it seems, have all both Merit and Fame. Pray, why did none of these come over with you?". "Why, Sir, because they are all damn'd Jacobites; they were all detected for Jacobites.""I fancy,” replied Sir Richard, "you would say convicted. I suppose they drank the Pretender's health and were tried for it."-"No, no, Sir, no such thing-it was I detected them." -"Why pray, Mr. Poney, how came you to know they were Jacobites?"-" How, Sir? why I was at the head of them for fifteen years, and it is damn'd hard if I do not know whether a man is a Jacobite, when every thing he had said and done during all that time was by my direction; but, besides, Sir, if they would have had a little patience I would have provided for them all; but the rascals would all be taken care of in eight days."—"That is,” replied Sir Richard: "I suppose in those eight days you laid out all the best parts for these gentlemen here, who have the honour to be your favourites, and who it seems must be my actors, because

they are your tools: remember, however, if I am obliged to give them entertainment, I expect them, in return, to give entertainment to the town: for, if they do not, neither you nor I shall be long able to give them either pay or protection. But, come, Mr. Poney, pray let me have a sample of your own abilities. A speech that corresponds with your own genius the best;" upon which Mr. Poney began

Obey'd as sov'reign, by thy subjects be,
But know that I alone am king of me;
I am as free as Nature first made man,
E'er the base laws of servitude began,
When wild in woods the noble savage ran.

This he vomited out with the utmost convulsions of rant and fury.-" As I take it," said Sir Richard, "this is Almanzor, the frantic hero in the Conquest of Granada."—"True," replied Mr. Poney, "it was my top part."-"It might have pleased in Ireland," said Sir Richard, "but it will not do the business here.

Be so

good to favour me with a few lines out of some other play."

Mr. P. Thou want'st them both, or better thou would'st know,

Than to let factions in thy kingdom grow

"I believe you forgot," interrupted Sir Richard, "but this is the same play. I begged

a speech out of some other."

My fate is fixed so far above thy crown,
That all thy men

Pil'd on thy back can never pull it down;
But at my ease, thy destiny I send,
By ceasing from this hour to be thy friend:
Thou can'st no title to my duty bring,

I'm not thy subject, and my soul's thy king.
Farewell! when I am gone,

There's not a star of thine dares stay with thee;
I'll whistle thy tame fortune after me.

What are ten thousand subjects such as they,
If I am scorn'd-I'll take myself away.

Sir Richard had scarce patience to hear him through this rhapsody; but Mr. Poney had worked himself up, and then there was no stopping him. "Since, Sir," said he, "you can think of no part but Almanzor's, let me put you in mind of one or two which take mightily on our Stage, and without knowing which a man cannot be a principal performer here.—

Pray let me hear how you would speak those lines in Tamerlane that begin for the world"-Mr. Poney then went on

“ Well was it

When on their borders neighbouring princes met,
Frequent in friendly part, by cool debate
Preventing wasteful war; but from Madrid
Accept great King to-morrow, from my hand,
The captive head of conquer'd Ferdinand.

"Alas!" cry'd Sir Richard, "why, Mr. Poney, you are running back into Almanzor. You cannot keep to the point for three lines together. Pray try what you can do with Cato's fine speech in the beginning of the last Act." Mr. P. composed himself and began.

It must be so-Plato thou reason'st well;

The word which I have given shall stand like fate,
Not like the king's that weather-cock of state;
He stands so high with so unfix'd a mind,

Two factions turn him with each blast of wind;
But now he shall not veer, my word is past,
I'll take his heart by th' roots, and hold him fast.

"Zounds," said Sir Richard, "I have no patience with this eternal Almanzor. I'll try you

but once more.

Brutus to Cassius."

Let us have the speech of

Mr. P. Remember March, the Ides of March remember!
Did not great Julius bleed for Justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? what, shall one of us
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers! What shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For as much trash as may be grasped thus?
Honour is what myself and friends I owe,
And none can lose it who forsake a foe;
Since, then, your foes now happen to be mine,
Tho' not in friendship we'll in interest join.

"This is too much," said Sir Richard, "to tack this damn'd noisy Almanzor to one of the most impressive speeches in Shakspeare. I won't trouble you to rehearse any more of him, but will tell you a story, which your being able to act nothing but a ranting Hero, brings into my mind

A certain good-natured gentleman received a letter from a friend of his to recommend the