confirmed in England. Foote acted Brazen; Ifaac Sparks, Kite; Sylvia, by a Miss Kennedy, who foon retired well provided for by the generofity of Mr. L. Gardener.

It was appointed for me to appear the Monday following in Mr. Foote's Tea, in the character of a pupil, under Mr. Puzzle, the supposed director of a rehearsal.—Mr. Puzzle, by Mr. Foote. He fent me a part called Bounce, but which I begged, as the time was so short, to decline; and, as I did not attend any rehearsal, it was agreed that I should appear as Mr. Wilkinson (his pupil) when called upon, and repeat juft what I could select to please myself-not any regular character.

When the night came, Lord Forbes, Mr. Chaigneau, and all my friends, went to encourage and fupport me, and engaged all they knew for the fame purpose. One lucky circumftance was, my not being known as a performer, therefore I had their wishes and pity in a high degree--but great fear of my not being able to fucceed. The ftory of my diftreffed fituation-the blazoned marriage-act-my being a young gentleman-my illnefs, &c. &c. were become topics of public converfation: As to intelligence, requested by critics from the players relative to myself, they neither did nor could pronounce, with knowledge, either good or ill. But I will rather fuppofe five out of fix fpoke

to my difadvantage, from the too general depravity of human nature; as perfons listen to fatire rather than praife: It is more defcriptive, difplays the tripping tongue, and fuits conversation much better; it gives energy to the informant, and quick ears to the languid.-The bill ran thus: After the PLAY

Mr. FOOTE will give TEA. Mr. PUZZLE (the Instructor) Mr. FOOTE. First PUPIL, by a YOUNG GENTLEMAN, (Who never appeared on any Stage before.)

By eight in the evening I was in full dress behind the scenes; I had never been there before; the company were all strangers to me. I not knowing how to enter into conversation with the performers, and being announced as a pupil of Mr. Foote's, I did not receive any civility from them; for, if I was a blockhead, I was not worth their notice; and if an impudent imitator or mimic of their profeffion, bred by Mr. Foote in the fame worthy art, I was, in their opinions, a despicable intruder. I could conceive all this, and certainly my fituation on this critical night was not to be envied, as their fentiments, though not avowed, were the result of nature. I, on reflection, foon grew weary of my folitary feat in the green

room; alone in a crowd; and between the play and farce looked through a hole in the curtain, and beheld an awful pleafing fight-a crowded, fplendid audience-such as might strike the boldest with difmay.

The farce began, and Mr. Foote gained great applaufe, and roars of laughter fucceeded. In the fecond act my time of trial drew near; in about ten minutes I was called-" Mr. Wilkinson! Mr. Wilkinson !"-Had I obeyed a natural impulfe, I was really fo alarmed that I fhould have run away. But honour pricked me on-there was no alternative-my brain was a chaos; but on I went, and muft have made a very fheepish, timid appearance, as from fear, late illness, and apprehenfion, I trembled like a frighted clown in a pantomime which Foote perceiving, good naturedly took me by the hand and led me forward; when the burst of applaufe was wonderful, and apparently that of kindness and true benevolence; but it could not instantly remove my timidity; and I had no prompter to trust to, as all depended on myself.

Foote perceiving I was not fit for action, said to his two friends on the ftage (feated like Smith and Johnfon in the Rehearsal) "This young gentleman is merely a novice on the stage; he has not yet been properly drilled. But come, my

young friend, walk across the ftage; breathe yourfelf, and fhew your figure." I did fo; the walk encouraged me, and another loud applaufe fucceeded. I felt a glow, which feemed to fay, "What have you to fear! Now, or never.This is the night that either makes you or undoes you quite." And on the applause being repeated, I said to myself, that is as loud as any I have heard given to Mr. Garrick; I mustered up courage, and began with Mr. Luke Sparks of London, (brother to Ifaac Sparks, then in Dublin) in the character of Capulet: Moft of the gentlemen in the boxes knew all the London players, and no play in London was fo familiar then as Romeo and Juliet: They were univerfally ftruck with the forcible manner of the speaking, and the striking resemblance of the features; a particular excellence in my mode of mimicry. A gentleman cried out, "Sparks of London! Sparks of London!" The applause resounded, even to my astonishment; and the audience were equally amazed, as they found fomething, where they in fact expected nothing. Next speech was their favourite Barry in Alexander; univerfally known, and as univerfally felt. I now found myself vaftly elated and clever: Fear was vanished, and joy and pleasure fucceeded; a proof what barometers we are! how foon elated, and how foon

depreffed! When quite at ease, I began with Mrs. Woffington in Lady Macbeth, and Barry in Macbeth. The laughter (which is the strongest applaufe on a comic occafion) was fo loud and inceffant, that I could not proceed: This was a minute of luxury; I was then in the region of blifs; I was encored; yet that lady had declared in London, on hearing I was to go with Foote to Ireland,--« Take me off! a puppy!—If he dare attemptit, by the living G-d he will be ftoned to death." Here the lady was miftaken; for, on repeating the part, the second applause was stronger than the preceding. A fudden thought occurred; I feit all hardy—all alert—all nerve-and immediately advanced fix fteps; and, before I fpoke, I received the full teftimony of "true imitation!" My mafter, as he was called, fat on the ftage at the fame time; I repeated twelve or fourteen lines of the very prologue he had spoke that night (being called for) to the Author, and he had almost every night repeated: I before Mr. Foote prefented his other felf; the audience from repetition were as perfect as I was; his manner, his voice, his oddities, I fo exactly hit, that the pleasure, the glee it gave, may easily be conceived, to fee and hear the mimic mimicked, and it really gave me a complete victory over Mr. Foote; for the fuddennefs of the action tripped up his