upon the kindness and charity of my neighbours. The first place that presented itself to my notice was the magnificent mansion of Lord Languish. I immediately knocked at the gate, and was in due time ushered into his Lordship's apartment, where I found him in full dress, and negligently lolling in an easy chair. He received me with his usual complaisance; and after sundry complaints of the weather, and a few topicks of equal importance being settled, we at length came to the point. He listened to my proposals with a smile of condescension, and having warmly complimented me on the score of my goodness, and consideration for the parish, "How unfortunate it is, added he, that you have not the support of the Rector, or some more powerful inhabitant of the village!" He was continuing to produce a whole catalogue of desiderata, when I interrupted him by insinuating, "How fortunate I should esteem myself, could I gain the honour of his personal exertions." But my harangue was soon cut short, by his declaring that he had nothing about him worthy of my acceptance, but that he would recommend my cause to his friends with the greatest satisfaction, at the same time soliciting the favour of another visit from me at some future period. Then suddenly drawing out his watch,

he exclaimed with an affectation of surprize, "Bless me, how late it is! my carriage is at the door, and I am obliged to hurry away this instant. Will you allow me, Sir, to set you down any where?" As I was sufficiently, set down already, I declined his offer, and took my departure,

"The next person whom I attacked was Jack Random the squire of our parish, whose apparent disregard of money allured me with strong hopes of success. He heard me wirh a tolerable degree of patience, only amusing himself at intervals by contemplating some pictures which he had lately purchased; whistling to half a dozen pointers which were capering about the room; and continually taking aim at me with a double-barrelled gun. When I had finished my narration, he threw down the gun, and cried out; " I'll bet you two to one you don't get two-pence in the whole county!" Upon my declining the bet, he launched out into a long description of a race in which his Eclipse had come off victorious. By this time perceiving that I had mistaken my man, I retired with no very high opinion of my persuasive abilities.

"After many fruitless attempts of a similar pature, and being scouted from one corner of

the village to the other, I was returning home quite out of spirits, when I descryed my ci-devant acquaintance Mr. Alderman Marrowfat, justice of the peace, sitting at the door of his country box, between two headless statues, which had been originally designed to represent Appollo and Diana, and enjoying his evening pipe. I again determined to hazard another refusal, and to make one last attempt in spite of the dust which encircled me in such thick columns, that I expected to fall a martyr to the cause. I approached him with the utmost humility; and opened my battery with all possible skill; which he received with a mixture of attention and contempt. When I was again silent, after puffing two or three fumes of tobacco in my face, and scratching his bald pate, (which on account of the heat he had disencumbered from its wig) he cooly inquired, what reward he should gain for his charity? I told him the gratitude of his fellowcreatures, and the delightful pleasure arising from the consciousness of having done a generous action; "moreover, (added I, intending like all great orators to speak to his passions) you will secure your orchard from the boys of whom you complain." Even this argument was vain, for having finished his pipe, and deliberately thrown away the ashes; "As to gratitude, generosity,

and such like, says he, why I never think of them out of Church, and the rest fall under my dog Jowler's care-but if I might speak a word in return, I would most heartily advise you to mind your own business, or, take my word for it, you will never be worth a single farthing." "At this moment Jowler, hearing his own name, came running in with the remainder of his master's wig, which he had been most diligently tearing to-pieces during our conversation. Fearing to be reckoned an accomplice, I effected my escape as speedily as possible, and left Jowler to settle the busines with his charitable master.

"This, Mr. Grildrig, is the charity and benevolence of the world; and in this manner do the greater portion of the opulent withhold those blessings from the poor, which Providence has entrusted to their care for nobler purposes than the selfish gratification of evil desires, and corrupt appetites.

The insertion of this letter will confer a favour upon

Your Reader and Admirer,

H. H.

THE

MINIATURE,

NUMB. XVI.

MONDAY, August 7, 1804.

Spectatum admissi risum teneatis, amici?

HOR. A. P. 5.

Whose laughter does not such a sight provoke ?

As I had proposed in a former Essay to examine more particularly the influence of fashion with regard to the dramatical compositions of the present day; I have now taken the opportunity of accomplishing my intention, by dedicating this paper to the investigation of the stage in its modern state, and of theatrical exhibitions in general. The theatre undoubtedly has a very extensive influence over the manners of a nation; and the avidity which all ranks of men have, at all periods resorted to dramatical representations,