perhaps Saunderfon's Algebra: but on opening it, this huge volume proved to be a pompous edition of Gibson's Treatife on the Difeafes of Horfies.

Thefe indeed are noble studies, will prefeive our youth from pedantry, and make them men of the world. Men of genius, who are pleafed with the theory of any art, will be contented until they arrive at the practice. I am told that the young gentlemen often try the speed of the Cambridge nags on the Beacon Courfe, and that feveral hacks are at prefent in training. I have often wondered, that the gentlemen who form the club at Newmarket, never reflected on their neighbourhood to Cambridge, nor eftablished (in honour of it) an univerfity plate, to be run for by Cambridge hacks, rode by young gentlemen of

the university. An hint of this kind will certainly be fufficient to have this laudable defign put in practice the very next meeting; and I cannot help reflecting on this occafion, what an unspeakable fatisfaction it must be to thofe perfons of quality, who are conftantly at Newmarket, to fee their fons cherish the fame noble principles with themselves, and act in imitation of their example. Goon, brave youths! 'till, in fome future age, Whips fhall become the fenatorial badge; 'Till England fee her jockey senators Meet all at Weftmintter in boots and fpurs; See the whole houfe, with mutual frenzy mad, Her patriots all in leathern breeches clad; Of bets, not taxes, learnedly debate, And guide with equal reins a fteed and fate. WARTON'S NEWMARKET.

Hor.

account of a fet of gentlemen, who meet together once a week, under the name of The English Club. The title, with which they dignify their fociety, arifes from the chief end of their meeting, which is to cultivate their Mother Tongue. They employ half the time of their affembling in hearing fome of our beft claffics read to them, which generally furnishes them with converfa. tion for the reft of the evening. They have inftituted annual festivals in honour of Spenfer, Shakefpeare, Milton, &c. on each of which an oration, interfperfed with encomiums in the Englith language, is fpoken in praife of the author, who (in the phrafe of the almanack) gives the red letter to the day. They have alfo eftablished a fund, from which handfome rewards are allotted to thofe who fhall fupply the place of any exotic terms, that have been finuggled into our language, by homefpun British words, equally fignificant and expreffive. An order is alfo made against importing any contraband phrases into the club, by which heavy fines are laid on those who fhall have any modish barbarifms found upon them; whether they

be foreign words, ancient or modern, or any cant terms coined by The Town, for the fervice of the current year.

The whole account which I received from my friend, gave me great fatisfaction: and I never remember any fociety that met together on fuch commendable principles. Their proceedings, it mult, however, be confeffed, are fomewhat unfashionable; for the English Tongue is become as little the general care as English Beef, or English Honefty. Young gentlemen are obliged to drudge at fchool for nine or ten years, in order to scrape together as much Greek and Latin as they can forget during their tour abroad; and have commonly at the fame time a private master, to give them French enough to land them with fome reputation at Calais. This is to be fure very prudent as well as genteel. fome people are perverfe enough to imagine, that to teach boys a foreign language, living or dead, without at the fame time grounding them in their mother tongue, is a very prepofterous plan of education. The Romans, though they ftudied at Athens, directed their ftudies to the benefit of their own`country; and though they read Greek, wrote

Yet

in Latin. There are at this day in France academies established for the fupport and preservation of the French language: and perhaps, if to the prefent profefforfhips of Hebrew and Greek, there fhould be added a profefforship of the English language, it would be no difgrace to our learned univerfities.

When we confider, that our language is preferable to most, if not all others now in being, it seems fomething extraordinary, that any attention fhould be paid to a foreign tongue that is refufed to our own, when we are likely to get fo little by the exchange. But when we reflect further on the remarkable purity, to which fome late authors have brought it, we are ftill more concerned at the prefent neglect of it. This fhameful neglect I take to be owing chiefly to these two reafons; the falfe pride of thofe who are esteemed men of learning, and the ridiculous affectation of our fine gentlemen, and pretenders to wit.

