of falutary measures purfued to reftore the mutual affection which fhould fubfift between the mothercountry and her colonies. Means were alfo undertaken to reduce our national debts, and to revive our droop ing commerce. But as this miniftry was not intended for duration, and difdained to owe their continuance to any thing but their fervices, they were quickly fet afide, and a fet of penfioners prevailed upon to come in, who, as we have already obferved, would not deign to receive the most lucrative places, till they were first paid for accepting, and allowed alfo a confideration for their merit, whenever they gave their places up. [To be continued.} March The British Theatre of laft Month continued from p. 64. · RAVENE having befought Row non's pardon and profefled her unabated love, Calmar arrives with an account of Conon's diftrefs amidst the enemies of Rownon. The wretched Rownon trembles for his friend's fafety; and Orellon accommodating him with his own fword, he rushes forth no lefs to the relief of his friend, than to revenge his own wrongs. Ravene then retreats with Calmar, whom her brother has fent for, in corfequence of Cathol's refolution to deliver her to the Picts. Cathol and his fon are lamenting the distraction of their affairs, and the fate of Rownon; when he appears at a distance, and they conceive him to be a fpirit. He foon however joins thein, and accounts for his efcape much to the latisfaction of his friend, and the chagrin of Cathol, who foresees no other confequence from his fafety, than ruin to himself and his family. Rownon and Conon are left toge-ther, and feeing Durkton approach, are each eager to engage him, and Conon with difficulty prevails on his friend to let him talk with him a few moments without interruption. Duritan however no fooner mentions the name of Ravene with difrefpect, than Rownon comes forward and challenges him. 'The furly Pict treats him with fcorn, until he declares himself to be Rownon, and they are on the point of encountering, when the attendants of Dufton, like fo many affaffins, are for falling on him and his friend. Cathol entering with an equal force, the princes brave each other for fome time, nor will they be perfuaded to attend the banquet, or fubmit to the king's propofal, of Orellon's deciding between them; and it is fettled they hall meet the next morning on the fame fpot, and decide their quarrel with the sword. Soon after the faithlefs Urian has an interview with Rownon; and under the fpecious colour of friendship, informs him, that the king of the Picts intends that night to feize Ravene, and bear her off pointing out a method of furprising and killing him. La pursuance of this plan, Rownon 1769. THE BRITISH THEATRE. and Conon narrowly escape flaughtering each other; and, on comparing accounts, are properly fenfible of the bale deception that has been practifed on them by Urian, in order that they may be deftroyed. Conon having fuggeted the danger of their continuance in that place, left they should be furrounded by numbers, they retire immediately; and Ravene appears with her guide. She bids him leave her. An order, which from her accent and countenance apprehending fome fatal refolution, he mott reluctantly obeys, She then mentions, that three times he has already lifted a dagger against her own life, without the power of execution, and recollecting a river at fome little distance, is haftening to throw herfelf in, when the is feized by her husband. It is to little purpofe that the affures him his tyranny will be but of fhort duration, as thofe who have the cou. rage to die, whether in a palace or a prifon, may foon find the means. He is forcing her away when Rownon meets them, who draws and prepares to refcue Ravene. The tyrant on this indulges the utmoft rancour of his heartin one hand he holds the wretched Ravene, in the other a fword, threatening, if Rownon dares to ad. vance, that moment shall be her last. In this dreadful fituation he keeps them for fome time, aggravating their mutual diftrels by a thousand infults, when beholding Urian's approach with a body of foldiers, he acknow-leges, that he had tried to long with them, only to enfure his victory, for that the fate of a single combat, to which Rownon fo repeatedly challenged him, was too uncertain a point to be tried. Ravene, hearing this declaration, begs her lover to fecure himself by fight; and the fame inftant plunges a dagger in her own heart. Rownon and the Pict now fight; both are mortally wounded, and all have expired before Conon arrives, and is a fad fpectator of the fcene. Cathol laments the milery his ambition and breach of faith has produced; and the piece concludes with a moral peech from Conon. Confiderations on the Conduct of the Fable. This tragedy is faid to be the first dramatic effay of Mr. Smith, a young gentleman of Cambridge: fome how 125 ever confidently afcribe it to be Mr. Home's, the author of Douglas. It is however fcarcely neceffary to inform the accurate, that the author is unacquainted with the ftage, as the conduct of the piece is fo glaringly imperfect, that this circumftance muft be evident in the first place, the main bufinets is defective... Ravene, though impofed upon barbarously by the king of the Picts, had nevertheless been, married to him, and her duty as a wife, her obedience as a daughter, and her tenderness as a woman, should have obliged her to ratify her own engagement, when the violation of that engagement mult wound her honour, destroy her father's peace, and neceffarily plunge two nations in blood for the Pict threatens immediate war, if he is not delivered to him. Befides her wandering from wood to wood, and from cave to cave, wholly unattended, and at midnight, is highly abfurd, at a time too when her hus band has emiffaries continually in purs fuit of her. Rownon's infifting allo on forcing her from her husband is an error of the first magnitude, and fuch as the Pit's behaviour cannot juttify. Orellan's epifode is wholly foreign to the play, for there is no bu finefs whatever to introduce him; and even in the first meeting of Raveme and Rownon, where the fituation furnished an opportunity for a pathetic fcene, the incident is tame to infipidity. On the Sentiments. murder in the face of the whole court, Good. To point out the dangerous tendency of breaking publick faith, and forcing the affections of our children. The Reprefentation. Mrs. Barry, as the ufually is, was excellent; Mr. Barry, in Rownon," did every poffible juftice to the author; and Mr. Reddith was very deThe fervedly praifed in Orellan. fcenery of this play (as well as the fcenery in the School for Rakes) is new and elegant.