Mr. Smith. Yes, fir. • Dornton. And you don't know where he is gone? Dornton. [Angrily] I afk if you know! Mr. Smith. I believe to Newmarket, fir, • Dornton. You always believe the worst!-I'll fit up no longer Tell the fervants to go to bed-And do you hear, should heapply to you for money, don't let him have a guinea. Mr. Smith. Very well, fir. Dornton. I have done with him; he is henceforth no fon of mine! Let him starve! Mr. Smith. He acts very improperly, fir, indeed. Dornton. Improperly! How? What does he do? [Alarmed. • Dornton. Have you heard any thing of -? Mr. Smith. [Confufed]No-No, fir-Nothing--Nothing but what you yourself tell me. Dornton. Then how do you know he has acted improperly? Mr. Smith. He is certainly a very good-hearted young gentleman, fir. tion? Dornton. Good-hearted! How dare you make fuch an affer Mr. Smith. Sir! • Dornton. How dare you, Mr. Smith, infult me fo? Is not his gaming notorious; his racing, driving, riding, and affociating with knaves, fools, debauchees, and black legs? Mr. Smith. Upon my word, fir—I— • Dornton. But it's over! His name has this very day been ftruck put of the firm! Let his drafts be returned. It's all ended! [Paj fionately] And, obferve, not a guinea! If you lend him any your felf I'll not pay you. I'll no longer be a fond doating father! Therefore take warning! Take warning, I fay! Be his distress what it will, not a guinea! Though you should hereafter fee him begging, ftarving in the streets, not fo much as the loan or the gift of a fingle guinea! [With great paffion, Mr. Smith. I shall be careful to obferve your orders, fir. Dornton. Sir! [Terror] Why, would you fee him starve?→ Would you fee him ftarve and not lend him a guinea? Would you, fir? Would you? Mr. Smith. Sir!-Certainly not, except in obedience to your orders! • Dornton. [Amazement and compassion] And could any orders juftify your feeing a poor unfortunate youth, rejected by his father, abandoned by his friends, ftarving to death? Mr. Smith, There is no danger of that, fir. Dornion. I tell you the thing fhall happen! He shall starve to death! [Horror at the fuppofition] I'll never look on him more as a fon fon of mine? and I am very certain, when I have forfaken him, all the world will forfake him too. [Almoft in tears.] Yes, yes! He is born to be a poor wretched outcaft! Mr. Smith. I hope, fir, he ftill will make a fine man. • Dornton. Will? -There is not a finer, handfomer, nobler looking youth in the kingdom; no not in the world! Mr. Smith. I mean a worthy good man, fir. 'Dornton. How can you mean any fuch thing? The company he keeps would corrupt a faint. Mr. Smith. Sir, if you will only tell me what your pleasure is, I will endeavour to act like a faithful fervant. 'Dornton. I know you are a faithful fervant, Mr. Smith[Takes his hand] I know you are-But you-You are not a father.' The following is equally characteristic of the father and fon. "Enter Mr. Smith, in confternation. 'Mr. Smith. Bills are pouring in fo faft upon us we shall never get through! Harry. [Struck] What!-What is it that you say? Mr. Smith. We have paid our light gold fo often over that the people are very furly! 'Dornton. Pay it no more! Sell it inftantly for what it is worth, disburse the last guinea, and shut up the doors! 'Harry. [Taking Mr. Smith afide] Are you ferious? < Mr. Smith. Sir! Harry. [Impatiently] Are you ferious, I fay?-Is it not fome trick to impose upon me? Mr. Smith. Look into the fhop, fir, and convince yourself! -If we have not a fupply in half an hour we muft ftop! [Exit. Harry. [Wildly] Tol de rol-My father! Sir! [Turning away] Is it poffible?-Difgraced ?-Ruined?—In reality ruined? By me? Are these things fo?-Tol de rol Dornton. Harry!-How you look!-You frighten me! Harry. [Starting] It fhall be done! 'Dornton. What do you mean ?-Calm yourself, Harry! Harry. Ay! By heaven! Dornton. Hear me, Harry! Harry. This inftant! [Going] Dornton. [Calling] Harry! Harry. Don't droop! [Returning] Don't despair! I'll find relief-[Afide] First to my friend-He cannot fail? But if he should !-Why ay, then to Megæra !-I will marry her, in fuch a caufe, were the fifty widows, and fifty furies! Dornton. Calm yourself, Harry! Harry, I am calm!- Very calm!-It shall be done!-Don't be be dejected-You are my father-You were the first of men in the first of cities-Revered by the good and refpected by the great -You flourished profperously!-But had a fon! you ber it! Dornton. Why do you roll your eyes, Harry? Harry. I won't be long away! I remem Dornton. Stay where you are, Harry! [catching his hand] All will be well! I am very happy! Do not leave me !-I am very happy-Indeed I am, Harry!-Very happy! Harry. Tol de rol-Heaven blefs you, fir! You are a worthy gentleman!-I'll not be long! • Dornton. Hear me, Harry!-I am very happy! Enter a Clerk. Clerk. Mr. Smith, fir, defires to know whether we may fend to the Bank for a thousand pounds worth of filver. Harry. [Furiously] No, fcoundrel! [Breaks away and Exit. Dornton. [Calling and almoft fobbing] Harry!-Harry!-I am very happy!-Harry Dornton! [In a kind of ftupor] I am very happy!