"night, and drew tolerable houses; but the even"ing before our intended departure, we gave out our very beft piece, in which all our ftrength was "to be exerted. We had great expectations from "this, and even doubled our prices, when behold one of the principal actors fell ill of a violent fever. "This was a ftroke like thunder to our little company they were refolved to go in a body, to "fcold the man for falling fick at fo inconvenient a time, and that too of a diforder that threatened "to be expenfive; I feized the moment, and offer"ed to act the part myfelf in his ftead. The case "was defperate: they accepted my offer; and I ac"cordingly fat down, with the part in my hand and "a tankard before me (Sir, your health), and ftudied "the character, which was to be rehearfed the next "day, and played foon after. "I found my memory exceffively helped by "drinking: I learned my part with aftonishing "rapidity, and bid adieu to fnuffing candles ever "after. I found that nature had defigned me for "more noble employments, and I was refolved to "take her when in the humour. We got together "in order to rehearfe; and I informed my compa"nions, mafters now no longer, of the furprifing change I felt within me. Let the fick man, faid "I, be under no uneafinefs to get well again; I'll "fill his place to univerfal fatisfaction; he may even "die if he thinks proper; I'll engage that he fhall "never be miffed. I rehearfed before them, ftrutted, ranted, and received applaufe. They foon gave out that a new actor of eminence was to appear, and immediately all the genteel places were bespoke. Before I afcended the ftage, however, I concluded within myfelf, that as I brought money to the house, I ought to have my fhare in the profits. Gentlemen, faid I, addreffing our com pany, pany, I don't pretend to direct you; far be it "from me to treat you with fo much ingratitude : 66 you have published my name in the bills with the "utmoft good-nature; and as affairs ftand cannot "act without me: fo gentlemen, to fhew you my "gratitude, I expect to be paid for my acting as "much as any of you, otherwife I declare off. I'll "brandish my fnuffers, and clip candles as ufual. "This was a very difagreeable propofal, but they "found that it was impoffible to refufe it; it was "irresistible, it was adamant: they confented, and "I went on in king Bajazet; my frowning brows, "bound with a ftocking ftuffed into a turban, while on my captiv'd arms I brandifhed a jack-chain. "Nature feemed to have fitted me for the part; I was tall, and had a loud voice; my very entrance "excited univerfal applaufe; I looked round on the "audience with a fmile, and made a moft low and graceful bow, for that is the rule among us. it was a very paffionate part, I invigorated my fpirits with three full glaffes (the tankard is almost "out) of brandy. By Alla! it is almoft inconceiv"able how I went through it; Tamerlane was but a "fool to me; though he was fometimes loud enough "too, yet I was ftill louder than he: but then, be"fides, I had attitudes in abundance: in general I kept my arms folded up thus, upon the pit of my ftomach; it is the way at Drury-Lane, and has always a fine effect. The tankard would fink "to the bottom before I could get through the "whole of my merits: in fhort, I came off like a pro 66 66 66 66 66 As digy; and fuch was my fuccefs, that I could ra"vith the laurels even from a firloin of beef. 66 The principal gentlemen and ladies of the town came "to me, after the play was over, to compliment me upon my fuccefs; one praifed my voice, another my perfon: upon my word, fays the fquire's lady, 66 66 he he will make one of the finest actors in Europe; "I fay it, and I think I am fomething of a judge. "Praife in the beginning is agreeable enough, "and we receive it as a favour; but when it comes "in great quantities we regard it only as a debt, "which nothing but our merit could extort: in❝ftead of thanking them, I internally applauded "myself. We were defired to give our piece a fe"cond time; we obeyed; and I was applauded even "more than before. 66 "At laft we left the town, in order to be at a "horfe- race at fome diftance from thence. I fhall "never think of Tenterden without tears of grati-"tude and respect. The ladies and gentlemen there, "take my word for it, are very good judges of plays "and actors. Come, let us drink their healths, if you please, fir. We quitted the town, I fay; and "there was a wide difference between my coming "in and going out: I entered the town a candle"fnuffer, and I quitted it an hero!-Such is the "world; little to-day, and great to-morrow. I "could fay a great deal more upon that fubject, "fomething truly fublime, upon the ups and downs "of fortune; but it would give us both the spleen, " and fo I fhall pass it over. 66 The races were ended before we arrived at the "next town, which was no fmall difappointment to our company; however we were refolved to take "all we could get. I played capital characters there ❝ too, and came off with my ufual brilliancy. İ fincerely believe I should have been the first actor "of Europe had my growing merit been properly "cultivated; but there came an unkindly froft "which nipped me in the bud, and levelled me once more down to the common ftandard of hu"manity. I played Sir Harry Wildair; all the Vol. IV. "country A A 66 "country ladies were charmed: if I but drew out my fnuff-box the whole houfe was in a roar of "rapture; when I exercifed my cudgel, I thought they would have fallen into convulfions. 66 66 66 66 66 "There was here a lady who had received an "education of nine months in London; and this gave her pretenfions to tafte, which rendered her "the indifputable miftress of the ceremonies wherever the came. She was informed of my merits; every body praised me; yet the refused at first going to fee me perform : fhe could not conceive, "the faid, any thing but ftuff from a ftroller; "talked fomething in praise of Garrick, and amazed "the ladies with her skill in enunciations, tones, "and cadences; fhe was at laft however prevailed έσ upon to go; and it was privately intimated to me "what a judge was to be prefent at my next exhi"bition: however, no way intimidated, I came on " in Sir Harry, one hand stuck in my breeches, and "the other in my bofom, as ufual at Drury-lane; "but instead of looking at me, I perceived the "whole audience had their eyes turned upon the "lady who had been nine months in London; from "her they expected the decifion which was to fe"cure the general's truncheon in my hand, or fink "me down into a theatrical letter-carrier. I opened my fnuff box, took fnuff; the lady was folemn, "and fo were the reft; I broke my cudgel on alderman Smuggler's back; ftill gloomy, melancholy "all, the lady groaned and fhrugged her fhoulders; I attempted by laughing myfelf, to excite at least 66 66 a fmile; but the devil a cheek could I perceive "wrinkled into fympathy: I found it would not "do: all my good-humour now became forced; "my laughter was converted into hyfteric grinning; "and while I pretended fpirits, my eye fhowed the 66 agony ** 16 agony of my heart: in fhort the lady came with an intention to be difpleafed, and difpleafed fhe "was; my fame expired; I am here, and (the "tankard is no more)!" WHEN Catharina Alexowna was made emprefs. of Ruffia, the women were in an actual state of bondage, but the undertook to introduce mixed affemblies, as in other parts of Europe: fhe altered the women's drefs by fubftituting the fashions of England; inftead of furs, fhe brought in the ufe of taffeta and damafk; and cornets and commodes instead of caps of fable. The women now found themselves no longer fhut up in feparate apartments, but faw company, vifited each other, and were present at every entertainment. But as the laws to this effect were directed to a favage people, it is amufing enough, the manner in which the ordinances ran. Affemblies were quite. unknown among them; the czarina was fatisfied with introducing them, for the found it impoffible to render them polite. An ordinance was therefore publifhed according to their notions of breeding, which, as it is a curiofity, and has never before been printed that we know of, we fhall give our readers. I. The perfon at whofe house the affembly is "to be kept, fhall fignify the fame by hanging out a bill, or by giving fome other public notice, by way of advertisement, to perfons of both fexes. "II. The. AA 2 |