- -The prologue to the Fatal Discovery is written by Mr. Home, and the Epilogue, which is extremely entertaining, is the produc tion of Mr. Garrick. Since the publication of the play, we find that we have frequently mifconceived names, and that thofe mifconceptions should be thus rectified: Kathul, Ronan, Durftan, Rivine. To the EDITOR of the LONDON SIR, A S the revival and decifion of the Douglas caufe has for fome time engaged the attention of the pub. lic, the following particulars may afford entertainment to many of your readers, especially as they may depend upon their authenticity. Lady Jane Douglas, fifter to the duke of Douglas, having for a confiderable period, with the approbation of her relations, received the then duke of Buccleugh's addreffes, every thing was fettled for their union-when her ladyfhip happening to make fome important difcoveries refpecting his cha racter, abruptly declared her utter difinclination to fulfill the engagement-a declaration that was produc tive of a duel between the two dukes, and the final diffolution of their intended alliance. Having lived fingle many years, her ladyship was by means of Mrs. Hewit, her woman, brought acquainted with Mr. Stewart, an officer of good family, but, from being a younger brother, of March very limited expectations; the confequence of which was a mutual though fecret attachment to each other, as they were fenfible of the impoffibility of reconciling the duke to a connection utterly incompatible with the dignity of his defcent, and haughtiness of foul-for he would frequently boaft a nearer claim to the crown of Scotland, than even its laft poffeffors. Lady Jane, notwithstanding the was the only younger iffue of her father, was left deftitute of a provifion, or what was equally hard and extraordinary, a dependent on the bounty of a brother; he indeed appointed her the annual ftipend of eight hundred pounds during pleafure, and permitted her to refide in his houfe; but fuch was the fingularity of his difpofition, as to render both the one and the other exceedingly precarious and unfatisfactory. Thus fituated, and thus circumftanced, he was, at length, overcome by the importunity of Mr. Stewart, and the flattering infinuations of her favourite Hewit; and confented to amufe her brother, as her health was in but an indifferent ftate, with the confequent neceflity of her taking a journey to Aix la Chapelle-by which pretext the was enabled to meet the man of her choice at Durham, where fhe was married, and from whence the, together with him and her faithful attendant, immediately embarked for Germany. his Mr. Stewart's conduct as a husband was most unexceptionable, but being naturally of a diffufive turn, finances became very uneafy, more particularly as his lady was loon in a condition that would not admit of ceconomy. Lady Jane, anxious for a reconciliation with her brother, and alarmed at her own profpects, wrote him the whole account of her proceedings and circumftances, intreating he would forgive and forget the little deception fhe had practifed, and beftow fome favourable confideration on her hufband; whom the affured him was in no degree unworthy of fuch, however great, indulgence. The fame packet, that conveyed this letter to the duke, was fraught likewife with epiftles of affectionate remembrance, and acknowledgment of her circumstances, to all her par ticular 1769. THE DOUGLAS CAUSE. ticular friends, from the chief of whom the received congratulatory returns, though her brother did not condescend to honour her with the fmalleft notice. Hurt by this neglect, and conceiving a change of fituation would be advantageous, her ladyship obtained a palfport (the war then fubfifting making it effential) from Marechal Saxe and removed into France, where, with a privacy that poverty alone could have impofed, the was fifely delivered of two fons, one of which did not long furvive its birth. She now a fecond time addreffed her brother in terms of respect and folicitation, but fo far was he from proving propitious, that he withdrew the annuity which he was confcious was this unhappy lady's whole fupport, and became deaf to every application or remonstrance in her favour. Reduced to the lowest ebb, the, together with her husband, children, and Mrs. Hewit, returned to England, where her diftrefs arole to fuch a height, that the at laft fubmitted to implore the intereft of fome perfons of the first distinction, to obtain her the royal protection-nor was the want of every means of fubfiftence the only evil the had to contend with--an infa mous charge was brought against her by fome defigning perfons, of having, in conjunction with her hufband and fervant, purchased the two infants in a remote part of France for the purpose of injuring the true beirs to the Douglas title and eftate. The dutchefs of Douglas, a lady of birth and accomplishments, however inferior to the luke in the article of fortune, fatisfied of the juftice and propriety of Lady Jane's conduct, warmly efpoufed her caule to the mortal offence of his grace her husband, who, influenced by a family whofe views were diametrically oppofite to he Douglas