The Conductors of this Work print no Plays but those which they have seen acted. The Stage Directions are given from their own personal observations, during the most recent performances. The instant a Character appears upon the Stage, the point of Entrance, as well as every subsequent change of Position, till its Exit, is noted, with a fidelity which may in all cases be relied on; the object being, to establish this Work as a Standard Guide to the Stage business, as now conducted on the London boards. EXITS and ENTRANCES. R. means Right; L. Left; 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. The following view of the Stage with Five Performers in front, will, it is presumed, fully demonstrate the Relative Positions. The Reader is supposed to be on the Stage, facing the Audience. THE ROAD TO RUIN. ACT I. SCENE I.-Dornton's House. Enter MR. DORNTON, L. Dorn. (c.) Past two o'clock and not yet returned !Well, well, (R.)—it's my own fault!-Mr. Smith! (L.) Enter Mr. SMITH, L. Mr. Smith. (L.C.) Sir. Dorn. (c.) Is Mr. Sulky come in? Mr. Smith. No, sir. Dorn. Are you sure Harry Dornton, said he should return to-night? Mr. Smith. Yes, sir. Dorn. And you don't know where he is gone? Dorn. (Angrily.) I ask you if you know! Dorn. You always believe the worst!-I'll sit up no longer. Tell the servants to go to bed. And do you hear, should he apply to you for money, don't let him have a guinea. Mr. Smith. Very well, sir. Dorn. I have done with him; he is henceforth no son of mine! Let him starve! Mr. Smith. He acts very improperly, sir, indeed. Dorn. Improperly! How? (Taking SMITH's hund.) What does he do? [Alarmed. Mr. Smith. Sir! Dorn. Have you heard any thing of-? Mr. Smith. (Confused) No-no, sir-Nothing— nothing but what you yourself tell me. Dorn. Then how do you know he has acted improperly? Mr. Smith. He is certainly a very good hearted young gentleman, sir. Dorn. Good-hearted! How dare you make such an assertion? Mr. Smith. Sir! Dorn. How dare you, Mr. Smith, insult me so? Is not his gaming notorious; his racing, driving, riding, and associating with knaves, fools, debauchees, and black legs? Mr. Smith. Upon my word, sir, I Dorn. Upon your word. But it's over! His name has this very day been struck out of the firm! Let his drafts be returned. It's all ended! And, observe, not a guinea! If you lend him any yourself, I'll not pay you. I'll no longer be a fond doating father? Therefore take warning! Take warning, I say! Be his distress what it will, not a guinea! Though you should hereafter see him begging, starving in the streets, not so much as the loan or the gift of a single guinea. [With vehemence. Mr. Smith. (c.) I shall be careful to observe your orders, sir. Dorn. Sir! (c.) Why, would you see him starve? Would you see him starve and not lend him a guinea? Would you, sir? Would you? Mr. Smith. Sir! Certainly not, except in obedience to your orders! And Dorn. (With amazement and compassion.) could any orders justify your seeing a poor unfortunate youth, rejected by his father, abandoned by his friends, starving to death? Mr. Smith. There is no danger of that, sir. Dorn. I tell you the thing shall happen! He shall starve to death! [Distressed at the supposition.] I'll never look on him more as a son of mine; and I'm very certain, when I have forsaken him, all the world will forsake him too, [Weeps.] Yes, yes! He is born to be a poor wretched outcast! Mr. Smith. I hope, sir, he still will make a fine man. Dorn. Will! There is not a finer, handsomer, nobler looking youth in the kingdom; no, not in the world! Mr. Smith. I mean a worthy good man, sir. Dorn. How can you mean any such thing? The company he keeps would corrupt a saint. Mr. Smith. Sir, if you will only tell me what your pleasure is, I will endeavour to act like a faithful ser vant. Dorn. I know you are a faithful servant, Mr. Smith. [Takes his hand.] I know you are.-But you-You are not a father. Enter Mr. SULKY, L.--Exit Mr. SMITH, L. Dorn. Well, Mr. Sulky, have you heard any thing of him? Sulky. (L. c.) Yes. Dorn. And, hay—? [Impatiently.] Any thing consoling, any thing good? Sulky. No. Dorn. No?-No, say you!-Where is he? What is he about? Sulky. I don't know. Dorn. Don't? You love to torture me, sir! You love to torture me. Sulky. Humph! Dorn. For heaven's sake, tell me what you have heard! Sulky. I love to torture you. Dorn. Put me out of my pain! If you are not a tiger, put me out of my pain! Sulky. [Slowly drawing a newspaper out of his pocket] There; read! Dorn. Dead! Sulky. Worse. Dorn. Mercy defend me! Where? What? Sulky. The first paragraph in the postscript: the beginning line in capitals. Dorn. [Reads.] "The junior partner of the great banking house, not a mile from the Post-office, has again been touched at Newmarket, for upwards of ten thousand pounds." [Pause.] It can't be ! Sulky. Humph. Dorn. Why, can it? Sulky. Yes. Dorn. How do you know? What proof have you that this is not a lie? Sulky. His own hand-writing. Dorn. How! Sulky. Bills at three days sight to the full amount have already been presented. Dorn. And accepted? Sulky. Yes. Dorn. But!-Why!-Were you mad, Mr. Sulky? Were you mad? Sulky. I soon shall be. Dorn. Is not his name struck off the firm? Sulky. They were dated two days before. Dorn. The credit of my house begins to totter ! Dorn. What the effect of such a paragraph may be, I cannot tell! Sulky. I can;-Ruin. Dorn. Are you serious, sir? Sulky. I am not inclined to laugh.—A run against the house, stoppage, disgrace, bankruptcy. Dorn. Really, Mr. Sulky, youSulky. Yes. I know I offend. I was bred in your house, you used me tenderly, I served you faithfully and you admitted me a partner. Don't think I care for myself. No. I can sit at the desk again. But you! You! first man of the first commercial city on earth, your name in the Gazette! Were it mine only, I would laugh at it. What am I? Who cares for me? 4 [Crosses to R. Dorn. Where is the vile? [Calling.] Mr. Smith !— Thomas!-William ! Enter MR. SMITH, L. Call all the servants together, Mr. Smith; clerks, footmen, maids, every soul! Tell them their young master is a scoundrel! Mr. Smith. Very well, sir. Dorn. Sir? Bid them shut the door in his face! I'll turn the first away that lets him set foot in this house ever again! Mr. Smith. Very well, sir. Dorn. Very well, sir? Damn your very well, sir! I tell you it is not very well, sir. He shall starve, die, rot in the street! Is that very well, sir? [Exeunt DORNTON and SMITH, L. Sulky. (R.) He has a noble heart. A fond father's heart. The boy was a fine youth. But he spoiled him; and now he quarrels with himself and all the world, be |