From Her Serene Highness the Margravine of Anspach. "Sir, I shall be very glad to be of any use to you in the publication of your works. You do not mention how you mean to make use of my name, and I presume your works are too well known to require any influence to make them acceptable to others, as well as to your "Dec. 15th, 1797. 66 ELIZABETH, M.B. A.B.” From William Shield, Esq. "Dec. 1797. "Dear O'Keeffe,-I have prevailed on Sir James Lake, Bart. to be one of your subscribers, and will use my best endeavours to get you more, as I have the highest esteem both for your talents and character; and that you may meet with the success you merit, is the sincere wish of your friend, 66 WM. SHIELD. 86 "Sir James is fond of literature, and a good man." From Earl Spencer. Sir, I have received your letter, and shall with pleasure subscribe my name, I hope to a very numerous list for the encouragement of literary merit and talents. "SPENCER. "I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, 44 Admiralty, 2d Dec. 1797." From William Woodfall, Esq. "Dear Sir, I have long felt the greatest predilection towards you and your interests, and I strongly think that a man who has so essentially contributed to the public entertainment merits an eminent degree of public support. He must have a gloomy mind who would not wish to cheer the spirits of that writer, whose works have so often served to dispel sorrow, and excite salutary merriment. On every principle, therefore, of personal esteem and public obligation, I feel the strongest inclination to render you every service in my power. Were I still a newspaper printer, nothing could be more grateful to me than to join heartily in furthering your object. 64 66 &c. &c. (upon the public prints of that day) 'Queen-street, Westminster." I also received upwards of one hundred very pleasing and encouraging letters on the subject; two from Her Serene Highness the Margravine of Anspach, two from Lord Mulgrave, the Earl of Pembroke, Messrs.M. P.Andrewes, Cumberland, Reynolds, Horton, Prince Hoare, the Duke of Portland, Duke of Roxburgh, Mr. Const, Shield, Jewell, William Woodfall, Colonel Phipps, D. G. Lewis, Dr. Charles Burney, Dr. (Sir Richard) Sullivan, &c. &c. As I have already stated, this publishing attempt barely paid its own expenses of paper, printing, advertising, and all other incidental affairs of that nature. In 1800, I received a letter from my friend William Lewis, requesting me to come to town as soon as possible to Mr. Harris, who had something to propose to me for my advantage. As it was ever fair weather from that quarter, I went and saw Mr. Harris at the theatre, who told me he would give me a night; and Lewis suggested, as it was now June, and powerful attraction might be wanting, it would be advisable for me in person to speak an address, and have this intention put in the bills, I shuddered at this now to me awful proposal, but consented, and said I would write it myself, and that he Lewis must bring me on, and fetch me off. He said he would. At the head of the bills were prefixed the names of the Prince of Wales, others of the Royal Family, the Duchess of Devonshire, and a long list of titles-and also a list of my pieces-that night being for the benefit of the "unfortunate" author: upon which abject and ill-chosen word, I seriously remonstrated, but too late, with Lewis, who, however, passed it off by saying it was only in allusion to my want of sight. This night was the 12th of June, 1800, with the profits of which (excepting about 60%.) I purchased a small annuity at the Westminster Insurance Office for my life-the sum I actually paid in for this was 3001. On the 4th of November, 1803, Will Lewis called again upon me at Twickenham, and after some conversation on my affairs, I authorized him to make a proposal on my part to Mr. Harris, of giving me an annuity for my life of twenty pounds for all my MS. dramatic works then in my desk, none of which had ever been performed, except "She's Eloped," and that only one night. Lewis consented to mention the subject to Mr. Harris, and the next day I received from him the following letter. TO JOHN O'KEEFFE, Esq., Twickenham, Middlesex.* "Dear O'Keeffe,-I have the pleasure to inform you, that Mr. Harris with the greatest kindness immediately consented to pay you twenty guineas every Christmas for your works; but on more reflection, said he thought it would serve you better if it was divided into two payments annually, which is fixed. It will commence from next Christmas. With the sincerest pleasure I impart this intelligence, and assure you I am your sincere friend, 5th November, 1803. W. M. LEWIS. On the 7th of November, 1803, I had the MSS. made up into a parcel, which I sent to Mr. Harris, at the Theatre Royal, Covent-Garden. It contained the following pieces. List of dramatic pieces sold to Thomas Harris, Esq. 7th of November, 1803, in consideration of an annuity of twenty guineas for the remainder of my life, to be paid half-yearly. Alban and Aphanasia, a play in five acts, scene Kamschatka ↑ Jenny's Whim, or the Knight of St. Patrick, five acts, scene Morocco. Emanuel, or the Fellow-Travellers, five acts, scene Spain. Reputation, a comedy, five acts, scene London. She's Eloped! a comedy, five acts, scene near London. The Annuity, a comedy, three acts.-Jack and his Master, an afterpiece, two acts.-Stray Sheep, an afterpiece, two acts,-scene London. The Pageant, in two parts, show, song, dialogue, recitative, &c. or the rise and progress of the English stage. Two acts of the Siege of Curyola-the third was lost.-The Loyal Bandeau. All to St. Paul's. These three were also, I think, sent at the same time, or were already at the theatre among other MSS. of other authors. My annuity on Covent-Garden Theatre began December 1803. Consequently the first half year's payment was due the 24th of June, • Copied from Mr. Lewis's original letter. + Another MS. copy of this piece I have now in my possession. 