Transcription
AMPHITHEATRE, WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.
A grand Spectacle, of a military nature, founded on the Defeat of the French near Salamanea, by that gallant and noble Commander the Marquis of Wellington, was last night brought out at Astley’s; and certainly there never was a dramatic production received with such universal shouts of applause; particularly the representation of the attack and defence of infantry and cavalry of both armies. The movements and counter-movements were admirably managed; but the grand climax, terminating in nearly the annihilation of the French army, taking invincible Eagles, and pursuing a distracted enemy, is truly beautiful, uncommonly well planned, and exquisitely performed. The Dramatic Story is as follows:--
General Count de la Pena, a Spanish Noble, resolving to maintain the ancient dignity of his house, promises his only daughter, Vittoria, in marriage to Seignor Campilla, the Town Major of Salamanea, who, although extremely old and peevish, is descended from some of the most ancient families in Spain. This, of course, proves repugnant to the youthful Vittoria, whose aversion is condsiderably heightened by the gallant behavior of Fernando, a brave Serjeant, who rescue her and the General, her father, from the power of a hand of French Maraders; for which valiant conduct, he receives the thanks of them both, and wins the affections of the grateful Vittoria. An explanation takes place, and they make mutual vows of constancy to each other, which being discovered by the Town Major, he gives way to the impulse of envy and jealousy, and reprimands Fernando, for his presumptuous attempted to seduce Vittoria from her duty; Fernando becomes indignant at the assertion, an alteration takes place, which ends in Fernando, the brave Serjean, being sent into confinements for insulting his superior officer.
Vittoria having been previously confined in the Castle by her father’s orders, (on the above account,) contrivers, with the assistance of Sanchez, (Fernando’s comrade,) to escape from thence at the hour of midnight, soon after Fernando, the brave Serjeant, is put on his trial and condemned to die; after which Vittoria assumes the disguise of a Hussar, and is introduced to the brave Serjeant, when an interesting interview takes place, which is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the General and the Town Major, when, on the latter’s bidding Fernando prepare for detain, Vittoria rushes into [smudged] to take a last farewell, on which the General indignantly separates them, when Vittoria discovers herself, and, Reveling with Fernando, the brave Serjeant, implores him to revoke the sentence; the General, however, urged on by the malicious insinuations of the Town Major, remains inflexible, and is on the point of ordering Fernando to immediate execution, when a load cannonade is heard near Salamanea, accompanied by Vittoria, in the course of which Fernando, the brave Serjeant, saves the life (a second time) of his General, and gets rewarded with the hand of his beloved Vittoria. The Grand Spectacle terminates with a [smudged] of the [smudged] occurrences which took place on the glorious 22d of July.
