the Winter Theatres, for whofe affiftance be was obliged to WAIT till thofe Theatres clofed.

"He ventured, in every fhape, very deeply on a limited privilege, which this mode of fpeculation rendered ftill more limited.

"The younger Colman, our prefent Proprietor, fucceeded his father in the Licenfe, but bought the Property, at the expence of feveral thousand pounds, and thus came into a Theatre, where the cuf tom of depending on the movements of the winter-houfes has now curtailed its fhort season of nearly one third.

"The object at length in view is, to remedy the evil, without invidious and vain attempts to attack much more powerful Theatres, who have an undoubted privilege of acting plays all the year round. The Proprietor has no intention of tiring the public ear by a querulous appeal, he admits that others have the fulleft right to make their property as productive as poffible: he wishes merely to follow their example, and folicits your fupport in his efforts in eftablishing a Company of Actors, totally independent of them. There are but three houfes permitted to give you regular batches of plays in London; and this house (by far the most humble) fees no reafon, when they will be all making their bread, on the 15th of next May, why even Three of a trade should not perfectly agree.

"Should his arrangements fucceed, which are, even at this early period, actively forming, you will (on the reopening of the Theatre) greet the return to London of fome favourites, who, it is trufted, will find no diminution of your protection :-you will witnefs new and rifing merit, which it is your marked practice to fofter. There is no theatrical town in the United Kingdoms which will not be reforted to, in the hope of procuring you its choiceft produce and, in addition to other authors, you will be intreated, early in the feafon, to fhew your indulgence to the Proprietor's further attempts at dramatic compofition, whofe pen, he humbly hopes, notwithstanding the long duration of your encouragement, is not yet quite worn out in your fervice."

This statement was received through out with frequent marks of approbation; and concluded amidst loud and continued applause.

16. Drury-lane Theatre opened for the feafon, with The Inconftant and Of Age

To-morrow, under the direction, we underftand, of a Board of Management, confitting of five Gentlemen, who are to be affifted by an Acting Manager.-The Theatre has been well cleaned, and the lobbies newly painted-Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Young, Mifs Decamp, Meffrs. Bannister, Charles Kemble, and Suett, were respectively applauded on their re appearance.

23. Mr. DWYER, who appeared once Belcour, in The West Indian, refumed the at Drury-lane Theatre laft season, as fame character as a regular member of the company; and we think his talents cannot fail of being very useful. [See our account of him, Vol. XLI. p. 381]

Mr. John Bannister has been appointed Stage Manager of Drury-lane Theatre, and Mr. Kelly Superintendant of the Mufical Department."

24. A Mifs MARRIOTT (daughter, as we understand, of a coachmaker in John-treet, Tottenham court-road) made her entré on the boards of Covent Garden as Clarinda, in The Sufpicious Husband; which the performed with a confiderable degree of judgment, and was much applauded.-She has, in confequence of her favourable reception, been fince announced for the characters of Mrs. Sullen and Jane Shore.

25. Mr. CHERRY, a Comedian of much provincial celebrity, laft from Bath, but of longer standing in Dublin, made his first appearance at Drury-lane as Sir Benjamin Dove, in the Comedy of The Brothers, and Lazarillo, in Two Strings to Your Bow; both of which he performed in a manner that deferved and obtained very general applaufe. In the former part he not unfrequently reminded us of the admirable acting of our old favourite King; and in the latter, both in gelture and manner, he might have been thought to fhow fome imitation of Munden; but we believe Mr. Cherry to be much the oldeft performer of the two; and, therefore, if there be imitation, it may be difficult to fay on which party it lies. Mr. Cherry's perfon is petite, but his face is well calculated for comic expreffion; and, though he now and then betrayed a few provincial habits in his by-play, he must be confidered as a valuable acquifition to the Drury-lane corps.

PROVINCIAL THEATRICALS. At Brighton Theatre, on the 10th of Auguft, a Comedy in three acts, called "SKETCHES

"SKETCHES FROM LIFE," written by a Mr. Sicklemore, of that town, was prefented for the benefit of the Author, by command of the Prince of Wales. At the conclufion of the Comedy, the following Addrefs, written by Mr. Wil-, liams, was (poken by Mr. Betterton :IN Beauty's region, 'mong the wife and great,

I have prefum'd to plead our Poet's fate : May Kindness cheer him on the thorny way, [day: And chale the mifts from his Parnaffian Let Friendship's beam add vigour to his [flow'r.

pow'r,

plaufe,

As fweet Favonius breathes upon the With decent manliness he claims ap[laws; And draws his document from Nature's Pourtrays the folly-wings the poignant jeft,

And gives the moral to correct the breast. With whifp'ring accent, and in Syl. van fhades, [Maids;

He woo'd, in numbers, the Pierian

ODE,

ON HEARING THAT BONAPARTE HAD SUPPRESSED THE ENGLISH NEWS. PAPERS IN FRANCE.

