66 .66 66 "night, and drew tolerable houses; but the evening before our intended departure, we gave out "our very best piece, in which all our strength 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 stroke like thunder to our little company they were resolved to go in a body, to "scold the man for falling sick at so inconvenient a time, and that too of a disorder that threatened "to be expensive; I seized the moment, and offer"ed to act the part myself in his stead. The case was desperate they accepted my offer; and I accordingly sat down with the part in my hand and "a tankard before me (Sir, your health), and studied "the character, which was to be rehearsed the next day, and played soon after. 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 "I found my memory excessively helped by drinking I learned my part with astonishing rapidity, and bade adieu to snuffing candles ever "after. I found that Nature had designed me for "more noble employments, and I was resolved to "take her when in the humour. We got together "in order to rehearse; and I informed my companions, masters now no longer, of the surprising change I felt within me. Let the sick man, said "I, be under no uneasiness to get well again: I'll "fill his place to universal satisfaction; he may even "die if he thinks proper; I'll engage that he shall never be missed. I rehearsed before them, strutted, "ranted, and received applause. They soon gave out that a new actor of eminence was to ap'pear, and immediately all the genteel places were bespoke. Before I ascended the stage, however, "I concluded within myself, that as I brought money to the house, I ought to have my share in the profits. Gentlemen, said I, addressing our com 66 16 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 pany, I don't pretend to direct you; far be it "from me to treat you with so much ingratitude: you have published my name in the bills with the "utmost good-nature; and as affairs stand, cannot "act without me: so gentlemen, to shew you my gratitude, I expect to be paid for my acting as "much as any of you, otherwise I declare off; I'll "brandish my snuffers, and clip candles as usual. "This was a very disagreeable proposal, but they "found that it was impossible to refuse it; it was “irresistible, it was adamant: they consented, and "I went on in king Bajazet; my frowning brows, "bound with a stocking stuffed into a turban, while "on my captiv'd arms I brandished a jack-chain. "Nature seemed to have fitted me for the part; I 66 66 66 As was tall, and had a loud voice; my very entrance "excited universal applause; I looked round on the "audience with a smile, and made a most low and graceful bow, for that is the rule among us. "it was a very passionate part, I invigorated my spirits with three full glasses (the tankard is al"most out) of brandy. By Alla! it is almost incon"ceivable how I went through it; Tamerlane was "but a fool to me; though he was sometimes loud enough too, yet I was still louder than he: but then, besides, I had attitudes in abundance: in ge"neral I kept my arms folded up thus, upon the pit "of my stomach; it is the way at Drury-lane, and "has always a fine effect. The tankard would sink "to the bottom before I could get through the "whole of my merits: in short, I came off like a prodigy; and such was my success, that I could ravish the laurels even from a sirloin of beef. 66 66 66 66 The principal gentlemen and ladies of the town came "to me, after the play was over, to compliment me upon my success; one praised my voice, another “my person: upon my word, says the squire's lady, 66 "he will make one of the finest actors in Europe; "I say it, and I think I am something of a judge. "Praise 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"stead of thanking them, I internally applauded "myself. We were desired to give our piece a se"cond time; we obeyed; and I was applauded even more than before. 66 66 "At last we left the town, in order to be at a "horse-race at some distance from thence. I shall 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 66 you please, Sir. We quitted the town, I say; and "there was a wide difference between my coming in "and going out: I entered the town a candle-snuffer, " and I quitted it an hero!Such is the world; "little to-day, and great to-morrow. I could say "a great deal more upon that subject, something truly sublime upon the ups and downs of fortune; "but it would give us both the spleen, and so I shall 66 pass it over. 66 66 "The races were ended before we arrived at the "next town, which was no small disappointment to our company; however, we were resolved to take "all we could get. I played capital characters there "too, and came off with my usual brilliancy. I 66 sincerely believe I should have been the first actor "of Europe had my growing merit been properly. "cultivated; but there came an unkindly frost "which nipped me in the bud, and levelled me once more down to the common standard of hu"manity. I played Sir Harry Wildair; all the 66 66 "country ladies were charmed: if I but drew out my snuff-box, the whole house was in a roar of rap"ture; when I exercised my cudgel, I thought they "would have fallen into convulsions. "There was here a lady who had received an edu"cation of nine months in London; and this gave "her pretensions to taste, which rendered her "the indisputable mistress of the ceremonies wher66 ever she came. She was informed of my merits; every body praised me; yet she refused at first going to see me perform: she could not conceive, "she said, any thing but stuff from a stroller; 66 66 66 talked something in praise of Garrick, and amazed "the ladies with her skill in enunciations, tones, "and cadences; she was at last however prevailed upon to go; and it was privately intimated to me "what a judge was to be present 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 bosom, as usual at Drury-lane; "but instead of looking at me, I perceived the "whole audience had their eyes turned upon the 66 lady who had been nine months in London; from "her they expected the decision which was to se"cure the general's truncheon in my hand, or sink "me down into a theatrical letter-carrier. I opened 66 my snuff-box, took snuff; the lady was solemn, "and so were the rest: I broke my cudgel on alder"man Smuggler's back; still gloomy, melancholy "all, the lady groaned and shrugged her shoulders: "I attempted by laughing myself, to excite at least "a smile; but the devil a cheek could I perceive "wrinkled into sympathy: I found it would not "do: all my good-humour now became forced; my laughter was converted into hysteric grinning; "and while I pretended spirits, my eye shewed the 66 66 agony of my heart in short, the lady came with an "intention to be displeased, and displeased she was; "my fame expired; I am here and (the tankard is "no more)!" ESSAY VII. WHEN Catharina Alexowna was made empress of Russia, the women were in an actual state of bondage, but she undertook to introduce mixed assemblies, as in other parts of Europe: she altered the women's dress by substituting the fashions of England; instead of furs, she brought in the use of taffeta and damask; and cornets and commodes instead of caps of sable. The women now found themselves no longer shut up in separate apartments, but saw company, visited each other, and were present at every entertainment. But as the laws to this effect were directed to a savage people, it is amusing enough, the manner in which the ordinances ran. Assemblies were quite unknown among them; the czarina was satisfied with introducing them, for she found it impossible to render them polite. An ordinance was therefore published according to their notions of breeding, which, as it is a curiosity, and has never before been printed that we know of, we shall give our readers. "I. The person at whose house the assembly is "to be kept, shall signify the same by hanging out "a bill, or by giving some other public notice, by way of advertisement, to persons of both sexes. 66 |