THE WORKS OF JOSEPH ADDISO N. COMPLETE IN THREE VOLUMES. EMBRACING THE WHOLE OF THE "SPECTATOR," &c. VOL. II I. NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 1864. THE TATLER. No. 20.] Thursday, May 26, 1709. THOUGH the theatre is now breaking, it is allowed still to sell animals there; there- I was born of royal race, But for fear of being over-heard, and her Naqui al Regno, naqui al Trono Inventurata Pastorella Since I have touched upon this subject, I shall communicate to my reader part of a letter I have received from a friend at Amsterdam, where there is a very noble theatre; though the manner of furnishing it with actors is something peculiar to that place and gives us occasion to admire both the politeness and frugality of the people. My friends have kept me here a week longer than ordinary, to see one of their plays, which was performed last night with great applause. The actors are all of them tradesmen, who, after their day's work is over, earn about a guilder a night by personating kings and generals. The hero of the tragedy I saw, was a journeyman tailor, and his first minister of state a coffeeman. The empress made me think of Parthenope in the Rehearsal; for her mother keeps an ale-house in the suburbs of Amsterdam. When the tragedy was over, they entertained us with a short farce, in which the cobbler did his part to a miracle; but, upon inquiry, I found he had really been working at his own trade, and representing on the stage what he acted every day in his shop. The profits of the theatre maintain an hospital: For as here they do not think the profession of an actor the only trade that a man ought to exercise, so they will not allow any body to grow rich on a profession that in their opinion so little conduces to the good of the commonwealth. If I am not mistaken, your playhouses in England have done the same thing; for, unless I am misinformed, the hospital at Dulledge was erected and endowed by Mr. Allen, a player: and it is also said, a famous she-tragedian has settled her estate, after her death, for the maintenance of decayed wits, who are to be taken in as soon as they grow dull, at whatever time of their life that shall happen. No. 42.] Saturday, July 16, 1709. Celebrare Domestica Facta. THIS is to give notice, that a magnificenpalace, with great variety of gardens, stat |