In complaifance to our fine gentle men, who are themselves the allowed tandards of politeness, I fhall begin with them firft. Their converfation exactly answers the defcription which Benedick gives of Claudio's Their 'words are a very fantaftical banquet, juft fo many ftrange difhes.' Thefe dishes too are all French; and I do not know whether their converfation does not a good deal depend on their bill of fare; and whether the thin meagre diet, on which our fine gentlemen fubfit, does not in fome measure take away the power of that bold articulation, neceffary to give utterance to manly British accents: whence their converfation becomes fo fantastical a banquet,' and every fentence they deliver is almost as heterogeneous a mixture as a falmagundy. A fashionable coxcomb now never complains of the vapours, but tells you that he is very much ennuyée:he does not affect to be genteel but degagée:-nor is he taken with an elegant fimplicity in a beautiful countenance, bu breaks out in raptures on a je ne fçai quoi, and a certain naiveté. In a word, his head as well as his heels is entirely French; and he is a thorough petit maitre in his language as well as behaviour. But notwithstanding all this, I do not know, whether the converfation of our pretenders to wit is not ftill more barbarous. When they talk of Humbug, &c. they feem to be jabbering

in the uncouth dialect of the Huns, ór the rude gabble of the Hottentots: or if their words are at all alhed to the lan

guage of this country, it probably comes nearest to the ftrange cant faid to be in ufe among houfebreakers and highwaymen; and if their jargon will bear any explanation, the curious are mott likely to meet with it in a polite vocabulary, lately publifhed under the title of the Scoundrel's Dictionary.

Many who are accounted men of learning, if they do not join with fops and coxcombs to corrupt our language, at leaft do very little to promote it, and are fometimes very indifferently acquainted with it. There are many perfons of both our univerfities, who can decypher an old Greek manufcript, and conftrue Lycophron extempore, who fcarce know the idiom of their own language, and are at a lofs how to difpatch a familiar letter with tolerable facility. Thefe gentlemen feem to think, that learning confifts merely in being verfed in languages not generally understood. But it fhould be confidered, that the fame genius which animated the ancients, has difpenfed at leaft fome portion of it's heat to later ages, and particularly to the English. Thofe who are really charmed with Homer and Sophocles, will hardly read Shakespeare and Milton without emotion; and if I was inclined to carry on the parallel, I could perhaps mention as many great names as Athens ever produced. The knowledge of Greek, Latin, &c. is certainly very valuable; but this may be attained without the lofs of their Mother Tongues for thefe reverend gentlemen fhould know, that languages are not like preferments in the church, too many of which cannot be held together.

This great neglect of our own tongue is one of the principal reafons that we are fo feldom favoured with any publications from either of our univerities; which we might expect very often, confidering the great number of learned men who refide there. The prefs being thus deferted by those who might naturally be expected to fupport it, falls to the care of a fet of illiterate hirelings, in whofe hands it is no wonder if the language is every day mangled, and fhould at laft be utterly deftroyed. Writing is well known to be at prefent as much a trade as any handicraft whatever; and every man, who can vamp

up

up any thing for prefent fale, though void of fenfe or fyntax, is litted by the bookfellers as an author. But allow ing all our present writers to be men of parts and learning, (as there are doubt lefs fome who may be reckoned fo) is it probable that they fhould exert their abilities to the utmoft, when they do not write for fame, like the ancients, but as a means of fubfiftence? If Herodotus and Livy had fold their hiftories at fo much a fheet, and all the other Greek and Latin claffics had written in the fame circumftances with many modern authors, they would hardly have merited all that applause they so justly receive at prefent. The plays of Sophocles and Euripides might perhaps not have been much better than modern tragedies; Virgil might have got a dinner by half a dozen Torn Eclogues; and Horace have wrote birth-day odes, or now and then a lampoon on the company at the Baiæ.

A falfe modefty is another great cause of the few publications by men of eminence and learning. However equal to the task, they have not fufficient confi

dence to venture to the prefs, but are ra ther guilty of wilful injuftice to themfelves and to the public. They are also afhamed of appearing among the common herd of authors. But the prefs, though it is often abufed, thould by no means be accounted fcandalous or dishonourable. Though a learned and ingenious writer might not chufe to be mustered in the fame roll with or Mr. Town, yet we have an Hooke, a Browne, an Akenfide, and many others, in whose company it will be an honour to appear. I would not willingly fuppofe, that they are afraid to hazard the characters they now maintain, of being men of learning and abilities; for while we only take these things for granted, their reputations are but weakly established. To refcue our native language from the hands of ignorants and mercenaries, is a task worthy those who are accounted ornaments of our feats of learning; and it is furely more than common ingratitude in those who eat the bread of literature, to refuse their utmost endeavours to fupport it.

