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Pictures." In this he introduced several new characters, particularly Sir Thomas De Veil,* the acting magistrate for Westminster; Mr. Cock, the celebrated auctioneer; and the no less famous orator, Henley. Neither the "Auction of the Pictures," nor the "Diversions of the Morning," have been printed, and it is probable that they were only calculated for exhibition.

Foote gained a competent income by these exhibitions in the metropolis; he also repeated them in Ireland; and in one of his pieces, called "The Orator," introduced the character of Peter Paragraph, a counterpart of Faulkner, the prin ter, of Dublin, whose manners and dress he so completely imitated, that the poor persecuted printer could not appear in public, without ex

* This gentleman's name afforded Foote one of those opportunities of displaying his wit, which he seldom suffered to escape. Having got into a drunken squabble, at a house of a certain description, with some of the Delavals, they were next morning taken before Sir Thomas De Veil. The mistress of the house appeared against them, to whom the magistrate said, "Good woman, stand before me, and tell your story." ."-" Aye," said Foote, " tell the truth, and face the Devil;" pointing his hat to Sir Thomas.

periencing the scoffs and the jeers of every urchin in the street. But what most affected Faulkner, was a ludicrous story which Foote made him tell, of his passage with his wife from Dublin to Holyhead.

Faulkner, thus so cruelly exposed, became alarmed, and commenced an action against Foote, by which he recovered damages, to the amount of three hundred pounds. This drove Foote back to England, where he was received with the favour to which he had been accustomed.

66 THE BEGGAR'S OPERA.'

THE following account is told respecting the cause which gave rise to this popular piece, and the success which it afterwards met with:

Upon the accession of George II. to the throne, Gay was offered the place of a gentleman-usher to the then youngest princess, Louisa; a pos which he thought beneath his acceptance; and resenting the offer as an affront, in that ill humour with the Court, he wrote the "Beggar's Opera," as a satire on the Italian Opera, then patronized by the Court. On its being brought upon the stage, Nov. 1727, it was received with greater applause than had ever been known before,

on any other similar occasion; for, besides being acted in London sixty-three days, without interruption, and renewed the next season with success, it spread into all the great towns of England; was played in many places to the thirtieth and fortieth time; at Bath and Bristol fifty times, &c. It made its progress into Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, where it was performed twenty-four days successively; and, lastly, was acted in Minorca.

The ladies carried about with them the favourite songs, in it, on their fans; and houses were furnished with them on screens. The fame of it was not confined only to the author; Miss Lavinia Fenton, who enacted Polly, till then obscure, became, at once, the favourite of the town; her portrait was engraved, and sold in great numbers; her life written; books of letters and verses to her, published; and pamphlets made of her sayings and jests; and, to crown all, after being the mother of several antenuptial children, she obtained the title and rank of a Duchess, by her marriage with Charles, third Duke of Bolton.

FRENCH TRAGEDIAN AND ARTIST.

A FRENCH actor, accustomed to perform

the part of Achilles, wished to have his portrait taken, and desired it might be in that character, stipulating to give the painter. forty crowns for his work. The son of Melpomene had been a journeyman carpenter; and the painter, who was informed that he was a bad paymaster, thought proper to devise a mode of being revenged, should Achilles play him any trick; he, therefore, painted the figure in oil, the shield excepted, which was in distemper. The likeness was acknowleged to be great; but the actor, that he might pay as little as possible, pretended to find many faults, and declared he would only pay half the sum agreed upon. "Very well," replied the painter; "however, I will give you a secret for making the colours more brilliant. Take a sponge, dip it in vinegar, and pass it over the picture several times." The actor thanked him for this advice, applied the sponge, washed away the shield of Achilles, and instead of that hero, beheld a carpenter holding a saw.

ELKANAH SETTLE,

In the latter part of his life, was so reduced as to attend a booth in Bartholomew Fair, kept by a Mrs. Myons and her daughter, Mrs. Lee,

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