OCCASIONAL

ADDRESS.

SPOKEN AFTER OTHELLO,

MONDAY, AUGUST HIRD, MDCCLXXXIX.

THE giddy youth, with emulative pride,
Views the smooth surface of the frozen tide,
And, ah! unconscious of the perils near,
Arms his rash foot, and tempts the wild career:
But many a doubtful struggle, many a pain,

And many an anxious hour must he sustain,

Ere, haply fo atchiev'd, the envied poife he gain.
Tho, friendly omens should his ardour bless,
And perfevering toil induce fuccefs,

The flighteft croffes ftartled hope confound,
And prone he falls, the fport of all around.

New to the world, and panting for a name,
Such he who tries the flippery paths of fame,
And, like a desperate gamester, hazards all,
With none to pity, none to break his fall :
For oft, too oft, unripen'd to withstand
Envy's chill breath, or power's oppreffive hand,
True genius droops beneath inclement skies,
Shrinks up its tender leaves, and, in oblivion, dies.

So the fond novice in a land unknown,

My feelings speak, the picture is my own,-
Prompted by flattering dreams of bright renown,
Maugre the Cynic's fneer, the Critic's frown,
Plunges at once into the depths of fate,
And gains-experience-tho' full oft too late;
Nay oft fuccefs's fyren charms he spurns,
And to his dear, dear native foil returns.-———————
Oh! with what extacies my bofom fwell'd,
When these known manfions I once more beheld;
And, tho' a while I folly's course had run,

My honour'd parents blefs'd once more their fon;
When hoping still, and meeting your regard,
The generous welcome of your hands I heard;
Oh! on your patience let me not intrude,
'Twas joy extreme, 'twas heartfelt gratitude.
If felf-deceiv'd, or following nature's bent,
In this rough road I fail to give content,
With indifcretion comes its punishment.
But from these fhores tho' I again depart,

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No time shall raze your goodness from my heart ;

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And howfoe'er my deftinies incline,

My country's glory always fhall be mine ;

On your indulgence if I have trespass'd aught,
Impute it to misfortune, not my fault.

THEATRE

But what might more her drooping courage cheer, 45

Her paffport fign'd, she came-a Volunteer ;
That name, which could the finking ftate protect,
To diftant ages will enfure refpect:

She bow'd unfeign'd affent-it refts with you,
To prove the portrait by your conduct true.

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FACTS

1

ALLUDED TO IN

WILDER'S FAREWELL EPILOGUE.

IN the year 1756, when Mr. SHERIDAN, after an interregnum of two years, was called from England to resume the government of Smock-alley, he procured, among other confiderable acquifitions, the affistance of Mr. and Mrs. WILDER. They came out, Saturday December the 17th, in MACHEATH and POLLY, which they performed to crowded houses upwards of twenty nights, befides benefits; and long after the Beggar's Opera continued in fashion. The Cock-and-Bull, a favourite fong, was also then introduced by WILDER with great fuccess; and the Oracle, an Opera in two acts by Mrs. CIBBER, was got up, in which Mrs. WILDER, particularly excellent in girls' parts, performed CYNTHIA, and WILDER, OBERON, to whom fhe playfully gives the name of CHARMER.- -In courfe of time, when Mossor affumed the reins, WILDER was appointed his deputy. The attachment was an unfortunate one, and involved him in perpetual difficulties: As a kind of recompence for which, Mossor offered to surrender in his favour. He next joined the standard of BARRY, and afterwards followed the fortunes of the late THOMAS RYDER, 'till his power was fuperfeded; and, as RYDER himself led the way, he engaged under the banners of his fucceffor. WILDER was upwards of forty years on the Stage: the last thirty-two of which he spent in Dublin, and never once forfook his colours while his employer was able to ftand his ground. His first Wife dying in that interval, he married a second, still living, who by her personal advantages, virtue and conciliating manners, does honour to her noble extraction In the year 1788, WILDER became fo difgufted with his fituation, he quit the Stage, and applied himself wholly to his

original

original occupation, a Painter. His last appearance was for his own benefit, Friday, May 16th, 1788, when he performed his two moft capital parts, Colonel OLDBOY in Lionel and Clariffa, and Major BENBOW in the Flitch of Bacon. After which he came forward, in great agitation, and addreffed the audience; but with difficulty proceeded, almost fubdued by his feelings; his tears, which he ftruggled to fupprefs, frequently choaked his utterance; floods of fenfibility poured from every eye, and at every pause the house attefted the poor fellow's honest af fertions with reiterated burfts of concurrent acclamation.-It was a trying, an affecting crifis: his auditors to a man feemed emulous who fhould moft do honour to his exit-fuch is the prevalence of a good Character!

The following authentic Anecdote furnishes a striking proof of the reduced state of the stage in Mossor's time, and of WILDER's unfhaken fidelity. About the year 1766, early in May, two favourite performers, united in a fecond benefit, as compenfation for arrears of falary. Dr. Fleury, a friend of both, took places, and, at the usual time, fent his servant to keep them. At feven o'clock he went, with two ladies, to the house; but, to his great furprize! found the servant on the outside playing ball. The doors had not been opened: however they foon got in, and, when the curtain drew up, only one lady, the Countess of Brandon, appeared in the Boxes. The band confifted of one folitary Fiddler, and a minuet in Abel's ft Overtures, ftrummed over and over, was the fum of his Performance. Her Ladyfhip, finding her fituation rather awkward, joined the Doctor's party in the Lattices.-The Play was the FATAL CURIOSITY: The MANAGER himself, with the ftrength of a refpectable company, acted in it; yet the receipts fell fhort of five pound! In this Period alfo, June 1760, poor WILDER had the additional misfortune of breaking his thigh; yet he behaved in fuffering all as one that fuffered nothing.

THEATRE