-Very happy! [Exit following!' Various incidental reprefentations of fashionable life are, perhaps, correctly drawn; but, removed from the vortex, we cannot judge of the fidelity of the likeness. We hope, for the credit of human nature, that they are caricatures. We fhall add but one specimen of the language of Goldfinch. Characters of this kind have been often on the stage, but the following is an amended copy of an heterogeneous animal, according to the last and most improved edition. • Enter Jenny. Jenny. My mistress can't see you at prefent, gentlemen. Goldfinch. Can't fee me? [Vexed] Take Harriet an airing in the phaeton ! Harry. What, is Harriet your favourite? Goldfinch. To be fure! I keep her. Harry. You do? Goldfinch. Fine creature! Harry. Well bred? Goldfinch. Just to my tafte! Like myfelf, free and easy. That's your fort! Harry. A fine woman ? - Goldfinch. Prodigious! Sifter to the Irish Giant! Six feet in her ftockings! That's your fort! - Sleek coat, flowing mane, broad cheft, all bone!-Dafhing figure in a phaeton!-Sky blue habit, fcarlet fafl, green hat, yellow ribbands, white feathers, gold band and taffel!-That's your fort! Harry. Ha, ha, ha! Heigho!-Why you are a high fellow, Charles! Goldfinch. To be fure! Know the odds! Hold four in hand!-Turn a corner in ftile !-Reins in form-Elbows square -Wrift pliant-Hayait?-Drive the Coventry stage twice a week all fummer-Pay for an infide place-Mount the box-Tip the coachy a crown-Beat the mail-Come in full fpeed!--Rattle down the gateway !-Take care of your heads!-Never killed but one woman and a child in all my life- That's your fort! [Going. Jenny. [Afide to Goldfinch] Take him with you.' [Exit. Goldfinch. Want a hedge ?-Take guineas to pounds Precipitate against Dragon? 'Harry, No. 'Goldfinch. [Afide] Wish I could have him a few!-Odd or even for fifty? [Drawing his hand clenched from his pocket.] Harry. Ha, ha, ha! Odd enough! Goldfinch. Will you cut a card, hide in the hat, chuck in the glafs, draw cutts, heads or tails, gallop the maggot, swim the hedgehog, any thing? Ilarry. Nothing. Goldfinch. I'm up to all-That's your fort!-Get him with me and pigeon him. [Afide]-Come and fee my greys-Been to Tattersall's and bought a set of fix-Smokers !-Beat all England for figure, bone, and beauty!-Hayait, charmers!—That's your fort!-Bid for two pair of mouse ponies for Harriet. 'Harry. Ha, ha, ha! The Irish Giantess drawn by mouse ponies! 'Goldfinch. Come and fee 'em. Harry. [Sarcafically] No. I am weary of the company of ftable-boys. Goldfinch. Why fo? - Shan't play you any tricks-If they fquirt water at you, or make the colts kick you, tell me, and I'll horfewhip 'em-Arch dogs! Deal of wit! ་ Harry. When they do I'll horfewhip them myself. "Goldfinch. Yourfelf?-Ware that !-Wrong there! 'Harry. I think I fhould be right. Goldfinch. Do you!-What-Been to school? Harry. To fchool!-Why yes-I— Goldfinch. Mendoza!-Oh!-Good morrow! [Exit.' Upon the whole, this comedy is not unworthy of the approbation it has received from the public. Inftances of the Mutability of Fortune, felected from ancient and modern Hiftory, and arranged according to their Chronological Order. By A. Bicknell. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Jordan. 1792. NO incident occurs more often in perusing history than the mutability of fortune; and, the certainty of death excepted, none has been rendered more fubfervient to the pur pofes poses of the divine and the moralift. With refpect, however, to improvement in political knowledge, which is one of the chief objects of historical research, it may be questioned, whether the confideration of this mutability can afford any important advantage; for, in general, we find, that in thofe inftances where a reverse of fortune is most confpicuous, the mutability has been owing to circumstances which could neither be forefeen nor prevented by human wisdom. But we may obferve, that the cafe is different, when the transition, either to profperous or adverfe fortune, is flow and gradual. The change in fuch inftances ufually proceeds, not fo much from fortuitous occurrences, as from a feries of conduct, ei ther governed by prudence, or, on the contrary, directly repugnant to its dictates. The author of the volume now be fore us confiders the mutability of fortune in the light firit mentioned, and fets out with the following introduction. All things change. This planet, the temporary abode of mankind, from its revolution round the fun, is fubject, in its atmofpheric economy, to unceafing tranfition. The feafons are in a continual state of fluctuation. The chilling blafts of Winter fuc'ceed to the genial warmth of Summer. The whole fuperficial arrangement of the globe fhows an invariable difpofition to mutabili ty. So likewife does the life of man, From the moral and natural difeafes annexed to his being, no great degree of permanency, in the state either of his body or his mind, is to be expected by him. Health, plenty, and tranquillity, may be his portion to-days-to-morrow, difeafe, indigence, and trouble; or, the fcene may be reverfed, and the diftreffes arifing from adverfity, may as fuddenly be turned into profperity and gladness. A felection of the most remarkable inftances of this mutability in the affairs of mankind, from which no age nor clime has been exempted, will, we truft, prove at once entertaining and inftructive; for, while they relax the mind of thofe who read only for amusement, thofe of a more ferious and fpeculative turn may deduce from them this moral inference: that though piety and vir tue cannot always fecure from the afflictive viciffitudes of fortune, they alone can afford Support under them; and, in the same manner, when the change is profperous, they only can render fuch fuccefs a bleffing. The feven firft inftances which the author relates are taken from the Old Teftament, and therefore generally well known. They are thofe of Adam and Eve, Jofeph, Job, Ruth, David, Efther, and Nebuchadnezzar. The next inftance is that of Crofus, king of Lydia, in whom the mutability of fortune was particularly remarkable; and |