fatisfaction of living in love, and in a conftant interchange of those good offices which alleviate adverfity, and give to profperity its sweetest enjoyments. The qualities indifpenfably neceffary to the accomplishment of this defireable purpose, are benevolence and humility.

No. CX. THE IMPRUDENCE OF AN EARLY ATTACHMENT TO ACTING PLAYS.

IN A LETTER.

SI was fauntering, a few days ago, on one of the

A public walks, I could not help particularly re

marking a young man, whose drefs fhewed marks of a habby gentility, and whofe countenance wore the afpect of a fettled melancholy.

The appearance of wretchednefs, in whatever fituation, is always fufficient to awaken curiofity, I felt myself irrefiftibly impelled to enquire into the hiftory of a perfon who feemed to be completely miferable. After having walked a confiderable time, I perceived him to throw himself, in a difconfolate attitude, on one of the feats of the walk. I did not neglect the opportunity; but feating myself by his fide, prevailed on him, after fome introductory converfation, to give me his history, which he did in the following words:

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"Yes, Sir," faid he, "though my present appearance may seem to invalidate my affertion, I affure you "I was the fon of one of the moft opulent traders "in the metropolis. I might at this time have been enjoying all the happiness that affluence can beftow "but now, alas! I have no where to lay my head, no refuge to which I can fly for comfort. I am aban"doned to the wide world without a friend; and one "confideration aggravates all my mifery-I have de"ferved my fufferings, and cannot justly complain." Here he paused to conceal a tear which was just burfting from his eyes. After he had a little recovered himself,

himfelf, his countenance gradually grew more ferene, and he proceeded with less emotion.

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"When I was at the age of eleven, my father placed me at a celebrated grammar-school-there "Ifpent the happiest days of my life. Nature, as "I was told, had given me parts; I niade a rapid progrefs in claffical learning; all was encourage"ment, all was hope, and all was happiness. But, in "the midft of my improvement, my father refolved, "in oppofition to the advice of my mafter, to remove "me from school, and to settle me in his own counting"house. My mafter urged, that though I might perhaps succeed in a learned profeffion, yet the vivacity "of my difpofition would be an obftacle to my profpe"rity in a mercantile employment. My father, fen"fible of the lucrative advantages of an established "trade, was deaf to these remonftrances; and on a "fatal day I entered into engagements to plod at the "defk and the counter for seven years.

"But nature is not to be constrained by indentures. “Instead of cafting up fums, and measuring ells, I em"ployed my time in the perufal of Shakespeare, in

compofing epilogues and farces, and in difcuffing "the merits of every new dramatic production. In"stead of spending my evenings in pofting accounts, "and examining my ledger, I was always attending "the performances of a Foote or a Garrick. At length, "by conftantly frequenting the playhouses, and mixing "with contemptible fciolifts, who called themselves "theatrical critics, I became fo enamoured of the ftage, as to look upon dramatic entertainments as conftituting the most important business, as well as "the most agreeable enjoyment, of human life. The fhop continually refounded with my rants, in imita"tion of fome favourite actor; and I went fo far as to treat with the purchasers of a yard of Irish, with a "theatrical tone, and a dramatic action.

"I had fo great an opinion of my own talents, that, "like the immortal Shakespeare, I was ambitious of fhining both as an actor and a writer. Accordingly "I finished a comedy with great care and pains, and prefented it to one of the managers, who returned

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"it upon my hands, with evident marks of contempt. By no means dejected, I was refolved to try my fuc"cefs as an actor. But having, with great difficulty, "obtained permiffion to fpeak before the managers, "and a circle of their friends, who feemed to enjoy my diftress, I was again rejected.

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Though I could not fucceed at the theatres, I was "refolved to exert my abilities at fpouting and difputing clubs. And here, indeed, I eafily made a "confpicuous figure; as I had the advantage of a "claffical education, and most of my competitors had no education at all. The most important topics of "religion, learning, and politics, I difcuffed with more volubility than the graveft prelate, the pro"foundest academic, or the craftieft statesman. But I "triumphed, as it were, without an enemy, and the

facility of the conqueft diminished the pleasure of it. "I foon became weary of dry argumentation, and eagerly panted to wear the bufkin, and to mouth the "fonorous periods of fome tragic bard.

