Newspaper Reviews: Richard Cumberland, The West Indian (1771)

1. General Evening Post, 19–22 January 1771

An Account of the New Comedy called the West Indian, as it was performed for the first time, at the Theatre Royal in Drury-lane, on Saturday night last.

Dramatis Personæ

Men

Belcour (the West Indian)	Mr. King
Mr. Stockwell	Mr. Aickin
Major O’Flaherty	Mr. Moody
Captain Dudley	Mr. Packer
Charles Dudley	Mr. Cautherley
Mr. Fullmore	Mr. Baddeley
Attorney	Mr. Parsons
…’s Clerk	Mr. J. Aickin
Footman	Mr. Wright

Women

Lady Rusport	Mrs. Hopkins
Charlotte	Mrs. Abington
Louisa Dudley	Mrs. Baddeley
Mrs. Fullmore	Mrs. Egerton
Waiting Maids	Mrs. Bradshaw, Mrs. Love

Constables, Sailors, Negroes, Servants, &c.

Scene, London

Mr. Stockwell, at an early period of life, having managed the affairs of Old Bellcour, a considerable merchant in the Island of Jamaica, privately married the only daughter of that gentleman, who, finding herself with child, and dreading the effects of her father’s resentment, took every step in her power to keep her situation a secret; and being delivered of a fine boy whilst he was negotiating some business in England, contrived, upon his return, to have the infant introduced to him as a foundling, that had been left at his door. As the boy grew up, his amiable qualities had made such an impression on the old gentlemen, that the latter adopted him for his son, called by his own name, and made him heir to his whole estate sometime after on the death of his daughter, who, being well acquainted with the capriciousness of her father’s temper, and seeing her son as well provided for as she could possibly expect, never divulged the circumstance of her marriage.

Mr. Stockwell, soon after the birth of his son, returned to England, where, by his attention to commerce, he amassed a considerable fortune, and obtained a seat in Parliament. His affection for his boy made him keep up a constant correspondence with this old master, who about twenty years after the birth of Young Bellcour, died, after short illness, recommending the youth, in his last moments, to the protection and friendship of Mr. Stockwell, whom he looked upon as a man firmly attached to the interest of his family.

About this time the play begins: Stockwell is discovered in his computing house perusing a letter, which informs him that Young Bellcour is on his voyage to Europe. The prospect of seeing his long lost child, and his apprehensions lest his disposition should not turn out such as may contribute to his future happiness, cause great perturbation in his mind, which is presently relieved by the entrance of a Sailor, who acquaints him with the young gentleman’s arrival, and delineates his character in a few words, by saying, there was not a dry eye in the whole island of Jamaica when he left it. A great quantity of the West Indian’s luggage is then carried over the stage by a number of negroes, and Stockwell’s Footman tells his fellow servants, the ship has brought rum and sugar enough to make punch for the whole River Thames. Bellcour makes his appearance soon after, and is very affectionately received by Stockwell, who finds him a fine, spirited, agreeable young fellow, whose violent passions seem likely to plunge him into numberless difficulties. After some humourous remarks on custom-house officers and the manners of London, Bellcour and Stockwell retire, and the scene changes to the apartments of Lady Rusport, mother-in-law to Charlotte, a girl who is to have a considerable fortune in a few months, when she comes of age. Charlotte has been treated with great severity by Lady Rusport, who suspects her to be in love, as she really is, with her cousin Charles Dudley, an ensign of foot, whose father, Captain Dudley, married Lady Rusport’s sister; and after 30 years’ service found himself greatly embarrassed in his circumstances. Young Dudley, on presenting himself before his aunt, to pay his respects to her, is treated with great coldness by the Lady, who is extremely chagrined at hearing his father and sister are arrived in town, and, in the course of her conversation, takes care to let her nephew know, that though his grandfather has left her every shilling of his immense fortune, neither he, nor Captain Dudley, can expect any assistance from her.

Major O’Flaherty, a rough, brave, open, honest Irishman, who, upon account of his having been bred a Roman Catholic, had served in the French and Austrian armies for thirty years, without any other reward than a Cross of St. Louis, and a kiss of the Empress Queen’s hand, interrupts this scene and retires with Lady Rusport, for whom he professes a passion, after shewing some tokens of pity for Charles Dudley’s situation.

