It is a curious coincidence-although considering the proximity of their ages there may be nothing really strange in it-that Mr. Colman and his intimate friend Bannister should have quitted this mortal world so nearly at the same time. The circumstance, however, gives us an opportunity of bringing their names together in a manner honourable to both. We derive the anecdote from the "Random Records ;" and we think it will be at this juncture favourably received by those who admire dramatic authors and actors, and who rejoice to see traits of private worth the concomitants of public excellence.

After recounting the circumstances of his first acquaintance with Bannister, Mr. Colman says,

"In the year of my return from Aberdeen, 1784, unconscious of fear through ignorance of danger, I rushed into early publicity as an avowed dramatist. My father's illness in 1789 obliged me to undertake the management of his theatre; which, having purchased at his demise, I continued to manage as my own. During such progression, up to the year 1796 inclusive, I scribbled many dramas for the Haymarket, and one for Drury-lane; in almost all of which the younger Bannister (being engaged at both theatres) performed a prominent character: so that, for most of the thirteen years I have enumerated, he was of the greatest importance to my theatrical prosperity in my double capacity of author and manager; while I was of some service to him by supplying him with new characters. These reciprocal interests made us, of course, such close colleagues, that our almost daily consultations promoted amity, while they forwarded business.

"From this last-mentioned period, (1796,) we were led by our speculations, one after the other, into different tracks. He had arrived at that height of London popularity when his visits to various provincial theatres in the summer were productive of much more money than my scale of expense in the Haymarket could afford to give him. As he wintered it, however, in Drury-lane, I profited for two years more by his acting in the pieces which I produced there. I then began to write for the rival house in Covent Garden, and this parted us as author and actor: but separating, as we did, through accident, and with the kindest sentiments for each other, it was not likely that we should forget or neglect further to cultivate our mutual regard that regard is now so mellowed by time that it will never cease till Time himself,-who, in ripening our friendship, has been all the while whetting his scythe for the friends,-shall have mowed down the men, and gathered in his harvest.

"One trait of Bannister, in our worldly dealings with each other, will nearly bring me to the close of this chapter.

"In the year 1807, after having slaved at some dramatic composition,-I forget what,-I had resolved to pass one entire week in luxurious sloth.

"At this crisis,—just as I was beginning the first morning's

sacrifice upon the altar of my darling goddess, Indolence,-enter Jack Bannister, with a huge manuscript under his left arm !— This, he told me, consisted of loose materials for an entertainment, with which he meant to "skirr the country," under the title of BANNISTER'S BUDGET; but, unless I reduced the chaos into some order for him, and that instantly, he should lose his In such a case tide, and with it his emoluments for the season. there was no balancing between two alternatives, so I deserted my darling goddess to drudge through the week for my old companion.

"To concoct the crudities he had brought me, by polishing, expunging, adding,-in short, almost re-writing them,-was, it must be confessed, labouring under the "horrors of digestion ;" but the toil was completed at the week's end, and away went Jack Bannister into the country with his BUDGET.

"Several months afterwards he returned to town; and I inquired, of course, what success ?-So great, he answered, that in consequence of the gain which had accrued to him through my means, and which he was certain would still accrue, (as he now considered the Budget to be an annual income for some years to come,) he must insist upon cancelling a bond which I had given him, for money he had lent to me. I was astounded; for I had never dreamt of fee or reward. "To prove that he was in earnest, I extract a paragraph from a letter which he wrote to me from Shrewsbury.

"For fear of accidents, I think it necessary to inform you that Fladgate, your attorney, is in possession of your bond to me of £700: as I consider it fully discharged, it is but proper you should have this acknowledgment under my

hand. J. B.'

"Should my unostentatious friend think me indelicate in publishing this anecdote, I can only say, that it naturally appertains to the sketch I have given of our co-operations in life; and that the insertion of it here seems almost indispensable, in order to elucidate my previous statement of our having blended so much sentiment with so much traffic. I feel, too, that it would be downright injustice to him if I suppressed it; and would betoken in myself the pride of those narrow-minded persons who are ashamed of acknowledging how greatly they have profited by the liberal spirit of others.

"The bond above mentioned was given, be it observed, on a private account; not for money due to an actor for his professional assistance. Gilliland, in his Dramatic Mirror,' says that my admission of partners enabled the proprietors to completely liquidate all the demands which had for some time past involved the house in temporary embarrassments.' This is a gross mistake the Haymarket Theatre was never embarrassed (on the contrary, it was a prosperous speculation) while under my direction. My own difficulties during part of this time are another matter: I may touch slightly on this hereafter; but shall

not bore my readers by dwelling long on matters which (however they may have annoyed me) cannot entertain or interest them.

"I regret following up one instance of Mr. Gilliland's inaccuracy immediately with another; but he asserts, in his Dramatic Mirror,' that J. Bannister, in the season 1778, made his appearance for the benefit of his father, on the boards of old Drury. In contradiction to the foregoing statement a document now lies before me,-I transcribe it verbatim :

"First appearance, at the Haymarket, for my father's benefit, 1778, in the Apprentice. First appearance at Drury-lane, 1779, in Zaphna, in Mahomet. Took leave of the stage at Drury-lane, Thursday, June 1st, 1815. Garrick instructed me in the four first parts I played, the Apprentice; Zaphna (Mahomet); Dorilas (Merope); and Achmet (Barbarossa).Jack Bannister, to his dear friend George Colman. June 30th,

י י.1828

These memoranda, under the circumstances, are curious and affecting.-Death has gathered in his harvest, and both the men are gone.

