N° 13.

Thursday, March 15.

MART

Dic mihi, fi fias tu leo, qualis eris ?

Were you a lion, how would you behave?

THERE

HERE is nothing that of late years has afforded matter of greater amufement to the town than Signior Nicolini's combat with a Lion in the Hay-Market, which has been very often exhibited, to the general fatisfaction of most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom of Great-Britain. Upon the first rumour of this intended combat, it was confidently affirmed, and is ftill believed by many in both galleries, that there would be a tame Lion fent from the Tower every opera night, in order to be killed by Hydafpes. This report, though: altogether groundless, so universally prevailed in the upper regions of the play-houfe, that fome of the most. refined politicians in thofe parts of the audience gave it out in whisper, that the Lion was a coufin-german of the Tiger who made his appearance in King William'sdays, and that the stage would be fupplied with _lions at the public expence, during the whole feffion. Many likewife were the conjectures of the treatinent which this Lion was to meet with from the hands of Signior Nicolini fome fuppofed that he was to fubdue him in recitativo, as Orpheus ufed to ferve the wild beafts in his time, and afterwards to knock him on the head; fome fancied that the Lion would not pretend to lay his paws upon the hero, by reafon of the received opinion, that a Lion will not hurt a Virgin: feveral, who pretended to have seen the opera in Italy, had informed their friends, that the Lion was to act a part in HighDutch, and roar twice or thrice to a Thorough-Bafe,.. before he fell at the feet of Hydafpes. To clear up a matter that was so variously reported, I have made it my bufinefs to examine whether this pretended Lion is really the favage he appears to be, or only a counterfeit.

C. 5.

But

But before I communicate my discoveries, I muft ac

int the reader, that upon my walking behind the fcenes laft winter, as I was thinking on fomething else, I accidentally juftled against a monstrous animal that extremely startled me, and, upon my nearer furvey of it, appeared to be a Lion rampant. The Lion, feeing me very much furprifed, told me, in a gentle voice, that I might come by him if I pleafed; "For," fays he, " I "do not intend to hurt any body." I thanked him very kindly, and paffed by him; and in a little time after faw him leap upon the stage, and act his part with very great applaufe. It has been obferved by feveral, that the Lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice fince his first appearance; which will not feem ftrange, when I acquaint my reader that the Lion has been changed upon the audience three feveral times. The first Lion was a Candle-fnuffer, who, being a fellow of a tefty choleric temper, over-did his part, and would not fuffer himself to be killed fo eafily as he ought to have done; befides, it was obferved of him, that he grew more furly every time he came out of the Lion; and having dropt fome words in ordinary converfation, as if he had not fought his beft, and that he fuffered himself to be thrown upon his back in the fcuffle, and that he would wrestle with Mr. Nicolini for what he pleafed, out of his Lion's fkin, it was thought proper to difcard him; and it is verily believed, to this day, that had he been brought upon the stage another time, he would certainly have done mischief. Befides it was objected against the first Lion, that he reared himself so high upon his hinder paws, and walked in fo erect a posture, that he looked more like an old Man than a Lion.

The fecond Lion was a Tailor by trade, who be longed to the play-house, and had the character of a mild and peaceable man in his profeffion. If the former was too furious, this was too fheepish, for his part; infomuch, that after a fhort modeft walk upon the ftage, he would fall at the first touch of Hydafpes, without grappling with him, and giving him an opportunity of fhewing his variety of Italian trips: it is faid indeed, that he once gave him a rip in his fleshcoloured doublet; but this was only to make work for himfelf

himfelf, in his private character of a Tailor. I must not omit that it was this fecond Lion who treated me with fo much humanity behind the scenes.

The acting Lion at prefent is, as I am informed, a Country-Gentleman, who does it for his diverfion, but defires his name may be concealed. He fays very handfomely, in his own excufe, that he does not act for gain, that he indulges an innocent pleasure in it; and that it is better to pafs away an evening in this manner, than in gaming and drinking; but at the fame time fays, with a very agreeable raillery upon himself, that if his name should be known, the ill-natured world might call him, The Afs in the Lion's fkin. This Gentleman's temper is made of fuch a happy mixture of the mild and the choleric, that he outdoes both his predeceffors, and has drawn together greater audiences than have been known in the memory of man.

