ee from hydrophobia,
who sees this production, must have an unbounded opinion of the manager's
imagination,--what a head he must have for aquatic effects! In vain we
look around for its parallel--nothing but the New River head suggests
itself.

But our preface is detaining us from the "prologue;" the first words in
which stamp the entire production with originality. Assassins, who let
themselves out by the job, have long been pleasantly employed in
melodramas, being mostly enacted by performers in the heavy line; but the
author of "Die Hexen am Rhein" introduces a character hitherto unknown to
the stage; namely, the _comic_ cut-throat. Messieurs _Gabor_ and
_Wolfstein_, (played by Mr. Wright, and the immortal _Geoffery Muffincap_,
Mr. Wilkinson), treat us with a dialogue concerning the blowing out of
brains, and the incision of weasands, which is conceived and delivered
with the broadest humour, enlivened by the choicest of jokes. They have,
we learn, been lately commissioned by _Ottocar_ to murder _Rudolph_, the
exiled Duke of Hapsburgh, who is to pass that way; but he does not come,
because his kind kinsman, _Ottocar_, must have time to consult the
god-fathers and god-mothers of the piece, or "Witches of the Rhine;" which
he does in the "storm-reft hut of Zabaren." This _Zabaren_ is a hospitable
gentleman, who sings a good song, sees much company, and is played by that
convivial genius Paul Bedford. _Ottocar_ is introduced amongst other
friends to a "speaking spirit," who, being personated by Miss Terrey,
utters a terrible prediction. We could not quite make out the purport of
this augury; nor were we much grieved at the loss; feeling assured that
the next two acts would be occupied in fulfilling it. The funny bravoes
present themselves in the next scene, and exit to stab one of two
brothers, who goes off evidently for that purpose, judiciously coming back
to die in the arms of _Count Rudolph_, for whom he has been mistaken.
Under such circumstances it is but fair that the prince should repay the
obligation he owes his friend for being killed in his stead, by promising
protection to the widow and child. The oath he takes would be doubly
binding (for he promises to become a brother to the wife, and not content
with thus making himself the child's uncle, swears to be his father too),
if the husband did not die before he has had time to utter his wife's
name. All these affairs having been settled, the prologue--which used