ON

THEATRICAL ACCIDENT.

the 17th day of March 1752, the Tragedy of MACBETH was per formed at Covent Garden, for Mr. Cibber's benefit; and by a very odd accident had somewhat of a comical catal trophe. Thofe heroic full bottomed perukes whofe buthy expante fpread over the whole back of the wearer, and which may be feen in Hogarth's Analyfis of Beauty, had then lately been exploded the Stage, and a more natural, that is, a les enormous, covering for the back fubftituted in its tead. Unfortunately that night M. BARRY (Macbeth) chofe to appear in one mot curiously frizzled out, and of the fulleft tragical flow ever feen. When in the laft act it was our hero's turn to be killed, honeft RYAN (Macduff) being eager to dispatch him, juft as he was to plump down upon the carpet, entangled his hand in the vast profufion of Macbeth's hair, and by jerking back his sword, after the concluding ftab, away came poor periwig along with it, while ur hero was left expofed in the last agonies of death-bare-headed. RYAN in the mean while, with fome confufion, contemplated Full Bottom, which he heid dangling in his hand, but fadly tumbled and out of curl: at length he good-naturedly adjusted it on the baldpate of the tyrant, who was then enabled to make his dying fpeech with proper regularity and decorum.

another letter, in which, if I may be allowed the expreffion, he condescends to descend from thofe exalted perfons, and to give us a tring of obfervations applicable to the days of the week, which, he fays, are very ingenious, and proper for the information of boys and girls, that they may not forget to reckon them.

How, in the ordinary course of things, boys or girls could forget to reckon the days of the week, which are impressed upon their minds by the play-time afforded by fchool relaxation, (which I once heard a mater dignity by the appellation of literary leifure,) and therefore in which they are to materially interefted, it is not easy to conceive. But however this may be, it is not the objection which I have to the epithetical ob/ervations of the Dean upon their progrellion: thofe, I think, are not fufficiently clear and precife to be useful; for although I know that from thort apophthegms of this nature, especially if in rhyme, much good has been derived, of which I could quote feveral remarkable inftances, but for the take of brevity fhall confine myself to one, from the ingenious works of Poor Robin, viz.

Thirty days has September,
April, June, and November," &c.
Yet as this, like thofe beautiful and

elegant arithmetical verfifications which
I have feen, certainly fixes dates and
calculations deep in our memories, and
is at once remarkable for its terfenefs

To the Editor of the European Magazine. and perfpicuity, I muit further observe,

SIR,

the leifure which a flow recovery IN has afforded, I have, for want of better employment, endeavoured to collect fome of thofe idioms which that eccentric genius Swift fays, in a letter to Dr. Sheridan, are, when tranflated by a fkilful hand, "the most useful as well as ornamental parts of human learning." I have alfo glanced a little at what he terms their Latino- Anglicus; and although I have the higheft opinion of the works of the Dean, I cannot help thinking that he is, in his ideas, rather too fanguine refpecting this mcde of inftructing Princes and Great Minifters, and diftributing praise and cenfure with the utmost impartiality and juftice:" but as further remarks upon this point are of too much importance for the prefent fpeculation, A fall waive then, in order to come to

that I think it fuperior in utility to the diurnal obfervations of the Dean, of which, as we have now happily arrived at them, you will judge.

"Sunday's a Pun-day "

Why a Pun-day? He could not mean the practice of punning from the pulpit fo prevalent above a century before the date of the letter to which I have alluded, because in the time of Swift it had totally fubfided among the Clergy of the Established Church: and when I mention the names of Sherlock, Hare, Gibfon, Secker, and Rundell, it will call to your recollection those of many other divines whofe fermons, while they reflect the highest honour on the age in which they were promulgated, may ferve as models for every other. Yet if he did not mean that, what did

he mean?

Monday'

FOR JUNE 1806.

"Monday's a Dun-day." This appellation, I prefume, arose from a custom till prevalent, of the landlords of the poor collecting their weekly rents on Monday morning.

"Tuesday's a News-day." This, probably, the publication of a weekly paper on this day will explain.

"Wednesday's a Friend's day." This being in moft cities one of the market-days, the Dean, it is likely, thought rendered people more liable to vifits from their friends, during the courfe of it, than most of the others.

Thursday's a Curfed day.” "Friday's a Dry day.” Thefe appellations are to me wholly inexplicable.

"Saturday's the latter Day."

This fufficiently explains itfelf. But if any of your ingenious Correfpondents will folve my difficulties, and correct any mistakes I may have made with refpest to the other days, they will, M. Editor, while they elucidate one of thofe parts of the works of the Dean that, I think, wants elucidation, at the fame time, in all probability, how us, that he has not, even in his carelefs moments, trifled without having in view fome useful, and confequently moral, purpose.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient humble fervant,
A. B. C.
June 21, 1806.

CHARACTER of a NEGATIVELY GOOD

MAN.

ALL virtue confifts in effort-effort to

avoid evil and to obtain good;
but how many are there who pafs
fpeciously through the world, without
having made any confiderable moral
effort in their lives! An eafy fituation,
a happy constitution of body and mind,
tranquil times, indulgent friends, free
many from the neceffity of exerting
any of the energies of the foul, either
in acting or fuffering. Such perfons
may perhaps merit no particular cen-
fure; explent numerum," they fill
up the number of which fociety is
compofed; but let not the mere nega.
tion of what would be fcandalous or
punishable-the practice of the com-

mon decencies of life, be exalted into
virtue !

I will give you an example of a cha-
was born
the heir to a confiderable eftate. He
racter of this fort. Mr.
received the ufual education of perfons
in his rank; and, after paffing through
married early, and fettled at his paternal
the little irregularities of youth, he
manfion. Here, he lived pleasantly and
hofpitably among his neighbours;
opened his purfe in a hard feafon to
the poor; renewed his tenants' leafes
upon moderate terms; took his feat on
the bench of juftices, and acted (when
he acted at all) with lenity; suffered
his wife to regulate his family with
decorum, and his phyfician to keep
him to good hours and a fober bottle;
went to church constantly every Sunday
morning, and took the clergyman home
with him to dine; spoke kindly to his
fervants; avoided quarrels of every
fort; was civil about his game to all
qualified fportfmen, and not remarkably
rigorous to poachers; took the pre-
to converfe with the oppofite party;
vailing fide in politics, but could bear
ferved the office of high-fheriff with
fummer campaign with his county
credit, and once in his life made a
militia; and thus, with an eafy temper,
and good conftitution, drew on to his
riding home after a club dinner, carried
fiftieth year, when a fever, caught by
him off.

"Poor Mr.! what a worthy man have we loft!" cried all the neighbours; and the rector of the parish, in his funeral fermon, compared him to all that is good and great among mankind; ftyled him the true chriftian, the father of the poor, the friend of his country, the model of gentility, and difmiffed him from this world of toil and trouble, to the enjoyment of a blessed

eternity.

Thus it is, that, maintaining a decent demeanour, fulfilling the common offices impofed on focial life, complying with the customs of the world, and, above all, not interfering with the pleatures and interes of other people, confer a reputation which is generally in proportion to the rank and fortune of the perfon, and often, in an inverte ratio, to the pains fuch a conduét has coft him. For, what have been the efforts or facrifices of a lite like that above described? To the man in affluent circumstances, what is the merit of a little pecuniary liberality?-to one, not enflaved by habit to any inordinate gratification,

W Perdon Esq Arch

European Magazine.