in that part where it is contrived to awaken the consciences of guilty princes, Peer spoke it with such an air, as represented that he was imitating an actor; so that the others on the stage really appeared to be great personages, and not representatives, in comparison with him: "this was a nicety (says his biographer) that none but the most subtle actor could have concealed."

The character of The Apothecary found a most admirable representative in Peer. To have some idea of the manner in which he played it, it will be necessary to read more from the play than he spoke. Marius, weary of life, proposes to himself a means to get rid of it :

"I do remember an apothecary

That dwelt about the rendezvous of death;
Meagre, and very rueful were his looks;

Sharp misery had worn him to the bones."

When the spectre of poverty appears, Marius thus addresses him ;

"I see, thou art very poor:

Thou mayest do any thing: here's fifty drachms:

Give me a draught of what will soonest free

A wretch from all his cares."

When the apothecary objects that it is unlawful, Marius urges :

"Art thou so base, and full of wretchedness,
Yet fear'st to die? Famine is in thy cheeks;
Need and oppression stare in thy eyes,
Contempt and beggary hang on thy back;
The world is not thy friend, nor the world's law;
The world affords no law to make thee rich;
Then, be not poor,-but break it, and take this.”

Without these quotations, the reader could not have a just conception of his visage and manner, when, in the most lamentable tone imaginable, he consents; and delivering the poison, like a man reduced to the drinking it himself, if he did not hand it, says to Marius,

My poverty, but not my will, consents:

Take this, and drink it off; the work is done."

It was singular that Peer's whole success in life should depend upon the speaking five lines better than any body else; but although his fame lay in so narrow a compass, the managers of the Theatre saw that he evinced in it a knowledge of propriety, which induced them to enlarge his sphere of action by the post of property-man. The duty of this officer is always to have ready, in a place

appointed for him behind the prompter, all such tools and implements as are necessary to the performance of the play; and it is his business never to want billet-doux, poison, false money, thunder-bolts, daggers, scrolls of parchment, wine, pomatum, truncheons, and wooden legs, ready at the call of the prompter. The additional profit arising from this situation rendered Peer's subsistence comfortable: but it frequently happens, that men lose those talents by prosperity, which rendered them shining characters in adversity.

Good fortune did not indeed sully the powers of his mind, but its consequences had not a very beneficial effect upon the body of Peer, for in his seventieth year he grew corpulent, which rendered his figure unfit for the utterance of the five lines before-mentioned. He had now, unfortunately, lost that wan distress, so indispensable to the countenance of the Apothecary, and was too jolly to speak the prologue with proper humility. He appears to have taken this calamity to heart, for it is said, that it contributed, in a great measure, to shorten his existence; and as it is designed that there shall be no real state of happiness in this life, Peer was undone by success,

and rendered unhappy, by arriving at what is the end of most men's pursuits, his ease.

THE BEGGAR'S OPERA.

THIS favourite piece, about thirty years ago, was translated into French, and successfully performed at Paris. It was also translated, about fifty years back, by Mr. Adam Hallam, an uncle of Mrs. Mattocks, the actress. Hallam was a man of education and talents, and a performer of some reputation, belonging to Covent Garden Theatre. When he had finished his translation, he took it to Paris, in hopes of bringing it forward on the French stage. The French managers agreed to have it represented, provided the translator would alter the catastrophe, and, according to his deserts, let the hero be hanged. Hallam, however, would not suffer the work of an admired English poet to undergo any change but that of the mere translation, and accordingly brought it back, with the indignation of patriotic pride.

<6 THE WEDDING RING."

ON January 7, 1773, a musical piece, in 2 acts, thus entitled, was produced at Drury Lane Theaatre. Previous to its representation, a report was spread, that Bickerstaff was the author. Mr.