15 DECEMBER 1838, Page 11

The only novelty of the week is an amusing little

piece, by the suc- cessful author of Tom Noddy, called My Little Adopted; whose title the public have realized. A young lady having invited the orphan son of a deceased relative to come and stay with her, and provided rocking-horses, kites, and drums, for his amusement, finds to her dis- comfiture, that her " Little Adopted" is a fine tall fellow, grown to man's estate ; while he in his turn is no less though more agreeably surprised to meet, instead of a starched old maiden aunt, a charming young lady. The mutual embarrassment ends of course in reciprocal love. An underplot, rather clumsily connected with this, arises from a mutual disappointment of a less agreeable kind, experienced by two old playmates, between whom a sort of childish fondness had sprung up ; but on meeting twelve years after, their early prepossessions va- nish; the rustic boy having grown up a vulgar, selfish, ignorant booby; and the rosy, laughing girl become an accomplished young lady, who sings and plays the harp. The lout takes up with a smart waiting. maid, and the sentimental girl marries a soldier. Miss TAYLOR mars the gayety of her manner by a consciousness too closely bordering on affectation ; and BIXESTONE aggravates the coarse- ness of the clown with buffoonery. Mrs. F. MATTHEWS is very amusing as the pert wench, with a " marry-come-lip" ; and Mrs. FITZWILLIAM imparts a pretty simplicity to the humble girl, educated above her station ; though she spoils the sweet ballad of " Robin Adair" by her" variations."