And as the wonders of thy pen

By heav'n inspir'd,

To virtue fir'd

The charm'd, astonish'd sons of men;

With no reproach, ev'n now, thou view'st thy work, Where no alluring mischiefs lurk,

To taint the mind of youth:

Still to thy native spot thy smiles extend,
And as thou giv'st it fame, that fame de end;
And may no sacrilegious hand

Near Avon's banks be found,

To dare to parcel out the land,

And limit Shakespeare's hallow'd ground; For ages free, still be it unconfin'd,

As broad, and gen'ral, as thy boundless mind!

XII.

Can British gratitude delay

To him, the glory of this isle,

To give the festive day,

The song, the statue, and devoted pile? To him the first of poets, best of men!

"We ne'er shall look upon his like again!”

Garrick still continued at the head of the theatre until the close of the season in June 1776. "On the 10th of that month,” continues Mr. Murphy, "our English Roscius made his last bow to the public. To him it was a moment big with regret, with sorrow, and heartfelt gratitude. He was for some time inclined to end his course with the part that he at first set out with; but, upon consideration, he judged, that after the fatigue of so laborious a character as Richard III. it would be out of his power to utter a farewell word to the audience. He, therefore, chose the part of Don Felix in the comedy of The Wonder. He knew that he was to go through a severe trial, but he mustered up his spirits, resolved to exert himself through the night

with his utmost vigour, and shew himself, qualis ab incepto, a great actor to the last. Public notice was given, that the profits of the night were to be assigned to the fund for the relief of those, who should be obliged by their infirmities to retire from the stage. He prepared a prologue for the occasion, and, as it was the last he ever spoke, we have no doubt but it will be acceptable to our readers.

AN

OCCASIONAL PROLOGUE,

SPOKEN BY

MR. GARRICK,

On the 10th June, 1776.

A VET'RAN see! whose last act on the stage
Intreats your smiles for sickness and for age;
Their cause I plead; plead it in heart and mind;
A fellow feeling makes one wond'rous kind!
Might we but hope your zeal would not be less,
When I am gone, to patronize distress,

That hope obtain'd the wish'd-for end secures,
To soothe their cares, who oft have lighten'd yours.
Shall the great heroes of celestial line,

Who drank full bowls of Greek and Roman wine,
Cæsar and Brutus, Agamemnon, Hector,

Nay, Jove himself, who here has quaff'd his nectar!
Shall they, who govern'd fortune, cringe and court her,
Thirst in their age, and call in vain for porter?
Like Belisarius, tax the pitying street,

With

date obolum," to all they meet?

Shan't I who oft have drench'd my hands in gore,
Stabb'd many, poison'd some, beheaded more,
Who numbers slew in battle on this plain,
Shan't I, the slayer, try to feed the slain ?
Brother to all, with equal love I view
The men, who slew me, and the men I slew
I must, I will, this happy project seize,

That those, too old and weak, may live with ease.

E

Suppose the babes I smother'd in the tow'r,

By chance, or sickness lose their acting pow'r;
Shall they, once princes, worse than all be serv'd?
In childhood murder'd, and when murder'd, stary'd
Matrons half ravish'd, for your recreation,

In age should never want some consolation:
Can I, young Hamlet once, to nature lost,
Behold, O horrible! my father's ghost,

With grizzly beard, pale cheek, stalk up and down,
And he, the royal Dane, want half a crown?
Forbid it, ladies; gentlemen, forbid it;
Give joy to age, and let 'em say—you did it.
To you, ye Gods! I make my last appeal;
You have a right to judge, as well as feel;
Will your high wisdom to our scheme incline,
That kings, queens, heroes, gods, and ghosts may dine?
Olympus shakes! that omen all secures ;

May ev'ry joy you give, be tenfold yours.
To be concluded in our next. }

JUVENILE RECREATIONS.

ENIGMA BY JOHN COLES, ANSWERED.
1. War.

CHARADE BY THE SAME.
1. Hemlock.

CHARADE BY SCOTUS..
2. Newspaper.

REBUS, BY THE SAME.
1. Visitor.

*To the Upper Gallery.

Enigmas, &c. for Solution.
[From the Masquerade. ]

FAR from the mansions of the great,
I boast my humble birth!
Unknown to ministers of state,
I travel o'er the earth.

With low-born peasants I am seen,
From maids of honour flown,
Who hie me to the village green,
While they approach the throne.
Companion of the gay and young,
With buxom health I vie;
E'er on the bed from whence I sprung,
I languish, fade, and die.

If pictur'd thus you know my face,
Then straight declare my name;
Or own you forfeit every grace,
And take me to your shame.

2.

OBSERVE my graceful form, ye fair,
Perhaps from tears you'll not forbear,
If to your memory I recal

Some faithful friend's untimely fall.
The hero's deeds I oft record,
And sing his praise in every word.
All that remains of mortal clay,
I guard secure till that blest day,
When the last trump shall bid him rise,
And joyful mount above the skies.
From solemn scenes now hast away,
And view my polish'd form so gay;
In silver deck'd I'm often seen,
With ornaments of lively green,
Or from japan my dress receive,
Most nicely fitted, you'll believe:

Like modern belles, my body's shape
Does each fantastic fashion ape,

As tall and slender, broad and squat,
Whether the ton be slim or fat.

A head I have, sans eyes, sans ears,
Yet often shed I scalding tears;

Two arms sometimes, with graceful bend,
Which often their assistance lend,
And of great service always prove,
When I from place to place remove:
Four feet I have, but never walk,

A mouth, but ne'er was known to talk;
Nor was ever seen to eat,

Tho' oft I give my friends a treat.
My favours on the rich I pour;
To those who money lack, I'm sour.
A nose I have, but, sad to say!
'Tis tweak'd and pinch'd so every day,
You'd think it must be black and blue,
Or twisted till 'twas like a screw.
Should you desire to know my age,
Peruse some old historic page;
For to the Romans I was known,
Who 'form'd me from a massy stone:
But here I'll stop, and say no more,
No doubt you've found me out before.

HE that in music takes delight,
And he that sleeps secure by night,
And he that from snug harbour sails,
And he that's conversant in gaols,
And he that much in tavern spends,
And he that courts of law attend,
He that explains heraldic signs,
And he that deals in silver mines,-
These are my several acquaintance;
I am an obstacle and hindrance.