WHEN Liberty in France appear'd,

And first her brazen standard rear'd,
"Huzza!" cried Bonaparte ;
"We now shall be fublimely blefs'd!"
Then clafp'd her to his panting breast,
And gave her all his heart;
Arm'd his fimall body cap-â-pie,
The Errant-Knight of Liberty.
Away he flew, from clime to clime,
Unmindful of the lapfe of time,

With millions in his train !
For Liberty alone he fought !
And deem'd no victory dearly bought,
Her glorious cause to gain;
Whilft, in his van, arose a tree,
Infcribed with "Vive la Liberté !”
O'er the wide world, in ev'ry zone,
This nymph had fifters of her own,
Bred in each various sphere.
One in Helvetia liv'd, fo bleft!
But O! the lovelieft, and the beft,

Hath fix'd her cottage here!
Here, fafe beneath Britannia's eye,
Dwells the first-born of Liberty!

Now Bonaparte, that wond'rous blade,
Chofe out the most vivacious maid
Of all the fifters fair;
Admir'd her fpirit and her eye,
From which ten thousand lightnings fly,
And eke her martial air!

Ah little thought poor Bon. that she
Was the fpoilt child of Liberty.

For her, regardless of their breath,
What thousands were confign'd to death,
By night, and eke by day!
"Whilt Pity, from her foft abode,
"O'ertook him on his blood-ftain'd road,
"To look his rage away *."
In vain! he spurn'd her tender plea,
Devoted all to Liberty.

An enemy to all mankind,
He left a plunder'd world behind,
To execrate his name!
Hark! how Helvetia, Venice, Rome,
Lament their melancholy doom!

Hark! thousands mourn the fame! And yet, "I come to make ye free," Exclaim'd this man of Liberty

The Turks fublime, as travellers tell,
Retain a custom, fprung from hell,

And loves his mutton as he loves his -But, lo! the Pillar mounts the hill

of fand,

[ Gland I Where never yet a fingle tree could See! midit the crowd, the fawning agents fly,

With hat in hand, and fupplicating eye, Collecting every farthing they can raile, To fix the Pillar of Immortal Praife! O, what innumerable crowds will run, To view that wonder of the World, when done! [fashion, Not Becket's fhrine, when Becket was in And call'd together fouls from ev'ry nation, [year, Could ever boat, in its most favour'd So many folks as will affemble here! Artists will come, of ev'ry degree, And Crouch before it, on the bended knee.

POET.

FRIEND.

I cannot find it lays one fingle word! At least, it does not mention what's been done, Worthy of record on a Public Stone. It tells us fome man's name, and fays, as how

He planted" costly" trees, all in a row! Alludes to fome "improvements" in fome "field," [yield.

But does not mention what the land will And fays, as how the Mayor and Corpo ration [Nation, Have made a vow to pleasure all the By giving all the Nation leave to walk On roads repair'd with broken flints and chaik ; [bones, With the full liberty to break their La climbing ramparts, for a view of

-itones !!!.

TO AMBITION.

Is not thy fickle charms to fhare, O ftern Ambition! that I bend; I court thee not, capricious Fair,

Or afk of thee one boon to fend.

Could't thou, indeed, ftay Pleafure's wing,

And but prolong Life's fleeting hour; Or to the mind foft comfort bring,

Then I might own thy boundless pow'r.

But fince I know thy wav'ring ftate,

Thy fancy'd joys, how vain they be ; What forrows on thy fmiles await,

Shall I beltow one thought on thee? Hafe! then, to tinfel'd Folly hafte ! And round her brows thy chaplet twine ;

Whilft I retire-an humble guest,
To quaff more grateful fweets than

thine.

For let but Prudence o'er me fway,

And bid each fordid hope subside; Let Virtue fteer me on my way,

As on Contentment's ftream I glide;

I feek no more!-for these will give Those dear delights I justly prize; Through life they'll teach me how to live,

And ev'ry worthless care despise. JBN.

Liverpool, 14th Aug.

EPITAPH ·

ON

THE LATE MRS. MILLS, FORMERLY MRS. VINCENT, AND ORIGINALLY MISS BURCHELL.

Infcribed on a Tablet dedicated to her Memory in St. Pancras Church-yard, by her furviving Husband, John Mills, Efq.

AND art thou laid in awful filence here,

Whofe voice so oft has charm'd the public ear! [the heart, Who with thy fimple notes could'st strike Beyond the utmott skill of labour'd art! Oh! may the Pow'r who gave thy dulcet ftrain,

[pain, And, pitying, refcu'd thee from earthly Exalt thy Spirit, touch'd with hallow'Ɑ fire, [Choir. To hymn his praise among th' Angelic

THOUGHTS ON HOME. ET the young, and the thoughtless, and gay,

LET

For pleasure incessantly roam ; I find as much pleature as they,

In the charms which detain me at home.

Some to traverse the ocean for gain,

Yet their efforts prove often in vain
And brave all its billowy foam :
ከ ;
While I have my riches at home.
Some visit the East and the Weft;

Or repair to gay Paris or Kome :
But toil is their lot, while I rest,

At cafe, with my partner at home.
For blifs, fome refort thro' the night

To pavillion or well-lighted dome ;
But from these it has long taken flight,
To enliven the fcenes at my home.
Then others, who with for a change,
May abroad for variety roam;
For me, I would conftantly range,

O'er the fweets which invite me at
home.

Yet, fhould abfence e'er call me away,
I will think on the tranfports to come;
When, after the cares of the day,
I return to my cottage and home!

Let