The inferior players lived or lodged in Little Ruffel Street, Vinegar Yard, and the little courts about the Garden; and I myself, Sir (added the Veteran), always about James Street, or under the Pi. azzas : "so that (continned he) we could be all mustered by beat of drum; could attend rehearsals without any inconvenience; and save coach hire, no inconfiderable part, let me tell you, of a former player's annual expences: but I do not know how the change has been effected-we are all now looking for high ground, squares, and genteel neighbourhoods; no matter how far distant from the Theatre, which should be the great scene of business; as if local situations could give rhythm to the profeffion, or genteel neighbourhoods instinctively produce good manners."

The audiences then had their different complexion likewise: no indifferent or vulgar person scarcely ever frequented the pit, and very few women. It was composed of young Merchants of rifing eminence, Barristers, and Students of the Inns of Court, who were mostly well read in plays, and whose judgment was in general worth attending to. We had few riots and disturbances; the gravity and good sense of the Pit not only kept the House in order, but the players likewife-Look at your Prologues, Sir, in those days, and in times long before them; and they all deprecate the judgment of the Pit, where the Critics lay in knots, and whose favourable opinion was conftantly courted.

Whilft upon this conversation, he was asked, "Well, but Mr. Macklin, have not we our Critics now as well as then?" "By G-d, Sir, if you have, you must

look sharp for them, for I don't know where they are to be found; but stop, let me fee (pausing), O yes, Sir-there are a few doers of Newspapers, who call themselves Gritics, that may still be found in upper boxes, pigeon holes, and lurk. ing places; but their criticisms never come out in the pit or in the lobby, as formerly, when the play was over. No, Sir, they referve them for the Newspapers of the next day; where they come out in columns, Sir-columns, often as difgraceful to truth, as they are ignorant of the rules of science *."

None but people of independent fortunes and avowed rank and fituation ever presumed to go into the boxes; and all the lower part of the house laid out in boxes were facred to virtue and decorum. No man fat covered in a box, nor stood up during the representation, but those in the last row, where no one's profpect could be interrupted: the women of the town who frequented the playhouses then were few (except in the galleries), and those few occupied two or three upper boxes at each side of the house their stations were assigned them; and the men who chose to go and badinage with them, did it at the peril of their character."No boots admitted in those days, Mr. Macklin - no box-lobby loungers?"No! Sir (exclaimed the Veteran), neither boots, spurs, or borjes we were too 'attentive to the cunning of the scene' to be interrupted, and no intrusion of this kind would be endured: but, to do those days common justice, the evil did not exift: rakes and puppies found another vent for their vices and follies than the regions of a Theatre."

(To be continued occafionally.)

large. large. In writing the lives of men who have long fince withdrawn from the scene of action, it may be difficult to obtain the needful information, and errors may easily escape the most vigilant inquirer. But in writing the lives of contemporaries, where memory can fometimes fupply us with materials, and where authentic documents may without difficulty be obtained, what excuse can be framed for misrepresentation and falfhood?

Into this train of reflection I was in. sensibly led by reading the lives of fome refpectable men in a work that is fuppofed to poffefs confiderable merit (the Supplement to the ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA); but which exhibits, in almost every page, grofs misrepresentations and palpable errors.

In the Life of Dr. Farmer, we read "what was the station of his father we never heard." Dr. Farmer's father was a native of Nuneaton, in the county of Warwick. The estate at Exhall, which the family held for more than two cen turies, was inherited by an elder brother; and is at present in the poffeffion of that branch of the family. Mr. Farmer, a younger brother, our author's father, refided at Leicester for near fixty years. During this period he was a confiderable dealer in corn and wool, which are the staple commodities of that place. "In early life," we are told, "he felt the power of love," &c. The early part of Dr. Farmer's life was devoted to litera ture. His time was then wholly fpent in collecting that various knowledge which fitted him for the stations he afterwards filled with fo much credit to himself and advantage to his College. It was not at an early, but at an advanced, though not a very late, period, that an attachment of the kind here alluded to was formed.

