Critical Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira, Written by Mr. David Malloch | Page 5

your
Genius.
We heard it once asserted by David Hume, Esq;[B] that Mr. Malloch
was destitute of the Pathetic. In this Observation however we beg leave
to differ with him. In the fourth Act the whole Board of Portuguese
Privy Counsellors are melted into Tears. The Trial of the Prince moves
the Hearts of those Monsters of Iniquity, those Members of Inquisition,
when the less humane Audience are in Danger, from the Tediousness of
two insipid Harangues of falling fast asleep. This majestic Scene is too
exactly copied from a Trial at the Old Bailey, to have even the Merit of
Originality. And indeed it is to the Lenity of the King of Portugal that
we owe by far the greater Part of this amazing Play. The good Man lets
his rebellious Subjects out of Prison to chat with him, when a wiser
Monarch would have kept them close confined in Newgate. The
incomparable Action of that universal Genius Mr. Garrick alone, saved
this Act from the Damnation it deserved. Had not he, like a second
Æneas, carried the old doating and decrepid Father on his Back, he
must have lain by the Way. Tho' we must observe another Character in
this Play seemed better suited to the Impetuosity and Fire of this Actor.
We could not but smile at the Humour of a merry Wag in the Pit, who
at the Conclusion of one of the most tiresome Pleadings, with some
Degree of Impatience and Emotion called out, Encore, encore.
In the fifth Act we were melted with the Sight of two young Children
which the King embraced, which the Prince embraced, which Elvira
embraced. Mr. Addison in the 44th No. of the Spectator, has some
Remarks so judicious and lively on the Practice of introducing Children
on the Stage, that we must beg leave to transcribe the Passage.

"A disconsolate Mother with a Child in her Hand, has frequently drawn
Compassion from the Audience, and has therefore gained a Place in
several Tragedies; a modern Writer who observed how this had taken in
other Plays, being resolved to double the Distress, and melt his
Audience twice as much as those before him had done, brought a
Princess on the Stage with a little Boy in one Hand, and a Girl in the
other. A third Poet being resolved to out-write all his Predecessors, a
few Years ago introduced three Children with great Success; and as I
am informed a young Gentleman who is fully determined to break the
most obdurate Heart, has a Tragedy by him where the first Person that
appears on the Stage is an afflicted Widow, in her mourning Weeds,
with half a dozen fatherless Children attending her, like those that
usually hang about the Figure of Charity. Thus several Incidents that
are beautiful in a good Writer become ridiculous by falling into the
Hands of a bad one."
We would suggest to Mr. Malloch the useful Hint of introducing in
some of his future Productions, the whole Foundling Hospital, which
with a well painted Scene of the Edifice itself would certainly call forth
the warmest Tears of Pity, and the bitterest Emotions of Distress;
especially when we consider that many of the Parents of these
unfortunate Babes would probably be Spectators of this interesting
Scene.
The Conclusion of the Piece is as abrupt as the other Parts of it are
absurd. We should be much at a Loss to guess by whom the Poison is
administered to Elvira, were we not aided in our Conjectures by the
shrewd Suspicions which the King, tho' otherwise a very loving
Husband, seems to entertain of his Wife. Upon my regreting that her
Majesty, if guilty, should escape without poetical Justice at least, a
Gentleman who sat behind me, a Friend as I supposed of the Author,
assured me her Punishment was reserved for the Farce, which for that
Purpose was, contrary to Custom, added to the Play.[C]
Though in general this Tragedy is colder than the most extreme Parts of
Nova Zembla,[D] yet we now and then feel a Warmth, but it is such a
Warmth or Glow rather, as is sometimes produced by the Handling of

Snow.
Bad as this Play is, yet will the Author have the Profits of his Three
Nights: Few on the First Night having either Taste or Spirit to express
their Disapprobation. Like the Rascals who plundered Lisbon after the
Earthquake, Mr. David Malloch will extract Guineas out of Rubbish.
We shall now give, in a few Words, the Quintessence of this Play.
Monarchs ought to be just. Heroes are bad Men. Husbands ought to die
for their Wives, Wives for their Husbands. We ought to govern our
Passions. And the Sun shines on all alike. A few of these new Remarks
form