1810.

No. XVIII.

Principibus placuisse viris non ultima laus est.

HOR.

YESTERDAY as I was sitting by the fire in Smith's Reading-Room, looking at the Report of the King's Physicians, a tall gentleman, who sat on the other side of the chimney, took up one of the Numbers of The Spy, and turning over the leaves, looked at it in the most careless and disdainful manner. A sentence, or expression, however, happening to attract his attention, after turning back to the beginning, he began to read with apparent earnestness. In a few seconds, he began to smile, and shortly after burst into laughter. I watched his emotions with the utmost attention, although I still pretended to be reading on the Newspaper, but I could not discover what Number it was that he had. He continued the perusal for about ten minutes, then laying himself back in his chair, he laid the one leg over the other, and fixing his eyes upon the cornice of the room-" Aye!" said he, " that is such a story as I never read." "What is it, Sir, if you please?" said I. "A confounded lie I dare swear," returned he, giving the paper to a gentleman who sat at the window, and who held out his hand for it. "Have you read the Spy's remarks upon the Edinburgh stage?" said he, turning to me; I said I had perused them slightly. "Fool as

he is," said he, "I think he displays a considerable degree of humour and discrimination in these; he should write oftener on that subject." "I fear," said I," he will find few precedents for this species of writing, among the respectable part of the British essayists." "No matter for that," returned he, "it is certainly very proper that a paper of amusement should occasionally, nay frequently, treat of the literary amusements, and popular topics of the day; and the stage being the principal one at this season, if he would write more about it, he would find a greater number of readers, depend upon it.”— "There is nothing I so much desire as a great number of readers, said I to myself, I'll write about the stage every week these six months."

"Besides," continued he, "the Edinburgh populace stand greatly in need of some one to direct their taste a little with regard to theatrical works and performers.. Not that I think The Spy the fittest man in the world for that purpose; for indeed I think him an arrant fool.". "It shows how little sense you have," thought I." But don't you frequently observe, Sir, that they are most taken with the greatest trash, and the most absurd buffoonery on the parts of the performers? and likewise, that unless an actor has previously gained some applause from our

southern neighbours, he need not expect to gain any here? Nay, so jealous are they of being imposed upon, that they will not suffer a young candidate to have a fair trial, but are sure to put him out of countenance by their hissing ere he begin to speak. This is often a most vexatious circumstance; and visibly hurts the feelings of the genteel part of the audience, and all who wish to judge without prejudice."

"The best thing that Mr Siddons could do, would be to exchange half a dozen of his company each month, for as many of those employed by his relations in London. His would be more admired there, as they have frequently been before, and the London performers would be more admired here, although they did not so well deserve it.”

The old gentleman at the window now interrupted him—" What, Sir?" said he, "would you insinuate, that the people of this metropolis neither have any just taste of their own, nor yet the least dependance upon it ?"

"It is my opinion, Sir," returned the other, “that the populace of this city, who commonly take the lead in such matters, are endowed by nature with warm feelings, and strong natural powers of discernment; but their taste seems to be unformed, and somewhat eccentric. You must have observed, that a real good sentiment, or brilliant stroke of wit or humour, never escapes them; but that, on the other hand, they are as apt to applaud the most consummate nonsense."

few individuals, as well as the depraved taste of another part of the community, to the whole indiscriminately; whereas, it is evident, that in an audience, where there are upwards of a thousand people, there must of course be many men of learning, who are possessed of abilities sufficient to enable them to discern both that which is excellent in the piece itself, and in the performance of it; and these parts they applaud, the neutrals joining them. On the other hand, in every populous city, there is a number of depraved and licentious young men, and, God knows, we have an adequate proportion of them here. When such mix with an audience, how can the enlightened part of it possibly prevent their bursts of applause, on the representation of such parts as are congenial to their natures? Believe me, Sir, you will often hear the loudest plaudits of approbation, at that for which one half of the company are blushing."

The tall gentleman said not another word, but instantly left the room; and the other taking his seat, beside me, at the fire, said, the fire, said, "I'll bet a guinea that I have been speaking all this while to the Spy himself:"-" I am fully convinced of it," said I." I am certain of it said he, not only from his manner of talking about the work, but also from his meagre, starved appearance."-I turned my small legs and lean hands to one side, that he might not discover the truth; while he continued thus:

"If I had known him sooner, I could have given him some hints that would have been of service to him. He may go on writing about the stage, which seems to be a favourite topic with him, but that is not the way by which he

will gain either the greatest number of readers, or the most respectable ones. Besides, in such a work as The Spy, I would suppose, that the value of the whole as a book, should be a matter of higher concern, than that of its currency as a weekly paper at present, which must of course be local, as it does not pay duty, and consequently cannot be sent post-free. Of what moment, then, can it prove to the reader a few years hence, though he should find the merits or defects of a few inconsiderable stage-players ever so ably discussed ?"-"That man speaks sense," said I to myself, "I'll never write another word about the stage while I live." He went on," The Spy's business should be, to note the literary taste, the genius and manners of the various classes of people throughout the kingdom, and, as much as possible, to blend instruction with amusement. Every moral virtue which he would inculcate, should be conveyed in some pleasant or interesting story, or illustrated by the rela tion of some coincident anecdote, or reference. By these means a proper sense of duty, or decorum, can sometimes be more effectually conveyed to the mind, than by the most elaborate declamations. He should laugh at our foibles; reprehend our vices; and, occasionally lead us to view their fatal consequences, by narratives. of misery and woe..

"In particular, he should endeavour to point out the dangerous tendency of that growing laxity of principle, with regard to the duties of religion, and the respect due from every Christian to the Sabbath day, which is now so openly profaned in every corner and part of

this city, from the pavilion to the lowest haunt of depraved humanity. What would our early reformers have said, had they witnessed the scenes which weekly recur amongst us? and why do the great of this flourishing city, set us an example in this respect, so little worthy of imitation? When we see those in the most conspicuous stations, setting this holy day entirely apart for pleasure; assembling in splendid parties, and indulging themselves in feasting, mirth, and unrestrained gaiety; can we wonder that the practice should gradually descend to the low tippling house, and porter cellar? No, it must. Every vice, and every folly descends, by imperceptible degrees, from the highest rank to the lowest; each copying the manners of that next above it; and as they decend, are stripped gradually of every vestige of decorum, until they triumph in their loathsome nakedness. When I have occasion to walk along any of our most public streets at a late hour, on the evening of the Sabbath day, and hear the licentious mirth ascending from the low sinks of vice; the horrid oaths and imprecations which interlard the language of Sodom, spoken loudly at every entry; I tremble for our fate as a nation! and often look around me, to see if no visible judgment is descending on their audacious heads. But there is no one offence more heinous in the sight of Heaven than this, nor one that tends more effectually to eradicate from the heart every spark of love and gratitude so justly due from a dependant creature towards his creator and benefactor; and extinguish the idea of an over-ruling providence in the human soul, as well as all the sweet consola