following Epigram was produced extempore by Mr. Parsons, on seeing this tragedy acted:

Ingenious Cowley! while we view'd Of Sparta's sons the lot severe, We caught the Spartan fortitude, And saw their woes without a tear." "For this anecdote," Mr. Jones adds, "we are indebted to Mr. Kemble."

"THE GRATEFUL FAIR; or, A Trip to Cambridge. Com. by Christopher Smart. Acted at Pembroke College, Cambridge. This is the last instance of a custom

Bloody War of the King of Diamonds with the King of Spades;' and the actors in it came on with their respective emblems on their shoulders, taken from the suits of the cards they represented. The baronet was the king of one of the parties; and, in signing a declaration of war, signed his consent to the marriage of his niece or daughter, and a surrender of all her fortune.' -This piece was acted in the year 1747, in Pembroke College Hall; the parlour of which made the green-room. The Prologue, with the Soliloquy and Dramatis Personæ, are printed in the Life of Mr. Smart, prefixed to his works."

"THE IRON CHEST, 1796, was not at first successful; and the author, no doubt erroneously, conceived an idea that the disappointment of his hopes was attributable to Mr. Kemble's (to whom the principal character was assigned) not acting towards him with sufficient candour and cordiality; though, in truth, the audience had become greatly discontented with the then immoderate length of the character of Adam Winterton (performed by Mr. Dodd), before Mr. Kemble appeared in the piece. Under this impression, however, Mr. C. hastily penned a most sar castic and illiberal preface: this, however, on cooler consideration, he suppressed after the first edition: a circum, stance which has so enhanced the supposed value of that edition, that 30s. and even 40s. have been demanded and paid for a copy of it: such is the curiosity excited by wicked wit!-As to the play itself, which is founded on a novel called

which formerly prevailed in the universities, of acting plays at different colleges. This play is lost, except a soliloquy of the Princess Perriwinkle, preserved in The Old Woman's Magazine, and a few songs. The following account of the plot and dramatis personæ was given from memory by Dr. Gordon, then one of the surviving actors in it: 'The business of the drama was laid in bringing up an old country baronet, to admit his nephew a fellow-commoner at one of the colleges; in which expedition a daughter or niece attended. In their approach to the seat of the Muses, the waters, from a heavy rain, happened to be out at Fen Stanton, which gave a young student of Emmanuel an opportunity of showing his gallantry, as he was riding out, by jumping from his horse, and plunging into the flood to rescue the distressed damsel, who was near perishing in the stream into which she had fallen from her poney, as the party travelled on horseback. The swain, being lucky enough to effect his purpose, of course gained an interest in the lady's heart, and an acquaintance with the rest of the family, which he did not fail to cultivate on their arrival at Cambridge, with success, as far as the fair one was concerned. To bring about the consent of the father, it was contrived to have a play acted, of which entertainment he was highly fond; and the Norwich company luckily came to Cambridge just at the time; only one of the actors had been detained on the road; and they could not perform the play that night unless the baronet would consent to take a part: which, rather than be disappointed of his favourite amusement, he was prevailed upon to do; especially as he was assured that it would amount to nothing more than sitting at a great table, and signing an instrument as a justice of peace might sign a warrant; and having been some years of the quorum, he felt himself

Caleb Williams,' it afterwards rose into better reputation, and is still occasionally acted. The musick, by Storace, has great merit."

"JASON, a Tragedy, by R. Glover. This posthumous piece, of which the publick are unaware, was printed for Mr. Debrett, 8vo. 1799; but suppressed as soon as finished. This is to be regretted; as it possessed considerable poetical merit. That it never was acted, was thus accounted for in a prefatory address:-The following tragedy, which is now offered to the publick, from the pen of Richard Glover, esq. author of Leonidas, is a sequel to the Medea, which has been performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, with the greatest applause. This piece was presented by him, many years previous to his death, to the celebrated Mrs. Yates, who passed the highest encomiums upon it; but,

and it has, since that period, been of fered to the managers of both theatres, who still have the same objection. It is therefore only necessary to add, that the publiek, well knowing the author's talents, have it in their power to judge of its merits or defects.

