1769.

gainst the late peace-makers 457. D'EON'S anfwer to Dr Mufgrave 459.

Abstract of the contract for building it 461. Proceedings after the fall of a part of the south abutment 463. Report of Meff. Smeaton, Adam, and Baxter, concerning that accident 464. 1300 l. fuperexpended by Mr Mylne 469. The proceedings down to Sept. 15. ib.

Sir W. DRAPER to JUNIUS, and the anfwer 470.

The reafon asked of the luminous appearance in TOUCH-WOOD 471. Receipt for fertilizing SEED-WHEAT 472. An experiment by Mr Miller ib. To the B of L on his interfering in the late Oxford election 479. WORMWOOD a remedy for both gravel and gout 479.

AMERICAN PAPERS, &c. Message from the Maffachufets-bay affembly to Gov. Bernard, about providing for the troops, &c. 473. Gov. Bernard's fpeech on the eve of his departure 474. Maffachusetsbay complaint to the King against Gov. Bernard 475. A proposal of a partial redrefs of grievances, contemptuously refufed, and the refolutions againft importa tion renewed and enforced 476. A dealer chaftifed for non-conformity 477.

NEW BOOKS, with remarks and extracts.

Garrick's dedication-ode at Stratford 480. POETRY, &c. Jubilee poems, viz. Warwickshire 487. Sweet Willy O ib. The morning-addrefs ib. Verfes by Mr Boswell in the character of a Corfican ib.

The converfion of a finner 473. The Lancashire witches 488.

Epitaph on Mrs Whitfield 460. HISTORICAL AFFAIRS 489.-- 504.

Ο

The STRATFORD JUBILEE. [400.] N Wednesday, Sept. 6. about five in the morning, a number of the performers from Drurylane theatre ferenaded the ladies through the streets, beginning with the fong, "Let beauty with the fun arife," [488.]; then the Warwickshire ballad [487.]. The town being roused by thefe performances, feveral guns were fired, and the magiftrates aflembled about eight in one of the principal ftreets. A public breakfast was prepared in the town-hall at nine. Mr Garrick, the fteward, came to the breakfast-room at a little after eight, to be in readiness to receive the company; previous to which, however, the Mayor, at the head of the VOL. XXXI.

Corporation, in their formalities, waited upon Mr Garrick, and in a polite fpeech, delivered by the Town-Clerk, prefented him with a medallion of Shake. fpeare, carved on a piece of the famous Mulberry-tree, planted by the immortal Poet's own hand, and richly fet in gold. Mr Garrick, to this mark of attention, made a fuitable reply, and fastened the prefent about his neck. Soon after this the room filled. Favours were univerfally worn in honour of the first Dramatic Writer, by the ladies as well as the gentlemen. At breakfast, besides other perfons of diftinction, there were present the Duke of Dorfet, Lord Beauchamp, Lord Grofvenor, Lord Archer, Sir Watkin Williams Wynne, the Hon. Mr Conway, Lord Denbigh, Lord Spencer, Lord 3 L

Craven,

Craven, &c. &c. A party of drums and fifes performed several pieces oppofite the Town-hall.

From the Town hall the company retired to the Church, where the Oratorio of Judith was performed, conducted by Dr Arne. This piece opened at eleven. When the Oratorio was finished, Mr Garrick and the performers walked in proceffion to the Amphitheatre, Mr Vernon and the rest finging the following Chorus to an accompanyment of proper inftru

ments.

This is the day, a Holiday! a Holiday!

Drive fpleen and rancour far away.
This is the day, a Holiday! a Holiday!
Drive care and forrow far away.
Here Nature nurs'd her darling boy,
From whom all care and forrow fly,

Whofe harp the Mufes ftrung;
From heart to heart let joy rebound,
Now, now we tread enchanted ground,

Here Shakespeare walk'd and fung! At three a public ordinary for ladies and gentlemen was kept in the Amphitheatre; where they were occafionally entertained with fongs and catches till they retired to drefs for the affembly.

The Affembly-room is built in imitation of the Ranelagh Rotunda, and at leaft half as large, crouded with company, many perfons of the first diflinction, qiz. the Duke of Manchester, Lord Northampton, Lord Hertford, Lord Carliste, Lord Shrewsbury, Lord Pigot, &c. The minuets continued till twelve o'clock, then the country-dances commenced, and about three every body retired.

On Thursday morning, breakfast was given in the fame manner as the prece, ding day; after which the company went to the Amphitheatre; where the Dedication-Ode [480] was performed, under the direction of Dr Arne. The Recitative-parts were fpoken by Mr Garrick; and perhaps, in all the characters he ever played, he never fhewed more powers, more judgement, or ever made a strong. er impreffion on the minds of his auditors. He was in the front of the Orchestra, with bis fteward's rod in his hand, and bis medallion about his neck; and was dreffed in a fuit of brown, with a rich gold lace. He opened the performance with a very respectful bow to the compav, which was returned with a clap of puasimous applaufe; and at the end of very Recitative he repeated, he fat down, and gave the finger an opportu. ity of difplaying his or her abilities.