"It happened that I had formed a connection "with a young member of the club, whofe genius was "entirely fimilar to my own, and who had been en"gaged with a ftrolling company of players. He had "often folicited me to go with him on an acting tour "into the north of England; and I had as often re"fufed from a principle of pride. But at length, an " ardent defire of exhibiting on the stage, overcame every regard to duty, and every compunction of confcience. "In a fatal hour (I blush to mention it), I embezzled

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a fum of money with which I was trufted in the "courfe of bufinefs, packed up my clothes, and ac"companied a fet of vagabonds, who, like myfelf, had "abandoned every reputable occupation, and devoted "themselves to infamy and indigence, for the fake of "enjoying the plaudits of a few ruftics affembled in a "barn.

"And now commences the æra of all my mifery. "The money I had fraudulently taken, was foon "fquandered away in a fociety of thoughtless mortals, "who regarded not to-morrow, if they could feaft today. We were, indeed, received with applause;

"but

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"but the audience was commonly fo fcanty, that the expences of reprefentation often exceeded the receipts. In every town we were looked upon with fufpicion, and treated as vagrants. We were fome"times reduced to fuch extremities, by the expences "of travelling, and the lofs of acting to empty barns, "that we have wanted even food to fupport nature. "Above charity, we could not be relieved, and destitute of credit, we could not be trufted. At length "I faw my folly, and after various refolves, fent a "friend to enquire whether my father was difpofed to "receive me, fhould I return and confefs my fault. "How, alas! was I ftruck, when I was told in an

fwer, that my father died a few days ago of a broken "heart; and that his death was fo fudden, that he "had not time to alter his will, in which, in the first rage after his difcovery of my elopement, he had cut me off with a fhilling.

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"It is impoffible to give you a adequate idea of my grief on this occafion, and I fhall only inform you, that it would have proved fatal, had it not "been foon removed by emotions of a different kind. "During my indifpofition, one of the actreffes of our company, whole beauty is only exceeded by the goodness of her heart, watched me with all the " anxiety of parent, and foothed me under the horrors of defpair, with the fofteft blandishments of 66 tenderness. I foon felt a flame kindling in my "breaft, which was answered with a fympathetic "paffion. In fhort, I was no fooner restored to health "and vigour, than I married the lovely Emily: we "have now been united near a year, and yefterday fhe

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was fafely delivered of twins. That the is well, "thank Heaven; but, alas, the reflection, that I am

deftitute of all the means that can give her ease, or "provide for her offspring, fharpens all the darts of "ill-fortune, and embitters every woe."

Here he ftopped, and I was obliged to leave him, after having given him an invitation to my house, where I hope to be able to alleviate his misfortunes, without hurting his fenfibility. But I cannot help expreffing my wifh, that all who, deluded by a heated imagination,

imagination, feel themselves inclined to quit the comforts of a parent and a home, in pursuit of a profeffion which is prohibited by law, and which conftantly entails on its followers mifery and difgrace, may avoid his wretchedness, by avoiding his conduct.

No. CXI. ON THE PLEASURES OF RE

FLECTION.

TH

HAT the enjoyments of the understanding exceed the pleasures of fenfe, is a truth, confeffed by all who are capable of exerting the faculties of thinking in their full vigour. But by these pleasures are generally underftood fublime contemplations on fubjects of fcience and abftrufe difquifition; contemplations which can only be the refult of uncommon powers, and extraordinary efforts.

But there are intellectual pleafures of another kind; to the enjoyment of which, neither great abilities nor learning are required. These are no other than the pleasures of reflection, which are open to the illiterate mechanic, as well as to the fage philofopher, and constitute fome of the sweetest fatisfactions of human life.

There are few who have not felt pleafing fenfations arifing from a retrofpective view of the firft period of their lives. To recollect the puerile amufements, the petty anxieties, and the eager purfuits of childhood, is a talk in which all delight. It is common to obferve, that on no fubject do men dwell with fuch pleasure, as the boyish tricks and wanton pranks which they practifed at school. The hoary head looks back with a fmile of complacency, mixed with regret, on the feafon when health glowed on the cheek, when lively fpirits warmed the heart, and when toil ftrung the nerves with vigour.

Cicero has remarked, that events the most disagreeable, during their immediate influence, give an exquifite fatisfaction when their confequences have ceased; and Eneas folaces his companions, under the hardships

they