G. Y. B.'

'July 26, 1799. "It would not have done any discredit to the memory of Mr. Glover; and as to the expence of getting it up, Blue-Beard, Mother Goose, and The Forty Thieves, have proved the unbounded liberality of the managers of our theatres upon proper occasions. If justice were done to this piece in action and scenery, we think that it would be attractive,"

"KNOW YOUR OWN MIND. Comedy, by Arthur Murphy. Acted at Covent Garden, 1777, with considerable success. Printed in 8vo, 1778. This comedy is founded on the Irrésolu of Destouches; but is by no means a translation, or servile copy of it. An original vein of English hamour animates the dialogue; and characters not in the French piece, particularly those of Miss Neville and Dashwood, are happily introduced and faithfully delineated. The latter is universally allowed to be intended for the late Mr. Foote. The sentimental slander of Malvil is judiciously opposed to the unguarded pleasantry of Dashwood, and the whole deserves to be spoken of in the highest terms of approbation. Where Dashwood says, 'I saw him, five times in one winter, upon the fire, at Bath, for cheating at cards, the author evidently had an eye to Baron Newman, at that time a notorious gambler, whoin an un. Hucky incident, that happened at picquet, raised into great notoriety. A gentleman, with whom he was playing, suspecting that the Baron had concealed a card under his hand, which was extended on the table, seized a fork that happened to be near, and thrusting it at once through the Baron's hand, which The fastened to the table, he exclaimed, - Monsieur Baron, if you have not a card ander your hand, I beg your pardon.' On releasing the hand, a card was found. After this incident, the Baron generally wore a muff."

"THE MINSTREL; or, The Heir of Arundel. Trag. by Mrs. West. Small Evo. 1805. Well written, but never acted."

"MONFORT, a Tragedy, by Joanna Baillie, 1798, is one of a series of plays llustrative of the passions of the mind: its subjeet is Hatred; it is forcibly written, and the characters are well discriminated. It is, in short, an excellent Tragedy. Its author, however, appears to have had in her mind, when she wrote

it, Les Frères Ennemis, or, La Thebaide, of Racine.-Some persons were inclined to think that the author had gone be yond nature, in colouring hatred so strongly, when arising from a small oecasion, long since past. An anecdote, however, undoubtedly authentic, and related in The Monthly Mirror, vol. ix. will serve to obviate this objection. A late venerable and learned Peer, when a young man upon the circuit, was retained as counsel for the prisoner in the following case:-An elderly gentleman was cast away upon the Western part of our coast. The people gathered about him, and pointed out a respectable house in the neighbourhood, where he was most likely to be well received. He rejoiced to find, that it was inhabited by an old school-fellow, whom he had never seen since they were boys together. His joy, however, was damped by finding him a martyr to the gout-yet, long as he had suffered under the pangs inflicted by that tyrant, he seemed revived by the sight of an early friend, and his spirits appeared to be renewed by the unlookedfor accident. After our traveller had refreshed himself, he was shown by the servant-maid to the chamber she had prepared for him, and left to his repose. This girl was the only domestick of our old gentleman. In the night the traveller was murdered. The trial was to ascertain by whom. The master of the house represented himself as unable to stir hand or foot-for a long time he had never moved out of his apartment. The girl, when interrogated, gave her answers and protestations in a manner so candid and convincing, that every opinion absolved her. In this situation, the counsel for the prosecution said he had one more question to ask the servant-maid, which he handed to the prisoner's counsel. If you put this question,' said the latter, I fling up my brief'.---Every consideration naturally enforced the question-it was, 'Did you, in the night, hear a door open?" The answer was, 'I did.'- What door?"- My master's.The old gentleman, upon this, begged that he might be permitted to confess his crime, and make the only atonement in his power. What he said was to this effect: We were of the same standing, in the same school, and the sous of gentlemen. Two boys on the foundation, with no other dependance, had robbed an orchard. The deceased proposed that we, as able to bear the obloquy, should father the offence. We did so; and were expelled. The sirame of expulsion produced hate towards him who had recommended the act that produced it. We were sundered in the business of life,

I knew not, till he sought my house, that he existed. At the sight of him, I felt a hush of triumph springing into my cheeks to him, no doubt, it seemed joy to behold him-it was the joy to behold him my victim. Hatred invigorated my limbs: decrepitude yielded to the demand for vengeance:- in the middle of a sleepless night, I crawled on my hands and knees to his chamber-door; with a palpitating heart listened to his breathing, to be assured he was asleep; and, with a razor, he had borrowed of me, I cut his throat from ear to ear - I then crept back to my chamber with horrible satisfaction."

"THE SPANISH FRYAR. This play of Dryden's has generally been successful whenever revived; yet, in the latter part of the author's life, he appears to have been dissatisfied both with it and with tragi-comedy in general. Our English tragi-comedy (he observes) must be confessed to be wholly Gothic, notwithstanding the success which it has found upon our theatres, and in the Pastor Fido of Guarini, even though Corisca and the Satyr contribute somewhat to the main action. Neither can I defend my Spanish Fryar, as fond as I am otherwise of it, from this imputation: for though the comical parts are diverting, and the serious moving, yet they are of an unnatural mingle; for mirth and gravity destroy each other, and are no more to be allowed for decent, than a gay widow laughing in a mourning habit.'"

