The new drama of A Summer Storm has the length
without the sub- stance of a genuine Adelphi piece. An attempted murder, a false accu- sation, and ultimate vindication of innocence, are good standing ma- terials, that can no more go out of fashion than rounds of beef and legs of mutton ; but they must be carefully wrought, now that their intrinsic power of creating an excitement is worn out. A Summer Storm is well got up, and well acted, as far as the opportunity afforded to the actors would allow ; but it has all the loose construction of an original English piece, without any of those commanding characters which so often atone for defects in play-architecture. Mr. Morris Barnett's engagement at the Adelphi terminated with his benefit on Monday last ; when he added one more character to his series, by the revival of The Old Guard. The piece is trivial enough ; but as Mr. Barnett's object is to show as many varieties of the French genius as possible, his selection of a work that gives prominence to one of those peculiar Gallic types the "Old Guard" of the Empire was not injudi- cious.
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