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applause; but the author conceived that some alteration in several passages would greatly increase the effect of the piece. Voltaire accordingly did introduce some alterations, and presented the play, in the improved state, to the several performers. Dufresne, who personated the princi pal character, refused to attend to the alterations, and no entreaties could prevail upon him to give them the smallest notice. It was necessary to have recourse to a stratagem to gain Voltaire's object. He was apprised that Dufresne was very fond of a good dinner, and he determined to address him on this score. Voltaire got a pie prepared, filled with partridges, and sent it to Dufresne's house by a person who was carefully to conceal from him, from whom the present came. The present was graciously received, and immediately made part of an entertainment which Dufresne happened that day to be giving to a party of friends. The pie was opened, and, to Dufresne's no small surprise, each partridge contained in its mouth a copy of the alterations in Zara. He was so well pleased with this conceit, that he restudied the part; and a present of a partridge pie was the means of giving durability to one of Voltaire's best tragedies.

MRS. SIDDONS READING BEFORE ROYALTY.

FOR their imputed haughtiness to the British. Melpomene, much aspersion has been thrown on his late Majesty, George III., and his consort; but the following extract from one of the letters of Mrs. Delany, will show how ill-founded that asprsion was." On Thursday, the 9th of May, (1779), I received a note from Lady Weymouth, to tell me the Queen invited me to her Majesty's house, to come at seven o'clock, with the Duchess Dowager of Portland, to hear Mrs. Siddons read "The Provoked Husband." You may believe I obeyed the summons, and was much entertained. It was very desirable to me, as I had no other opportunity of hearing or seeing Mrs. Siddons, and she fully answered my expectations her person and manner were both agreeable. We were received in the great drawing room by the King and Queen, their five daughters, and Prince Edward. Besides the royal family, there were only the Duchess Dowager of Portland, her daughter, Lady Weymouth, and her beautiful grand-daughter, Lady Aylesford; Lord and Lady Harcourt, Lady Charlotte Finch, Duke of Montague, and the gentlemen attendant on the King. There were two rows of chairs for the company, the length of the room.

Their Majesties sat in the middle of the first row, with the Princesses on each hand, which filled it the rest of the ladies were seated in the row behind them; and as there was a space between that and the wall, the lords and gentlemen that were admitted, stood there. Mrs. Siddons read standing, and had a desk with candles before her she behaved with great propriety, and read two acts of "The Provoked Husband," which was abridged, by leaving out Sir Francis and Lady Wronghead's parts, &c.: but she introduced John Moody's account of the journey, and read it admirably. The part of Lord and Lady Townley's reconciliation, she worked up finely, and made it very affecting. She also read Queen Katharine's last speech, in "King Henry VIII." She was allowed three pauses, to go into the room and refresh herself, for half an hour each time. After she was dismissed, their Majesties detained the company some time, to talk over what had passed, which was not the least agreeable part of the entertainment. I was so flattered by this kind reception of me, that I really did not feel the fatigue, notwithstanding I believe it was past twelve before we made our last courtesy."

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SPRANGER BARRY AND MR. PELHAM.

THIS celebrated rival of Garrick had a gift of pleasing in conversation beyond most men, owing more to the manner than the matter. One of his greatest pleasures consisted in giving splendid entertainments; and, though possessed of as little learning as knowledge, no man did the honours of the table with more ease and politeness. Mr. Pelham, who was much delighted with his histrionic powers, once invited himself to sup with him; but the profusion of elegant dishes, with the choicest wines, which Barry provided for him, so displeased the Statesman, that he never gave him another opportunity of exposing his want of judge

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OLD GRIMALDI, AND NO POPERY!"

In the year 1780, during the riots in London, it was a common practice to write with chalk on the shutters of the houses, "No Popery!" Grimaldi seeing it, said, "Vat is all dis about?" When he was informed, that he must write on the outside of his house, " No Popery!" he immediately wrote on the front, (as we suppose, to steer clear of all parties,) "No Religion at all here!" which was so good-naturedly read by the rioters,

that he and his premises were passed unmolested.

MRS. CLIVE.

THE following anecdotes of this celebrated Actress are related by Miss Hawkins, in her "Anecdotes, &c. &c." We give them in her own words.

"I am obliged to put a little out of her proper place, Mrs. Clive, the comic actress, who, I believe, by her agreeable or rather diverting society, paid rent for what is called Little Strawberry Hill; but of her I have little to say, in comparison with what might be said. Her memory still lives in the place; and her bounty to her indigent relations is recorded on a tablet affixed to the wall of the church;-the lines, which are far from contemptible, were written, I have been informed, by the late Miss Pope, the actress.A virtue less known, and, perhaps, less credited, considering her manner in private, and her cast of characters in public,-was her perfect abstinence from spirituous liquors. She told a lady, a neighbour, in Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-innfields, from whom I had it, that she believed she could say more than most players could, that she never kept any of these exhilarating resources in

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