صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

If all this belongs to the profession of a comedian, what shall we do to prevent its effects? For my part, I see but one mode to pursue; and that is to destroy the cause. When the diseases of

a man proceed from his nature, or from a manner of living which he cannot change, can the physician prevent them? To forbid a comedian to be vicious, is just as wise as to forbid the man to be sick.

February, 1807.

THE TEMPEST.

MR. EDITOR,

WHATEVER may be said in favour of Mr. Kemble's making aches a dissyllable, nothing in oppostion to the imperious command of present custom, or learning, as it was observed in your last, can be prudently advanced to support the pronunciation of ch like tch and not k. The Greek x in its etymon, and not only modern practice, but even ancient, seem to order that the ch should be pronounced hard. In Timon of Athens, Act. 3, Sc. 5, we have, according to the second folio, "My wounds ake at you." Now if the word was so spelled, the pronunciation of it is not left to be guessed at, and with the many other reasons pressing on the case, who can think it wise to give it an utterance neither just to etymology nor custom?

C. HERBERT.

MR. JEFFERSON.

MR. EDITOR,

A portrait and memoir of this theatrical gentleman, recently deceased, having been given in your work, I could wish some one of your ingenious correspondents would favour the public. with any other curious particulars relating to his character. Mr. Jefferson had the honour of being the means of introducing Garrick to a London audience, for the first time, at the theatre Goodman's Fields.

J. B.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

ON MY HUSBAND'S BIRTH-DAY.
SWEET Invocation, aid me to rejoice!
Bid Philomela tune her dulcet voice,
And carol forth, with unremitted lay,
The glad return of this dear natal day.

Ye flowers that bloom around the silver stream,
Ye vernal suns, with animated beam,
Shine out, and with inspiring renovated ray,
Exalt with joy this hallow'd natal day.

Ye airy sylphs, and dryads of the grove,
Ye woodland nymphs, elate with joy and love,
In sylvan dance your footsteps turn this way,
And with oblations crown this natal day.

O! may the keen and desolating East,

And blust'ring North, with all their terrors cease;
May zephyrs mild Eolian measures play,
To harmonize this fleeting happy day.

O! may successive days, with smiling train,
Renew with joy those sacred rites again;
May art and nature pious tribute pay,
To consecrate the next dear natal day!

E. C.

THE CATHOLIC QUESTION.

I stand up for the church,

Said Deputy B.

And I would not affront her,
Said Alderman H.

Nor would I break the law,
Said Alderman S.

I would fain remain holy,

Said Alderman S.

If the Catholics come,

Said Alderman D

-v-lle. That will not be,

Said Alderman L.

I do not say so,

Said Alderman R--cr-ft. Then take advice,

Said Alderman P.

Would you have 'em in step?

Said Alderman P.

I would fain give them room,
Said Alderman C.

But no power therewith,

Said Alderman S.

Pray how without power?
Said Alderman F.

I would put in the stocks 'em,
Said Alderman B.

I would satisfy soon 'em,

Said Alderman N.

They are every man sly,

Said Alderman A.

That nothing new is,

Said Alderman L.

They will ne'er remain idle,
Said Alderman B.

They will never come in,

Said Alderman G.

Nay, that I foretel,

Said Sir W. L.

We have many a schemer,

Said Alderman E.

Which brings us great slander,

Said Alderman A

[blocks in formation]

SONNET.

TO A YOUNG LADY.

WHEN midnight robes the world and labourers rest,
I seek my pillow, and invite repose:

In vain I sigh for sleep to calm my woes!
Peace cannot be an inmate in that breast

That burns with hopeless love, and heaves opprest
Despairing sighs.-The eye that still o'erflows
With tears of anguish, slumbers cannot close,
For ever by thy form alone possest.

But if a short and broken slumber give
A welcome intermission to my pain;
Portray'd by fancy all thy features live,
And I awake to feel thy loss again.

Yes! through the blackest shadows of the night,
Thy beauty bursts in splendour on my sight.

EPIGRAM.

Without our sex, proud Hannah cries,
Adam could not taste paradise.

Without her sex, then let her know,

He had tasted paradise-till now!

J. B.

J. B.

ON THE DEATH OF PETER SYKES, ESQ.

SECOND OFFICER OF THE WEXFORD INDIAMAN,

Who died some Months back, of a lingering Illness at St. Helena.

UNHAPPY Sykes! in manhood's bloom,

When Hope's bright prospects prompt to live,

Why seek so soon the silent tomb,

And one more victim to stern Pluto give?

Love was the source of all thy woes!
Thou sought'st to fly a perjur'd fair;
Now Death to thee brings sweet repose,
Whilst her's is life, remorse, and care.

WESTMONASTERIENSIS

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

AT HER BENEFIT, FEB. 4, 1807, AFTER THE PLAY OF THE HONEY-MOON.

(WRITTEN BY MR. PRATT.)

YE words of aweful import-'TIS THE LAST!
What deep'ning shades o'er life's strange scenes ye cast!
For the last time, to view with aching sight,
The friends we long have met with proud delight!
From these for ever! dreadful thought! to part,
Is sure the hardest trial of the heart.

My last approaches. Ere another year
That last may come! It warns me in a tear.
E'en as but now the prompter rung the bell,
It seem'd the prelude of my passing knell;
A voice full clear through each vibration broke,
"I felt the sound as if an angel spoke!"

Fall when I may, those I must leave behind,
Who in my storm of fortune have been kind;
Who, when the deaf'ning hurricane was near,
Hush'd in one night the tempest of my year;
And in the bitterest moment of my grief,
Brought to the labouring soul the wish'd relief,
Brought it with smiles, that smooth'd the brow of care,
And bade Hope's sunbeams chase away despair.
For this, what thanks, what gratitude, to you-
Props of my sorrow and my age, are due,

Yet not alone the ACTRESS have you blest,

Your balms have sooth'd the PARENT's tortur'd breast,
For woes beyond the reach of mimic art,

I sought the pity of the public heart;
My sons, I speak with agonizing pride-

My sons, in England's cause have FOUGHT and DIED:
Ere since that hour more soft has been your care,
And my last moments shall be yours in prayer!

[blocks in formation]
« السابقةمتابعة »