the warmest enthusiasm. The day after his arrival, the court and the town, beauty, rank, talents, all went to pay him their homage, which he received in his robe-de-chambre and nightcap. I had not seen him for ten years, and I did not perceive him to be either altered or aged. He himself read us the fifth act of his tragedy; he is still full of life; his understanding and memory are unimpaired. The academy sent him a deputation, composed of three of its members, M. le Prince de Beauveau, Messrs. de Saint-Lambert, and Marmontel, to congratulate him on his return. It is intended to give a public meeting extraordinary, at the Academy, which is hitherto unprecedented; but he is highly worthy to be an exception to all rule.

His first visit to the Comédie Françoise will be memorable. It is not yet known what species of triumph will be decreed him. For my part, I should wish him to be crowned upon the stage. Is it possible to heap too many honours and gratifications upon the latter days of a great man, who has so repeatedly charmed the nation?

"L'Homme Personnel," a comedy in five acts, by M. Barthe, is to be performed immediately, and will be succeeded by "Irène,” a tragedy, by M. de Voltaire. The whole theatre went to visit this great man on his arrival in Paris, and Bellecourt, speaking for himself and the rest, said to him: "Sir, you behold the remains of the stage." These words were a fine eulogium on Lekain. "Gentlemen,” replied M. de Voltaire, "I will henceforward live only for you and by you."

DANGLE'S LAST WORDS.

Nay, then I'll set those to you that can SPEAK. Hamlet.

MR. EDITOR,

My feelings for myself are trifling, but for my friends, my witty and delightful friends and companions, the players, I have suffered more than words can describe, or racks inflict. No letter from CATO is free from some base aspersion on actors, and after reading his last libel, my conscience smote me, and, communing with my fears, I could not but exclaim: Worthy creatures! thou, Dangle! thou hast brought all this upon them!"What was to be done? I resolved to visit them all in their respective green-rooms, to lay the facts before them, and to take

3 G-VOL II.*

their opinions with regard to my future conduct. I first went to Drury.

Mr. Bannister was for finding out CATO, and kicking him down stairs.

Mr. Eyre for blowing him up.

Mr. De Camp thought that he should not be allowed to get off so easily.

Mr. Maddocks looked furiously, but said nothing.

Mr. Cooke was for basting him, which

Mr. Holland thought they might make shift to do, by employing Dutch Sam.

We wits Sir, said Mr. Wewitzer, should see better what we are about, if Mr. Ray, and Mrs. Sparks, would lend us their aid; and then with the assistance of Mr. Purser and Miss Pope, the thing would be infallible.

Mrs. Sharp made a cutting remark, which I cannot recollect, and Mr. Dowton hesitated so much about the means, that I left him to doubt on, and turned to Menage, who was for letting out the Lyon at him.

Mrs. Jordan was a second Xantippe on the occasion, and talked of throwing "a tea pot at his erudite head.”

The prompter's bell rang, and Miss Duncan was obliged to go. I exclaimed," hear it not Duncan," but in vain.

Mrs. Mountain, naturally meek and gentle, was as quiet as a mouse;—not so Miss Mellon, who advised revenge Coute qui Coute. I found my friends at Covent Garden nearly in the same mind

Mr. Field and Miss Meadows were very similar-their souls were harrowed up by my relation.

Mr. Incledon winked his eyes, swore bitterly, and walked off, singing the Storm.

Mr. Denman agreed with Menage in regard to the Lyon.

Mr. Wilde acted precisely like Mr. Maddocks; and Mr. Taylor muttered something about his being only part of a man.

Mrs. St. Leger had kept a journal of the whole transaction, and on submitting it to Mr. Pope, and Miss Martyr, they thought CATO deserved to be burnt alive!

I am not a vindictive character; and this horrible judgment shocked my nature. I expostulated even for my enemy, and it was at last admitted, that they would all be content if they could but see him

DANGLE.

P. S. I stept in afterwards, to see what I could collect from my friends at the Black Jack, Clare-market, but there the game was up. Pipes, porter pots, decanters, cards, castors, dice, &c. were all in one chaotic confusion.-Barrymore's quitting Drury-Lane theatre had produced this consternation.

DRUNKEN ACTRESSES.

MR. EDITOR,

In the Court of Chancery, Nov. 20, Lord Eldon, in considering the affairs of the Opera House, observed that," when he was in the Common Pleas, he recollected a question relative to the amount of the nightly wages that should be stopped from each female performer, in proportion to the state of intoxication in which she appeared."

As your work boasts of writers learned in every branch of human knowledge, I should be glad if one would oblige me with some further information respecting this case.

