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SCHILLER'S " ROBBERS."

SOON after the appearance of the "Robbers," the scholars of the school of Fribourg, where it was represented, were so struck and captivated with the grandeur of its hero, Moor, that they agreed to form a band, like his, in the forests of Bohemia. They had elected a young nobleman for their chief, and had pitched on a beautiful young lady for his Amelia, whom they were to carry off from her parents' house, to accompany their flight." To the accomplishment of this purpose, they had bound themselves by the most solemn and impressive oaths. But the conspiracy was discovered by an accident, and its execution prevented.

QUIN'S " CORIOLANUS."

THE following ludicrous incident occurred during a Rehearsal of "Coriolanus," while it was preparing for the benefit of Thomson's sisters. Quin's pronunciation was of the Old School. In this Garrick had made an alteration. The one

pronounced the letter a open, the other sounded it like an e, which occasioned the following mistake. In the scene where the Roman ladies come in procession, to solicit Coriolanus to return to Rome, they are attended by the Tribunes, and

the Centurions of the Volscian Army, bearing fasces, their Ensigns of authority. They are ordered by the Hero, the part of which was enacted by Quin, to lower them, as a token of respect. But the men who personated the Centurions, imagining, through Quin's mode of enunciation, that he said their faces, instead of their fasces, all bowed their heads together.

HENRY JONES, AUTHOR OF THE EARL OF ESSEX."

THIS self-taught genius was a bricklayer, whom Lord Chesterfield patronized. His tragedy of the "Earl of Essex" obtained for him some celebrity, and procured him a footing in the Theatre, which enabled him to levy contributions upon players, by writing puffs, and praising them in verse.

The end of Jones was melancholy, for a man of ability. After being intoxicated for two days, he was found, on the night of the third, crushed by a waggon in St. Martin's-lane, without his coat or hat. He was carried to the parish workhouse, and there terminated his career, in the year 1770. His papers fell into the hands of Reddish the player, who volunteered as executor;

but Reddish was, at first, negligent; and, afterwards, deranged, and they never were produced.

VERBRUGGEN.

VERBRUGGEN was so passionately fond of acting" Alexander the Great," that instead of Verbruggen, in the dramatis personæ, to many plays, he was called Mr. Alexander. Verbruggen was so warm of temper, that he had the temerity to strike an illegitimate son of Charles II., behind the scenes of Drury-lane. After so daring an insult, he was told that if he did not ask the nobleman's pardon, he must act no more in London. To this he consented, on conditions that he might express himself in his own terms; and, coming on the stage, dressed for the part of Oroonoko, having first acknowleged that he had called the Duke of St. A. a son of a we, added—“ It is true, and I am sorry for it."

THEATRICALS IN THE TIME OF CHARLES THE

SECOND.

PREVIOUS to the Restoration of Charles II., no woman was admitted on the stage, but the female characters were personated by young men in female costume. The following anecdote, re

lated by Colley Cibber, will give a tolerable idea of the ridiculous distress which occasionally arose from the absence of the now most attractive ornaments of the theatre. The King coming to the house rather before his usual time, found the dramatis persone not ready to appear; when his Majesty, not choosing to have as much patience as his good subjects, sent one of his attendants to inquire the cause of the delay. The Manager, knowing that the best excuse he could make to the " merry Monarch" would be the truth, went to the Royal box, and plaiuly told his Majesty, that the Queen had not yet shaved. Charles, good humouredly, accepted the apology, and laughed heartily until the male Queen was effeminated, and the curtain drawn up.

BENSLEY THE TRAGEDIAN, AND THE SCOTCH OFFICER.

MR. Bensley, before he went on the Stage, was a captain in the army. One day, while lounging in the park, he met a Scotch officer, who had been in the same regiment. The latter was happy to meet an "old companion of the war," but his chivalrous notions made him ashamed to be seen with a player; he, therefore, sagaciously hur

ried Bensley into an unfrequented coffee-house, when he asked him very gravely," how he could disgrace the corps, by turning play-actor." Bensley replied, that he by no means considered it in that light; that, on the contrary, an actor, who conducted himself creditably, moved in the first circles, and kept the best of company." Weel, weel," interrupted his friend," and what maun you get by this business of yours?"-"I now, (answered Bensley,) get about a thousand ayear." What, man! a thousand a year! (exclaimed the astonished Native of the Land of Cakes ;) Hae you ony vacancies in your Corps?"

66

ROSS, THE CELEBRATED GEORGE BARN

WELL.

WHEN Mr. Ross performed the character of George Barnwell, in 1752, the son of an eminent merchant was so struck with certain resemblances to his perilous situation, arising from the arts of a real Milwood, that his agitation brought on a dangerous illness, in the course of which he confessed his error, was forgiven by his father, and was furnished with the means of repairing the pecuniary wrongs he had privately done

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