Mr. Planche, when he goes to the exhaustless stook of
French dramas for a subject, not only makes very discriminating dips, but displays a skill in working up the treasure-trove, which distinguishes him from all his contemporaries in the same line. His adaptations show that not only has the thumb been at work in turning over the dictionary, but that the brains have been employed in thinking the matter over. The Jacobite, recently produced at the -Haymarket, is an excellent specimen. The dialogue, though not brilliant, abounds in that sort of stage comicality which hits an English audience; and an English tone is completely infused into every pert. Buekstone as a pedantic waiter at a hedge ale-house—now bribed by ' a Hanoverian gentleman to watch a Jacobite rival, now bribed by the Jacob- ite to say nothing, now denouncing the Jacobite in a fit of jealousy, be- cause he suspects he is courting his mistress's daughter, and finally saving his life by tumbling down a chimney just as the Hanoverian is about to destroy the King's pardon—has one of those characters which suit him to the greatest nicety. The pompous air of satisfaction with which he rounds off his Periods, and the excess of hie jealous rage, abound in that humour which is so peculiar that it can only be called " Buckstonian." There is no pre- tence that it is formed by a study of human nature, or that it imitates anything in actual life; but it shows a profound knowledge of what will make a London audience laugh. We do not believe there exists a point of view from which a foreigner could judge of Buckstone.
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