intereft, carried his refentment against his fifter, and all her abettors to far, that the dutchels was obliged to leave him for, her own fecurity. This feparation was made the utmoft advantage of by Lady Jane's enemies, but ruch was the benevolence of the dutchefs, that the waved all perfonal confiderations, and yielded to the very firit overture for a reconciliation the duke was pleated to favour her with, in order the more effectually 127 to ferve his unfortunate relations. But notwithstanding the malicious induftry of Lady Jane's opponents, the prep. lerous report gained fo little credit, that his late majefty bestowed a pention of three hundred pounds per annum upon her, which the enjoyed til the year fixty, when the was taken off to the univerfal regret of all her acquaintance. The dutchess of Douglas, now fecretly fupported her nephew and his father, until on the death of all his brothers, the title of baronet, and an eftate of fifteen hundred pounds a year, became the property of this Mr. John Stewart-who inftantly, notwithftanding he was entered into a fecond marriage, fettled the better half on his fon, the honourable Archibald Douglas, an indifputable confirmation of his being a fraudulent acquifition! The latter end of the enfuing twelvemonth the duke was feized with a diforder, which foon hurried him to his grave, an event that did not fail to render the only furviving fon of Lady Jane an object of general contemplation-who took pofleffion of the Douglas eftate; but the affair of his birth began to be alarmingly canvaffed, and fteps actually commenced in order to invalidate his claim. H's generous aunt, the dutchefs dowager, with the utmost spirit stood forth in his defence, and the matter having been brought with little fatisfaction before the parliament of France, was reheard in the judicial courts of Scotland. During the dependance of this im portant determination, both Sir John Stewart and Mrs. Hewit very unluckily died, the one by a fudden, the other by a lingering illness, both having first declared with their des parting breath, under the molt folemn ianction, the truth of all they had invariably continued to maintain, at leaft in effentials, refpecting Lady Jane's illue. Daring this contentious period, Mr. D. was by the intereft of the plaintiffs advanced to the dignity of P- -9 a dignity that was foon rendered of unfpeakable confequence to the feveral claimants by an equal divifion of the twelve judges. The cafting voice was his-confcience and inclination were for once in unifonfor the Douglafes were calt, and the friends 128 Diftribution of the ftanding Army. friends of Mr. D. pronounced victo rious. Tho many thousands were already expended, the dutchess had neverthe lefs the courage to lodge an appeal in the English Houfe of Lords. The hopes and fears of the parties and their adherents ran high, as the period of determination approached. The judge-advocate of Scotland came to London for the fole purpose of pleading agreeable to his faith and principles, repeatedly difclaiming all pecuniary gratification, unless his la bours fhould be crowned with fuccefs! His acquaintance with Lady Jane, his forutiny into the injurious allegations of her adverfaries, having long fixed him ber fon's most zealous friend. Lord Mfeld was uncommonly forcible and perfpicuous in his argu ments-but, his fpirits proving ina, dequate to the great demand, he fainted in the midst of his oration. Reviving, however, he foon acquired the fame degree of animation that had fo great ly marked his idea of Lady Jane's injuries. He depicted the wretched circumftances under which he had fit reached his knowledge-lament ed that the omitted confulting him at that early point of time with regard to the fecurity of her child's pretenfions and illuftrated a variety of facts to the univerfal fatisfaction of his auditors-infomuch that when the queftion was put, there feemed but one voice in the whole af fembly. I, Sir, have no other motive for troubling you with this little history, than a defire to contribute to the amufements of your friends and corre fpondents, though I muft own your infertion of it will rather flatter the vanity of the writer, by convincing him it is not utterly, devoid of merit. I am, Sir, Your humble fervant. March towns, the difcipline of the troops will be better obferved, and the military quarters, being inhabited, will be at léis expence kept in' repair: One battalion at Chatham lines. One battalion at Landguard Fort. One battalion at Windsor Castle. One battalion at Sheerness. Invalids. One battalion at Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich. Invalids. One battalion at Milford Haven. Invalids. One battalion, King's Houfe at Winchefter. Invalids. One battalion, Block Houfe at Portf mouth. Invalids. Eight companies of invalids at Tilbury Fort. Guards! Three battalions in the New Quar ters at the Tower. Two Battalions at the Savoy and Somerfet House. One battalion in the New Quarters in Southwark. One battalion in the New Quarters in Tothill Fields. One regiment of light cavalry at Kensington Palace. One regiment of light cavalry at the Great Lodge, Richmond Park. Royal regiment of Blues, Hampton Court. One regiment of dragoons at Can! terbury. Detachments: one troop at Sandwich, one troop at Deal, one troop at Dover, one troop at Romney, One regiment of dragoons at Maid ftone Detachments: one troop at Sittingborn, one troop at Dartford, one troop at Tunbridge. One regiment of dragoons at Lewes Detachments: one troop at Brigh thelmstone, one troop at Shoreham, one troop at Arundel, one troop at Chichefter. One regiment of dragoons at Salifbury. Detachments: one troop at Southampton, one troop at Winches ter, one troop at Blandford; one troop at Exeter! One regiment of dragoons at Laun celton. Detachments: one troop at Falmouth, one troop at Truro, one troop at Fowey, one troop at Biddiford. |