When the ode was finilhed, Mr Gärrick ftood up, and delivered a prose encomium on Shakespeare, in which the Poet's enemies were called upon to urge whatever they could advance in oppofition to his character.-Mr King, on this, who appeared in a great coat, defired to be heard. Thofe who knew him, expected fomething extremely whimfical; while many, who did not, teftified the greatest amazement at fo unexpected an attack upon the first Dramatic Poet of their country. Mr King, who flood in a direct line to the Orchestra, having expreffed his intention of attacking the reputation of Shakespeare, went round, and speedily (taking off his great coat) came into the Orchestra, in a fuit of fafhionable blue, ornamented with filver frogs, to fupport the juftice of his allegations. Mr King having executed his fhare of the task, Mr Garrick addressed the ladies in a poetical fpeech, complimenting them on the regard they had always fhewn to Shakespeare, and exhorting them to fupport the reputation of a Poet, who was fo remarkable for fupporting the dignity of the female character. During this performance, the benches in various parts of the amphitheatre, from the prodigious preffure of the company, gave way; and Lord Carlile was much hurt by the fall of a door.

At night there was a masked ball. The company was very numerous. Dreffes of the meaneft fort were hired at four guineas each. Thofe, however, who could not be accommodated to their minds, were admitted with masks only; and there were many prefent even without masks. Among the most diftinguished characters in the masquerade, Lady Pembroke, Mrs Bouverie, and Mrs Crewe, habited as Witches, excited the general attention: nor did Mifs Ladbroke, as a Shepherdefs, and Mifs Nancy Ladbroke, as Dame Quickly, in the Merry Wives of Windfor, pafs without the applaufe of the company. Lord Grofvenor was magnificently dreffed in an Eastern habit; but the principal part of the nobility were in dominos. Mrs Yates perfonated a Petit Maitre. Mr Yates, as a Waggoner, gave much fatisfaction; as did a gentleman from Oxford, in Lord Ogleby. Mr Boswell, the celebrated friend of Paoli, appeared in the dress of an armed Corfican Chief, with piftols in his belt, and a mulket on his back on the front of his cap, embroidered in geld letters, were

the

the words VIVA LA LIBERTA. This gentleman had written a poem on the Occafion. [488]

A perfon dreffed as the Devil gave inexpreflible offence.

Mrs Garrick danced a minuet in a moft graceful manner, and joined in the country-dances, which ended at four next morning, which finished the jubilee.

The wetness of the weather on Friday, as well as Thursday, prevented the exhibition of the pageant, or reprefentation of the principal of Shakespeare's

characters.

--fire, Sept. 12. 1769-1 o'clock Tuesday morning.

When I left London, I promised allo to give you "a full, true and particular account," of my proceedings and entertainment at Stratford; and as I am fitting up to get one more fight of the "illuftrious ftranger," who is now vifiting our earth, after "the long journey of a thousand years," I fnatch this hour, though it may not be the most propitious, left no other fhould be afforded me.You will remember the hour, and find fome grains of excufe for the egotifm you are likely to encounter.

I left this place on Tuesday morning laft, that I might reach Stratford in time, to reconnoitre before the grand action commenced, with a beating heart and impatient expectations, fo jocund and fo gay, that Care himself, whom our old friend Horace defcribes, as leaping atra on the crupper of the swifteft horfeman, adventured not to get up behind the poft chaife which carried me, and found the town filling faft: the workmen at the amphitheatre very bufy; but the inhabitants either pursuing their occupations in the old dog-trot way, or ftaring with

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wonderful vacancy of phiz at the preparations, the purpose of which they had very few ideas about. The word Fubilee, afforded them much fpeculation, and Few Bill, Fubilo, and Fuvilum, with equal no meaning. A Banbury man in deed, employed to carry thither a double bafs viol, (on which he was unable to play, but doubted not they would thew him how when he got there), told them it was to be the celebration of the refurrection of Shakespeare. The church, which is a large old edifice, appeared in ftatu quo, except that the poet's bust on his monument was fo loaded with branches of bays, which they called laurel, as to appear fimilar only to the God Pan in an old picture. The town hall, newly built in a very handsome though plain taste, was ornamented with a copy of Gainsborough's admirable portrait of Garrick at one end, and a very good picture of Shakespeare, in the attitude of inspiration, at the o ther. The great booth, or Shakespeare's Hail, more generally called the Amphiful room, of the fhape, but not quite fo theatre, I found a truly elegant and taste. large as Ranelagh, fupported by a colonnade of the Corinthian order, diftant about ten feet from the fides, and having a chandelier of eight hundred lights hanging from the centre of the roof. In the evening, after eating a Jubilee chicken at Peyton's, I retired to my lodging to prepare for the fatigues of the enfuing campaign.—And having given you fome account of the field, you will not be at a lofs when we come into the beat of action.

