affured him, truly, it would give me infinite pleafure to attend him.

€

When we went to the Theatre in the evening, and while I was reading the box-list, to determine where we should endeavour to find a place, a Lady of the Colonel's acquaintance, happening to come in, begged our acceptance of places in her box. We entered accordingly; and I placed my old friend in a fituation where I thought he could moft conveniently command a view both of the company and of the stage. He had never been in our present House before, and allowed, that in fize and convenience it exceeded the old one, though he would not grant fo much as the Lady and I demanded on that fcore. "I know," faid he, "you are in the "right; but one don't easily get rid of first im"preffions: I can't make you conceive what "a Play was to me fome fifty years ago, with "what feelings I heard the last mufic begin, nor how my heart beat when it ceafed.""Why, it is very true, Colonel," faid the Lady," one can't retain those feelings always." "It is fomething," faid I, " to have had Why, if I may judge from "the little I have feen," replied the Colonel, 66 your young folks have no time for them now

ἐσ

"them once.".

a-days; their pleasures begin fo early, and "come fo thick.". -" "Tis the way to make

"the

Pardon me

"the most of their time.""Madam," faid he, "I don't think fo: 'tis like "the difference between your hot-house afpa

ragus and my garden ones; the laft have their

green and their white; but the first is tafte"lefs from the very top." The Lady had not time to study the allufion; for her company began to come into the box, and continued coming in during all the first act of the comedy. On one fide of Colonel Caustic fat a Lady with a Lunardi hat; before him was placed one with a feathered head-drefs. Lunardi and the Feathers talked and nodded to one another about an appointment at a milliner's next morning. I fat quite behind, as is my custom, and betook myfelf to meditation. The Colonel was not quite fo patient: he tried to see the stage, and got a flying vizzy now and then; but in the laft attempt, he got fuch a whisk from Mifs Feathers. on one cheek, and fuch a poke from the wires of Mifs Lunardi on t'other, that he was fain to give up the matter of seeing ;-as to hearing, it was out of the question.

"I hope Colonel, you have been well enter"tained," faid the mistress of the box, at the end of the act. "Wonderfully well," faid the Colo"That La Mafb is a monstrous comical "fellow!"" Oh! as to that, Madam, I "know nothing of the matter; in your Lady

nel.

"fhip's

"fhip's box one is quite independent of the "Players."He made a fign to me: I opened the box door, and ftood waiting for his coming with me. "Where are you going, Colonel?" faid the Lady, as he stepped over the last bench. "To the Play, Madam," faid he, bowing, and fhutting the door.

For that purpose we went to the pit, where, though it was pretty much crowded, we got ourselves feated in a very centrical place. There is fomething in Colonel Cauftic's look and appearance, so much not of the form only but the fentiment of good breeding, that it is not easy to refift fhewing him any civility in one's power. While we stood near the door, a party in the middle of one of the rows beckoned to us, and let us know that we might find room by them; and the Colonel, not without many scruples of complaifance, at laft accepted the invitation.

We had not long been in poffeffion of our place before the second act began. We had now an opportunity of hearing the Play; as, though the converfation in the box we had left, which by this time was reinforced by several new performers, was about as loud as that of the Players, we were nearer to the talkers in front, than to those behind us. When the act was over, I repeated Lady's interrogatory as to the Colonel's entertainment. "I begin," faid he,

putting

putting his fnuff-box to his nose, "to find the "inattention of my former box-fellows not "quite fo unreasonable."-" Our Company of "this feafon," said a brother officer, who fat near us, to Colonel Cauftic, "is a very nume❝rous one; they can get up any new Play in 66 a week." "I am not so much surprised, "Sir," replied the Colonel, "at the number of 66 your Players, as I am at the number of the "audience."-" Moft of the new performers

are drafts from the English and Irish stages." "-From the awkward divifion of them, I prefume." "You are a fevere critic, Sir," replied the officer; " but the house has been as "full as you fee it every night these three "weeks."—"I can easily believe it," said the Colonel.

As the Play went on, the Colonel was asked his opinion of it by this gentleman and one or two more of his neighbours. He was shy of venturing his judgment on the piece; they were kind enough to direct him how to form one. "This is a very favourite Comedy, Sir, and "has had a great run at Drury Lane."→ "Why, gentlemen," faid he, " I have no doubt "of the Comedy being an excellent Comedy, "fince you tell me fo; and to be sure those "gentlemen and ladies who make up the dra"matis perfonæ of it, fay a number of good

"things,

"things, fome of them not the worse for ha❝ving been faid last century by Joe Miller; but "I am often at a loss to know what they would "be at, and wish for a little of my old friend "Bayes's infinuation to direct me."-You mean, "Sir, that the plot is involved."-" Pardon

me, Sir, not at all; 'tis a perfectly clear plot,” "as clear as the fun in the cucumber," as An"thonio in Venice Preferv'd says. The hero "and heroine are to be married, and they are "at a lofs how to get it put off till the fifth "act." "You will fee, Sir, how the laft fcene "will wind it up."-"Oh! I have no doubt, "Sir, that it will end at the dropping of the "curtain."

Before the dropping of the curtain, however, it was not easy to attend to that winding up of the plot which was promifed us. Between gentlemen coming into the house from dinner parties, and ladies going out of it to evening ones, the disorder in the boxes, and the calling to order in the pit, the business of the Comedy was rather fuppofed than followed; and the actors themselves feemed inclined to flur it a little, being too well bred not to perceive that they interrupted the arrangement of fome of the genteeleft part of their audience.

When the curtain was down, I faw Colonel Cauftic throw his eye round the house with a

look