Old Captain Dudley, whose sole motive for coming to town was to raise the sum of 200l. to give a brother officer in exchange for a commission in a regiment at Senegambia, having taken an obscure lodging with his son and daughter Louisa, at a bookseller’s shop which is kept by one Fullmore, a needy, malignant, rascally scribbler, is extremely unhappy at the news his son brings him from Lady Rusport, as he imagined her humanity would not have refused him so small a sum upon such an urgent occasion. Louisa, who is remarkably beautiful, runs in during this scene, and expresses the alarm her spirits have been thrown into at the strange behaviour of a gentleman who had accosted her in the street. Bellcour enters the shop immediately after, in pursuit of her, and the Dudleys being gone to their apartment, enquires of Mrs. Fullmore about the Lady whose beauty had struck him so suddenly; but receiving no satisfaction upon that head, and over-hearing Fullmore tell his wife something of Captain Dudley’s distress, desires the bookseller to introduce him to the good old officer, which is accordingly done; and Bellcour, on hearing his story, voluntarily offers to supply him with the sum he is in need of; but finding this proposal from a stranger had wounded the old gentleman’s delicacy, hastily delivers him two notes folded up in a letter, which he pretends is only to inform him of the method in which he proposes to serve him, and after privately expressing his satisfaction at getting rid of the money (which he intended for a fine girl), and observing that it is much better laid out in relieving an object from distress than in plunging one into it, leaves the Captain abruptly.

In the meantime, Charlotte having heard of her mother-in-law’s unkind treatment of Captain Dudley, and being determined, at all events, to supply him with the money for his commission, prevails, with great difficulty, upo[n] her lover, Charles, to leave a valuable pair of her diamond ear-rings, as a pledge, with her neighbour Stockwell, till she can repay him the 200l. The merchant acquaints Bellcour with the singular circumstances of a young lady, of her great expectations, taking such a step, and resolves to send them back to her with the money and jewels, in hopes his figure and conversation may be agreeable to her, as he appears very desirous to engage the West Indian in an honourable matrimonial connection. At this instant Bellcour receives a note from Mrs. Fullmore, who having discovered that Miss Dudley was the object of his pursuit, acquaints him she has got the lady in her house, whose perfections so attracted his attention, and begs to see him directly. Elated by this news, Bellcour persuades Stockwell to go first to Charlotte with the money, in order to pave the way for sending him with the jewels, and hurries to Fullmore’s, where, in a conference with the mistress of the house, who perceives how easy his passion may be turned to her advantage, he receives every imaginable encouragement to make him hope he will easily be in possession of his wishes; but on hearing Mrs. Fullmore mention her as the sister of Charles Dudley, and consequently the daughter of the Captain he relieved, a principle of generosity interposes with his designs, and he resolves to think no further about her. Mrs. Fullmore, however, on finding out his objection, artfully contrives to take him believe that she is only called Charles’s sister, to blind the world, and is in reality his kept mistress. On this intelligence he determines to have her at all events; and being assured by his procuress, Mrs. Fullmore, that every woman has her price, and that Louisa is exceedingly fond of trinkets, jewels, &c., he having no money about him, is at lengths, with great difficulty, prevailed upon to give Charlotte’s ear-rings to Mrs. Fullmore, in order that she may present them at a proper time to the idol of his soul. An interview with the young lady immediately follows; but in his forwardness, in consequence of his supposing her a kept woman, having given her great disgust, she retires with precipitation.

Belcour, shocked at the unjustifiable step his passion had hurried him to take, with regard to Miss Charlotte’s jewels; in order to repair the injury he had done, buys a new set of diamond ear-rings, and proceeds, according to his promise, to Stockwell, to introduce himself to that young lady, to whom he returns her supposed ear-rings again with great politeness; but Charlotte instantly discovers that the jewels are much more valuable than her own, which brings about an eclairissement, and Bellcour candidly confesses he has disposed of her ear-rings to a woman, whose extraordinary beauty deprived him of his prudence and resolution.

During this interview, Charlotte receives a letter from Charles, by which she is informed, her kind intentions in favour of his father, are rendered unnecessary, by the astonishing generosity of Mr. Bellcour, which gives her a very exalted opinion of her new acquaintance, who is not a little surprised to see Louisa enter soon after, and address Charlotte with the greatest familiarity. This produces a very entertaining scene, in which Bellcour, as he scorns a lie, acknowledges to Charlotte, that Louisa is the lady to whom he gave her ear-rings.