Of Mr. Colman's delightful manners and conversational powers no words can give any adequate idea: with all the advantages of extensive reading, a general knowledge of mankind, and an inexhaustible fund of wit and humour, he blended a joyousness of expression, a kindness of feeling, and a warmth of manner, which rendered him the much-sought companion of every circle of society in which he chose to mix. Of his literary talents all the world can judge; but it is only those who have known him in private life who can appreciate the qualities which we despair of being able justly to describe.

IMPROMPTU BY THE LATE GEORGE COLMAN.

ABOUT a year since, a young lady begged this celebrated wit to write some verses in her album: he shook his head; but, good-naturedly promising to try, at once extemporised the following,-most probably his last written and poetical jest.

My muse and I, ere youth and spirits fled,
Sat up together many a night, no doubt;
But now, I've sent the poor old lass to bed,
Simply because my fire is going out.

THE "MONSTRE" BALLOON.

OH! the balloon, the great balloon!

It left Vauxhall one Monday at noon,

And every one said we should hear of it soon
With news from Aleppo or Scanderoon.

-

But very soon after, folks changed their tune:
"The netting had burst-the silk-the shalloon;
It had met with a trade-wind a deuced monsoon
It was blown out to sea-it was blown to the moon
They ought to have put off their journey till June;
Sure none but a donkey, a goose, or baboon,

Would go up, in November, in any balloon!"

1

Then they talk'd about Green- "Oh! where's Mister Green? And where's Mister Holland, who hired the machine?

And where is Monk Mason, the man that has been

Up so often before -twelve times or thirteen

And who writes such nice letters describing the scene?
And where's the cold fowl, and the ham, and poteen?
The press'd beef, with the fat cut off,- nothing but lean?

And the portable soup in the patent tureen?

Have they got to Grand Cairo? or reach'd Aberdeen?

Or Jerusalem-Hamburgh-or Ballyporeen?

No! they have not been seen! Oh! they haven't been seen!"

Stay! here's Mister Gye-Mr. Frederick Gye.

"At Paris," says he, "I've been up very high,

A couple of hundred of toises, or nigh,

And my

A cockstride the Tuileries' pantiles, to spy,
With Dollond's best telescope stuck at my eye,
umbrella under my arm like Paul Pry,
But I could see nothing at all but the sky;
So I thought with myself 'twas of no use to try
Any longer; and feeling remarkably dry
From sitting all day stuck up there, like a Guy,

I came down again, and-you see-here am I !"

But here's Mister Hughes !-What says young Mr. Hughes?
Why, I'm sorry to say, we've not got any news

Since the letter they threw down in one of their shoes,
Which gave the Mayor's nose such a deuce of a bruise,
As he popp'd up his eye-glass to look at their cruise
Over Dover; and which the folks flock'd to peruse
At Squier's bazaar, the same evening, in crews,
Politicians, newsmongers, town council, and blues,

BALLOON.

Turks, heretics, infidels, jumpers, and Jews,
Scorning Bachelor's papers, and Warren's reviews;
But the wind was then blowing towards Helvoetsluys,
And my father and I are in terrible stews,

For so large a balloon is a sad thing to lose!"

Here's news come at last! Here's news come at last!
A vessel's come in, which has sail'd very

And a gentleman serving before the mast,

fast;

Mister Nokes, has declared that "the party has past
Safe across to the Hague, where their grapnel they cast
As a fat burgomaster was staring aghast

To see such a monster come borne on the blast,

And it caught in his breeches, and there it stuck fast!"
Oh! fie! Mister Nokes,-for shame, Mister Nokes!
To be poking your fun at us plain-dealing folks —
Sir, this isn't a time to be cracking your jokes,
And such jesting, your malice but scurvily cloaks;
Such a trumpery tale every one of us smokes,
And we know
whole story's a hoax!

very

well your

"Oh! what shall we do? Oh! where will it end?

Can nobody go? Can nobody send

To Calais-or Bergen-op-zoom-or Ostend?

Can't you go there yourself? Can't you write to a friend,
For news upon which we may safely depend?

Huzzah! huzzah! one and eight-pence to pay
For a letter from Hamborough, just come to say
They descended at Wielburg about break of day;

And they 've lent them the palace there, during their stay,

And the town is becoming uncommonly gay,

And they 're feasting the party, and soaking their clay
With Johannisberg, Rudesheim, Moselle, and Tokay;

And the landgraves, and margraves, and counts beg and pray
That they won't think as yet about going away;
Notwithstanding, they don't mean to make much delay,
But pack up the balloon in a waggon or dray,
And pop themselves into a German "po-shay,"
And get on to Paris by Lisle and Tournay;
Where they boldly declare, any wager they 'll lay,
If the gas people there do not ask them to pay
Such a sum as must force them at once to say " Nay,"
They'll inflate the balloon in the Champs Elysées,
And be back again here the beginning of May.