crime. But no one can conceive the plaudits bestowed on the Honorable Master Marmozet, her ladyship's only son, on his appearance in the character of the Peasant Norval; who was decorated with every splendour that fashion could devise, and the simple plaid could hardly bé distinguished through a profusion of jewels. From his first appearance the plaudits never ceased, till during his performance of a hornpipe (in character) in the middle of the third act. For three acts, except a few occasional mistakes, no interruption occurred. The performers never wanted a prompter, as they kept the book constantly in their hands. In the middle of the fourth act however, a terrible crash and downfall of the scenery took place. The shrubs were crushed; the lamps broke; the company shrieked, and her ladyship fainted. All was confusion: at last by advice of Lord Foppington, the spectators resumed their seats, and the play was concluded with a dance by the characters, amidst the thundering claps of a most fashionable audience. Thus a Tragedy was announced, a Farce was played, which was finished by an elegant Ballet, A sumptuous and elegant supper concluded the whole, and dismissed the guests and hostess in equal good humour and delight with one another and with their evening's entertainment, I hear that her ladyship, in consequence of the distinguished success of the beforementioned Tragedy, is about to represent one of her own composition to a still larger party, with nobler dresses and a more magnificent supper; to which if I should have the honor of being invited, you shall receive the fullest account of our evening's entertainment. From your humble Servant, THESPIANUS. THE MINIATURE. NUMB. XXX. MONDAY, February 18, 1805. Tout esprit orgueilleux, qui s'aime, Et dans mon livre si cheri, BOILEAU. " SIR, Since it comes within your province to take cognizance of those many deviations from propriety, which, without amounting to statutable offences, considerably infringe upon the comforts of social life; I am desirous of calling your attention to certain faults of this nature. Nor can I better effect my purpose than by delineating particular characters, in which I have observed them. Habits of mental absence, and procrastination may perhaps be esteemed trivial errors; but as they strongly militate against order and regularity, they shall be the first objects of my animadversion. Without therefore having recourse to so extraordinary a personage as the celebrated Mons. Menalgue, I shall exhibit some few instances of unaccountable forgetfulness, and delay, as they present themselves in the conduct of a gentleman, with whom I have lately had the honor of conversing several times with so little effect, that when we last met, he had not the slightest recollection of my person or name. We must not hope to take a view of our present hero at a very early hour, as he has not for many years made his appearance before noon; and to this one regulation he so uniformly adheres, that his breaking it might be considered almost portentous. In Town indeed he finds many to countenance him in this habit; but it proved rather inconvenient àt a gentleman's seat in Devonshire, where he passed the last summer, and where the old, and I may add salutary, custom of dining in the day-time is retained. He usually came down to breakfast, while the cloth was' being laid for dinner. And even at that late hour his dress bore so many marks of palpable negligence, that his clothes appeared rather to have been carelessly flung over him, than put on.Indeed his uncombed hair, dirty hands, coat interspersed with feathers, and his stockings hanging about his heels, did not afford any very favourable idea of his diligence, or cleanliness. Fatigued with inactivity he found it necessary to walk out, just as the first dish was placed on tạble. This walk he frequently protracted till he lost the meal, for which it was intended to create an appetite, as the family were very soon obliged to relinquish all ideas of accommodating themselves to his hours. For these irregularities he had, it must be owned, a general excuse. His watch was scarcely ever correct; and this will the more readily be credited, when we consider that it scarcely ever had the opportunity of being so more than once in twelve hours, its proprietor, usually forgetting to make use of the key. In a mixed company he renders himself disagreable to every one from want of attention and consideration. When he feels an inclination to applaud the elegant refinement of courts, he selects a rough patriot for his auditor; and |