SMITH had waged war against the prevailing taste in his Essay on Polite Learning, in which he vindicated the humerous exposure of absurdities from the imputation of being low and maintained that to exaggerate the features of folly, to render it more thoroughly ridiculous, was the just principle of comic satire. The Good-natured Man was a practical attempt to give effect to his theory.

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His principle he appears to have carried too far, for he cannot be pronounced free from the accusation of having suffered comedy to descend to the lower level of farce. The Good-natured Man was saved on the stage, only by the inimitable acting of SHUTER, in the character of CROAKER, when he selected the play for his benefit, a month after its ten nights' run. The sale, nevertheless, of the printed comedy proved the interest felt in it by the public. It was pronounced by judicious readers the best play since the Provoked Husband, commenced by VANBURGH, and finished by COLLY CIBBER. Only six nights after the representation of the Good-natured Man, a canting mawkish play, written by HUGH KELLY, and entitled False delicacy, had an immense run. Sentimentality was in the ascendant. Poor GOLDSMITH was mortified and discouraged; he resolved not to write any more for the stage; and for upwards of two

years, during which The Deserted Village appeared, he was occupied with compiling his histories of Rome, of Greece, of England, and of Animated Nature. On the 7th of September 1771, he wrote to Bennet Langton, from a farm house on the Edgeware Rood where he had hired a room. "I have been trying these three months to do something to make people laugh. There I have been strolling about the hedges, studying jests with a most tragical countenance. The comedy is now finished, but when, or how it will be acted, or whether it will be acted at all, are questions I cannot resolve." He experienced more trouble in getting it brought on the stage, perhaps, than he had anticipated; for, it was not till the 15th of March 1773 that She Stoops to Conquer was performed at Covent Garden Theatre, where the manager had been, with great difficulty, induced to bring it out, for Sentimental Comedy still reigned. The Good-natured Man had been too funny to succeed," says Lord MACAULAY, "yet the mirth of the Good-natured Man was sober when compared with the rich drollery of She Stoops to Conquer which is, in truth, an incomparable farce in five acts. On this occasion, however, genius triumphed. Pit, boxes and galleries, were in a constant roar of laughter. If any bigoted admirer of KELLY and CUMBER

LAND ventured to hiss or groan, he was speedily silenced with turn him out, or throw him over. Two generations have since confirmed the verdict which was pronounced that night." It is true. The revolution too prematurely commenced with the Good-natured Man, was achieved with She Stoops to Conquer. Sentimental Comedy was annihilated for a time, at least. False Delicacy and KELLY are now forgotten, while GOLDSMITH and his plays still retain possession of the stage. In 1856 She Stoops to Conquer was reproduced with effect at the Haymarket Theatre, but played in three acts, instead of in five, and with some trifling alterations, which I have indicated in the notes subjoined to the text.

The plan of She Stoops to Conquer is hardly an exception to the plans of GOLDSMITH'S other works. There is something incongruous in them all. The chief diversion in this arises from a stratagem, by which a lover is made to mistake his father-in-law's house for an inn. This, however, is said to have been suggested by an incident in the author's own life. When returning to school at Edgeworth Town after his vacation, he was entrusted with a horse, which he was to send back by occasion, and a guinea for his expenses. Having never before been the possessor of so

large a sum he determined to live like a gentleman and perform his journey by easy stages. Arrived at the little town of Ardagh, he asked of the first person he met the way to best hotel. He was sent to the house of a Mr. FEATHERSTONE, where after consigning his horse to the care of the servants he entered and ordered his supper to be served up, with the best wines, inviting the host and his daughters to partake of the repast. The host, recognizing in him the son of an old college friend, desired his servants not to let him become conscious of his mistake, which was only revealed to him when mounting his horse to depart on the following day. The character of MARLOW, forward with his inferiors and bashful with his equals, seems a common-place conception. That of TONY LUMPKIN affords a ludicrous portraiture of ignorance and cunning, mixed up with mischief and good nature, which has never been surpassed. The improbability of Mrs. HARDCASTLE's believing herself forty miles from home while she is within a few yards of her own door, is too palpable to escape notice. Thoughout the piece mirth is provoked by the misadventures; interest and comicality are to be found in the succession of deceptions and misunderstandings, and the lively dialogue which accompanies them. The admirable management of the materials

conceals their extravagance; and, whether they call it comedy or farce, most must allow it to be one of the most ingenious, original and laughable plays in the English language.

The period represented is about 1770. The costumes are:

Sir CHARLES MARLOW. Long riding coat, trimmed with gold lace, top boots, powdered wig and queue, three cornered hat with gold lace; white cravat.

HARDCASTLE. Plain plum-coloured cloth suit, grey silk stockings, shoes and buckles. Second dress. Long coat with cape, three cornered hat, brown George wig, white

cravat.

MARLOW.

Green body coat, wide lappels and skirts,

trimmed with gold lace; white satin embroidered waistcoat, leather tights, and top-boots: three cornered laced hat, hair powdered and tied at back with black ribbon and rosette, white cravat with short laced ends.

HASTINGS. The same,

but of a different color.

TONY. A scarlet hunting frock, long white waistcoat, leather breeches, striped stockings, and shoes with buckles. Second dress. Top-boots, and hunting cap; red wig, hair tied in.

a queue.

DIGGORY, and SERVANTS.

Old-fashioned liveries.