I must not conclude my narrative, without taking notice of a groundless report that has been raifed, to a Gentleman's disadvantage, of whom I muft declare myfelf an admirer: namely, that Signior Nicolini and the Lion have been feen fitting peaceably by one another, and fmoking a pipe together behind the fcenes; by which their common enemies would infinuate, that it is but a fham combat which they reprefent upon the ftage; but upon inquiry I find, that if any fuch correfpondence has paffed between them, it was not till the combat was over, when the Lion was to be looked upon as dead, according to the received rules of the Drama. Befides, this is what is practifed every day in. Westminster-Hall, where nothing is more ufual than to fee a couple of Lawyers, who have been tearing each other to pieces in the court, embracing one another as foon as they are out of it.

I would not be thought, in any part of this relation, to reflect upon Signior Nicolini, who in acting this part only complies with the wretched tafte of his audience; he knows very well, that the Lion has many more admirers than himfelf; as they fay of the famous Equestrian ftatue on the Pont-Neuf at Paris, that more people go to fee the horse, than the King who fits upon it. On the contrary, it gives me a juft indignation to fee a perfon

C 6

whofe

whofe action gives new majesty to kings, refolution to heroes, and foftnefs to lovers, thus finking from the greatnefs of his behaviour, and degraded into the character of the London Prentice. I have often wished, that our tragedians would copy after this great master in action. Could they make the fame use of their arms and legs, and inform their faces with as fignificant looks and paffions, how glorious would an English tragedy appear with that action, which is capable of giving a dignity to the forced thoughts, cold conceits, and unnatural expreffions of an Italian opera. In the mean time, I have related this combat of the Lion, to fhew what are at prefent the reigning entertainments of the politer part of Great Britain.

Audiences have often been reproached by writers for the coarseness of their tafte; but our prefent grievance does not feem to be the want of a good taste, but of commonsense.

C

No 14

Friday, March 16.

I

-Teque bis, infelix, exue monftris.

OVID. Met. 1. 4. ver. 590

Wretch that thou art! put off this monstrous fhape.

ago,

WAS reflecting this morning upon the fpirit and humour of the public diverfions five-and-twenty years and thofe of the present time; and lamented to myfelf, that, though in thofe days they neglected their morality, they kept up their good fenfe; but that the Beau Monde, at prefent, is only grown more childish, not more innocent, than the former. While I was in this train of thought, an odd fellow, whofe face I have often feen at the play-houfe, gave me the following letter with thefe words, "Sir, the Lion prefents his humble service "to you, and defired me to give this into your own. "hands."

• From

C From my Den in the Hay-Market, March 15.

SIR,

I HAVE read all your papers, and have ftifled my

refentment against your reflections upon operas, 'till that of this day, wherein you plainly infinuate, that Signior Grimaldi and myself have a correfpondence more friendly than is consistent with the valour of his character, or the fierceness of mine. I defire you would for your own fake forbear fuch intimations for the fuand must say it is a great piece of ill-nature in you, to fhew fo great an efteem for a foreigner, and to difcourage a Lion that is your own countryman.

ture;

I take notice of your fable of the Lion and Man, but am fo equally concerned in that matter, that I fhall not be offended to whichfoever of the animals the fuperiority is given. You have mifreprefented me, in faying that I am a country-gentleman, who act only for my die verfion; whereas, had I ftill the fame woods to range in which I once had when I was a fox-hunter, I should not refign my manhood for a maintenance; and affure you, as low as my circumftances are at prefent, I am fo much a man of honour, that I would scorn to be any beaft for bread but a Lion.

'Yours, &c."

I had no fooner ended this, than one of my landlady's children brought me in feveral others, with fome of which I shall make up my prefent paper, they all having a tendency to the fame subject, viz. the elegance of our prefent diverfions.

• SIR,

I

Covent-Garden, March 13

HAVE been for twenty years Under-Sexton of this parish of St. Paul's Covent-Garden, and have not miffed tolling in to prayers fix times in all those years; which office I have performed to my great fa tisfaction, till this fortnight laft paft, during which time I find my congregation take the warning of my bell,

⚫ morning