The opening of the University-cheft was not, as has been afferted, an ast of intemperate zeal. The fenfe of the Univerfity had been taken; the Senate, by its vote, had given its fanction to the meafure; before the Vicechancellor exexted his authority, and gave his fervant his official orders to break open the

cheft.

"We have reafon to believe," fays the Biographer, "that he declined a bishop. rick." The truth is, he declined both an Irish and an English bishoprick. That he held a prebend in the church of Worcester, is not true.

The difficulty experienced by his executor in fettling Dr. Farmer's accounts, but too clearly evinces the deranged state

I

in which he had left them. Under fuch circumstances, it became neceffary to remind his quondam pupils of the debts they had early contracted with their worthy tutor, and which still remained uncancelled. The application was in molt instances attended with the defired fuccefs. The debt was no fooner stated. than discharged. The mention of Dr. Farmer's name precluded the neceffity of further inquiry. His life, they knew, was distinguished by the most disinterested acts of generosity and friendship. Some few names might indeed be mentioned of persons who were disposed to controvert the justice of these claims, and to prevaricate rather than to fettle; in short, who chose to have recourse to fuch defpicable fubterfuges, as honest men would blush at. The following anecdote is entitled to some attention:-One Gen. tleman, in particular, told a friend, who was himself a penfioner of Emmanuel, that when he left that College, he was near fifty pounds in debt to Dr. Farmer; "a debt (faid he) which I would have scrupulously paid; but, after repeated folicitations, I could get no bill from him." The information I now give must be highly fatisfactory to the Gentleman here alluded to. It will rescue him from a difagreeable state of fufpence, and give him an opportunity of difcharging without delay the debt he has acknowledged, and of paying without difficulty the sum specified into the hands of Dr. Farmer's executor, Capt. Farmer, of Leicester; who has diligently collected, and punctually fettled, both with the University and the College, accounts the most complicated, of more than twenty years standing; and who has faithfully discharged every demand made on his deceased brother, to the entire fatisfaction of the parties concerned.

I have thus, Sir, though with reluctance cenfured a work which in general is deferving of praite; but in which, through negligence, the Editor has adopted a reprefentation of a moft respectable character from the libellous distorted caricature of a professed political enemy. Dr. Farmer fully deferved the praise bestowed on him by a friendly pen, as well as by that of Dr. Parr, in Mr. Seward's Biographiana, Vol. II. He was truly an honour to the Society to which he belonged; his usefulness there is still felt, and his lofs deeply lamented. In a work like that which is now the fubject of animadverfion, unlike the fugitive productions of the day, it is not fufficient

fufficient to adopt the first information which offers; every enquiry should be made, and if no authentic materials can be obtained, the design should be postponed until a more favourable season. By adopting any other rule, Biography,

instead of affording a genuine po trait, will only exhibit the coarse traits of malignant fatire, the dark offspring of calumny and mifrepresentation.

I am, &c.

Η. Μ.

I'

ORIANDER.

N the charming receffes of the Levantine Valley Oriander fed his flock, at the foot of those mountains, and on

the tame delightful spot, where his predeceffors had lived, in peaceful obfcurity, time immemorial.

Easy in mind, and secure in his retreat, he received his food from the hand of Nature, nor fought other luxuries than those which his native fields and vine. yards spontaneoudy afforded :

"The Senate's mad decrees he never faw, Nor heard at brawling Courts corrupted law."

Honeft labour procured him the bleffings of Sufficiency, Health, and Repose, and he pafled his early years in the en. joyment of those serene and blameless pleasures, which can be truly relished by those only whole minds have never been contaminated by an acquaintance with the world.

Oriander had reached the age of maturity when a gradual melancholy took poffeffion of his heart: the funny plain, that had been the icene of his youthful fports; the grove which had afforded him thade; and the dashing cascade, that had fo often shared his attention, and yielded a crystal beverage to his little flock, had loft their various charms. Lonely and difconfolate, he wandered along the tides of the mountain; and as he plucked the purple clusters, which blushed through their auburn foliage, he

PRIOR.

YOUNG.

fancies their smell less fragrant, and their flavour infipid.

