About the time Mr. Garrick charmed the public with Shakspeare's character of Richard III. Colley Cibber in his old age was impelled by his vanity to resume the part, to which, notwithstanding all that he and his friends have faid about his performance of it, he was by no means equal; for his cracked pipe could not give force to the animated scenes of the two laft acts of Richard III. Cibber's fuccefs was little better than that of fopus; he was difmiffed indeed, like the Roman actor, with no marks of difpleasure; but mere fufferance, in fuch a fituation, is rather an humiliating circumftance. Victor, who faw him when the play was over, told me that Colley confefsed he never longed fo much for any thing as the dying fcene of Richard. Macklin indeed acted the fame part at seventy-five with as strong a voice as he was master of at forty-five; but where fhall we find two Macklins? Æfopus died immenfely rich; Melmoth eftimates his property at 200000l. I should imagine it to be twice as much; for if he could could give a feast, as we are informed he did, at which one difh alone coft him near 49001. what must be the amount of the whole?q But the abilities of Rofcius feem to have exceeded thofe of his friend fopus. So well did he understand the various powers of action, that he contested with Cicero to express as perfectly by gesture as the orator could by elocution. His character is fo well known, that I fhall dwell the lefs upon it. Notwithstanding his perverse or squinting eyes, the Romans were better pleased with him when he played without a mask than with one. He was a great teacher of the art of acting, and acquired great riches by it. For, of all the Roman flaves, thofe, who were capable of being taught to act, brought their mafters the largest profit.* Slaves who could read were fold, according to Dr. Arbuthnot, at 8071. 55. rod. + Cicero, *Plinii Nat. Hift. lib. x. 10d. We may guefs from thence the value of the others. Rofcius was fo hard to pleafe, that he declared, he never could find a pupil whom he entirely approved; not but that he had the inftruction of many youths of very great abilities; but his confummate knowledge could difcover defects unperceived by every body elfe. When he was advanced to old age, he changed his mode of recitation; he spoke not with the fame rapidity as formerly; his tones were then more foft and deliberate, and the mufic was accommodated to the voice.. In his Oration for Archias, the poet, Cicero embraces an opportunity to pay respect to the memory of Rofcius. • Where amongst us,' fays the Orator, is the mind fo barbarous, where is the heart fo unfeeling, as to be unaffected with the death of Rofcius?" He died indeed in a very advanced age, but he was a man who by his art and elegance feemed to challenge immortality to his perfon. Q. Catulus Catulus pronounced this man to be more beautiful than the rifing fun, notwithftanding his fquinting eyes and his dif torted looks. Conftiteram, exorientem Auroram forte falutans, Cum fubito a læva Rofcius exoritur. Pace mihi liceat, cœleftes, dicere veftra, Mortalis vifu'ft pulchrior effe Deo. Cæfar's urbanity. Question of Cæfar's death. The oppreffive fpirit of the fenate.-Ariftocracy and oligarchy. Tiberius and Caius Gracchus. Number of Roman citizens when Cæfar was murdered. Panem et · circenfes. Cæfar's abilities. His clemency. Perfidy of confpirators. Ro mans difqualified to entertain freedom. Number of flaves in Rome. - Rich furniture and buildings of the Romans. ury of the Romans. - Lux pleasure of feeing fish expire. — Difficulty in reprefenting the affaffination of Cæfar.Actors of Julius Cæfar. Goodman, Colley Cibber, and the Dutchess of Cleveland. Alexander the Great. Goodman a highwayman. - Antony's fervant, and Brutus. - Wilks's action. - Speech of Antony. - Antony - |