HOR.

·

gave notice in the bills for his benefit night, that the prologue should be spoken by the Pit, which he contrived to have reprefented on the ftage. Another time he drew in the whole houfe to act as chorus to a new farce; and I remember, that in the laft rebellion the loyal acclamations of God fave the King' might have been heard from Drury Lane to Charing Crofs. Upon thefe and many other occafions the audience has been known to enter into the immediate business of the drama; and, to fay the truth, I never go into the theatre, without looking on the fpectators as playing a part almost as much as the actors themselves. All the company, from the stage box to the upper gallery, know their cues very well, and perform their parts with great fpirit. I began

the chief faults to which our performers are liable. To-day I fhall beg leave to fay a word or two to the audience, as my reflections on the theatre would otherwife be incomplete. On this occafion I expect the thanks of the managers: and would recommend it to them to put my thirty-fourth number into a frame and glafs, and hang it up in the Green Room for the benefit of the players; and to difpofe three or four thoufand of the prefent number into the feveral parts of the houfe, as Bayes difperfed papers to infinuate the plot of his piece into the boxes.

The first part of the audience, that demands our attention, is fo nearly allied to the actors, that they always appear on the fame level with them: but while the performer endeavours to carry

од

on the bufinefs of the play, thefe gentle. men behind the scenes ferve only to hinder and difturb it. There is no part of the houfe, from which a play can be feen to fo little advantage, as from the ftage; yet this fituation is very convenient on many other confiderations, of more confequence to a fine gentleman. It looks particular: it is the beft place to fhew a handfome perfon, or an elegant fuit of cloaths: a bow from the stage to a beauty in the box is most likely to attract our notice; and a pretty fellow may perhaps with tolerable management get the credit of an intrigue with fome of the actreffes. But notwithstanding all thefe advantages accruing to our fine gentlemen, I could heartily with they would leave a clear ftage to the per formers; or at leaft that none fhould be admitted behind the fcenes, but fuch as would fubinit to be of fome ufe there. As thefe gentlemen are ready dreft, they might help to fwell the retinue of a monarch, join the engagement in a tragedy battle, or do any other little office that might occur in the play, which requires but little fenfe and no memory. But if they have not any genius for acting, and are still defirous of retaining their pots by the fide-fcenes, they should be obliged to take a mufket, bayonet, pouch, and the rest of the accoutrements, and ftand on guard quietly and décently with the foldiers.

The boxes are often filled with perfons, who do not come to the theatre out of any regard to Shakespeare or Garrick, but, like the Fine Lady in Lethe, because every body is there.' As thefe people cannot be expected to mind the play themfelves, we can only defire them not to call off the attention of others; nor interrupt the dialogue on the stage by a louder converfation of their own. The filent courtship of the eyes, ogles, nods, glances, and curtfies from one box to another, may be allowed them the fame as at church; but nothing more, except at coronations, funeral proceffions and pantomimes. Here I cannot help recommending it to the gentlemen, who draw the pen from under their right ears about feven o'clock, clap on a bag-wig and fword, and drop into the boxes at the end of the third act, to take their half-crown's worth wit much decency as poffible; as wel he Bloods, who reel from the tavern ab ut Covent Garden near that time, and

tumble drunk into the boxes. Before I quit this part of the house, I must take notice of that divifion of the upperboxes, properly diftinguished by the name of the Fieth Market. There is frequently as much art ufed to make the flesh exhibited here look wholefome, and (as Tim fays in the farce) all over red and white like the infide of a 'fhoulder of mutton,' as there is by the butchers to make their veal look white; and it is as often rank carrion and flyblown. If thefe ladies would appear in any other quarter of the houte, I would only beg of them, and thofe who come to market, to drive their bargains with as little noife as poffible: but I have lately obferved with fome concern, that thefe women begin to appear in the lower boxes, to the deftruction of all order, and great confufion of all modeft ladies. It is to be hoped, that fome of their friends will a ivife them not to pretend to appear there, any more than at court: for it is as abfurd to endeavour the removal of their market into the front and side boxes, as it would be in the butchers of St. James's Market to attempt fixing the fhambles in St. James's Square.

