Ratcliffe, Mr. Crofts; Blunt, Mr. Naylor; Tyrrel, Mr. Pottenham; Lord Mayor, Mr. Dunstall.* The Queen, Mrs. Steel; Dutchess of York,† Mrs. Yates.

And the Part of Lady Anne, by Mrs. Giffard.

With

Entertainments of Dancing,

By Mons. Fromet, Madame Duvalt, and the two Masters and Miss Granier.

To which will be added, a Ballad Opera, of One Act, called THE VIRGIN UNMASKED.

The Part of Lucy, by Miss Hippisley.

Both of which will be performed gratis, by Persons, for their Diversion.

The Concert will begin exactly at Six o'clock."

DR. JOHNSON'S OPINION OF MRS. SIDDONS. WHEN Mrs. Siddons visited Dr. Johnson, he paid her two or three very elegant compliments. When she retired, he said to Dr. Glover," Sir, she is a prodigiously fine woman.”—“Yes,” replied Dr. Glover; "but don't you think she is

*The original Hodge, in "Love in a Village ;" who lies buried in Covent Garden Church-yard, and to whose memory, BEARD, the Patentee of Covent Garden, erected a monument, with the following inscription :

"Here lies John Dunstall,

An upright downright honest Man."

Not the late Mrs. YATES, of Covent Garden Theatre, wife of the well-known comic Actor.

much finer on the stage, when she is adorned by art?"-" Sir," said Dr. Johnson,

66 on the stage

art does not adorn her; nature adorns her there,

and art glorifies her."

DELPINI'S REMONSTRANCE.

DELPINI had repeatedly applied to the Prince of Wales, to speak to the Lord Chamberlain, to grant him a license for a play, at the Little Theatre in the Haymarket, always pleading poverty; at last, when he once met his Royal Highness coming out of Carlton House, he exclaimed, "Ah! votre altesse! mon Prince! if you no speak to my Lor Chamberlain, for pauvre Delpini, I must go to your papa's bench."

THE OUTSIDE PASSENGER.

WHEN General Burgoyne was once at a play, which was most miserably acted at a barn, in Lancashire, he called to one of the performers, and asked the name of the piece: "The Stage Coach,' sir," replied the Actor. "Well then," replied the General," you will oblige me by giving me early notice the next time it is performed, that I may be an outside passenger."

REDDISH'S AFFIDAVIT.

On the 9th of March, 1773, Reddish was ad

vertised to play Alonzo, in Home's tragedy of that name; but, forgetting the circumstance until late in the evening, he went, in great agitation, to Bow Street, and made the following affidavit before Sir Sampson Wright:

"Samuel Reddish, of Drury Lane Theatre, maketh oath, and declares, that the only reason of his not being at the theatre this night, to perform his part in the tragedy of "Alonzo," was entirely owing to his thinking it was an Oratorio night; and, that the unhappy mistake may not be misconstrued into a wilful neglect of his duty, he most humbly begs pardon of the public, for the disappointment.

"Sworn before me,

"SAMUEL REDDISH."

the 9th day of March, 1773,

"SAMPSON WRIGHT."

MONTFLEURY.

THIS actor considered his profession so honourable, that, when his marriage articles were preparing, and he was desired, being a man of family, to describe in what manner he wished to be distinguished, he answered, "That it was not in the power of ancestors to confer talents, and

that the most honourable title that he desired to be known by, was that of Actor to the King."

FRENCH AUDIENCES.

THE theatrical audiences of our own country have been long accused of boisterous and noisy deportment; it may not, however, be equally known, that our neighbours, the French, so long famed for their politeness and good breeding, have been equally so. So early as the year 1596, this order was issued, by the civil magistrate, on the 5th of February, in that year:-" Every person is prohibited from doing any violence in the playhouse of Burgundy, during the time that any piece is performing, as, likewise, from throwing stones, dust, or any thing which may occasion an uproar, or create any tumult."

CUSTOMS OF THE

ANCIENT

ATRES.

ENGLISH THE

SOME of the customs which prevailed in the Theatres, in the days of our forefathers, are worthy of being noticed. The audiences, it seems, were less patient than those of the present day; for numerous methods were devised, to wile

away the tedious hour, previous to the commencement of the performance. Books and cards, as well as nuts and apples, bottled ale and tobacco, were placed in requisition by the varying tastes of the motley assemblage; and even the women took a share in these unfeminine enjoyments. "In the playhouses at London," says Prynne," they offer them (the women) the tobacco-pipe, which was then (to the ancient Romans) unknown.”

Play-bills were very early in use; on the stationers' books is the following entry :-" Oct. 1587, John Charlewoode, lycensed to him by the whole consent of the assistants, the onlye ymprinting of all manner of bills for players, provided that if any trouble arise herebye, then Charlewoode to bear the charge." These playbills were then affixed to the numerous posts which formerly encumbered the streets of the metropolis; and hence the phrase, “posting bills," which is still retained. The following

merry jeast," on this subject, is related by Taylor, the Water Poet: "Master Field, the player, riding up Fleet Street, at a great pace, a gentleman called him, and asked him, what play was played that day? He, being angry to be stayed