them fhould live, than both perish. By a great piece of good luck, next to a miracle, when one of our good men had taken the last and long farewel in order to fave himself, and the other held in his arms the perfon that was dearer to him than life, the fhip was preferved. It is with a fecret forrow and vexation of mind that I muft tell the fequel of the ftory, and let my reader know, that this faithful pair who were ready to have died in each other's arms, about three years after their efcape, upon fome trifling difguft grew to a coldness at firft, and at length fell out to fuch a degree, that they left one another, and parted for ever. The other couple lived together in an uninterrupted friendship and felicity; and what was remarkable, the husband, whom the fhipwreck had like to have separated from his wife, died a few months after her, not being able to furvive the lofs of her..

I must confefs, there is fomething in the changeablenefs and inconftancy of human nature, that very often both dejects and terrifies me. Whatever I am at prefent, I tremble to think what I may be. While I find this principle in me, how can I affure myself that I fhall be always true to my God, my friend, or myself? In short, without Conftancy there is neither love, friendship, ok virtue, in the world.

N° 193. Tuesday, July 4, 1710.

I

Qui didicit patriæ quid debeat, & quid amicis ;
Quo fit amore parens, quo frater amandus & hofpes,
Reddere perfonae feit convenientia cuique.

HOR. Ars Poet. ver. 317.

The Poet, who with nice difcernment knows
What to his country and his friends he owes ;
How various Nature warms the human breast,
To love the parent, brother, friend, or gueft,-
He furely knows, with nice, well-judging art,..
The ftrokes peculiar to each different part. ga
FRANCIS.

Will's Coffee-houfe, July 3.

Have of late received many Epiftles, wherein the writers treat me as a mercenary perfon, for fome little hints concerning matters which, they think, I fhould not have touched upon but for fordid confiderations. It is apparent, that my motive could not be of that kind; for when a man declares himself openly on one fide, that party will take no more notice of him, because he is fure; and the fet of men whom he declares againft, for the fame reafon, are violent against him.. Thus it is folly in a plain dealer to expect, that either his friends will reward him, or his enemies forgive him. For which reafon, I thought it was the shortest way to impartiality, to put myself beyond further hopes or fears, by declaring myself at a time when the difpute is not about perfons and parties, but things and caufes. To relieve myself from the vexation which naturally attends fuch reflections, I came hither this evening to give my thoughts quite a new turn, and converfe with men of pleasure and wit, rather than thofe of business and intrigue. I had hardly entered the room when I was ac

cofted

cofted by Mr. Thomas Dogget, who defired my favour in relation to the Play which was to be acted for his benefit on Thursday. He pleafed me in faying it was The "Old Bachelor," in which Comedy there is a neceffary circumftance obferved by the Author, which most other Poets either over-look or do not understand, that is to fay, the diftinction of Characters. It is very ordinary with Writers to indulge a certain modefty of believing all men as witty as themfelves, and making all the perfons of the Play fpeak the fentiments of the Author, without any manner of refpect to the age, fortune, or quality, of him that is on the flage. Ladies talk like Rakes, and footmen make fimilès: But this Writer knows men; which makes his Plays reasonable enter tainments, while the fcenes of moft others are like the tunes between the Acts. They are perhaps agreeable founds; but they have no ideas affixed to them. Dogget thanked me for my vifit to him in the winter; and, after his comic manner, fpoke his requeft with fo arch a leer, that I promised the drole I would speak to all my acquaintance to be at this Play.

Whatever the world may think of the Actors, whe ther it be that their parts have an effect on their lives, or whatever it is, you fee a wonderful benevolence among them towards the interefts and neceffities of each other. Dogget therefore would not let me go, without delivering me a Letter from poor old Downs, the prompter, wherein that retainer to the theatre defires my advice and affiftance in a matter of concern to him. I have fent him my private opinion for his conduct; but the stage and ftate affairs being fo much canvaffed by parties and factions, I fhall for fome time hereafter take leave of fubjects which relate to either of them; and employ my cares in the confideration of matters, which regard that part of mankind, who live without interefting themselves with the troubles or pleafures of either. However, for a mere notion of the prefent pofture of the ftage, I shall give you the Letter at large, as follows :.

Honoured

Honoured SIR2

F'

July 1, 1710.

Inding by divers of your late Papers, that you are a friend to the profeffion of which I was many years an unworthy member, I the rather make bold to crave your advice touching a propofal that has "been lately made me of coming again into business, and "the fub-adminiftration of tage affairs. I have, from my youth, been bred up behind the curtain, and been a prompter from the time of the Reftoration. I have feen many changes, as well of fcenes as of Actors; and have known men within my remembrance arrive "to the highest dignities of the Theatre, who made "their entrance in the Quality of mutes, joint-ftools,

flower-pots, and tapestry hangings. It cannot be un"known to the nobility and gentry, that a Gentleman. of the Inns of Court, and a deep intriguer, had fome time fince worked himself into the fole management and direction of the Theatre. Nor is it lefs noto"rious, that his reftlefs ambition, and fubtle machinations, did manifeftly tend to the extirpation of the good old British Actors, and the introduction of fo.. reign pretenders; fuch as Harlequins, French Dan.. ་་ cers, and Roman Singers; who, though they impo-. verished the proprietors, and impofed on the Audience, were for fome time tolerated, by reafon of his, "dexterous infinuations, which prevailed upon a few. deluded women, especially the Vizard Masks, to be"lieve that the flage was in danger. But his fchemes; were foon expofed; and the great ones that fupported, him withdrawing their favour, he made his Exit, and remained for a feafon in obfcurity. During this retreat the Macbiavilian, was not idle; but fecretly fo-"mented divifions, and wrought over to his fide fome of the inferior Actors,, referving a trap door to himfelf, to which he only had a key. This entrance fe "cured, this cunning perfon, to complete his company,. bethought himself of calling in the most eminent ftrollers from all parts of the kingdom. I have feen them all ranged together behind the fcenes; but they. are many of them perfons that never trod the ftage.

་་

"before

"before, and fo very aukward and ungainly, that it is impoffible to believe the audience will bear them. He was looking over his catalogue of Plays, and in"deed picked up a good tolerable fet of grave faces for counfellors, to appear in the famous fcene of Venice Preferved, when the danger is over; but they being but mere outfides, and the Actors having a great mind to play

41

46

hebe Tempest, there is not a man of them, when

he is to perform any thing above dumb fhow, is capable of acting with a good grace fo much as the "part of Trincalo, However the mafter perfifts in his defign, and is fitting up the old ftorm; but I am "afraid he will not be able to procure able failors or experienced officers for love or money.

"Befides all this, when he comes to caft the parts, "there is fo great a confufion amongst them for want of proper Actors, that for my part, I am wholly dif couraged. The Play with which they defign to open "is, The Duke and no Duke; and they are fo put to it, that "the master himself is to act the conjurer, and they "have no one for the General but honest George Powell.

"Now, Sir, they being fo much at a lofs for the "Dramatis Perfona, viz. the perfons to enact, and the "whole frame of the Houfe being defigned to be al"tered, I defire your opinion, whether you think it ad

vifable for me to undertake to prompt them? For "though I can clafh fwords when they reprefent a bat"tle, and have yet lungs enough left to huzza their "victories, I question, if I should prompt them right, "whether they would act accordingly, I am

Your Honour's most humble fervant,

J. Downs.

"P. S. Sir, fince I writ this, I am credibly informed, "that they defign' a new Houfe in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, near the Popish chapel, to be ready by Michaelmas 86 next; which indeed is but repairing an old one that has already failed. You know, the honeft man who kept the office is gone already."

Thursday,