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steaks; these he made into rolls as large as his mouth would admit, and devoured them in a princely and dignified manner. Having completed his cannibal repast, he flourished his tomahawk in an exulting manner, exclaimed “ha ha― ho ho!" and made his exit.

The manager possessed a penetrating eye, and a profound knowledge of human nature, but without arrogating much of the latter to himself in this instance, he fancied this princely personage was an impostor, and his opinion was confirmed the following day; for in the middle of the market, place he espied the most puissant prince Annamaboo selling pen-knives, scissars, and quills, in the character of a Jew pedlar. What!' said Mr. Kemble, my prince, is that you? are not you a pretty Jewish scoundrel to impose upon us in this manner?'

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"Moses turned round, and with an arch look replied, Princh be d-d, I vash no princh, I vash acting like you—you vash kings, princh, emperors to night, Stephen Kemble's to-morrow; I vash humpugs, you vash humpugs, all vash humpugs.'

"Tragedy Tom was a considerabe gainer by this imposition on the public, but when the stage-keeper produced his property bill, a scene of warm altercation took place respecting the several items contained in it. The property man's employment in a theatre is, to provide certain articles necessary for every performance; for instance, tea, coffee, wine, daggers, pistols, poison, thunder, lightning, soldiers, virgins, children, &c. &c. At benefits these are paid for by the performers, and the evening's bill ran thus:

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"When Tragedy Tom had, with some pains, made out the several articles, and read the sum total, he pulled the corner of his hat over his eye, drew down his wristbands, took several strides across the stage, and in great tragic fury uttered, 'Cut me down, scoundrel! harkee fellow! what is this vile scroll you have put into my hand ? ، Why, sir, it's the property bill I have paid out of my own pocket, for your cruel pantomime and Prince Humbug ، Don't be impertinent, sir, or cut me down, if I don't shiver you to atoms.' enraged tragedian would certainly have annihilated the poor stage-keeper, if some one had not interfered; after his rage had in a great degree evaporated, he continued, carry this literary morceau to your manager, if his company are not sufficient to perform a common play and farce, without supernumerary maids of honour, courtiers, and sleeping beauties, he ought to be at the expense of them himself; as to your getting a child, I have not the least objection to allow you a shilling for your trouble in that business; I will likewise pay you for the gin the bladder, the beef-steaks, and the ass, because I do not know that managers are obliged to provide quadrupeds of that name, the biped is to be found in all companies, witness the sapient composer of this disputed bill.' Throwing the paper, with solemn indignation, at the disappointed property man, he stalked away, muttering, in an under voice, cut me down! If you wait till I cut you down, Mr. Stiffrump,' replied the other, you may hang to eternity."

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MACKLIN AND BATES.

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"The following anecdote of Mr. Macklin does not all apply to the subject in question, but an unaccountable wandering of the imagination, aided, perhaps, by a slight resemblance in person to Tragedy Tom, has this moment brought it to my

recollection, and desultory as it may appear, I shall without farther apology relate it.

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"As Macklin was rehearsing the part of Macbeth in the Dublin theatre, old Bates, who owed him a grudge, and was to perform some trifling part, roared out the few lines he had to say in a loud and ludicrous manner; Macklin, naturally overbearing and irascible, listened to him with astonishment, and at the conclusion of his speech thus addressed himWhy what the devil are you at, sir? you bawl as if you were on board a ship in a gale of wind.' • Sir,' replied Bates, 'I have a benefit to make as well as you.' Soon after this, Macklin inquired who played the first murderer? Bates again replied, Why you to be sure.' (Macklin had, a short time previous, been arraigned for killing a man by an unfortunate blow with the point of his cane.) Mr. Bates,' exclaimed the enraged veteran, your impertinence is become proverbial, I wonder you have so long escaped with life.' To which the other replied, "Tis because I never came within the reach of your cane, Mr. Macklin." "

LAVALETTE.

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WHEN Lavalette had been liberated from prison by his wife, and was flying with Sir Robert Wilson to the frontier, the postmaster examined his countenance, and recognized him through his disguise. A postillion was instantly sent off at full speed. M. de Lavalette urged his demand for horses. The postmaster had just quitted the house, and given orders that none should be supplied. The travellers thought themselves discovered, and saw no means of escaping, in a country with which they were unacquainted; they resolved upon defending themselves, and selling their lives dearly. The postmaster at length returned unattended; and then addressing himself to M. de Lavalette, he said, "you have the appearance of a man of honour; you are going to Brussels, where you will see M. de Lavalette; deliver him these two hundred Louis d'ors, which I owe him, and which he is no doubt in want of;" and without waiting for an answer, he threw the money into the carriage and withdrew, saying, " you will be drawn by my best horses, a postillion is gone on to provide relays for the continuance of your journey."

Oxberry & Co. Printers, 8, White-hart Yard.

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The Empress, decked with all the pomp of majesty, and attended by her maids of honour, is overtaken by Death, who, in the character of a shrivelled old woman, points to a grave, and seems to say, " to this must you come at last." (To be Resumed.)

THE TALKING DOGS.

THE author of Don Quixote wrote twelve tales, all of which are pleasing, but of which three are particularly worthy of praise for that originality, power of interesting, and philosophical spirit, with which the painter of Dorothea and of Sancho so well knew how to animate and adorn his works. One of these tales is The Force of Nature. In another, the author VOL. II.] [No. X.

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relates that a sick man, at the hospital of Valladolid, heard, in the night, a conversation which took place between the two watch-dogs of the hospital. Cervantes avails himself of this whimsical fiction to criticise, in a style at once delicate and philosophical, the manners and customs of his country. Lastly, in the tale which bears the title of Rinconet and Cortadillo, he paints to the life a kind of men who were very common in Spain in his time, but of whom the police has since cleared the great cities: they were rogues, sharpers, and light-fingered gentry, composing an organized band, having their statutes and regulations, and thus forming a society, not a very respectable one indeed, but a very merry one. Cervantes has drawn them with a comic effect and a correctness which, no doubt, served as a model for the cavern scene in Gil Blas. His excellent understanding did not let slip this opportunity of attacking with ridicule, and ridicule was a weapon of which he was a master, the little superstitious practices which these knaves mixed up with their thefts and debaucheries. Cervantes, born in the sixteenth century, and in Spain, was perhaps the only person of his period who was aware that superstition is the most mortal enemy of religion, and that to destroy the one is to honour the other.

To avoid prolixity, and to exclude some passages which are not in unison with the taste of our own country, I have combined with the Dialogue of the Two Dogs, the tale of Rinconet and Cortadillo, and have also added the History of Ruperta, a spirited episode from the romance of Persiles and Sigismunda, the last work of this author. I have, in short, abridged and suppressed many things, and sometimes even added; but all that is good belongs to Cervantes, and if the story should not give pleasure, the fault is most certainly mine.

It was in the following manner that the two Spanish dogs, whose names were Bergancio and Scipio, began their conversation:

Bergancio. Friend Scipio, let us for this one night leave. the hospital to take care of itself, that we may enjoy, in this retired spot, the unexpected favour which heaven has been pleased to grant us.

Scipio. Brother Bergancio, I hear you speak, and I am conscious that I am talking myself, yet I cannot believe it. Let me tell you, I am afraid that this miracle portends some

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