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We shall close this interesting narrative with the character given to our excellent Poet by a learned man, who was well acquainted with him: “ All things combine to distinguish him. He was blessed

The Sketch Book,

No. I.

EPICTETUS somewhere says,

with a superior understanding, that a man of wit should rise early

and an uncommon share of learn ing; and these were united to a heavenly mind, to form a character which Angels must look down upon with pleasure."

To the Editor of the Oxford Entertaining Miscellany.

SIR,

in the morning, and ARISTOTLE confirms this opinion.-I do not myself pretend to that character, but I rose early the other morning, and rang my bell ;-my valet presently appeared, and I ordered him to buckle my shoes.-It is fit the reader should know that I have lately purchased a new pair of buckles:-it is fit he should know I bought them of Mr B*** need not say, that Mr. B*** has since informed me, that he has sold several dozen of the same:- the desire of imitating a man whose taste is fashionable, is natural, is common, I will add, is decent.— When I was dressed, I stepped into my chariot, and bid my footman order my coachman to drive me to

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Observing in the Prospectus of your New Publication an announcement of interesting and entertaining selections, original communications, &c. I beg to transmit you the following for insertion, and will occasionally turn over, and furnish you with, a new "leaf" from my "Sketch Book :" some of the portraits you will find College here I diverted originals, others will be selections myself till dinner with some of the from excellent and scarce publica- beaux esprits of the age.-At tions. The whole of them, I seven I retired from champaigne trust, will prove a fund of instruc- and toasting the Lady

the concert.

to

I do'nt name the

tion and entertainment to your readers. Not to take up further Lady: I will not name her-all your valuable time, being well Oxford, without my naming her, aware that "brevity is the soul of will guess: I am not ashamed they wit," allow me to subscribe myself,

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should-the Lady is not ashamed. -Between dozing and chattering to three or four women of fashion, I whiled away the idle hours till ten. Idleness is the privilege of business: few know this, and few

er know the reason of it; but I'

know both, tho' I will tell neither. To the Editor of the Oxford Euter

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taining Miscellany.

ed me of fifty guineas; I lost Speed in the Life of them with unconcern; I have fifty Henry V. (Edit. 3) tells us, that more at home. At one I return- when he was Prince of Wales, ed to my own house, in my own "He came into his father's prechariot, drawn by my own horses, sence in a strange disguise, being driven by my own coachman, in a garment of blue satin, wrought attended by my own footman.- full of eyelet-holes, and at every Such circumstances in some his- eyelet the needle left hanging by tories are immaterial;-in mine the silk it was wrought with." This they are otherwise. The Public strange disguise has often puzzled desire to know every particular of me as well as the author; and may my life; they have obliged me ;- be one reason why Rapin has and shall be obliged:- they are taken no notice of it, but since my my readers-I am their humble residence in this University, I have One servant knocked at found the meaning of it in the folmy door; a second opened it; and lowing custom observed annually at a third lighted me up stairs.- Queen's College, where the BurAbove I found the charming sar gives to every member first a AMANDA;-under that name I needle and thread, in remembrance shall disguise a woman of the of the founder, whose name was, highest quality; for there is an Egglesfield, falsely deduced from indelicacy in discovering too much, two French words, aguille Fil, a as there is in the nature of needle and thread, according to the man a delight inconceivable in custom of former times, and the displaying the amiably decent doctrine of rebusses. Egglesfield the elegantly lovely however is pure Saxon and not

servant.

I was favoured with the above French; and the Founder of communication by my old friend Queen's College was an Englishquondam schoolfellow, Doctor man born in Cumberland. He Bobathill, which, as a learned was, nevertheless, confessor to a critique thereon observes, "will queen of Dutch extraction, daughdo honour to any collection in ter to the Earl of Hainault and which it shall be preserved;" and Holland; a circumstance which therefore my readers, I trust, will probably gave rise to the false denot be displeased to see it in rivation of his name. the "Miscellany."

J. W. D.

Now Prince Henry having been a student in that College, this strange garment was probably

designed by him to express his the same time a sense of familiar

ity which almost "breeds contempt." These two opposite feel, ings are delightfully blended and confused together in the epistle which follows:

Mr. Wrench,

SIR-Please to excuse my freedom as a streanger to you, but I have had the pleasure of seeing you many times at the Theatre in Oxford.

academical character, if it was not indeed his academical habit, and such as was then worn by the sons of noblemen. In either case it was the most proper habit he could appear in, his father being at that time greatly apprehensive of some trouble, from his active and ambitious temper, and afraid of his taking the crown from him, Mr. Wrench, J.W*** presents most as he did at last; and the habit of respectful compliments to Mr.W. begs a scholar was so very different the favour of his company at dinner tofrom that of a soldier, in those days, day at 2 o'clock to meet a few friends that nothing could better efface theAnd in the evening we intend to visit your theatre. impressions the king had received against him, than this silent declaration of his attachment to literature, and renunciation of the sword.

