Other adventurers, of the same description, seeing the encouragement which these had met with, occasionally visited Edinburgh afterwards, and even ventured to play in the Merchant Taylors' Hall. This building, fitted up as a Theatre, could contain (in the theatrical phrase) about £35. It had its pit, boxes, and gallery: the prices of admission, to the former, 2s. 6d., and to the latter, 1s. 6d. We have never been able to procure any account of these itinerants, of the plays they acted, and their success, in Edinburgh; however, we find that in 1726, one Tony Aston spoke a prologue, written by Allan Ramsay, in which he compares himself to Columbus, in the danger of the enterprize, in attempting to open a theatre in Scotland.

COLMAN'S INKLE AND YARICO.

WHEN Colman read his admirable Opera of "Inkle and Yarico," to the late Dr. Mosely, the Doctor made no reply during the progress of the piece when it was concluded, he was asked what he thought of it? "It won't do;" said the Doctor, "stuff; nonsense." Every body else having been delighted with it, this decided disapprobation puzzled the circle: he was asked, "Why?"" I'll tell you why," answered the critic; "you say, in the finale,

'Come, let us dance and sing,

While all Barbadoes' bells shall ring.'

It won't do; there is but one bell in all the Island!"

MRS. MONTFORD.

THIS lady, who was the identical fair on whom Gay founded his celebrated ballad of Black-eyed Susan, was an actress of considerable fame, and was one of the contemporaries of Cibber. After her retirement from the stage, love, and the ingratitude of a bosom friend, deprived her of her senses, and she was placed in a receptacle for lunatics. One day, during a lucid interval, she asked her attendant what play was to be performed that evening; and was told it v was Hamlet. In this tragedy, whilst on the stage, she had been received with rapture, in Ophelia. The recollection struck her, and, with that cunning which is so often allied to insanity, she eluded the care of the keepers, and got to the theatre, where she concealed herself, until the scene in which Ophelia enters in her insane state; she then pushed on the stage, before the lady who had performed the previous part of the character could come on, and exhibited a

more perfect representation of madness than the utmost exertions of mimic art could effect; she was in truth Ophelia herself, to the amazement of the performers and astonishment of the audi

ence.

: Nature having made this last effort, her vital powers failed her. On going off, she exclaimed,

"It is all over!"

She was immediately con

veyed back to her late place of security; and, a

few days after,—

"Like a lily drooping, she hung her head, and died."

TALMA.

WHEN this great tragedian was performing at Arras one evening in the character of Hamlet; in the fifth scene, where he is about to stab his mother, a military officer was so overcome by his masterly representation of it, that he was carried out of the theatre. His first words on recovering were, Has he killed his mother?"

This performer, during one of his engagements at Bourdeaux, was highly complimented, and amongst other acknowledgements received the following singular letter:

"To the Son of Melpomene.

"SIR,-I have only six francs, and am without

resource.

I hear you are to honour the town with your presence, and that at the very moment when I propose to put an end to my existence: I defer, then, my project in admiration of your talents, with which I am acquainted only by your fame. I conjure you, then, to hasten your visit; that I may admire you and expire. Refuse not the desires of your fellow-creature, who, being able to live four days, has divided the sum, which remains, as follows:

0

6 francs.

GARRICK, AND HOGARTH'S PICTURES.

AMONGST the property of the late Mrs. Garrick, which was sold by auction, were the four celebrated pictures by Hogarth, of The Election. The following anecdote, as narrated by the inimitable actor himself, to the late President of the Royal Academy, will shew by what means he became possessed of them.

When Hogarth had published the plates of The Election, he wished to dispose of the paintings, and proposed to do so by a raffle of 200

chances, at two guineas the stake. Among a small number of subscribers, not half what Hogarth expected, Garrick had put down his name; and, when the day arrived, he went to the artist's house to throw for the chance. After waiting a considerable time, no other person appeared, and Hogarth felt this neglect as not only derogatory to his profession, but implying that the subscription had something of a mendicant character. Vexed by such a mortifying result, he insisted, that, as they had not attended, nor even sent any request to him to throw for them, Garrick should go through the formality of throwing the dice, but only for himself. The actor for some time opposed the irritated artist, but at last consented. Instead, however, of allowing Hogarth to send them home, he begged that they might be carefully packed up until his servant should call for them; and, on returning to his house, he despatched a note to the painter, stating, that he could not persuade himself to remove works so valuable and admired, without acquitting his conscience of an obligation due to the author and his own good fortune in obtaining them. And, knowing the humour of the person he addressed, and that, if he had sent a cheque for the