Critical Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira, Written by Mr. David Malloch | Page 4

Drama. In the Prologue the Author
informs us, that the Preliminaries of Peace are signed, and the War now
over and he humbly hopes, as we have spared the French, we will spare
his Tragedy. But as the Principles of Restitution seem at present strong
in this Nation, before we extend our Mercy to him, we insist that in
imitation of his Superiors, he shall restore every thing valuable he has
plunder'd from the French during the Course of his sad and tedious
Composition.
In the first Scene of this Tragedy a Gentleman who has been abroad,
during the Wars, requests his Friend to acquaint him with what has past
at Court in the time of his Absence. We were equally surprized and
delighted with this new Method of informing the Spectators of the
Transactions prior to the Commencement of the Play; nothing can be
more natural, for we imagine the Art of conveying Letters by Post was
at that time undiscovered. We must indeed acknowledge, that during
the time of the Roman Empire Letters were transmitted with the utmost
Celerity from one Part to another of those immense Dominions; but we
also know, that after the Subversion of that State by the Incursions of
the Goths and Vandals, the first Act of Cruelty committed by these
Barbarians was murdering all the Post-Boys in cold Blood: In like
manner as our inhuman Edward upon his compleating the Conquest of
Wales ordered all the Bards to be put to Death, amongst the Number of
which had Mr. Malloch been included we had not now been tortured
with his execrable Tragedy. Novelty of the same kind with this we have
mentioned runs thro' the whole Play, almost every Scene being an
Interview and a tête a tête. The King wants to see his Son, the Queen
wants to see Elvira, Elvira wants to see the King, and so on thro' the
Five Acts.
No new Thoughts or Sentiments are to be found in this Performance,
we meet only with old ones absurdly expressed. Dryden said that Ben
Johnson was every where to be traced in the Snow of the Ancients. We
may say that Malloch is every where to be traced in the Puddle of the

Moderns. Instead of selecting the Beauties, he has pick'd out whatever
is despicable in Shakespeare, Otway, Dryden, and Rowe, like a
Pick-Pocket who dives for Handkerchiefs, not for Gold; and contents
himself with what he finds in our Great Coat Pocket, without
attempting our Watch or your Purse. Tho' Mr. Malloch may only mean
to borrow, yet as he possesses no Fund of Original Genius from
whence he can pay his Debts, borrowing, we are afraid is an inadequate
Expression, the harsher one of stealing we must therefore, tho'
reluctantly, substitute in its room. In the Prologue he acknowledges
himself a Culprit, but as the Loss of what he has pilfered is
insignificant to the Owners, we shall bring him in guilty only of Petty
Larcenary: We believe he has been driven, like poor People in this
severe Weather by dire Necessity, to such dishonest Shifts.
In this Play the Author has introduced a Rebellion unparalleled in any
History, Ancient or Modern. He raises his Rebellions as a skilful
Gardener does his Mushrooms, in a Moment; and like an artful Nurse,
he lulls in a Moment the fretful Child asleep. The Prince enters an
Appartment of the Palace with a drawn Sword; this forms the Rebellion.
The King enters the same Appartment without a drawn Sword. This
quashes the Rebellion. How to credit this Story, or to pardon this
poetical Licence, we are greatly at a Loss; for we know in the Year
1745 three thousand Mountaineers actually appeared at Derby. Cataline,
we are credibly informed, had a Gang of at least a Dozen stout Fellows;
and it is pretty certain that Bedemar, when going to inslave Venice, had
provided Pistols and Battle Powder for more than fifteen fighting Men.
We are almost tempted to think, that Mr. Malloch gets his Rebellions
ready made, like his Scotch Tobacco, cut and dry, at the Sign of the
Valiant Highlander.
Our great Author possesses, in its utmost Perfection, the happy Art of
uniting rival Ladies, and of setting at Variance a virtuous Father and
Son. How intimate his Acquaintance with Human Nature! How deep
his Knowledge of the Passions! No less exquisite and refined in his
Morality, like a true Disciple of Lord Bolingbroke, he unites Vice and
Virtue most lovingly together; witness this memorable Line of the
King's, addressed to Elvira;

'Midst all your Guilt I must admire your Virtue.
Let us invert this Line,
'Midst all your Virtue I must abhor your Guilt.
Let us parody it;
O Mr. David Malloch! 'midst all your Dullness I must admire