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10 Jan. 21 EHJ

THE "Village Lawyer" is taken from a very old French farce, in which Patelin (the Scout of the French stage) promises to treat his friend the woollen draper with a goose of his wife's own roasting, when, in fact, he had not wherewithal to buy one. The original farce is alluded to by Rabelais-for Panurge to let Hippothadeus know that he was in good earnest when he promises to regale him with a roasted goose, tells him before-hand, "that his wife shall not roast it," meaning that it shall not fare with his goose as it did with Patelin's. The piece is also the more curious, from the Trial Scene having given rise to the wellknown French saying, when a man is tedious or desultory in telling a story-" But to return to our sheep!"

The farce in its English dress is very whimsical. The old proverb," Necessity is the mother of invention," never found a better illustration than in Scout's expedient to get a coat. His worn-out suit of black-his rusty gown and band-the large hole-and his caution to Mrs. Scout, not to break the china basin on the window,-are truly laughable and dramatic,-to say nothing of the recapitulation of his grievances," Not a single job have I got since I have been down !-not a broken head!-not a quarrel for one to get a penny by!"-wound up by that climax of his misfortunes-"There has not been a bastard born since we've been here!" These perplexities tell admirably well in representation; indeed, it is only on the stage that the merits of the "Village Lawyer" will be duly appreciated. What in farce, for instance, ever produced a droller effect, than the assumption of madness by Scout, (when Bannister played the character) to get rid of Snarl? Or the Trial Scene, when Parsons was the Sheepface? By the byc, Master Sheepface is a special original. If the lawyer is too much for the woollen draper, the sheep-stealer proves too much for the lawyer. What a blessing would it be if every client could discharge his attorney's bill in like manner with Master Sheepface! Mark the naïveté with which he calls to mind his first acquaintance with Scout. "He stood my friend before-from being-(what, in the name of wonder?) -hanged at York!" And, in truth, for a mere bagatelle"only for mending the complexion of a bald-fac'd horse.' Then he does "a little business on his own account," and

hinders his master's sheep from "dying of the rot," by the most ingenious contrivance imaginable," he cuts their throats before it comes to them!" How simple and coucise is his narrative: "Being married" the preceding night, and having a little leisure" on his hands, he goes to the sheep-pen, and as he was "musing," out he takes "his knife," and happening, " by mere accident," to put it under the throat of one of the fattest wethers, it so fell out, (unaccountably enough!) that he hadn't been there long, before the wether died. What pleader ever told a better tale? It seems to have become a dramatic rule to make rogues Yorkshiremen. Sheepface is "York," to all intents and purposes. So is Hempseed, in Colman's farce of X Y Z ; and Morton has presented us with a reformed Yorkshire rogue, in his celebrated Robert Tyke. The plot of the "Village Lawyer" is extremely simple; the incidents, though few, are well contrived, and comical; and the denouement produces that never-failing accompaniment, a Wedding ;— Comedy and Farce claim their prescriptive right to end in a Church, and Tragedy in a Church-yard.

It is not exactly known who is the author of the "Village Lawyer," it has been attributed to a dissenting minister in Dublin, who concealed his name (a very prudent precaution!) on account of his situation. It has, also, with more probability, been ascribed to Mr. Macready, the father of the present popular tragedian. When presented to Mr. Colman, he had so indifferent an opinion of it, that he only ventured it on a benefit night. The admirable acting of Mr. Bannister carried it through with complete success, and it has ever since been a favourite entertainment with the public. Those who have the original Scout and Sheepface in their remembrance, will require more talent than is now exhibited, to reconcile them to any other representatives. Sheepface was one of the late Mr. Emery's great parts; and, like every other performance of that highly gifted actor, it was one of the most consummate skill:-Mr. Emery's conception of a character was only equalled by his powerful delineation of it.

It would be unjust to withhold from Mr. John Reeve a due share of approbation for his lively and whimsical portrait of the Village Lawyer. Scout may still find an adequate representative on the stage. Sheepface, for the present, is altogether lost to it.

D -G

SCOUT.-Shabby suit of black, black stockings, shoes, &c.

SNARL.-Old man's brown suit, striped stockings, shoes and buckles, and three-cornered hat.

SHEEPFACE.-Countryman's short coat, leather or yellow breeches, blue stockings, flowered waistcoat, coloured handkerchief, shoes, and red wig.

JUSTICE MITTIMUS.-Black suit, with Justice's black gown, three-cornered hat, long curled powdered wig, shoes and buckles, and ruffles.

CHARLES.-Blue coat, white waistcoat and trowsers.
CONSTABLES.-Countrymen's suits.

CLERK.-Black suit.

MRS. SCOUT.-Shabby-genteel silk dress, cap, &c.
KATE.-Madge's dress, ("Love in a Village.")

Cast of the Characters as performed at the Theatre Royal

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Haymarket, 1826.

.Mr. J. Reeve.

.Mr. Williams.

..Mr. Lee.

.Mr. Wilkinson.

. Mr. Cooke.

.Mr. C. Jones.

.Mrs. Kendall.

....Miss Wood.

STAGE DIRECTIONS.

The Conductors of this work print no Plays but those which they have seen acted. The Stage Directions are given from their owu personal observations, during the most recent performances.

EXITS and ENTRANCES.

R. means Right; L. Left; D. F. Door in Flat; R. D. Right Door; L. D. Left Door; S. E. Second Entrance; U. E. Upper Entrance; M. D. Middle Door.

RELATIVE POSITIONS.'

R. means Right; L. Left; C. Centre; R. C. Right of Centre; L. C. Left of Centre.

R.

RC.

C.

LC.

L

The Reader is supposed to be on the Stage, facing the Audience.

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