"THE MESSIAH. When this piece was first performed, the audience were exceedingly struck and affected by the musick in general: but when that chorus struck up, 'For the Lord God Omnipotent reig neth, they were so transported, that they all, with the King (who happened to be present), started up and remained standing till the chorus ended; and hence it became the fashion in England for the audience to stand while that part of the musick iş performing. Some days after the first exhibition of this divine oratorio, Mr. Handel went to pay his respects to Lord Kinnoul, with whom he was particularly acquainted. His Lordship, as was natural, paid him some compliments on the noble entertainment which he had lately given to the town. 'My Lord,' said Handel, 'I should be sorry if I only entertained them; I wish to make them better. These two anecdotes were from Lord Kinnoul himself. The first does great honour to Handel, to musick, and to the English nation: the second tends to confirm Sir John Hawkins's testimony, that Handel, in spite of all that has been said to the contrary, must have been a pious man."

Many of the pieces these volumes are charaillustrated, which in th edition were barely name article PAGEANTS is a ri to our Civic literature, new in the present edition The Appendices are al adjuncts to the work.

36. The Works of Richard Lord Bishop of Worceste Volumes, 8vo. Cadell an

TO the Admirers of English Classicks, this C the Writings of an emine Prelate, prepared by him press, cannot fail of being ceptable.

The Contents are briefl

I. CRITICAL WOR

Quinti Horatii Flacci Pisones, et Augustum: with Commentary and Notes.

11. CRITICAL DISSERT On the Idea of Universal Po

On the Provinces of Drama
On Poetical Imitation.
On the Marks of Imitation.

III. MORAL AND POLITICAL

On Sincerity in the Comm

World.

On Retirement.

On the Age of Queen Elizal On the Constitution of the

vernment.

On the Uses of Foreign Tra Letters on Chivalry and Rot

IV. THEOLOGICAL W. Sermons introductory to th the Prophecies. With an containing an Anonymou the Author of these Serme Answer to it.

Sermons preached at Lincol Sermons on Public Occasion Charges to the Clergy.

V. CONTROVERSIAL TE Remarks on the Rev. W. W quiry into the Rejection o tian Miracles by the Heat The Opinion of an eminent L cerning the Right of Appe Vice-chancellor of Cambr Senate, 1751.

On the Delicacy of Friendshi A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Thor Fellow of Trinity College, his Dissertation on the P Human Eloquence, &c. 17 One prominent and pleas in these Volumes is that wi foremost in them,

"RICHARD HURD was born at Congreve, in the parish of Penkrich, in the county of Stafford, January 13, 1719-20. was the second of three children, all sons, of John and Hannah Hurd; plain, honest, and good people; of whom he can truly say with the Poet

Si natura juberet, &c.

They rented a considerable farm at Congreve, where he was born; but soon after removed to a larger at Penford, about half way between Brewood and Wolverhampton in the same county. - There being a good grammar-school at Brewood, he was educated there under the Rev. Mr. Hillman, and, upon his death, under his successor, the Rev. Mr. Budworth-both well qualified for their of fice, and both very kind to him. - Mr. Budworth had been master of the school it Rudgely; where he continued two rears after his election to Brewood, while the school-house, which had been much neglected, was repairing. He was herefore sent to Rudgely immediately n Mr. Budworth's appointment to Breood, returned with him to this place, nd continued under his care, till he ent to the University. - He must add ne word more of his second master. He new him well, when he afterwards was an age to judge of his merits. He d been a scholar of the famous Mr. ackwell of Derby, and afterwards bred Christ's College in Cambridge, where resided till he had taken his M. A.'s gree. He understood Greek and Latin ll, and had a true taste of the best ters in those languages. He was, ides, a polite, well-bred man, and gularly attentive to the manners, in ry sense of the word, of his scholars. had a warm sense of virtue and reon, and enforced both with a natural taking eloquence. How happy, to e had such a man, first, for his polmaster, and then for his friend. ler so good direction, he was thought or the University, and was accordy admitted in Emanuel College, in bridge, October 3, 1733, but did go to reside there till a year or two wards.-In this college, he was by in receiving the countenance, and eing permitted to attend the Lec5, of that excellent tutor, Mr. Henry bard, although he had been admitander another person. He took his 's degree in 1738-9. He took his