la!"]

Everyone remembers, or ought to remember, DICKENS'S "_Brothers
Cheeryble_." Well, _Benjamin Goldfinch_ has all the milk of human
kindness which characterised these philanthropic Gemini. As to moral
characteristics, he is these two single gentlemen rolled into one, while
physically, his exterior rather conjures up the picture of _Harold
Skimpole_, though his eyes beam with the youthful impetuosity of old
_Martin Chuzzlewit_ when he caned _Pecksniff_. To this delightfully
guileless good Samaritan, the rough, nay brutal, _Uncle Gregory_ from
Sheffield, with a heart apparently as hard as his own ware, is a
contrast most skilfully brought out by Mr. CHARLES GROVE. Though the
part of _Uncle Gregory_ does not require the delicate treatment demanded
by that of _Goldfinch_, yet it might very easily be overdone; but never
once does Mr. GROVE overshoot the mark, although the author has
imperilled its success by too frequent repetition of a catch-phrase, "I
know that man," "I know that father," "I know that friend," and so
forth, which is sometimes on the verge of becoming wearisome. Indeed,
even now, I should be inclined to cut out at least half a dozen of these
variations of the original phrase. His short but sufficient
representation of the effects of too much lunch on _Uncle Gregory_ is
masterly. So realistic, in the best sense of the word, is the
impersonation of these two characters, that one is inclined to resent
the brutality of _Uncle Gregory_, when one sees the change suddenly
effected in the sweet and sympathetic nature of _Benjamin Goldfinch_,
and when we see him suspicious of everybody, and even of his young wife,
whom he loves so dearly, we murmur, "Oh, what a noble mind is here
o'erthrown!" And, indeed, but that it is impossible to help laughing
from first to last, the final scenes of this charming piece, replete
with touches of real human nature, would send an audience away crying
with joy, to think of the possible goodness existent in the world, of
which one occasionally hears, but so seldom sees, except on the stage.

[Illustration: Mr. Grove as Gregory the Grater.]

Not a part in this piece is even indifferently played. The two young
men, Mr. RUDGE HARDING, and Mr. SYDNEY BROUGH, both very good, the
latter having better dramatic opportunities, and making the most of
them. Mr. DODSWORTH just the very man for _Friend Lorimer_; Mr. CATHCART
is _Joyce_, the Butler; and of the two Shoemakers, respectively pla