1804. I received that, and it has been paid to me ever since, having on the 17th of January, 1826, been paid the half year due to me 25th of December, 1825. On the 6th of February, 1808, I had the high honour and gratification of receiving at the Treasury, in Downing-street, my first quarter's payment of a royal annual pension, obtained for me through the kind exertions of His Excellency Lord Charles Somerset, and three ladies of high rank-two of these are no more, the other lady is still living, and long may she live in health and happiness! The Earl of Liverpool has my sincere and heartfelt thanks for this grant, which has afforded me so many years of peace and comfort. My daughter had an annuity left her for the remainder of her life, by her grandfather, (my father-in-law) Tottenham Heaphy, proprietor of the theatres of Cork and Limerick, which annuity (on the said theatres) having long ceased to be paid to her, owing to theatrical confusions on our Irish side of the water, I applied in February 1820 to Drury-Lane Theatre, on the subject of a night which I thought it might afford to give me, as, during so many years of performing many of my pieces, I had never received any remuneration whatever from that house, except the profits of my one night of "She's Eloped," being the before-mentioned thirty-three pounds, six shillings and eightpence. I had a polite and indeed friendly answer to my application, saying, "If I would draw up a case to be submitted to the consideration of the company, no doubt it would meet attention, &c." But I did not like stating cases, and with perfect conviction of the good wishes of Drury-Lane, and the writer of the letter to me, I let the affair drop, and heard no more of it. And here would I have ended this my "Dramatic Career," but from the visit with which I was lately honoured. On Sunday the 22d of January, 1826, my humble cabin was cheered by the presence of the Lord Bishop of Chichester, who, with the joy of benevolence, came to inform me of an accumulation of honour from the King, and a most happy and welcome addition to my means. His lordship read to me and my daughter a letter to himself from Sir William Knighton, with His Majesty's gracious command that I should receive a pension of one hundred guineas from his private purse, to be continued annually. The Bishop then handed me the draft on Messrs. Coutts for my first year's pension, which came to him inclosed in the said letter from Sir William Knighton; and all I have now to add is, Thanks be to God,-and God bless the King--and may He live long and happy! Chichester, Sussex, 18th February, 1826. CI-DEVANT! I cannot, if I would, call back again To dream Love can be what it was to me. O No, my heart can never be Again in lighted hope the sameThe love that lingers there for thee Has more of ashes than of flame. Still deem not but that I am yet As much as ever all thine own; Has long been struggled with in vain— There I am vow'd-there must remain. My first-my last-my only love, O blame me not for that I dwell On all that I have had to prove Of Love's despair, of Hope's farewell. I think upon mine early dreains, When Youth, Hope, Joy together sprung; When Love seemed only meant to make And wake to weep o'er dreams like these! I deemed that Love had power to part And shed its influence o'er all. I linked it with all lovely things, I was not happy-Love forbade Love's flowers have dropp'd from off Love's chain; And that they cannot bloom again. I know not what the pangs may be That hearts betray'd'or slighted prove I speak but of the misery That waits on fond and mutual love. The torture of an absent hour, When doubts mock Reason's faint control : 'Tis fearful thinking of the power Another holds upon our soul! To think another has in thrall All of life's best and dearest part- To live but in another's breath- Love as I may, yet I can dream Of happiness in Love no more. L. E. L. WALKS IN ROME AND ITS ENVIRONS.-NO. 11I. Ox returning to my apartments, I found several invitations lying on my table, in answer to the letters of introduction which I had presented in the morning. They were of all complexions and characters; but my valet de place had arranged them "according to the order of their coming," with every due attention to their bearings and precedence.* Goldoni had given Literally and prosaically true: I remember meeting amongst one of these heaps the card of a certain Conte Cavaliere (as he termed himself, anxious not to bate one jot of his stature) emblazoned all over with his arms in all their quarterings, his decorations, titles, &c. "Quot pascit servos ?" was my natural question; and I found that they amounted to two, and that his Feudi had dwindled down to about as many hundred piastres. A Cavaliere Landolina Nava, of Syracuse, went perhaps a little further, for he brought up his literary in support of his aristocratic pretensions. His genealogy, which measured several feet in length, with a variety of apocryphal-looking family-busts, were exhibited, "more majorum," in the smoky "Atrium" of his Palazzetto, and so far his nobility was satisfied; but his antiquarian claims were of a loftier cast, and required a more extensive circulation. I have one of his "biglietti" still in my possession; it is a pleasant little epitome of all his glories. A vase of the wine "Pollio," which he is supposed to have re-discovered, is at one extremity; at the other is the plant Papyrus, the great wonder of the country, and from which he had been lately making the best cold-pressed antique paper, upon which the Prince of Bavaria" had condescended to write." Between were scattered various Torsi lately dug up in his gardens, bassi rilievi, mutilated Greek inscriptions, and, modestly in the corner, his name. This, which is the "gran moda" in all ancient towns, which of course abound with as many antiquarians as antiquities, now and then invades other classes of society. The |