one night appeared to him, and told him that, on the first Friday in some month, he would come for him. He, therefore, the first Friday evening in every month, entertained company who sat up with him, thinking, thereby, (as some people say,) to cheat the devil. But it is very remarkable, that he did die on a Friday, and the first in the month, which, in some measure, verified his dream.

This strange man was so frightened at the idea of his being anatomized, that he left in his will a clause, that his eldest daughter, Mary Grimaldi, (afterwards Mrs. Williamson,) was, after his death, to sever his head from his body; and unless she did so, she was not to be entitled to a gold watch, worth seventy guineas, which he had bequeathed to her, as well as the residue of his property; and to fulfil his intentions in that respect, not willing to lose his bequests, she sent for a surgeon, who took it off, she touching the instrument at the time. He died at his apartments, up a court, within a door or two of The Pheasant,' Stangate Street, Lambeth.

BOWEN AND QUIN.

BOWEN, who was a comedian of some merit

and played Setter, in "The Old Bachelor," Jeremy, in "Love for Love," and Witwould, in "The Way of the World," with considerable talent, was remarkable for the loudness of his voice, and for his choleric disposition. He happened to fall into company with Quin, at a public-house much frequented by the players of that day, near Clare-market, and, whether from having drank too freely, or from the natural warmth of his temper, he launched forth into the most violent abuse. He reproached Quin with leaving Drury-Lane, and acting the part of Tamerlane, at Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, for one night only. Quin retorted, by declaring that Mr. Jonson, who had acted Iacmo, in "The Libertine Destroyed," for a single night, had greatly surpassed him, who had often played the part.

After some further altercation, Bowen retired to a neighbouring tavern, and sent for Quin. On his entering, Bowen shut the door, and drew his sword, desiring him to do the same. Against this sudden and desperate violence, Quin remonstrated, but in vain; he was compelled to draw, and, in defending his own life, mortally wounded his antagonist, who, when his rage was cooled, by the loss of blood, owned himself the ag

gressor. For this accident, which happened in 1718, Quin was afterwards tried at the Old Bailey, and honourably acquitted.

BOX-KEEPERS.

In a letter to Lord Berkley, the witty Duke of Buckingham desires him to tell a certain Lady, that he had resolved to swear by no other than Joe Ash;" and if that," says his Grace, "be a sin, it is as odd a one as ever she heard of." This Joe Ash was, it seems, a box-keeper of Drury-Lane Theatre; but it is difficult to understand by what means he could have merited this distinction from the Royal Favourite, unless, perhaps, by lending the Duke money to supply his necessities, which were often, in consequence of the dissipated life which he led, extremely urgent.

Box-keepers, it seems, in former days, whatever may be the case at present, were sometimes richer than their masters. Of this, the following presents a remarkable instance. Colley Cibber had, either in a prologue, or in some of his plays, given such offence to a certain great man in power, that the play-house was shut up for some time, by order of the Lord Chamberlain; and Cibber was arrested for the damages, which were

laid at the enormous sum of ten thousand pounds.

Of this misfortune, Booth and Wilks, who were joined with Cibber in the patent, were talking very seriously, in the presence of a Mr. King, the box-keeper, who asked if he could be of any service, by offering bail for Cibber.

Why, you blockhead," said Wilks," it is for ten thousand pounds."-" I should be very sorry," replied the box-keeper, "if I could not be answerable for twice that sum."-The managers stared at each other at this unexpected reply; and, after a silence of a few moments, Booth turned to Wilks, and said, with considerable emotion, "What have you and I been doing, Bob, all this time?"

MURPHY'S " THREE WEEKS AFTER MAR

RIAGE."

Or the capriciousness of the public taste, this piece affords a striking proof. It was first produced in 1784, under the title of "What we must all come to," but met with so much opposition, that the audience would not hear it to the conclusion. Twelve years after, Lewis contrived to have it performed again at his benefit, with the new title, when it met with universal

applause, and has continued ever since to be a favourite on the stage.

VONDEL, THE DUTCH DRAMATIST.

VONDEL was born in 1587. His parents belonged to the Baptist sect, but he died a good Catholic, at the age of ninety-one. In his youth he sold stockings, but transferred, in a short time, that occupation to his wife, that he might entirely devote himself to the drama.

Vondel possessed genius, but he did not ascend Parnassus by the steps of regular education, for it was not until his thirtieth year that he learned Latin; afterwards he acquired the French language, and made himself master of the logic of those days; which had been better left alone, as it tended to obscure, rather than to enlighten the understanding.

The materials for most of his tragedies are borrowed from the sacred writings. Among his works are to be found, "The Passover, or the Deliverance of the People of Israel;" in which The Deity himself performs the principal part. In another tragedy, entitled "The Brothers," David delivers up the Children of Israel to the Gibeonites, who carry them into captivity. A