ing, and graceful jewels for the lips in fpeaking: by one touch of his magic fword he fhall transform a scene of social merry-making to a prifon, and convince men, that the fitteft way to become focial animals is to be cooped up in folitary cells; and to conclude, Mr. Editor, this Harlequin fhall, as a coup de maitre, make his man Ralpho jump out of his own fkin, and become his double, and the metamorphofis fhall be fo perfect as to make the multitude believe that the copy is as good a conjuror as the original.

Sept. 1.

PLUTARCH JUNIOR

THEATRICALS.

[From the Morning Chronicle.]

MR. EDITOR,

YOUR paper conveys a great deal of Theatrical in formation. Not only during the winter do you give us a full account of every thing at all remarkable that is going on at Covent Garden and Old Drury; but, through the medium of the Morning Chronicle,, we often learn the exploits of the heroes and heroines of the fock and bufkin, during the fummer months, at Newcastle, Manchester, and Hereford. There is one. Company of His Majesty's Servants, however, whofe Aage performances you have almoft entirely overlooked.. You cannot furely fay that they are lefs players than the others you have mentioned, or, that they repeat lefs accurately what is fet down for them. Their trapdoors are well conftructed, their painters are deeply fkilled in the feience of optical delufion, and their fcene-fhifters uncommonly expert; but no one who, has ever been in a Theatre before can imagine for above half a minute that any thing he fees or hears is real. The filence of the Morning Chronicle, no doubt, proceeds from an overfight of the gentleman who conducts the dramatic department: and you and your readers,

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readers, I flatter myfelf, will reckon yourselves obliged to me for the following fketch of the Saint James's Company's campaign.

At the beginning of the feafon they were very unfuccefsful, and it was generally believed that they would be obliged to give up the patent. The tragedy of The Confpiracy was then acted; and, from its former popularity, great hopes were entertained that this would fet them on their feet. But it did not take. The excellence of this piece lies almost entirely in the plot, and, when that has become familiar, it is extremely infipid, and even difgufting. This drama of Pittachio's, therefore, though it was acted feveral nights, drew no houses, and foon died a natural death, to the great difcredit of the Manager. I truft it will never be revived. It is a curious circumftance, that . this Author's works, though they fometimes make a confiderable noife at firft, never fail in a fhort time to fink into difrepute.

The Manager now fat down in defpair, and was on the point of abdicating his office, when the Prompter adviled him to try the Farce of The Negotiation. I ought to tell you that this gentleman is a broken-up Manager himself. He conducted this very Theatre for a great many years, and acted the principal characters himfelf, with great eclat. He was always, however, giving into wild impracticable fchemes, which he perfifted in with the most exceffive obftinacy, and he thus at last got himfelf into fuch difficulty that he was obliged to refign. He received the finishing blow from continuing to act, after all the world was tired of it, an execrable production of his own, called The Reftoration of the Bourbons. Although he had almost completely filled the Houfe with orders, the piece began to be hiffed, and, unlefs he withdrew it, he found that it would be impoffible for him to fill the Treasury. He therefore pretended that he had pro

mised to make fome improvements in the one fhilling gallery, which the Lord Chamberlain's confcience would not permit to be made, and that to remain longer Manager was inconfiftent with good faith to the Gods. He appointed the Box-keeper to fucceed him, and took himfelf the fituation of Prompter. People do fay, that, though he no longer appears when the Manager is called for, he fettles every thing that is to be acted more abfolutely than when really in office.

Be that as it may, his advice in this inftance was followed, and the event juftified the deference fhewn to his abilities and experience in his profeffion. The Negotiation, got up with new fcenes, dreffes, and decorations, fucceeded to admiration. This farce has been so often acted of late, that it were quite fuperfluous in me to analyze its parts, or to offer any criti cal remarks upon it. Every one knows that it was originally written by Il Diabolo; that it has been. tranflated into almoft every language that ever was fpoken; that it has become a great favourite in modern Europe, above all in Great Britain, and efpecially within the last seven years; that it is played always as an interlude, in the midst of a deep tragedy, to induce the audience to fit it out;, that the characters are execrable, but the fentiments they utter full of humanity; and that it abounds with fatire upon the knavery of rulers, and the eafy credulity of mankind.. To an audience impartial and difcerning, there is no piece. more difficult to act.. Every thing depends upon stageeffect, and, unlefs the audience confent to remain in the dark, or to fhut their eyes, it never fails to be dd. It was owing, I think, lefs to the fkill of the ators, than the exceffive good nature of the hearers, that The Negotiation, on this occafion, continued to go off fo well.. I allow that the character of Humbug was tolerably well fupported by Mr. Tonad

ding. This gentleman has a whining, canting tone. of voice, extremely well fuited to the part, and in the conftitution feene a ftranger would actually believe that he thinks as he fpeaks. Yet his friends muft allow that he was indebted for much of the attention with which he was heard to his never having appeared upon any ftage before, and that he has no chance of being able to maintain his reputation another feafon. Juniorjenking makes a moft miferable Double-dealer. Not that he has not a very adequate idea of the part; he enters into it with great fpirit; but his powers of execution are very inadequate. Indeed he always feems as if he were on the point of falling afleep, and, during the famous panegyric upon peace, he is obliged to make repeated application to his fnuff-box. The characters of Blood-fucker, Squeeze'em, and Lovewar were not much better fupported. However, the piece ran for many nights.

At laft people began to tire of it, and murmurs against the Company once more began to rife. The Manager, in great confternation, went to confult his friend the Prompter. Said Mr. Prompter, "Do you fuppofe that I am unprovided? We ought to be thankful that the town has endured this wretched exhibition fo long. They fhall now have fomething new. I am afraid that my Jacobinifm, or the French Revolution, would not exactly do juft now; but there is a pantomime, (bleffed be the memory of the author!) which, if properly got up, has never once failed. 1 need not tell you I mean the pantomime of Invafion. It fhall run you fix weeks; and, though it will coft an immenfe fum of money, to see fuch a pantomime as this the people will think no fum too large." Invafion accordingly made its appearance about the end of July, and met with unbounded applaufe. It certainly is a very magnificent fpectacle. The proceffions are grand, the people on the stage are innumerable,

the

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the fea-fights are terrific, and a chorus of the cries of women and children makes the effect irrefiftible. This piece, by receiving now and then a new fcene, and by being weekly diverfified by fresh frolics of Harlequin, retains its attractions to the prefent hour. fometimes gives place to the Conquest of Egypt, the Ambition of France, or the Loves of Madame Bonaparté; but, with the affiftance of thefe, it promises to the St. James's Company a glorious termination to the campaign.

I fhall here bid you adieu for the prefent, Sir. If I find that this meets with your approbation, I may fend you a more regular and circumftantial critique upon fome of the performances of this Theatre.

September 15.

Yours,

CHANGE OF MINISTRY.

MR. EDITOR,

[From the Morning Chronicle.]

AS Sam certain it is neither your wifh nor your intereft to offer any affront to your friends in the city, who are neither few nor inconfiderable, I hope you will permit me to make fome remarks on one or two paragraphs in your paper of laft week, in which the name of a worthy and facetious Alderman is dragged in in a very improper manner, although (judging from your ufual circumfpection) it may have been done inadvertently.

The fecrecy with which affairs of Government are now conducted may be officially right, but it is not without its difadvantages. The impatience of public curiofity having nothing extraneous to feed upon, turns on itself; and fancy, or right or wrong, fupplies the place of information. See to what this has led.

Mr.