| Citation |
SCGCJ.766.018
4 Mar 1766:23 (12)
Tuesday Morning. I was at the play last night, and with
infinite pleasure heard the Gamester and the Oracle given
out for Mrs. Douglass's benefit; as that lady has, during
the two seasons she has performed here, given general
satisfaction to her audiences, I congratulate her one the
choice of two pieces that cannot fail, I think, to fill her
house: Merit of any kind, should be distinguished by the
publick; but more particularly, that of a performer on the
stage; as they exert their talents for our entertainment, it
is but just we should shew our sense of it, by rewarding
them in proportion to the improvement, or pleasure, we
receive from them.
The Gamester was acted here last season, and, if I am not
mistaken, to a very crowded audience; I shall, therefore,
say nothing more in favour of it, but inform those of your
readers, who were not present at the representation, that
the scenes are in domestic life; the characters strongly
marked the passions exquisitely touched; the catastrophe
severely just and the moral ---; but the words of the
author, in one line, will convey it to them:
Want of prudence is want of virtue.
The Oracle was translated from the French by Mr. Cibber,
and is, perhaps, the most delicate, sensible petite piece,
on the English stage; the sentiments are tender, and the
language such as we should expect to hear from the
characters, being of a superiour nature to us mortals: [ ]
am much deceived, if Miss Hallam in Cinthia, who I presume
is the character she will perform, does not discover a
greater force of genius, than the audience hitherto,
notwithstanding the applause she has received, have imagined
her to possess.
As my only motive for giving you this trouble, is a desire
of doing justice to merit, I shall pay very little regard to
any animadversions that may possible be made, either on my
subject, or my stile.
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