a

SIR,

* has

We shall close this interesting narrative with the character given The Sketch Book, to our excellent Poet by a learned

No. 1. man, who was well acquainted with him: “All things combine to distinguish him. He was blessed

EPICTETUS somewhere

says, with a superior understanding, that a man of wit should rise early and an uncommon share of learn- in the morning, and AristoTLE ing; and these were united to a confirms this opinion.- ļ do not heavenly mind, to form a character myself pretend to that character,

, which Angels must look down

but-I rose early the other mornupon with pleasure."

ing, 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 To the Editor of the Oxford Entertaining Miscellany.

lately purchased a new pair of buckles :-it is fit he should know

I bought them of Mr B* * 1 Observing in the Pros- need not say, that Mr. B* pectus of your New Publication since informed me, that he has sold an announcement of interesting several dozen of the same :- the and entertaining selections, origi- desire of imitating a man whose nal communications, &c. I beg to taste is fashionable, is natural, is transmit you the following for in- common, I will add, is decent.-sertion, and will occasionally turn when I was dressed, I stepped into over, and furnish you with, a new my chariot, and bid my footman *leaf” from my“Sketch Book :" order my coachman to drive me to 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- beaur 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 to tion and entertainment to your

the concert. I do'nt náme the readers. Not to take up further Lady: I will not name her all ỹour 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, should--the Lady is not ashamed. Very devotedly your's,

-Between dozing and chattering

to three or four women of fashion, JONATHAN W. DOUBIKIN. I whiled away 'the idle hours No. 8, Quill-driving Square, . Logic Lane, Oxford,

till ten. Idleness is the privilege of JULY 20th, 1824.

business : few know this, and few

SIR,

be one

a

er know the reason of it; but I'l know both, tho' I will tell neither. To the Editor of the Oxford Euter.

taining Miscellany. At a rout, I finished the evening, where Brag and Fortune deprived me of fifty guineas; I lost

Speed in the Life of them with unconcern; I have fifty Henry V. (Edit. 3) tells us, that

I 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 coachmun, 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 ;

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 servant. One servant knocked at found the meaning of it in the roliny door; a second opened it; and lowing custom observed annually at a third lighted me up stairs.- Queen's College, where the Bure Above 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

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."

Now Prince Henry having been

a student in that College, this J, W. D.

strange garment was probably

designed by him to express his the same time a sense of familjaracademical character, if it was not ity which almost “ breeds cou, indeed his academical habit, and tempt.” These two opposite feel such as was then worn by the sons ings are delightfully blended and of noblemen. In either case it confused together in the epistle was the most proper habit he which follows: could appear in, his father being Mr. Wrench, at that time greatly apprehensive

SIR- Please to excuse my freedom of some trouble, from his active as a streanger to you, but I have had

the pleasure of seeing you many times and ambitious temper, and afraid

at the Theatre in Oxford. 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 to from that of a soldier, in those days, day at 2 o'clock to meet a few friends

-And in the evening we intend to that nothing could better efface the

visit your theatre. impressions the king had received

SIR, I hope you will excuse this against him, than this silent de

notis. claration of his attachment to li- Monday Morning, terature, and renunciation of the 4th Sept. 1815. J.. W*** sword.

Porter of College. *** College,

G. G.

An answer is requested. Oxford, July, 1824.

Our next specimens shall be from two aspirants after theatrical fame. The infinite summariness

of the first, and the cool manner LETTER WRITING.

in which the writer desires to be

waited upon at his own residence, We present our readers with a

are remarkable. He evidently few characteristic epistles, copied

thinks that, now his mind is made verbatim et literatim from the

up on the matter, nothing remains: originals.

but to arrange the preliminaries of The following letter, in addition to its other merits, of style, com

his engagement.

To Mr. MATHEWS. position, &c. proves the singular

SIR,- I write these few lines to you, effect which theatrical representa- hoping that i shall succeed in what i tions produce on spectators of a am trying for-i am very unhappy, certain class, in regard to the per- now my mind is all on being a stage Kons“ who embody the different actor, and if you would have the goodcharacters represented. Το ness to step down to 35, Devonshirecountry bumpkin the abstract no- street, Portland-place, to day i shall be

very much a b loiged to you, as I have tion of “ a play actor” is a . some

not time to come to the Haymarket. thing which inspires a mysterious I remain your's, respect amounting to awe, and at Aug. 23, 1815.

"

a

R. R***

soul to cross,

per week!

The other is from a very differ- | The following is certainly neither ent person

prose 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 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

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 But when it can be read over withother celebrated authors for several years—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 abilitics—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 I assured that he is either not inade 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 1by favor.” The salary I should ex

healthful state. We should shrewd. pect 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

“Friday Morning, theatrical affairs are generally trans

MY DEAR AINGEL,— I reseaved acted. Your humble Servant,

W. K*** your Leater, and I am a stonisht that

you did not start off the moment the N.B.- If you think it worth your theatre closed, after what I have rote trouble, as I am now in waiting, I would to you and leting you know what a give you a specimen or two of my abi. situation I am in I am a stonisht that . Jities knowing, from report, your in

12

seve this Leater, 'I shal expect you history, as an admonition to young will start off on the recpt of this Leater | people who start aside from their wich you will reaseve on Monday,

serious studies; and rush into the of November, wich I shall expect you will come off by the male at night; and arms of the muses--to starve in If you are not over in Dublin on the ptures. thursday following, I shal start on the Boissy, the author of several fryday folowing, if I am abel to start dramatical pieces, that were receive - for you lose your engadgment--for ed with applause, met with the Mr. Joneston says he must engadg sum

common fate of those who give one Elce in your situation- 80 you

themselves up entirely to the arts know my sentiments.

Dam the election and the theatre of the muses. He laboured and if you wish to make me hapy, you will toiled unremittedly-his work promind what I have wrote to you, cured him , fame, but no bread. So no more from

He languished, with a wife and your ever loving and obedient husband.

child, under the pressures of the If it ruines me I will start on fryday extremest poverty. if you are not over on thursday. if

But, melancholy as his situation you start on monday night you will be in Dublin on thursday.

was, he lost nothing of that pride God bless your eyes.

which is peculiar to genius, wheThe theatre is skut up, and I have ther great or small; he could not just money enough left to bring me to creep and fawn at the feet of a holey head - and if you are not over

patron.

He had friends who on thursday the 15, or friday the 16, would have administered relief to by God I will come of if I walk all the way from the head to London -- thear him; but they were never made for do not come if you do not come of acquainted with his real condition, in time.

or had not friendly impetuosity O fany—I did not think you wold enough to force their assistance treat me, so to leave me in a straing

upon

him. country- I could not treat poor Lobs

Boissy became a prey to diskey so much more your loving hus

tress and despondency. The shortband. If the critics do not pronounce all his misery seemed to him to be

est way to rid himself at once from this to be the perfection of the

death. Death appeared to him as natural, in point of style as well

a friend, as a saviour and deliveras matter, we would beg them to

and gained his affection. His tender spouse, who was no less weary of life, listened with parti

cipation when he declaimed with BOISSY.

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.

er ;

say what is.