As he was one day lamenting to himself that his lot was to waste his years in obscurity, and expreffing a wish to launch out into the world, to experience the variety and the pleasures which he conceived exifted in public life, and of which he had formed the most enchanting ideas. a venerable old man, with hair white as fnow, advancing through an avenue, approached, and, accofting him with a look of filial concern, expressed a defire to be. come acquainted with the cause of his difcontent. They fat down on an adjacent bark, and Oriander opened to him the secret anguish which wrung his heart.

The Old Man obferved that his defires were of a nature fimilar to those of all markind. HAPPINESS was the object of his purfuit; and he fondly imagined that the poffeffion of that inestimable treasure was infeparably connected with the attainment of our withes.

Young man!" exclaimed the reverend Monitor, "under a fuppofition of the poffibility of obtaining whatever you conceive effential to your felicity, tell me truly, do you believe you poffels the power of moderating your defires ?"

Oriander declared he had no doubt to

and regard it as a precious depofit: it contains certain rules and directions, whereby you may attain the completion of your wishes; but if once you exceed the bounds of moderation, the total lofs of this treasure will be the consequence, and you will be involved in inevitable mifery. Be wife; act with circumspection, and prize the bleffing entrusted to your charge!"

At these words, the Old Man delivered a gold box, of curious workmanship, into the hands of Oriander (who received it with all the enthusiasin of gratitude), and retired into the vineyards, from whence he came.

His mind now felt unusual agitation; he found himself labouring under so many wants of which he had lately no conception, that he knew not which first to gratify. His little flock became neg. lected; and his first experiment was to enlarge his poffeffions.

The daughter of an opulent trader had Jong attracted his attention. He fucceeded in his addresses, and received her hand in marriage. "I will now," said he to himself, fit me down and enjoy the comforts of domestic life."

In a short time his pleasures gave way to indifference; and the charms of his fair bride, which so lately kindled in his heart the flames of love, now served only to awaken the bitter pangs of a groundless jealoufy.

His peace was, however, in a degree re-established by the birth of a son, who had been granted to his wishes, and who Shared the fondest affections of an indulgent parent.

Oriander now began to devote his time to study; and, by confulting the contents of his box with strict attention, foon found himself matter not only of the living and dead languages, but of those various arts and sciences which conter honour and celebrity upon their

votaries.

This sedentary course of life, to which he had hitherto been unaccustomed, fub. jected him to a long train of nervous diforders, which cast a gloom over his intellectual funshine, and imbittered all his folitary moments. He law with concern the vanity of his acquirementshe found himself

"Without a rival, and without a judge."

His great abilities were hid in obscurity; he had reached the suminit of claffical ambition, and looked down with contempt on the multitude beneath him;

yet the world passed him by without notice, nor had the voice of Fame conferred those honours, to which he conceived he had a claim.

More serious misfortunes now awoke his feelings: His only fon, whose youthful talents promifed a future display of extraordinary genius, fell a victim to untimely death; and ere yet he had wiped the parental tear from his eye, the tender mother, unable to fustain the shock, fought a refuge from her troubles in the oblivious tomb !

Weary of the scenes which only served to remind him of those things which once were, "and were most dear" to him, he resolved to devote himself to a military life, as the only method to divert his mind, and relieve him from that ennui, under which he had long been finking.

He wished to know the use of the sword, and adhering to the directions of his benefactor, instantly found himself a skilful proficient therein. In defence of his country he first took up arms, and signalized himself in many gallant actions. He had formed an intimate and particular acquaintance with a young man in the army, who was a defcendant of one of the best families in Switzerland, and whose superior accomplishments and address rendered him well worthy of the most exalted esteem. At a convivial meeting, a very ferious mifunderstanding took place: a point of falfe honour opposed itself to all poffibility of accommodation; a challenge on the part of Oriander was the confequence; and, to adopt a modern phrate, he had the horrid fatisfaction of bathing his sword in the blood of his dearest friend!

