plainly mentioned. She had a perfect knowledge on the subject: ours is comparatively imperfect. She might have hit upon the exact terms in which it was possible to talk about it-she was by nature eloquent, and by practice dexterous. We find, among her papers, the state of the Covent-Garden company, which she had survived; entering it in 1780, and composing her list in 1797.

"MEMORANDUM.

"I came to London in the year 80: it is now the year 97. In that short time the following performers have died, who were of Covent-Garden Theatre when I was admitted an unworthy member of that society:

In the Little Green-room, Thompson and Ledger.
In the Great Green-room, W. T. Lewis alone."

CHAPTER X.

Mrs. Inchbald's losses-Sœurs de la Charité-Changes of a Boarding-house-Inspires a youthful passion-The late Mr. Charles Moore Letters to Mrs. Inchbald-Occasional remarks by the Editor-Portrait-painting discussed-Character of Mrs. Iuchbald by Mr. Moore.

WE have attended Mrs. Inchbald through the succeeding losses of her sisters; and, although in all cases dependent upon herself, in no one instance is the death ever considered as a relief: this true

sister only regrets that she has no longer personal attentions to render; no longer daily comforts to supply she felt herself like one of the Sœurs de la Charité, who had been interdicted by her Supérieure from administering to the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, and grieves to be cut off from her highest enjoyments on earth. She has now the whole of her income at her disposal, unfettered by any positive duties, and yet has no wish to extend her personal style of living. The

changing inhabitants of a boarding-house are not the objects of very attentive observation; so evanescent for the most part, they "come like shadows, so depart;" all character is lost in the usual forms of politeness; they act the important for a time; and their place at either the dinner or the whist-table is only supplied by better or worse appetite, less or more skill. The heart but seldom roots itself in such a soil. Now Mrs. Inchbald was all heart. It is a thousand pities that she quarrelled with her looking-glass so early; and refused, unaccountably in many cases, that union upon PRINCIPLE, which survives or lengthens the reign of passion, and gives to our decline of life something still of interest in the present world. But even after the mirror had begun to disappoint the hopes of the morning pillow, the beauties still remaining were sufficient to inspire a very ardent love for her in a very young man, of very good family, considerable talents, and likely to become no inferior ornament of a brilliant and honorable profession. We allude to the attachment of the late lamented Charles Moore, whom we personally knew and esteemed; whose convivial powers were peculiarly fascinating, and whose melancholy close has already occupied the pen the lady, whom no disparity of years prevented him from wishing to be the GRACE and the GUIide of his existence.

of

We have reserved APART this tribute to her many excellencies, because the letters of our poor friend would have been lost in their casual appearance, and have a romantic and pleasing effect when read as a series. We shall follow such as Mrs. Inchbald preserved by a character of HERSELF, written by her then gay admirer; and the goodness of his heart will not be less apparent in them, than the powers of mind which, seriously and earnestly directed, might have achieved for him in the world a destiny as brilliant at least as that which attended upon his brothers. As to Mrs. Inchbald herself, this recurrence to her captivations as a woman breaks, not unhappily, the sombre level of her latter existence; and reminds us that, after all, the merits of the best of human creatures are best seen by their influence upon beings like themselves. In common with other editors of fugitive correspondence, we have to lament the absurd omission of dates, so often occurring in these papers. Tuesday or Friday, noon or evening, testify accurately as to the divisions of some week or other; but, without either month or year, assist but little as to the progress of life. Some public event mentioned by accident may afford an occasional glimpse; which, as given with no such design by the correspondent, leaves the editor indebted solely to chance, if he goes safely on his way.

The first of Mr. Moore's letters has happily

both month and year.

CHARLES MOORE, ESQ. TO MRS. INCHBALD.

"DEAR MADAM,

"Temple, July 5, 1796.

"I was made very vain yesterday—but not by you. I intended to have given you an opportunity of humbling me, but would not intrude upon your company. At dinner yesterday my father produced a letter from Lord Lauderdale, in which the following paragraph occurs :-'I wish you would tell Charles (meaning a friend of yours) that though I have only seven votes, I have a legal objection to the title of one of the candidates, which I am sanguine enough to think must replace me in the house. Ask him if he has ingenuity enough, upon the above state of facts, to apply the proverb It is an ill wind,' &c. I will have no other counsel but Mr. Adam, in order to give Charles an opportunity of being heard.' What do you think of that, thou amiable lover of dry men? There is an opportunity for your friend either to make or mar his fortune-to speak before the House of Lords on the most interesting private question which has occurred for many a day!

"In order to show me that you wish me joy, pray have the goodness to let me have a walking conversation with you on the earliest day you can conveniently. I like you a thousand times better