how to carry on the dialogue of a piece through the space of five, or even of three acts. In the improved method I have taken the liberty to fuggeft, an author will not only, like fome of our modern dramatifts, have no occafion to write well, but he or she may actually compofe a very good play, without having ever learned to write or read at all.

Many other advantages might be fhewn to refult from this propofed alteration of the mode of reprefenting theatrical pieces; but I flatter myfelf, that even the imperfect announcement of the plan which I have given, will be fufficient to intitle it to the favour and patronage of perfons of tafte and knowledge; among whom, without flattery, Sir, I clafs the author of the Lounger in a very distinguished rank.

I have the honour to be, &c.

RICHARD BUSKIN..

I doubt not but it will afford pleasure to Mr. Bufkin to be told, that my young academical friend approved very much of his proposal. "In "ancient Greece," faid he, "though they did "not carry this matter quite fo far as your cor"refpondent proposes, yet dancing made a chief "part of the entertainment in dramatic repre

❝fentations.

«fentations. The verfes indeed of Sophocles and "Euripides were recited, but as we have no So"phoclefes or Euripidefes now, and fcarce any "actors who could speak their verfes if we had, "I believe Mr. Buskia's plan to be a very ex"pedient one. I remember one of our fellows "at college, who liked eccentric anecdotes, "used to tell us of a company of Comedians he "fell in with in a country excurfion, who "having, by fome little misfortune, loft their "principal actor, gave out their next day's bill "in these words: "On Monday will be pre-、 " fented the Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark; the part of Hamlet, for that night, to "be left out."

N° 96. SATURDAY, December 2, 1786.

To the AUTHOR of the LOUNGER.

Aureus hanc vitam in terris Satúrnus agebat.

VIRG.

SIR,

AS in reading, either for inftruction or entertainment, one is always most struck with what comes nearest to one's felf, we who are in the country have been particularly attentive to your rural papers. The family of which I am a member at prefent, have been very much entertained with them. We have found out feveral of our acquaintance in the letter of Urbanus; and even the picture of your godmother, though a little antiquated, was too strongly marked for fome of our party not to discover a resemblance to it. Adraftus's portrait of him-self was too serious for our meddling with. We never allow our imaginations to fport with the facredness of forrow.

Since the receipt of thofe papers, it has become an amusement here to draw sketches for

the Lounger; and fome of us last night after fupper propofed, that every one should paint his neighbour. To this fancy and a rainy morning you owe this letter. I will try to give you the whole groupe; I am fure, if I could do it juftice, it should please your benevolent readers better than the picture of Urbanus, though I give that gentleman perfect credit for the fidelity as well as the power of his pencil. But a family-piece of Greuze is more pleasing, though perhaps lefs valued, than one of Hemfkirk or Te

niers.

That I may, however, take no advantage, I will begin with myfelf. I am not of fo ferious a disposition as Adraítus, yet am I not altogether without fome of that rural fentiment which he indulges, and which you defcribe. I own I had acuter feelings fome five-and-twenty years ago; but having now lived half a century, I am become a good deal lefs heroic, lefs visionary, and lefs tender than I was; yet I have not forgotten what my own feelings were, and I can perfectly understand what those of younger men I confefs I like to fee them as warm as I myself was at their age, and enjoy a fort of selfflattery in thinking that I have learned to be wifer, by being a little older than they. Something of the fame reflection I venture now and then to indulge, from the circumstance of being a ba

are;

a bachelor; I think myself as well as I am, and yet I am pleased to see a husband and a father happy. And as I am neither from age nor fituation quite condemned to celibacy, I have that fort of intereft in an amiable woman or a promifing child, that makes their company very agreeable to me, and I believe mine not unpleasant to them. I have, thank God, good health and good fpirits; was bred fomewhat of a fcholar by my father, who lived in town, and a pretty complete sportsman by my grandfather, who refided in the country. When at school, I stole an hour or two in the evening to learn mufic, and had a tolerable knack at making bad verfes when at college. In fhort, there are few things come across me in which I am quite left out, and I have not the vanity of excellence to fupport in any of them.

I generally spend fome months of Autumn in the country, and this feafon have paffed them very agreeably at the houfe of a gentleman, who, from particular circumftances, I am pretty confident is the perfon you once mentioned under the appellation of Benevolus. A general idea of his character you have given in the paper I allude to of his family and their countrylife, will you allow me to try a little sketch now?

You