The public indignation was roused on this occafion, and Oriander was obliged to seclude himself, in order to avoid the vengeance of the laws. He had, however, still fome trusty and powerful adherents, who warmly espoused his cause, and, according to their own views, directed his meatures. They long flattered, cajoled, and fermented his ambition, with the most dangerous and treasonable projects. He was contcious that he pofsessed the power of gratifying his amplest passions; but he forefaw that, should he gain the helin of itate, he could not, under the prefent circumstances, infure the general efteem.

Prepoffefled with this idea, he therefore confidered it better to rife to the fummit of power, on which he had now bent his mind, rather by a regular gradation dation than by a sudden exertion. Under this impreffion, he submitted to the council of his friends; the result of whose deliberations were, that till the public prejudices should subside, he should apply himself to merchandize; and when he should have fufficiently enriched himself thereby, and his party have gained fufficient strength and energy, they would inftantly recal him, fubvert the present order of things, and deliver into his hands the reins of Government.

Transported with this visionary scheme, he immediately disguised himself, retired into a maritime country, and, freighting a large vessel at a prodigious expence, embarked himself on a voyage to Brafil. They had entered the great Atlantic, when they were overtaken by a violent storm, which, baffling every human effort, foon rendered the veffel a perfect wreck: not one of the crew escaped a watery grave, except Oriander, who was driven ashore, breathless and faint, on a plank; and had barely strength fufficient left to fecure himself amidst the crags of the rocks from the fury of the waves.

During the raging of the storm, he had lost the power of recollection to far as to forget the invaluable charm which he carried about him, through the influence of which he might have escaped this fatal disaster. He felt in his bosom for the mysterious box: but his heart funk within him, when he found he no longer had it in his possession !

The true sense of his unhappy situation now rushed full upon his mind: he who a few hours fince was forming the most romantic schemes of future aggrandizement, found himself bereft of every hope, a poor and wretched exile, for ever cut off from society, and doomed to spend the remainder of his days be neath the fervors of a tropical fun, on a savage and inhospitable island.

With a bosom aching with the bit terest reflections, he proceeded a little way up the country, the foil of which appeared parched and steril; but at a greater distance he difcerned forests, which had never "refounded to the woodman's stroke," from whence, as night advanced, the mingled howl of beasts of prey struck his ear, and filled his heart with terror. He faw no trace of human habitation, no sign of mortal footstep; but he had the good fortune to discover a spring of fresh water, at which he quenched the tormenting thirst under which he had laboured; after which, he returned again

to the beach, in hopes to secure something from the wreck.

He passed the night in the cleft of a huge rock, which was only accessible by one narrow winding track. When morning began to gild the ocean, he still maintained his poft, though famishing with hunger, in hopes to fee some vessel from which there might be a poffibility of obtaining aflistance.

While he was indulging his melancholy reveries, in this precarious fituation, he was surprised by the appearance of a boat under fail turning a point of land, which projected into the sea, on the South fide of the island; and, as the drew up on the beach, he was still more aftonished to observe, among several other Europeans which composed her crew, the reverend Old Man from whom he had formerly received the mysterious box, whose lofs he had just been lamenting.

At his approach he was covered with confufion; and the more so, when he found his benefactor perfectly recognised him, and filenced his complaints, which he began to make, by the following address:

"Remember, young Man! the injunction I gave you, when I committed to you the greatest treafure I could confer. You placed a perfect reliance on the stability of your own resolutions; and if you have turned the blessing into a curse, to whom but yourself can you impute the blame?

"Your first step towards HAPPINESS was wrong-in wishing to enlarge your poffeffions. Your fecond was taken, rather from avaricious motives than from a principle of pure disinterested love.

"Your defire of an beir proceeded from a with rather to enrich your own family than to confer deserved favours on objects of real compaffion, and, out of your abundance, to relieve the wretchedness of your fellow creatures.

"In your thirst for learning, you acted only under the impulse of ambition; and, failing in this, you had recourse to the fuword, to hew yourself out a passage to the temple of Fame. Hitherto, you had violated the conditions of treaty between us, and merited that series of ill fuccefs which you experienced; but your last act of ingratitude and difloyalty is not only a flagrant breach of Moderation, but of all laws, human and divine. Hence you have forfeited all claim to the inestimable gift which you have now loft; and are justly reduced to that state of misfortune,