THE mention of these particulars naturally reminds me, how far the Juggle of the Theatre is concerned in the affair of Drefs. Many will agree with me, that almost the only distress of the laft act in the Fair Penitent arifes from the pitiful appearance of Calista in weeds, with every thing hung in black bays about her; and the players are afraid we should lofe fight of Hamlet's pretended madness, if the black ftocking, discovering a white one underneath, was not rolled half way down the leg. A propriety in dress is abfolutely neceffary to keep up the general deception; and a performer properly habited, who by his whole deportment enters deeply into the circumftances of the character he reprefents, makes us a for a while fancy every thing before us real: but when, by fome ill-judged piece of art, he departs from the fimplicity of imitation, and "oversteps the modesty of nature," he calls us back to the theatre, and excites paffions very different from those he aims at.

I CANNOT better illuftrate what has been faid on this last subject, than by giving instances of two artifices of this kind; one of which is employed (as I conceive) to raise pity, and the other terror.

WHEN the Romeo of Drury-Lane comes to die at Juliet's monument, we are furprised to fee him enter in a fuit of black. This, I fuppofe, is intended as a stroke of the pathetic: but not to dwell on the poverty of the artifice, it is in this place a manifeft violation of the poet's meaning. Romeo is supposed to come post from Mantus" Get me poft-horfes, I will hence "to-night"-fo that if our Rofcius must be fo very exact in dreffing the character, he fhould appear at the tomb in a riding frock and boots. But a mourning coat will excite pity,“ and let "the devil wear black, (fays our Hamlet-Romeo) "for I'll have a fuit of fables." The fame

player, after having acted that noble scene in the. fecond act of Macbeth, in fo fine a manner, that one would almost imagine both the poet and player must have been murderers to represent one fo well, goes out to execute the fuppofed murder. After a fhort space he returns as from the fact: but though the expreffion in his face is still re markably excellent, one cannot but smile to observe, that he has been employing himself behind the scenes in putting his wig awry, and untying one of the tyes to it. This doubtlefs is defigned to raise terror; but to every difcerning spectator it must appear moft abfurdly ridiculous: for who can forbear laughing, when he finds that the

player

player would have us imagine, that the fame deed, which has thrown all that horror and confufion into his countenance, has alfo untwisted one of the tails of his periwig?

O

NUMB. XXXV. Thursday, September 26, 1754.

Facundi calices quem non fecere difertum !

HOR.

The fool fucks wifdom, as he Porter fups,
And coblers grow fine fpeakers in their cups.

S I am willing to do every thing in my power to celebrate fo illuftrious a body as the Robin Hood Society, I have taken the first opportunity of laying the following letter before the public.

SIR,

THA

HAT part of your laft paper, in which you confidered the Art of Speaking as far as it regards theatrical performances, gives me reafon to hope, that you will not overlook the merits of the Robin Hood Society, where that Art

is practifed in it's greatest perfection. You would do well to recommend it to the gentlemen of the theatre to attend those weekly meetings for their improvement as often as poffible; and I dare fay you will join with me in giving the fame advice to the younger part of our clergy and our lawyers, as well as our members of parliament. The ftage, the pulpit, the bar, and the fenatehouse cannot furnish us with such glorious examples of the power of Oratory, as are to be met with in this fociety; where the most important queftions in every branch of knowledge are difcuffed, and where the difputants are all of them equally verfed in religion, law, politics, and the drama.

THE inftitution of this School of Eloquence far exceeds any thing, that the ancients could boaft. Every fect, that was known among the Grecians and Romans, has it's votaries here also. I have seen a taylor a Stoic, a fhoemaker a Platonist, and a cook an Epicurean. They affect to entertain a profound veneration for Socrates, often preferring him to any of the Apostles: though, instead of declaring with this wife philofopher, that they know nothing, the members of the Robin Hood Society profefs to know every thing.

FOR

FOR my own part, I confefs myself so charmed with their proceedings, that I constantly attend them and when I fee all their members affembled with each his pewter-mug before him, I cannot help preferring this focial meeting to any ancient Symposium whatever; and when I further observe them first take a swig, and then speak with fuch amazing force of argument, I am apt to conclude that truth, inftead of being hid in a well, as was faid by an old philofopher, must lay at the bottom of a tankard of porter.

THERE is no grace or excellence in Oratory, but is displayed in the Robin Hood Society to the greatest advantage. Demofthenes being asked what was the first quality in an orator, repliedaction; what the fecond, action; what the third,-action. Upon this principle one of the members, for whom I have a vaft refpect, is the greatest orator that ever lived. He never troubles himself about the order or fubftance of what he delivers, but waves his hand, toffes his head, abounds in feveral new and beautiful geftures, and from the beginning of his fpeech to the end of it takes no care but to fet it off with action. Tully tells us, that it is the business of an orator "to prove, delight, and convince." Proof and conviction our Society is always fure to give us :

for