ing into defpair. A fhort time, however, and a little reflection, brought me to myfelf; 1 recollected that the partner of my heart was now much happier than I could have made her; that she had left me many duties to perform; and that, in proportion to my difficulties and diftreffes, fhould be my exertion and endeavours to remove them. I therefore arranged my affairs, got into a smaller line of business, brought up my children, and fent them into the world. Having done this, and faved a trifle for a rainy day, I left the bufy haunts of men, and purchased the cottage in which you now are; where I experience as much happiness as I can hope for on this fide of the grave. My children, I blefs God! all turned out well, and are decently provided for; my health is found, my mind calm and ferene ;-'tis true, I have but little; my wants, however, are proportioned to my means, and whilst I have wherewith to procure a cruft and a bottle of ale for the refreshment of a friend, I care not who poffeffes the riches and luxuries of life. In fhort," faid he, "I cannot exprefs my fentiments and fituation better than in the words of the poet ;" and fnatching a book that lay by him, he read with great fpirit, the beautiful old fong, beginning "My mind to me a kingdom is," from Percy's Ancient English Poetry, his eye gliftening all the while with the confcioufnefs of independence,` and feeming to say,

"How vain the ardour of the crowd!

How low, how indigent the proud!`

How little are the great!"

It was with difficulty we prevailed on our hofpitable hoft to allow us to purfue our journey, after having finifhed the third bottle of his quadrimum. He infifted, however, on being our companion for a few miles, and putting us into the direct road to Bualt. When the period of feparation arrived, he grafped us by the hand, and bid us heartily farewell, adding this parting benediction:-"God bless you! Gentlemen, and may your journey through life be as pleasant as your walk is likely

to

to prove. But fhould ftorms and difficulties await you, remember that a clear confcience, an independent fpirit, and a reliance on Providence, will enable you to brave them all, and bring you happily home at the last."

TH

CURIOUS PLANT,

NEAR THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

[FROM THUNBURG'S TRAVELS.]

HE fruit of a fpecies of Mefembryan Themum, was fometimes brought to the tavern as a rarity, and was called Rofa de Jericho. When it is put into water it gradually opens all its feed-veffels, and exactly refembles a fun, and when it becomes dry again, it contracts itself, and clofes by degrees. This is no lefs a neceffary than fingular property which points out the admirable inftitution of an all-wife Creator; inasmuch as this plant, which is found in the most arid plains, keeps its feeds faft locked up in time of drought, but when the rainy season comes, and the feeds can grow, it opens its receptacles and lets fall the feeds in order, that they may be difperfed abroad. The water in which this fruit has lain, is fometimes given to women that are near their time, and is thought to procure them an easy delivery.

THE DRAMA.

ON

COVENT GARDEN,

N Friday, June the 8th, closed with the new and admired comedy, He is Much to Blame-principal characters in this interefting piece were, Meffrs. Lewis, Waddy, Pope, Murray, Davenport, Clarke, Thomfon, Rees-Mifs Betterton and Miss Manfel, Mrs.

Gibbs and Mrs. Mattocks.-The comic opera of Rofina then followed, and the whole reprefentation appeared to give the greatest fatisfaction. It must be gratifying to the feveral actors, though of various merit, to be thus candidly and generously applauded. Nor is it lefs pleafing to the fucceffive audiences, to find fuch reiterated exertions made for their inftruction and entertain

ment.

The ftage is certainly a powerful engine, whereby mankind may be benefitted and improved. We are always happy to announce any new piece, or any new performer, which in our opinion contributes to fo valuable an end. The prefent comedy, He is Much to Blame-is now understood to be the production of Mr. Holcroft-to whofe prolific pen we have on former occafions been highly indebted.-May he and other dramatic writers continue to entertain and inftruct the public mind with performances, which, while they do credit to their refpective talents, may fubferve the best interefts of fociety.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET,

Opened on Tuesday, June 12th, with a play called the Battle of Hexham, or Days of Old-previous to which was prefented, a dramatic piece in one act, ftiled, a Quarter of an Hour before Dinner. After the play, which was performed with fpirit, was prefented, a comic sketch, entitled, Blue Devils-taken from the French of M. Patrat. The characters were well fuftained by Mr. Fawcett, Mr. Munden, Mr. Wathen, Mr. Waldron, jun. and Mrs. Gibbs.

June 13. A young lady of the name of Griffith made her debut at the Haymarket, in the character of Polly in the Beggar's Opera, which displayed taste and judgment. Her voice poffeffes fweetnefs and flexibilityand the fings with fimplicity and expreffion. We are

informed

informed that the received inftructions from Mr. Kelly, who played Macbeth with animation. Suett performed the part of Filch with his ufual humour, and brought forward fome new readings, which were highly relished by his friends in the upper regions.

June 23. A new play in five acts, entitled The Inquifitor, tranflated from the German, was performed and received with dubious approbation. The characters were Romeo and Juliet, whofe union was distracted by the ambition of the Inquifitor, who by their deftruction hoped to acquire fuperior power, but fell a facrifice to his own villainy, and by the union of the lovers the event was confirmed.

Mr. Darcy afterwards came forwards for the first time in the character of Capt. Greville in the Flitch of Bacon. His voice is pleafing, and the Haymarket Company may congratulate themselves on this fresh acquifition.

DRURY LANE,

Difplayed a very crowded and brilliant audience on Friday the 8th of June, for the benefit of Mr. Dignum. The fong of the Fight of Camperdown was admirably fung by Mr. Dignum, and the prefence of the gallant Admiral Duncan wonderfully increafed the effect. The refpect fhewed to him occafioned his bursting into tears He bowed repeatedly to the audience, after which all the performers came forward and fung Rule Britannia, with an additional verfe in compliment to the names of Howe, St. Vincent, and Duncan. The farce of the Critic was afterwards performed. The whole fcene impreffed the eye and interested the heart.

Monday night, June 18, this Theatre closed for the feafon, with that popular piece the Caftle Spectre, and Comus. Palmer delivered a valedictory addrefs in every refpe&t fuitable to the occafion. He thanked the au

dience in the names of the proprietors and performers, for the great fuccefs with which they had been honoured, and affured them that, during the fummer feafon, an attention to their future amufements fhould be affiduoufly cultivated. This addrefs was received with unbounded applaufe.

The Cafle Spectre has been so great a favourite with the Public, that we understand the funds of Drury-lane have been much benefited by its frequent performance. That its Author is a man of talents no one can deny, but we could have wifhed that Mr. Lewis had dealt a little lefs in the marvellous. The effects of a filent ghoft are, it feems, aftonishing, and it has been humouroufly faid, that next season the Witch of Endor is engaged to raise an abundance of ghofts for the amusement of the audience. But we do not mean to enter into the merits of this drama on the prefent occafion. Of its nature and conftituent parts we have already fpoken in the fecond volume of our Mifcellany. We fhall therefore add nothing more of a critical nature refpecting this popular production. We are indeed glad, and we cannot help expreffing it, that the piece, however mixed may have been its merit, has contributed on fo many occafions to promote the public entertain

ment.

We now take our leave of Covent Garden and DruryLane Theatres for the fummer feason. At the commencement of next winter, we fhall announce their reopening, and endeavour to present our Readers with a faithful and entertaining account of their progress. In the mean time it will be our province to attend to the performances of the Hay-Market Theatre, which has begun its career with its accustomed energy.

THE