(The Spirit leads him to the opposite side of the temple, and unveils Futurity: Ulfrid starts.) Shadows of death surround me, and my heart Swells with its madness, gods! Hyanthe there Reclines in pleasure! how the am'rous youth Imprints his kisses on her clinging lip!

He coils around her like a snake, his breath
Mingles with her's, and sighs are stealing forth!
I cannot kill ye!-Spirit, shew me more.

(He rushes to the second column)
Hyanthe! stay, Hyanthe! your young vows
Are not yet written; they have scarcely fled
Those trembling lips, and hover o'er you still!
She gives her hand to the fond youth-he drinks
Of joy too deeply! Now, Hyanthe, now
Thou art his bride, and my dark fate is sealed.
I've sailed upon a sea of love, and rocks

Are now my dwelling-place! Welcome, my palace,
I will sit in state, and battle with the tempest!
I've lov'd too deeply; she became to me

As sunshine to a night, mocking the darkness!
I'll yet see more, and in this marble's gloss
I view me on a giddy ledge in air,

And all below is frightful; ocean heaves,

And my high throne is tott'ring; now the clouds
Shadow my fading sight-that crash-I sink!
Where am I? Spirit, tell me where-alone!
The vision dies away-the marble flies
From my light touch, dissolving into air!
Yon dome is melting into mist, and winds
Are roaring round me; those grand pillars fade
And mingle with each other; shield me, spirits!
I'm falling from this fabric-ruin, death,
I crumble into dust!-Is this a dream?

14th Dee. 1822.

с

113.-"THE WAY TO KEEP HIM."

The characters of Sir Bashful Constant and his lady in this play are said to have been actually taken from real life. Mr. FRENCH, a cousin of Mr. MURPHY, a gentleman of fortune, who resided in Hanover Square, in the house afterwards occupied by Mrs. Piozzi, was much attached to his wife, but reluctant to display his conjugal affection. He amply supplied her with means for receiving the best company, but affected to object to her numerous visitors, while he secretly exulted on her receiving so many persons of rank, though he never joined her evening gaities; and was proud of seeing her looking-glasses adorned with cards of invitation from nobility, &c.

114.-WEEPING AT A PLAY.

It is a prevailing folly to be ashamed to shed a tear at any part of a tragedy, however affecting. "The reason," says the Spectator, "is that persons think it makes them look ridiculous by betraying the weakness of their nature.” But why may not nature show itself in tragedy, as well as in comedy, or farce? We see persons not ashamed to laugh loudly at the humour of a Falstaff, or the tricks of a Harlequin; and why should not the tear be equally allowed to flow for the misfortunes of a Juliet, or the forlornness of an Ophelia? Sir RICHARD STEELE records on this subject a saying of Mr. WILKS, the actor, as just, as it was polite. Being told in the green room that there was a General in the boxes weeping for Juliana, he observed with a smile, "And I warrant you, Sir, he'll fight ne'er the worse for that."

115. THE BEGGING NUN.

The late Mrs. GENERAL LASCELLES, when more cele

brated as Miss CATLEY the singer, was once entreated to contribute to the relief of a poor widow, whose husband had left her in a very distressed situation. She gave her a guinea, but desired to know the poor woman's address, and in three days called upon her with near fifty pounds, which she had in the interim collected at a masquerade, in the character of a Beguine, (a begging nun.)

The following sensible advice to theatrical critics, I recommend to the notice of such writers as mistake ill nature for wit, and abuse for criticism; it is extracted from CUMBERLAND'S Remarks on LEIGH HUNT'S "Critical Essays," in the third No. of the "London Review."

Speak sparingly and tenderly of those who are to earn their living by their labours on the stage. I approve of their being told of faults which it would be for their interest to correct; but as I will not arraign them for defects with which nature has unalterably endowed them, I must be perfectly satisfied that correction is in their power before I move them to attempt it. As objects of our general censure they have no defence; as servants of the theatre exhibiting themselves on a stage for our amusement, they have no fastnesses to retreat to from our attack; they are at our mercy, and discouragement partakes of persecution. Until a performer shall offend against the respect due to his audience, great respect and lenity are due to his feelings. It is happy for an actor when nature has bestowed upon him an expressive countenance, but if he has it not by nature, he cannot make it such by art. Let him hear not of privations which he cannot supply; tell him only of such errors as he is able to correct."

117. A BLIND TRAGEDIAN.

The following paragraph appeared in the Wolverhampton Chronicle, Dec. 1792.- One BRISCOE, the manager of a small theatrical company, now in Staffordshire, though stone blind, plays all the heroes in his tragedies, and lovers in genteel comedies!"

118.-"RUMS IS RIZ-BUT SUGAR'S FELL.

This memorable exclamation, which is appropriated with good effect by the facetious MATHEWS, is said to have originated in the Liverpool Mercury, where it stands thus :

State of the Markets.

Doleful o'ertook his friend the other day,
And with his dismal tales beguil'd the way;
Nothing was "stiff'ning-rising-up"-he said,
But all was 66

drooping-falling-flat-down-dead."

At length, a most desponding theme he got on,
Lamenting bitterly the fate of cotton;

Aye! aye!" says Cheerly, with complacent phiz, "Cottons is fell, for sure-but rums is riz."

Liverpool Mercury, vol. I. p. 38.

119.-COLLEY CIBBER.

COLLEY CIBBER visited the DUKE of WHARTON, at Winchendon, in Buckinghamshire, and taking an airing with his Grace, the carriage could hardly be dragged along through the heavy clay. "It has been said," observed the poet, "that your Grace ran through your estate; but I defy you to run through this."

120.-SINGULAR COINCIdence.

Mr. SHERIDAN was the chief mourner at Mr. GARRICK'S funeral. Mr. SHERIDAN'S comedy of "The School for Scandal' was acted at Drury-lane Theatre the evening Mrs. GARRICK died; and on the same night, perhaps at the very moment when she breathed her last, the following lines, written by G. COLMAN, were delivered from the stage by Mr. TERRY ;—

"Alas! how vainly will our modern fry,
Strive with the old leviathans to vie !

How forcibly comparison provoke,

With lines that JOHNSON writ and GARRICK spoke."

en FOOTE was acting in Dublin, he introduced into of his pieces, called the Orators, the character of GE FAULKNER the celebrated printer, whose manners ress he so closely imitated, that the poor fellow could ppear in public without meeting with scoffs and jeers the very boys in the streets. Enraged at the ridicule brought upon him, FAULKNER one evening treated to eat of the Gods all the devils of the printing office, for xpress purpose of their hissing and hooting FOOTE off stage. FAULKNER placed himself in the pit to enjoy actor's degradation, but when the objectionable scene e on, the unfortunate printer was excessively chagrined nd, that so far from a groan or a hiss being heard, his ery friends partook of the comical laugh. The next ning he arraigned his inky conclave, inveighed against n for having neglected his injunctions, and on demandsome reason for their treachery, was lacerated ten es deeper by the simplicity of their answer :-Arrah, ster," said the spokesman, "do we not know you? as your own sweet self that was on the stage, and shower nt upon us if we go to the playhouse to hiss our worthy ster." Failing in this experiment, FAULKNER comnced an action against FooTE, and got a verdict of dages to the amount of 3007. This drove FOOTE back to gland, where he resumed his mimicry, and humourously ok off the lawyers on his trial, and the judges who had ndemned him.

122.-OTWAY'S "Don Carlos."

It appeared from a letter of Mr. BooтH's, to AARON ILL, that this tragedy succeeded at first much better than ither "Venice Preserved," or "The Orphan," and was finitely more applauded, and followed for many days. It