stant the curtain drew up, and discovered the actors standing between two files of grenadiers, with their bayonets fixed, and resting upon their firelocks. At this, the whole pit rose and unanimously turned to the justices, who sat in the middle of it, to demand the reason of such arbitrary proceedings. The justices either knew nothing of the soldiers being placed there, or else thought it safest to declare so. At that declaration, they demanded of Justice Deveil (who had owned himself the commanding officer in the affair) to order them off the stage: he did so immediately, and they disappeared.

"Then began the serenade; not only catcalls, but all the various portable instruments that could make a disagreeable noise, were brought upon this occasion, and were continually tuning in all parts of the house; an attempt at speaking was ridiculous; the actors retired; and they opened with a grand dance of twelve men and twelve women; but even that was prepared for, and they were directly saluted with a bushel or two of peas, which made their capering unsafe. After this, they attempted to open the comedy; but, had the actor a voice of thunder, it would

have been lost in the confused strains from a thousand various instruments.

"Here, at the waving of Deveil's hat, all were silent, and (standing up on his seat) he made a proposal to the house, to this effect: That, if they persisted in the opposition, he must read the proclamation; that, if they would permit the play to go on, and be acted through that night, he would promise, on his honour, to lay their dislikes and resentments before the king, and he doubted not but a speedy end would be put to their acting. The answer to this proposal was very short and very expressive. "No treaties; No treaties." At this, the justice called for candles, to read the proclamation, and ordered the guards to be in readiness; but a gentleman seized Mr. Deveil's hand, stretched out for the candle, and begged of him, to consider of what he was going to do, for his own sake, for our's, for the king's; that he saw the unanimous resolution of the house, and that the appearance of soldiers in the pit would throw us all into a tumult, and must end with the lives of many. This earnest remonstrance made the justice turn pale and passive. At this pause, the actors made a

second attempt to go on, and the uproar revived, which continuing some time, the Ambassadors and their ladies left the box, which occasioned an universal huzza from the whole house; and, after calling for some time for the curtain, down it fell."

CONDEMNED FARCES.

ONE of Fielding's farces having been hissed from the stage; when published, instead of the usual annunciation, in the title, of " As it was performed, &c." he substituted the more correct reading of, "As it was damned at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane."

In October 1813, a very witty farce, entitled "The Nondescript," was played at Covent Garden Theatre, and completely condemned before the end of the first act. The humour it displayed, however, was so striking, that it induced a bookseller to publish it on his own account; and the author very generously sent him a preface replete with facetiousness, and a sketch of a title in which it was stated it was not performed.

EPITAPH ON JACKSON, OF THE NORWICH
COMPANY.

THOMAS Jackson, who was a favourite provin

cial actor, lies buried in the church-yard of Gillingham, Norfolk, with the following curious epitaph inscribed on the tombstone.

"Sacred to the memory of Thomas Jackson, Comedian, who was engaged December 21, 1741, to play a comic cast of characters in this great Theatre, the World, for many of which he was prompted by nature to excel. The season being ended, his benefit over, the charges all paid, and his account closed, he made his exit in the Tragedy of Death,' on the 17th of March, 1798, in full assurance of being called once more to rehearsal; when he hopes to find his forfeits all cleared, his cast of parts bettered, and his situation made agreeable by Him who paid the great stock-debt for the love he bore to performers in general."

GARRICK, AND WHITFIELD.

WHEN Mr. Whitfield was building his Tabernacle, in Tottenham Court Road, he employed the same carpenters that worked for Mr. Garrick at Drury Lane Theatre. The reverend gentleman was at that time short of cash, and the carpenter had remained unpaid for some weeks. Being, one day, in conversation with Mr. Garrick, he entreated the manager to advance him a little money as he had been disappointed by Mr. Whitfield. Garrick assisted the tradesman, and

immediately waited upon Mr. Whitfield; when, apologizing for his visit, he intimated to him what his carpenter had insinuated, at the same time offering a £500 Bank-note. It was accepted; and thus this Tabernacle of the Sectarian was raised by the Monarch of the Stage.

GARRICK, AND CHURCHILL'S "ROSCIAD." WHEN Churchill finished his "Rosciad," he waited on an eminent bookseller with the manuscript, but he had suffered so severely by the publication of poetry, that he was determined to have nothing more to do with any of the rhyming .sons of Apollo, unless he were indemnified from sustaining loss. This condition Churchill could not comply with. The bookseller, however, recommended to him a worthy young man, who had just ventured his little fortune on the uncertain sea of ink, and who would probably run the risk of the publication. Churchill waited upon him, and found every thing as he wished.

The poem was printed, advertised, and, at the end of five days, ten copies were sold. Churchill was thunderstruck, and the bookseller was