to the servant, went into an adjoining field, in the corner of which was a pond surrounded with trees, which pointed out to his choice two ways of getting rid of life. Hesitating for some time which to take, he at last determined to leave it to chance, and taking a piece of money out of his pocket, tossed it up in the air to decide it. The money, however, falling on its edge in the clay, seemed to forbid both ways of destruction; and it had such an effect upon him, that he declined it for that time, and regaining his horse, rode to town. His mind, however, was too much disordered to receive comfort, or take any advantage from the above omen; and, after a few months worn out in the utmost dejection of spirits, he shot himself in his own house in St. Paul's Churchyard. The late Mr. John Reading, organist of St. Dunstan's Church, a scholar of Dr. Blow, and master to the late Mr. Stanley, the well-known blind organist, who was intimately acquainted with Clarke, happened to be passing by the door as the pistol went off; and, upon entering the house, found his friend and fellow-student in the agonies of death. Clarke was likewise the original composer of Dryden's celebrated Ode on St. Cecilia's Birth day. day. He is supposed to have done great justice to this Ode, particularly in the pathetic. "The mighty Master smil'd to see But, though free from licentious harmony," says Dr. Burney, " mild, persuasive, and correct, yet he is seemingly incapable of violence of any kind." This Ode was re-composed by Handel in 1736, to more advantage, and had a particular run; though we have heard the late Dr. Arn censure somé passages even of this composition, apparently with great force of criticism. CONTINUATION OF REMARKS. The character of Peachum was drawn after the model of Jonathan Wild, a celebrated thief and thief-taker, who had suffered death for his notorious villainies about three years before the production of this Opera; and Peachum perusing his Tyburn list, was nothing more than the daily practice of Wild. Gay, however, by frequently comparing highwaymen to courtiers, and mixing other political allusions, drew the attention of the public to the character of Sir Robert Walpole, then Prime Minister, who, like most other Prime Ministers, E 3 Ministers, had a strong party against him, who constantly took care to make or find a comparison between the two characters. A particular anecdote of this nature is told of Sir Robert, which shews, what friends and enemies have long since agreed in, viz. that he possessed a fund of good humour, which could scarcely be broken in upon by any accident, with a thorough knowledge of the English character, In the scene where Peachum and Lockit are described settling their accounts, Lockit sings the song, which had such an effect on the audience, that, as if by instinct, the greater part of them threw their eyes on the stage-box, where the Minister was sitting, and loudly encored it. Sir Robert saw this stroke instantly, and saw it with good humour and discretion; for no sooner was the song finished, than he encored it a second time himself, joined in the general applause, and by this means brought the audience into so much good humour with him, that they gave him a general huzza from all parts of the house. But, notwithstanding this escape, every night, and for many years afterwards, that The Beggar's Opera Opera was brought out, Macklin used to say, the Minister (Sir Robert Walpole) never could with any satisfaction be present at its representation, on account of the many allusions which the audience thought referred to his character. The first song was thought to point to him-The name of Bob Booty, whenever mentioned, again raised the laugh against him: and the quarrelling scene between Peachum and Lockit, was so well understood at that time to allude to a recent quarrel between the two Ministers, Lord Townshend and Sir Robert, that the House was in convulsions of applause. We have often asked Macklin the cause of this quarrel between the two Ministers; but he could not reniember, nor perhaps did he ever distinctly know... The late Lord Orford, however, has explained it; and, as the transaction is rather curious, we shall relate it in this place. "Walpole, after quitting the Palace in one of those conferences wherein he differed with Lord Townshend, soon after met him at Col. Selwyn's, Cleveland Court, in the presence of the Duke of Newcastle, Mr. Pelham, Col, and Mrs. Pelham. The conversation turned on a foreign negociation, which, at the desire of Walpole, had been relinquished. Townshend, however, still required that the measure should be mentioned in the House of Commons, at the same time, that the House should be informed, " that it was given up." Walpole objecting to this proposal as inexpedient, Townshend said, "Since you object, and the House of Commons is more your affair than mine, I shall not persist in my opinion; but as I now give way, I cannot avoid observing, that, upon my honour, I think that mode of proceeding would have been most advisable." Walpole, piqued at this expression, lost his temper, and said, "My Lord, for once, then, there is no man's sincerity which I doubt so much as yours; and I never doubted it so much as when you are pleased to make such strong expressions." Townshend, incensed at this reproach, seized him by the collar Sir Robert laid hold of his in return→→ and both, at the same instant, quitted their holds, and laid their hands on their swords. Mrs. Selwyn, alarmed, wanted to call the guard; but was prevented by Pelham, who made it up between them; though the contemptuous expressions used on this occasion rendered all attempts to heal the breach ineffectual. This circumstance happened in the latter end of the year 1727, and The Beggar's Opera came out in 1728. Lord Townshend retired from all employments in the year 1730." It is therefore no wonder that a political morceau of this consequence should be preserved by Gay; and as the Minister was not only inimical to |