I must now defire the reader to defcend with me, among laced hats and capuchins, into the pit. The pit is the grand court of criticifin; and in the center of it is collected that awful body diftinguithed by the title of The Town. Hence are iffed the irrevocabie decrees; and here final fentence is pronounced on plays and players. This court has often been very fevere in it's decifions, and has been known to declare many old plays barbaroudly murdered, and most of our modern' ones felo de fe: but it must not be dissembled, that many a cause of great confequence has been denied a fair hearing. Parties and private cabals have often been formed to thwart the progress of merit, or to efpoufe ignorance and dulnefs: for it is not wonderful, that the parliament of criticifin, like all others, should he liable to corruption. In this affembly Mr. Town was fift nominated Critic and Cenfor-General: but confidering the notorious bribery now prevailing, I think proper to declare, (in imitation of Tom in the Contcious Lovers) that I never took a fingle order for my vote in all my life.

Thofe who pay their two fhillings at
N

the

the door of the Middle Gallery, feem to frequent the theatre purely for the fake of feeing the play: though thefe peaceful regions are fometimes difturbed by the incurfions of rattling ladies of pleasure, fometimes contain perfons of fashion in difguife, and fometimes critics in ambush. The greatest fault I have to object to those who fill this quarter of the theatre, is their frequent and injudicious interruption of the bufinefs of the play by their applaufe. I have feen a bad actor clapt two minutes together for ranting, or perhaps fhrugging his fhoulders, and making wry faces; and I have feen the natural courfe of the paffions checked in a good one, by thefe ill-judged teftimonies of their approbation. It is recorded of Betterton to his honour, that he thought a deep filence through the whole house, and a strict attention to his playing, the ftrongest and fureft figns of his being well received.

The inhabitants of the Upper Gallery demand our notice as well as the rest of the theatre. The Trunk-maker of immortal memory, was the most celebrated hero of thefe regions: but fince he is departed, and no able-bodied critic appointed in his room, I cannot help giving the fame caution to the Upper Gallery, as to the gentry a pair of stairs lower. Some of the under-comedians will perhaps be difpleafed at this order, who are proud of thefe applaufes, and rejoice to hear the lufty bangs from the oaken towels of their friends against the wainscot of the Upper Gallery: but I think they fhould not be allowed to fhatter the pannels without amending our tafte; fince their thwacks, however vehement, are feldom laid on with fufficient judgment to ratify our applause. It were better, therefore, if all the prefent twelve-penny critics of this town, who prefide over our diverfions in the

Upper Gallery, would content themfelves with the inferior duties of their office; viz. to take care that the play begins at the proper time, that the mufic between the acts is of a due length, and that the candles are fnuffed in tune.

After thefe brief admonitions concerning our behaviour at the play, which are intended as a kind of vade mecum for the frequenters of the theatre, I cannot conclude my paper more properly than with an extract from the Tale of a Tub, fhewing the judicious distribution of our play-houfes into Pit, Boxes, and Galleries.

I confefs, that there is fomething very refined in the contrivance and ftructure of our modern theatres. For, firft, the Pit is funk below the stage, that whatever weighty matter fhall be delivered thence, (whether it be lead or gold) may fall plum into the jaws of certain critics, (as I think they are called) which ftand ready opened to devour them. Then the Boxes are built round, and raised to a level with the fcene, in deference to the ladies; 'because that large portion of wit, laid out in raising pruriences and protuberances, is obferved to run much upon a line, and ever in a circle. The whining paffions, and little starved 'conceits, are gently wafted up, by their own extreme levity, to the middle region, and there fix and are frozen by the frigid understandings of the inhabitants. Bombaitry and buf'foonry, by nature lofty and light, foar highest of all, and would be loft in the roof, if the prudent architect had not with much forefight contrived for them a fourth place, called the Twelvepenny Gallery, and there planted a fuitable colony, who greedily intercept them in their paffage.'

HOR.

of the vulgar. The fex confifts almost entirely of LADIES. Every Joan is lifted into a Lady; and the maid and the mistress are equally dignified with this polite title. The ftage-coaches are con

ftantly