IMPROMPTU, Spoken between the third and fourth acts of Cowley's Tragedy, "The Fall of Spurta." So great thy art—that, while we view'd, BARON. BARON, who was the French Garrick, had a most elevated notion of his profession; he used to say, that tragic actors should be nursed on the lap of queens! Nor was his vanity inferior to his enthusiasm in his profession; for, according to him, the world might see once in a century a Cæsar, but it required a thousand years to produce a Baron. The French writers have preserved a variety of little anecdotes, which testify the admirable talents he displayed. They have recorded an observation of his, respecting actors, which is not less applicable to poets and to painters. Rules," said this sublime actor, (thus he is called)" may teach us not to raise the arms above the head, but if Reason carries them it will be well done ;-Passion knows more than Art." FAMILY OF ACTORS. THE Thespian family, whose performances are announced in the following play bill, was well known in Lancashire and Yorkshire, about the latter end of the last century; and affords a striking instance of the growth and direction of the human mind. "At a large room, in the New Street, Ashton, Friday Evening, June 30th, 1797, will be presented a favourite Comedy, called, THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Sir Peter Teazle, Mr. Hillyard; Joseph Surface, Mr. Hillyard, Jun.; Sir Benjamin Backbite, Master Hillyard; Trip, Master T. Hillyard; and Careless, Miss Hillyard.- Lady Teazle, Miss P. Hillyard; Lady Sneerwell, Mrs. Hillyard. End of the play, a song by Mr. Hillyard. To which will be added, a farce, called BARNABY BRITTLE; OR, A WIFE AT HER WIT'S END. Sir Peter Pride, Mr. Hillyard, Jun.; Mr. Lovemore, Master Hillyard; Clodpole, Mr. Hillyard;-Mrs. Brittle, Miss P. Hillyard; Damaris, Miss Hillyard; Lady Pride, Mrs. Hillyard. To begin at eight o'clock: admission, 1s children, 6d." SHAKSPEARE'S COMMENTATORS IMITATED. "STILTON CHEESE."-So, some of the old copies; yet the 4to. 1600, reads "Tilson." But I confess the word Tilson gives me no idea. I find Stilton to be a village in Huntingdonshire, famous for its cheese-a fact which clearly evinces the propriety of the reading in the old copy, and justifies my emendation."-THEOBALD. "Here we have a very critical note! the word Tilson can give Mr. Theobald no idea. And it is true, words cannot give a man what nature has denied him. But, though our critic may be ignorant of it, it is well known that, in the days of chivalry, Tilting was a very common amusement in this country; and I find, that, during the performance of these martial exercises, the spectators were frequently entertained with a sort of cheese, which, from the occasion for which it was made, was called Tilting, and afterward Tilson cheese. Mr. Theobald's emendation, as needless and truly absurd, ought, by all means, to be rejected.' WARBURTON. "The emendation, in my opinion, is not more absurd than the remark the learned annotator has made upon it. There is, indeed, a stupid error in some of the old copies. But discordant opinions are not always nugatory, and, by much agitation, the truth is elicited. I think Mr. Theobald's alteration right."JOHNSON. "Stilton is a village in Huntingdonshire, on the great north road. Tilson, though not so well known, is a village in Leicestershire. In an old collection of songs, black letter, no date, we read "Tilson's homely fare," which all critics will allow, can only mean cheese. In an old MS., of which I remember neither the date nor the title, Tilson is said to abound in rich pasturage; both which circumstances make it highly probable, that our author wrote, not, as Mr. Theobald supposes, Stilton, but Tilson; though I confess the passage is not without difficulty."STEEVENS. FORMIDABLE RIVAL. IN 1667, soon after the building of Drury Lane Theatre, both that and the Duke Street Theatre, in Lincoln's Inn Fields, were so much injured by the attraction of a puppet show, in Salisbury Change, (then standing where Cecil Street in the Strand, now is,) that they were under the necessity of petitioning the King (Charles II.) to remove it. DYING, ON THE FRENCH STAGE. SUCH an aversion have the French to any of the Dramatis Persone dying on the stage, that, in the Opera of " Artaxerxes," when Artabanes falls lifeless in the arms of the attendants, he generally gives a little kick, as the curtain drops, as a prelude, to shew that he has not violated the rules, by dying on the stage. ON ACTORS PAINTING. THE late Mr. Waldron, who was an observing and faithful critic in all that related to the Drama, states in one of his notes-"Painting of the face was once carried to excess on the stage; I have seen actors who were really older than the characters they were to represent, mark their faces to such a degree, as if looking through a mask of wire. Garrick's skill, in the preparation of his face for the aged Lear and Lusignan, was as remarkable as his performance was admirable." DE LA MOTTE'S PLAY OF INES DE CASTRO." THIS play, although very successful, was greatly censured by the critics. One day, as its author was diverting away ennui in a Coffee House in Paris, he heard a knot of loquacious gentlemen abusing his drama; and finding he was unknown to them, he joined heartily in abusing it himselfAt length, one of the party yawned out "What shall we do with ourselves this evening?" on which De La Motte rejoined, with good-natured |