"sired my assistance; I gave it, and drew him out with "some difficulty. He thanked me for my trouble, and 66 was going off; but I followed him home, for I loved "always to have a man thank me at his own door. The "curate asked an hundred questions; as whose son I 66 was; from whence I came; and whether I would be "faithful? I answered him greatly to his satisfaction; and 66 gave myself one of the best characters in the world for "sobriety, (Sir, I have the honour of drinking your "health) discretion, and fidelity. To make a long story "short, he wanted a servant, and hired me. With him "I lived but two months; we did not much like each "other; I was fond of eating, and he gave me but little

to eat; I loved a pretty girl, and the old woman, my "fellow-servant, was ill-natured and ugly. As they en"deavoured to starve me between them, I made a pious "resolution to prevent their committing murder: I stole "the eggs as soon as they were laid; I emptied every un"finished bottle that I could lay my hands on; whatever "eatable came in my way was sure to disappear: in short "they found I would not do; so I was discharged one "morning, and paid three shillings and sixpence for two "months wages.

"While my money was getting ready, I employed my"self in making preparations for my departure; two hens 66 were hatching in an out-house, I went and took the eggs "from habit, and not to separate the parents from the "children, I lodged hens and all in my knapsack. After "this piece of frugality, I returned to receive my money, "and with my knapsack on my back, and a staff in my "hand, I bid adieu with tears in my eyes to my old bene"factor. I had not gone far from the house when I heard "behind me the cry of stop thief! but this only increased my dispatch; it would have been foolish to stop, as I "knew the voice could not be levelled at me. But hold,

"I think I passed those two months at the curate's with"out drinking. Come, the times are dry, and may this "be my poison if ever I spent two more pious, stupid "months in all my life!

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"Well, after travelling some days, whom should I light upon, but a company of strolling players. The mo

ment I saw them at a distance my heart warmed to "them; I had a sort of natural love for every thing of "the vagabond order; they were employed in settling "their baggage, which had been overturned in a narrow way; I offered my assistance, which they accepted; "and we soon became so well acquainted, that they took 66 me as a servant. This was a paradise to me; they 66 sung, danced, drank, eat, and travelled, all at the 66 same time. By the blood of the Mirabels, I thought I "had never lived till then; I grew as merry as a grig, "and laughed at every word that was spoken. They "liked me as much as I liked them; I was a very good 66 figure, as you see; and, though I was poor, I was not "modest.

"I love a straggling life above all things in the world; "sometimes good, sometimes bad; to be warm to-day, "and cold to-morrow; to eat when one can get it, and "drink when (the tankard is out) it stands before me. "We arrived that evening at Tenterden, and took a 66 large room at the Greyhound; where we resolved to "exhibit Romeo and Juliet, with the funeral procession, "the grave and the garden scene. Romeo was to be "performed by a gentleman from the Theatre-Royal in "Drury-Lane; Juliet, by a lady who had never appear"ed on any stage before; and I was to snuff the candles: "all excellent in our way. We had figures enough, but "the difficulty was to dress them. The same coat that "served Romeo, turned with the blue lining outwards, "served for his friend Mercutio: a large piece of crape "sufficed at once for Juliet's petticoat and pall: a pestle " and mortar from a neighbouring apothecary's answered "all the purposes of a bell; and our landlord's own family "wrapped in white sheets, served to fill up the proces❝sion. In short, there were but three figures among us "that might be said to be dressed with any propriety: I 66 mean the nurse, the starved apothecary, and myself. "Our performance gave universal satisfaction: the whole "audience were enchanted with our powers.

"There is one rule by which a strolling-player may be ever sure of success; that is, in our theatrical way of "expressing it, to make a great deal of the character.

"To speak and act as in common life, is not playing, nor "is it what people come to see: natural speaking, like "sweet wine, runs glibly over the palate, and scarcely "leaves any taste behind it; but being high in a part re"sembles vinegar, which grates upon the taste, and one "feels it while he is drinking. To please in town or "country, the way is to cry, wring, cringe into attitudes, "mark the emphasis, slap the pockets, and labour like 66 one in the falling sickness: that is the way to work for applause; that is the way to gain it.

"As we received much reputation for our skill on this "first exhibition, it was but natural for me to ascribe 66 part of the success to myself; I snuffed the candles, and "let me tell you, that without a candle-snuffer, the piece "would lose half its embellishments. In this manner we "continued a fortnight, and drew tolerable houses; but "the evening before our intended departure, we gave out "our very best piece, in which all our strength was to "be exerted. We had great expectations from this, and " even doubled our prices, when behold one of the prin"cipal actors fell ill of a violent fever. This was a stroke "like thunder to our little company: they were resolved "to go in a body, to scold the man for falling sick at so "inconvenient a time, and that too of a disorder that "threatened to be expensive; I seized the moment, and "offered to act the part myself in his stead. The case "was desperate: they accepted my offer; and I accord"ingly sat down, with the part in my hand and a tankard "before me (Sir, your health), and studied the character, "which was to be rehearsed the next day, and played "soon after.