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SIR, I hope you will excuse this notis.

Monday Morning,

4th Sept. 1815.

J. W*** Porter of- -College.

An answer is requested. Our next specimens shall be from two aspirants after theatrical fame. The infinite summariness of the first, and the cool manner in which the writer desires to be waited upon at his own residence, are remarkable. He evidently thinks that, now his mind is made up on the matter, nothing remains: but to arrange the preliminaries of his engagement.

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The other is from a very differ- The following is certainly neither ent personprose nor verse; but we will ven"Some clerk foredoom'd his father's ture to say that it is poetry, if the simple outbursting of a sincere and

soul to cross,

Who READS A PLAY BOOK when he deep-seated affection are such. In

should engross."

the midst of its infinite confusion His mingled confidence and mo- of times, persons, and things, there desty are amusing. He feels no are touches of passion which nodifficulty in offering himself as thing purely fictitious ever possess"a tragic performer of the first ed. The benediction that intercharacters;" and yet the utmost venes between the two postscripts scope of his expectations in the is the sublime of simple nature. affair of salary is fifteen shillings The reader must not be content per week! with a single perusal of this letter. SIR-I now wait upon you in order -On the first reading, its someto offer myself to your acceptance as a what recondite orthography may tragic performer of the first charac- perhaps interfere with its effect. ters-having studied Shakespear and other celebrated authors for several

I

But when it can be read over withyears—but I bring with me no other out pausing to puzzle out the meanrecommendation to your notice but my ing of the words, he who can so own abilities—not having appeared on read it, and not be touched by it any stage yet still if you should have even to the verge of tears, may be the goodness to grant my suite, I think assured that he is either not made of ¿may justly say with Norval "something" penetrable stuff," or that his makes me bold to say I will not shame heart and affection are not in a thy favor." The salary I should exhealthful state. We should shrewdpect would not be more than 15s. per week. Pardon me, if I through igno- ly suspect such a person of being rance have erred in addressing you secretly addicted to melo-drams! -not knowing the way in which the theatrical affairs are generally transacted. Your humble Servant,

W. K* N.B.-If you think it worth your trouble, as I am now in waiting, I would give you a specimen or two of my abiJities-knowing, from report, your innate worth and love of justice. To Mr. T. DIBDIN, Manager, Surrey Theatre.

"Friday Morning.

MY DEAR AINGEL,- I reseaved your Leater, and I am astonisht that you did not start off the moment the theatre closed, after what I have rote to you and leting you know what a situation I am in I am a stonisht that you did not pay more a tencion-was you in a straing country I wold not serve you 80-you are braking my heart by eanchis-I have been bad a nuf before I reseaved this Leter- but this has cut me to the senter of my

We shall conclude our extracts for the present, with an epistle hart. I am walking the street from sent from a clown at the Dublin morning to night and till morning again Theatre to his wife in London. if you are not started before you rea

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history, as an admonition to young people who start aside from their serious studies; and rush into the arms of the muses-to starve in raptures.

seve this Leater, I shal expect you will start off on the recpt of this Leater wich you will reaseve on Monday, 12 of November, wich I shall expect you will come off by the male at night; and if you are not over in Dublin on the thursday following, I shal start on the Boissy, the author of several fryday folowing, if I am abel to start dramatical pieces, that were receivfor you lose your engadgment for ed with applause, met with the Mr. Joneston says he must engadg sum one Elce in your situation-so you know my sentiments.

Dam the election and the theatre if you wish to make me hapy you will mind what I have wrote to you,

So no more from your ever loving and obedient husband. If it ruines me I will start on fryday if you are not over on thursday. if you start on monday night you will be in Dublin on thursday.

God bless your eyes.

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in time.

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common fate of those who give themselves up entirely to the arts of the muses. He laboured and toiled unremittedly-his work procured him fame, but no bread. He languished, with a wife and child, under the pressures of the extremest poverty.

But, melancholy as his situation was, he lost nothing of that pride which is peculiar to genius, whether great or small; he could not creep and fawn at the feet of a patron. He had friends who would have administered relief to him; but they were never made

for do not come if you do not come of acquainted with his real condition, or had not friendly impetuosity enough to force their assistance upon

O fany-I did not think you wold treat me so- to leave me in a straing country- I could not treat poor Lobskey so much more your loving husband.

If the critics do not pronounce this to be the perfection of the natural, in point of style as well as matter, we would beg them to say what is.

BOISSY.

him.

Boissy became a prey to distress and despondency. The shortest way to rid himself at once from all his misery seemed to him to be death. Death appeared to him as a friend, as a saviour and deliverer; and gained his affection. His tender spouse, who was no less weary of life, listened with participation when he declaimed with all the warmth of poetic rapture of

It may not be unserviceable in deliverance from this earthly our times once more to call to prison, and of the smiling prosmind, and to relate the following pects of futurity; at length resolv

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