INDAGATOR.

FRAGMENTS ON THE DRAMA,

FROM AN UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT OF THE LATE

ARTHUR MURPHY, ESQ.

In the Possession of J. Scott Byerley, Esq.

(Continued from P. 336.)

SECTION XXVII.

SIMPLICITY.

UNITY of action is not enough; simplicity must accompany the whole fable or conduct of the piece,

Denique sit quod vis simplex duntaxat et unum.

*

Hor.

Simplicity is not the same as unity of action; for by simplicity is meant, not only unity of action, but a clear arrangement of the parts of that action, such as the mind may easily comprehend, without being distracted by too great a complication of incidents,

*Didot's stereotype Horace, which, (as far as it goes) I have found to be the most correct of any edition I have met with, has an error in this line; it reads--Denique sit, quod vis, simplex dumtaxat et unum.----J, S. B.

and with too many little causes producing little events, and hindering us from seeing how the parts relate one to another, and how they form a beginning, a middle, and an end.

In Gothic buildings, by multiplying the parts, and breaking the whole into little detached and independent ornaments, it hinders the effect of the whole. The mind must be able to take in the whole, and therefore the action must be neither too great, nos too little. If a monster covers many furlongs, we cannot see the proportion of the parts, and if too small an animal be present, it requires a microscopic eye. Simplicity, therefore, consists in pre senting one whole and integral action, which must not be overcharged with incidents, nor too much subdivided into parts, and subordinate interests, but fairly exhibiting cause and effect, and the tendency of such causes and effects to produce a catastrophe, by probable, and indeed necessary means: as in gardening, if the spot be broken into too many walks, alleys, turnings, and windings, it will be a labyrinth; but if it be laid out in a more simple, that is, a more natural manner, then the whole will not be seen at once, but when the whole is seen, the whole plan will be fully comprehended.

Simplicity of itself, however, has no real charm, and Fontenelle says-“ Il ne faut pas s'imaginer que la simplicité ait par ello meme aucune agrement et ceux qui louent par cet endroit-la les pieces grecques, ont bien envie de les louer et ne se connoissent gueres en louange."

Those who praise the Greek plays on the score of simplicity, must have a good inclination to praise, but in fact do not know the true value of praise.*

The Greek plays have too much simplicity, and the same may be said of the Agonistes of Milton.

Heraclius is overcharged with facts, with incidents, with little causes, and little effects; and the intrigue is involved, complex, intricate, and too far removed from simplicity of design or plan, though there be unity of action.

Fontenelle says "Il ya donc quelque chose de bon dans la simplicité mais en quoi cela consiste-t-il ?"

Simplicity has something of value in it, but in what does is consist?

* Qu. Does not Fontenelle mean that they are ambitious of praising, and are de termined to praise, although they do not know on what that praise should be found ed....-J. §. R.

SECTION XXVIII.

INCONSTANCY OF THE HUMAN MIND.

As the human mind is naturally inconstant, and soon grows tired of the same object, simplicity alone cannot afford due pleasure. The real good of simplicity is, that it prevents fatigue, and the pain of attention from being too much on the stretch.

Hence we may infer that simplicity prevents fatigue of mind, and that is all it does of itself.

From our natural inconstancy, the mind loves variety; from our indolence we love unity; we must therefore have unity of action, and as much of simplicity in the plan, as will let us easily comprehend the whole. But we must also have variety or diversity, even in the same action.

We have said that simplicity of itself has no charm; on the contrary, variety of itself is agreeable, for the mind loves to change its object.

A thing does not please merely because it is simple, nor does it please the more in proportion as it is more simple; but the truth is this, a subject pleases because it is happily diversified, without ceasing to be simple.

Hence the more an object is diversified, without ceasing to be simple, the more sure it is to please.

Of two spectacles which do not fatigue the mind, that which employs attention and excites curiosity most, is sure to please the most.

We do not, for instance, admire in the works of nature, that all faces are made with eyes, nose, lips, and eye-brows; but we admire that diversity with which the same features are blended together.

Simplicity and diversity please by their union; it is diversity amidst variety.

Simplicity alone is hardly worth considering; its greatest evil is, that it is insipid. Diversity, considered alone, is always agreeable, and always piques and pleases our taste; but it is of great extent; it opens a wild carriere, and is in danger of distracting and embarrassing the mind.

It is, then, union that pleases; there the charm lies: and the charm is then wound up, when simplicity gives due bounds, to diversity and when diversity lends its embellishments to simplicity.*

:

* If authority were wanting, Homer might be cited as affording the most splen. did examples of this union throughout both his poems. "Deux qualites (says Bi