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THE FISHERMAN,

AN OPERA.

IN THREE ACTS.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE opera of The Fisherman possesses better claims to originality than the majority of Mr. Tobin's dramatic pieces. The groundwork of the serious part is borrowed from the commencement of an episode in the Diable Boiteux. For the comic scenes, the author appears to have been indebted solely to his own invention. In the group of Martha, Stephano, and Balthazar, he has merely developed a situa

tion previously suggested in his unpub. lished opera of The Gypsies. The speech of Stephano in the scene with Rosano has evidently furnished the outline of Jaques in The Honey-moon.

It is unnecessary to repeat what has been already observed of the predilection generally entertained for this opera by the author's literary friends-and in Mr. James Tobin's letter to Mr. Whitbread, it is distinctly stated to have been accepted before the fire which destroyed Drury Lane Theatre-yet in 1819, when, under the friendly auspices of Mr. Elliston, it was at length (by the title of The Fisherman's Hut) announced for representation, some suspicions arose whether it was entitled to be classed with Mr. Tobin's

genuine productions *. The effects of this prejudice were visible during the representation, when a sceptical and sometimes a captious spirit prevailed over that candour and liberality which are in general the characteristic of a British audience. It may have been unfortunate for The Fisherman's Hut that it was permitted to occupy the place of a full play it possessed, indeed, some rare merits of dialogue and situation; but the fable appears to have been of too slight a texture to satisfy the present taste. As a second

With respect to the genuineness of this production, it remains to state, that in common with the other dramas, which, during the author's lifetime were offered for acceptance, The Fisherman was read to his intimate friends of whom it will be sufficient to mention the gentleman who has sketched the poet's character in these Memoirs, and the author of the prologue to The Honey-moon,

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