5. King Henry VI. Part II. and third

of the common Editions, excluding 1592 entirely that which has been usually

REPLY OF A PERFORMER TO AN INSULT.

In the last year of the reign of Queen Anne, the Dublin Theatrical Company went down in the Summer season to play at Cork. One evening, Mr. Evans, one of the performers, was invited by some officers of a regiment, then on duty in that city, to a tavern; many healths were proposed, which went round without reluctance. When it came to Mr. Evans's turn, he proposed the health of her Majesty Queen Anne; which so disgusted one of the company, though clothed in the livery of his royal mistress, that he ran down stairs, and sent up a drawer to whisper Mr. Evans, who immediately girt on his sword, and went after him, without taking the least notice of the company. He found his antagonist in a room in the passage of the tavern, with the

door half open, who courageously made a thrust at Mr. Evans, which he put by with his left hand; at this, Mr. Evans drew, thrust the door wide open, entered, and soon drove his opposer out of the passage, where he disarmed the doughty hero, before the company above stairs knew any thing of the matter.

The rest of the gentlemen expressed an utter abhorrence of the treatment Mr. Evans had received, and seemingly reconciled them on the spot; but notwithstanding, when the company returned to Dublin, the person who sent the challenge up stairs in the tavern at Cork, being also then returned, told his own story, in such a manner as to excite several warm gentlemen in the army to believe that Mr. Evans had insulted the whole body military; and when the poor supposed culprit came to his business at the Theatre, their clamour, in the audience, was so great, that the house was dismissed, and no play was to be acted, till Mr. Evans had asked public pardon on the stage. His high spirit was, with great difficulty, brought to submit; but, at last, he consented. The play was the "Rival Queens, or the Death of Alexander the Great;" the part of Alexander to be acted by the delinquent. He

came to ask pardon before the curtain. When he addressed the audience, one Smart cried out, from the pit, "Kneel, you rascal!" Evans, then collected within himself, replied, in the same tone of voice," No, you rascal! I will kneel to none, but God and my Queen!"

JOSEPH PETERSON, THE ACTOR,

WAS long attached to the Norwich Company, and possessed great versatility of talent; for, according to Mr. Moody's account, who knew him well, he looked the perfect gentleman on the stage, fenced and danced elegantly, excelled in the parts of Sciolto, ("Fair Penitent,") and Sir Charles Raymond, (" Foundling,") and was also a very good Harlequin.

He made his debut, as Lord Foppington, at Goodman's Fields Theatre, then under the management of Mr. Giffard; and played the part of Buckingham, when Garrick made his entrée as Richard III.

His death was somewhat remarkable: in October, 1758, he was performing the Duke, in "Measure for Measure," which he played in a masterly style. Mr. Moody was the Claudio; and in the third act, where (as the Friar) he was

preparing Claudio for execution the next morning, at these words,

Reason thus with life:

If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing

That none but fools would keep; a breath thou art”— he dropped into Mr. Moody's arms, and never spoke more!

He was, in private life, a gentlemanly, affable, and good-natured man, and much beloved. The following anecdote exhibits him as a humourist. A brother comedian, who was in his books the capital sum of two shillings, was met by Peterson, in the market-place at Colchester, who made his demand, as he had done before. The debtor, turning peevishly from him, said, "Hang it, I'll pay you to-day, in some shape or other." Peterson good humouredly rejoined, "I shall be much obliged to you to let it be as much like two shillings, as you can."

He was interred at St. Edmond's Bury, and on his grave-stone are the words of his final exit.

STAGE CRITICS, IN SHAKSPEARE'S TIME.

THE preparations of the critic, in the days of Queen Elizabeth, were of the most formidable