"I found my memory excessively helped by drinking: "I learned my part with astonishing rapidity, and bid "adieu to snuffing candles ever after. I found that na"ture had designed me for more noble employments, and

I was resolved to take her while in the humour. We "got together in order to rehearse; and I informed my "companions, masters now no longer, of the surprising "change I felt within me. Let the sick man, said I, be "under no uneasiness to get well again; I'll fill his place "to universal satisfaction; he may even die if he thinks

"proper; I'll engage that he shall never be missed. I "rehearsed before them, strutted, ranted, and received "applause. They soon gave out that a new actor of eminence was to appear, and immediately all the genteel 66 places were bespoke. Before I ascended the stage, "however, I concluded within myself, that as I brought 66 money to the house, I ought to have my share in the profits. Gentlemen, said I, addressing our company, “I don't pretend to direct you; far be it from me to treat 66 you with so much ingratitude; you have published my "name in the bills with the utmost good-nature; and as "affairs stand, cannot act without me: so gentlemen, to "shew you my gratitude, I expect to be paid for my act66 ing as much as any of you, otherwise I declare off. I'll "brandish my snuffers, and clip candles as usual. This 66 was a very disagreeable proposal, but they found that "it was impossible to refuse it; it was irresistible, it 66 was adamant: they consented, and I went on in king "Bajazet; my frowning brows, bound with a stocking "stuffed into a turban, while on my captiv'd arms I bran"dished a jack-chain. Nature seemed to have fitted me "for the part; I was tall, and had a loud voice; my very "entrance excited universal applause; I looked round on the audience with a smile, and made a most low and "graceful bow, for that is the rule among us. As it was a very passionate part, I invigorated my spirits with "three full glasses (the tankard is almost out) of brandy. "By Alla! it is almost inconceivable how I went through "it; Tamerlane was but a fool to me; though he was "sometimes loud enough too, yet I was still louder than "he: but then, besides, I had attitudes in abundance: in "general I kept my arms folded up thus, upon the pit of my stomach; it is the way at Drury-Lane, and has "always a fine effect. The tankard would sink to the "bottom before I could get through the whole of my me"rits: in short, I came off like a prodigy; and such was (6 my success, that I could ravish the laurels even from a "sirloin of beef. The principal gentlemen and ladies of "the town came to me, after the play was over, to com66 pliment me upon my success; one praised my voice, ano"ther my person: upon my word, says the squire's lady,

66

"he will make one of the finest actors in Europe; I say ❝it, and think I am something of a judge.....Praise in the 66 beginning is agreeable enough, and we receive it as a "favour; but when it comes in great quantities we re"gard it only as a debt, which nothing but our merit "could extort; instead of thanking them, I internally "applauded myself. We were desired to give our piece "a second time; we obeyed; and I was applauded even "more than before.

"At last we left the town, in order to be at a horse-race "at some distance from thence. I shall never think of "Tenterden without tears of gratitude and respect. The "ladies and gentlemen there, take my word for it, are 66 very good judges of plays and actors. Come, let us "drink their healths, if you please, sir. We quitted the 66 town, I say; and there was a wide difference between

my coming in and going out: I entered the town a can"dle-snuffer, and I quitted it an hero!........Such is the "world; little to-day, and great to-morrow. I could

say a great deal more upon that subject, something "truly sublime, upon the ups and downs of fortune: but "it would give us both the spleen, and so I shall pass it

"over.

"The races were ended before we arrived at the next 66 town, which was no small disappointment to our com66 pany: however we were resolved to take all we could 66 get. I played capital characters there too, and came "off with my usual brilliancy. I sincerely believe I "should have been the first actor of Europe had my "growing merit been properly cultivated; but there 66 came an unkindly frost which nipped me in the bud, " and levelled me once more.down to the common stand"ard of humanity. I played Sir Harry Wildair; all "the country ladies were charmed: if I but drew out my snuff-box the whole house was in a roar of rapture; "when I exercised my cudgel, I thought they would have "fallen into convulsions.

"There was here a lady who had received an educa❝tion of nine months in London; and this gave her pre"tensions to taste, which rendered her the indisputable "mistress of the ceremonies wherever she came. She