I rofe early in the morning, though not in time for the ferenading, and got to the breakfasting in the town-hall at nine.-The five windows were, on this occafion, filled with paintings of tranfparent filk, of Lear, Falstaff, Piftol, Caliban, and the Genius of Shakespeare, in a good style; which, with the files and drums playing favourite marches before the front of the hall, had a prodigious effect. At eleven we adjourned to the church, where the oratorio of Judith was admirably performed, and met with univerfal applaufe. At three the whole company marched to the great booth. →→ A very elegant dinner was ferved up be fore four; -I confefs, not in the most precife order, for that was impoffible, as you may eafily conceive. The ordinary with wine (of which I drank claret and madeira, both good) 10s. 6d. After This was afterwards omitted. 3 L 2

dinner,

dinner, Lord Grosvenor propofed a bumper to the Steward; and Mr Garrick, (whose behaviour exhibited the greatest politeness, with the trueft liveliness and hilarity), another to the memory of the Bard; to which was fubjoined three cheers, at the inftance of your humble fervant, moft heartily. The performers in the orchestra then began the catches and glees, which were abfolutely infpiring, and the company joined in the chorus. The whole clofed with the old loyal fong of "God fave the King," when every voice was exerted. At feven the company withdrew to prepare for the ball; which opened at nine, and ended about three; remarkable chiefly for the most elegant minuet that I ever faw, or fhall fee, by Mrs G and Mr

I came away with the reft, and devoted, in a bed, miferable in every particular, but that it was clean, a few hours to peaceful oblivion. So far the weather bad favoured us; but on rifing in the → morning to the breakfasting, as before, we were alarmed by a hateful drizzling rain, which continued till eleven, and ebliged Mr Garrick to give notice, that the proceffion, on which he had bestowed fo much pains and expence, must be deferred, but that the Ode fhould be per formed at twelve. — And here he did in deed outdo all his former outdoings, and furpass the moft fanguine expectations of his friends in the fublime. Surely the following lines are admirable.

When Philip's fam'd unconquer'd fon, &c. [480.] twelve lines, ending, his own. And his introduction of Falstaff, accompanied by all his power of voice, face, and gesture, compelled fuch applause as I never heard before; his saying, that the fat knight is

A comic world in one. And the world too is wicked and round, furely is genuine wit.

I could dwell for ever on the Ode, which received every advantage that the greatest orator of the age, himself the author, could give. Nor fhould Dr Arne's incomparable taste in the mufical parts of it be forgot, or the unexpected entertainment which Mr King's genuine humour, as ambaffador from the fociety of the Macaroni, to the good folks Le Bas. But I am convinced, that, even in a perfonal converfation, I fhall never be able to give you any competent idea of the pleasure I felt in this performance: how

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vain then to attempt it by letter!-At four the public dinner was ferved up, followed by the fongs, &c. as on the preceding day, till feven; at nine the fireworks were played off, notwithstanding, the weather became ftill lefs propitious; -and at twelve began the masquerade. My drefs confifted of a filver medal of Shakespeare pendant, from a sky-blue riband round my neck, and a cockade of rainbow-coloured riband in my hat: not a bad figure you will fay; and I affure you I was well entertained. The characters which were mistaken, afforded me as much or more diversion than those which were kept up; and many of them indeed would have been really as well filled if they had been filled with ftraw. Surely a masquerade taxes the abilities of mankind in general too high. But one failor out of fix could dance a hornpipe, and but one more box his compass.—But one Oxford scholar in five could speak Greek; and not one told me readily his name and college. Not one conjurer informed me whether he could tell my fortune beft by chiromancy or catoptromancy.None of four farmers knew "how a fcore of ewes fold now ;' and the harlequin was stiff as a poker. ·Two Slenders did I drive round the room because they had no Simple, and I fent two half-black and half-white men to the chimney-fweeper, that they might look like magpies no longer. Some few characters were well filled. An excellent Lord Ogleby and a Jockey, and as good a Dutch Skipper, and a Devil, and many of the fancied dreffes were truly fplendid and elegant.

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I got an ear of wheat from a sweet Ceres, and a honeyfuckle from a beautiful Flora, and kiffed each of their hands in teftimony of my devotion. —I had much conversation with the three weird-fifters, before I- found that their masks hid the three handsomeft faces in England, Mrs Crewe, Mrs Bouverie, and Mrs Payne.

I enjoyed the night prodigiously; danced a dance or two mafked, many unmasked, and retired, perfectly satisfied, and unfatigued, between fix and feven. It had rained a deluge all night, and continued to pour down, when I awaked at noon. There remained no hope of the pageant, which I gave up without one complaint, excellent and fplendid as I knew it to be, and ftepped again into the poft-chaife I had retained, which brought me to a quiet house and a comfortable

bed