Mrs. Fullmore and her husband, fearing they will be called to account for the jewels she so fraudulently obtained, whenever a detection of the affair should take place, decamp in the night, and Bellcour returning to visit Louisa, is highly censured by that lady for the falsehood he propagated to Charlotte with regard to the present he had made, which he mistaking for her being desirous of the jewels he had bought, as they were more valuable than the other, proceeds to take great liberties with her, and catching her in his arms, she shrieks out, on which Charles immediately enters, and attacks Bellcour sword in hand, accusing him as villain, who wanted to dishonour his family. This language produces the greatest resentment from the West Indian, who proclaims to Charles, that he knows his real connection with his sister, as he affects to call her, and assails him with great fury. The due[l] is happily interrupted by Major O’Flaherty, who boldly rushes in between them, and Louisa having fainted the combatants, with the assistance of the Major, who advises them never to draw their swords again before a woman, lead her to her apartment.

This honest Hibernian having been told by Lady Rusport of her treatment of Captain Dudley, remonstrates warmly with her on her want of humanity; “You are worse than a hyena, Madam, says he, for the most barbarous animal in the world is a human creature without pity.” On being left by himself, he declares his desire to relieve Old Dudley, but observes, “he has the best excuse in the world for giving him nothing—having nothing at all to give.”

An old Attorney, about this time, makes his appearance at Lady Rusport’s, and, in a private conference, informs her, that he is in possession of her father’s last will, by which the Knight’s whole estate is devised to nephew, Ensign Dudley, who by a former will, disinherited. Distracted at this piece of information, and satisfied that old Six and Eight-pence had told her the truth, she, as Charles knows nothing of the paper in this favour, offers him the sum of five thousand pounds to secrete the testament. This conversation is partly overhead by O’Flaherty, who resolves to get the whole scene of villainy out of the Lawyer, who being frightened at the boisterous behaviour of the Major, and finding the plan detected, delivers up the will into his hands, and runs out of the house.

The Major, after carefully putting up the will in his pocket, in order to produce it against my Lady at a proper opportunity, proceeds to Stockwell’s house, in order to call Bellcour to account for his insult on Miss Dudley. After having, in the presence of Stockwell, given the West Indian two bank notes of 100l. each, as an acquaintance of Captain Dudley’s obligation, he acquaints him that Young Dudley is waiting at the London Tavern, and demands immediate satisfaction. The challenge is instantly accepted, and Stockwell, who is extremely anxious about the life and honour of Bellcour, who discovers great courage and humanity in the discussion of the affair, determines to accompany him as his second.

In the midst of these transactions, Mrs. Fullmore and her husband having offered the ear-rings to sale, are taken into custody by the jeweler, and soon after make a discovery of the illicit manner in which they came to them. This circumstance is communicated to Stockwell, who orders them to attend at the tavern, in hopes their confession may contribute to terminate this disagreeable dispute. His hopes turn out to be well founded; for upon a full explanation of the matter, in which Bellcour’s mistake, from the infamous conduct of Mrs. Fullmore, plainly appears, the young gentlemen are honourably reconciled, and mutually apologize for their behaviour.

The good qualities of Bellcour making Stockwell very anxious to discover himself, and embrace him as his son, he invites the Major and Charles to his house, where, on their arrival, they are agreeably surprised to find Miss Charlotte had taken sanctuary at the merchant’s to screen herself from Lady Rusport’s resentment, who had found out she designed to elope with Charles to Scotland. The Lady enters soon after, and peremptorily demands her daughter-in-law, but is soon silenced by the honest Major, who, to the astonishment of the whole company, discovers her wicked conspiracy with the Attorney, and produces the will, which makes Charles sole heir of his grandfather’s estate. Lady Rusport rushes out in a fit of rage and execration; Charlotte gives her hand to her lover; Miss Dudley, convinced of Belcour’s affection, and of the trick that had been played him, at length receives him as the partner of her heart, and the play is happily concluded by the interesting circumstance of Stockwell’s discovering himself to Bellcour, whose heart expands with gratitude for the bounties bestowed on him by an all-seeing providence.

The above is a rough sketch (taken from a first representation of the West Indian written by the ingenious Mr. Cumberland—A comedy, in which elegance of language, and propriety of character, are happily united with sentiment, humour and theatrical business.

The Prologue, and Epilogue, were spoken by Mr. Reddish, and Mrs. Abington, whose comic powers were finely displayed in the latter, by the recital of a young Miss’s Catechism, in which the manners of a woman of fashion, in Queen Elizabeth’s age, are humourously compared with those of our modern fine ladies.