It is with me a matter of the highest consideration, what parts are well or ill performed, what passions or sentiments are indulged or cultivated, and consequently what manners and customs are transfused from the stage to the world, which reciprocally imitate each other. As the writers of epic poems introduce shadowy persons, and represent vices and virtues under the characters of men and women; so I, who am a Spectator in the world, may perhaps sometimes make use of the names of the actors on the stage, to represent or admonish those who transact affairs in the world. When I am commending Wilks for representing the tenderness of a husband and a father in Macbeth, the contrition of a reformed prodigal in Harry the Fourth, the winning emptiness of a young man of good-nature and wealth in The Trip to the Jubilee, the officiousness of an artful servant in the For; when thus I celebrate Wilks, I talk to all the world who are engaged in any of those circumstances. If I were to speak of merit neglected, misapplied, or misunderstood, might I not say Estcourt has a great capacity? But it is not the interest of others who bear a figure on the stage, that his talents were understood; it is their business to impose upon him what cannot become him, or keep out of his hands any thing in which he would shine. Were one to raise a suspicion of himself in a man who passes upon the world for a fine thing, in order to alarm him, one might say, If Lord Foppington was not on the stage (Cibber acts the false pretensions to a genteel behaviour so very justly), he would have in the generality of mankind more that would admire than deride him. When we come to characters directly comical, it is not to be imagined what effect a well-regulated stage would have upon men's manners. The craft of a usurer, the absurdity of a rich fool, the awkward roughness of

a fellow of half courage, the ungraceful mirth of a
creature of half wit, might for ever be put out of
countenance by proper parts for Dogget. Johnson,
by acting Corbacchio the other night, must have
given all who saw him, a thorough detestation of
aged avarice. The petulancy of a peevish old fellow,
who loves and hates he knows not why, is very ex-
cellently performed by the ingenious Mr. William
Penkethman in the Fop's Fortune; where, in the
character of Don Choleric Snap Shorto de Testy, he
answers no questions but to those whom he likes,
and wants no account of any thing from those he
approves. Mr. Penkethman is also master of as
many
faces in the dumb scene as can be expected
from a man in the circumstances of being ready to
perish out of fear and hunger. He wonders through-
out the whole scene very masterly, without neglecting
his victuals. If it be, as I have heard it sometimes
mentioned, a great qualification for the world to fol-
low business and pleasure too, what is it in the in-
genious Mr. Penkethman to represent a sense of
pleasure and pain at the same time—as you may
see him do this evening?

As it is certain that a stage ought to be wholly
suppressed, or judiciously encouraged, while there
is one in the nation, men turned for regular pleasure
cannot employ their thoughts more usefully, for the
diversion of mankind, than by convincing them that
it is in themselves to raise this entertainment to the
greatest height. It would be a great improvement,
as well as embellishment to the theatre, if dancing
were more regarded, and taught to all the actors.
One who has the advantage of such an agreeable
girlish person as Mrs. Bicknell, joined with her
capacity of imitation, could in proper gesture and
motion represent all the decent characters of female
life. An amiable modesty in one aspect of a dancer, ·

XI.

2 D

T

and assumed confidence in another, a sudden joy in another, a falling-off with an impatience of being beheld, a return towards the audience with an unsteady resolution to approach them, and a well-acted solicitude to please, would revive in the company all the fine touches of mind raised in observing all the objects of, affection or passion they had before beheld. Such elegant entertainments as these would polish the town into judgment in their gratifications; and delicacy in pleasure is the first step people of condition take in reformation from vice. Mrs. Bicknell has the only capacity for this sort of dancing of any on the stage; and I dare say all who see her performance to-morrow night, when sure the romp will do her best for her own benefit, will be of my mind.-T.

N° 371. TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1712.

Jamne igitur laudas quod de sapientibus unus
Ridebat?

Juv. Sat. x. 28.

And shall the sage* your approbation win,

Whose laughing features wore a constant grin?

I SHALL Communicate to my readers the following letter for the entertainment of this day.

SIR,

'You know very well that our nation is more famous for that sort of men who are called "whims" and "humorists," than any other country in the world for which reason it is observed, that our English comedy excels that of all other nations in the novelty and variety of its characters.

* Democritus.

Among those innumerable sets of whims which our country produces, there are none whom I have regarded with more curiosity than those who have invented any particular kind of diversion for the entertainment of themselves and their friends. My letter shall single out those who take delight in sorting a company that has something of burlesque and ridicule in its appearance. I shall make myself understood by the following example. One of the wits of the last age, who was a man of a good estate*, thought he never laid out his money better than in a jest. As he was one year at the Bath, observing that, in the great confluence of fine people, there were several among them with long chins, a part of the visage by which he himself was very much distinguished, he invited to dinner half a score of these remarkable persons who had their mouths in the middle of their faces. They had no sooner placed themselves about the table but they began to stare upon one another, not being able to imagine what had brought them together. Our English

proverb says,

'Tis merry in the hall,

When beards wag all.

It proved so in the assembly I am now speaking of, who seeing so many peaks of faces agitated with eating, drinking, and discourse, and observing all the chins that were present meeting together very often over the centre of the table, every one grew sensible of the jest, and came into it with so much good humour, that they lived in strict friendship and alliance from that day forward.

The same gentleman some time after packed together a set of oglers, as he called them, consisting of such as had an unlucky cast in their eyes.

His

Villars, the last Duke of Buckingham, and father of the late Lady Mary Wortley Montague.

diversion on this occasion was to see the cross bows, mistaken signs, and wrong connivances, that passed amidst so many broken and refracted rays of sight.

'The third feast which this merry gentleman exhibited was to the stammerers, whom he got together in a sufficient body to fill his table. He had ordered one of his servants, who was placed behind a screen, to write down their table-talk, which was very easy to be done without the help of short-hand. It appears by the notes which were taken, that though their conversation never fell, there were not above twenty words spoken during the first course; that upon serving up the second, one of the company was a quarter of an hour in telling them that the ducklings and asparagus were very good; and that another took up the same time in declaring himself of the same opinion. This jest did not, however, go off so well as either of the former; for one of the guests being a brave man, and fuller of resent. ment than he knew how to express, went out of the room, and sent the facetious inviter a challenge in writing, which, though it was afterward dropped by the interposition of friends, put a stop to these ludicrous entertainments.

Now, Sir, I dare say you will agree with me, that as there is no moral in these jests they ought to be discouraged, and looked upon rather as pieces of unluckiness than wit. However, as it is natural for one man to refine upon the thought of another; and impossible for any single person, how great soever his parts may be, to invent an art, and bring it to its utmost perfection; I shall here give you an account of an honest gentleman of my acquaintance, who, upon hearing the character of the wit abovementioned, has himself assumed it, and endeavoured to convert it to the benefit of mankind. He invited half a dozen of his friends one day to dinner, who