empty show, or impertinent activity. In short, two houses cannot hope to subsist, but by means which are contradictory to the very institution of a theatre in a well-governed kingdom ".

b From the year 1570 to the year 1629, when the playhouse in WhiteFriars was finished, no less than seventeen playhouses had been built. The following enumeration, as collected from our earliest dramatic publications, is given by Mr. Reed, in his Preface to Dodsley's Collection of Old Plays:' St. Paul's singing-school; the Globe on the Bankside, Southwark; the Swan; and the Hope there; the Fortune, between White Crossstreet and Golding-lane; which was (Maitland says) the first playhouse erected in London; the Red Bull, in St. John's-street; the Cross Keys, in Gracechurch-street; Tuns; the Theatre; the Curtain; the Nursery, in Barbican; one in Black Friars; one in White Friars; one in Salisburycourt; the Cock-pit, and the Phœnix, in Drury-lane.

Prynne, in his Histrio Mastix,' published in 1633, mentions a playhouse in Bishopsgate-street, and another on Ludgate-hill, called the BellSavage. The one in Bishopsgate-street might, perhaps, be the Curtain, which was situated in Shoreditch, and had originally as its sign, a striped curtain hung out. It has been said, that the playhouse in White Friars was no other than that in Salisbury Court; that the Cock-pit and the Phoenix were only two names for the same playhouse; and that what was called the Theatre, was no other than the playhouse in Black Friars. Taylor, the Water-poet, in his True Cause of the Watermen's suit concerning Playhouses, an. 1613,' mentions still another theatre, which was called 'The Rose.' Add to this, that the children of the revels, and of the chapel, acted plays; there were likewise royal comedians; many noblemen kept companies of players; plays were also acted by the lawyers, in the inns of court; by the students, in the halls and colleges of the universities; and by the London 'prentices; so that the old saying was almost literally true, • Totus mundus agit histrionem.

Companies of players were in proportion to the number of theatres; yet, it is said that all these companies got money, and lived in reputation, especially those of the Black Friars, who were men of grave and sober behaviour.

Downes, an actor, and afterwards prompter in the playhouse called the 'Duke's Theatre,' by the publication of his Roscius Anglicanus,' or ‹ Historical Review of the Stage,' has enabled us to fill up the chasm in our theatrical history, from the year 1629, to the Restoration, soon after which the account of the English stage given by Colley Cibber, in his life, commences. Downes informs us better of the number and situation of the playhouses in the reign of Charles I., and corrects many mistakes in the history of our drama, which have hitherto passed unnoticed.

The Roscius Anglicanus is now become very scarce; however, sir John Hawkins, with his usual accuracy, has extracted from it satisfactory information for the purposes above-mentioned. This extract the reader may see, with abundance of curious particulars relative to theatrical history

I have ever had this sense of the thing, and for that reason have rejoiced that my ancient coeval friend of Drury-lane, though he had sold off most of his moveables, still kept possession of his palace; and trembled for him, when he had lately like to have been taken by a stratagem. There have, for many ages, been a certain learned sort of unlearned men in this nation called attornies, who have taken upon them to solve all difficulties by increasing them, and are called upon to the assistance of all who are lazy, superadded by the author, in the History of Music,' vol. iv. b. iii. ch. 6. p. 235. We learn from the same respectable authority, that most of these old playhouses, to which the two mentioned in the text succeeded, were only large rooms in noted ale-houses, or slight erections in places contiguous, or in gardens, the pits of which were unfloored, where the spectators either stood, or were badly accommodated with benches to sit on, and the music was mean and despicable.

We are informed by another ingenious and learned antiquary, that ' tobacco, wine, and beer,' were in those days the usual accommodations of the Theatre, as lately at Sadler's Wells. 'With regard to the antient prices of admission, the playhouse called the Hope had five different priced seats, from sixpence to half-a-crown; some houses had penny benches; there was a two-penny gallery; and seats at three-pence, and a groat. The general price of what is now called Pit, probably from one of the playhouses having been a cock-pit, seems to have been a shilling. The time of exhibition was early in the afternoon, the plays being generally acted by day-light. Even in the reign of Charles II. plays began at three in the afternoon. All female parts were performed by men, no actress having been ever seen on the public stage, before the civil wars. As for the playhouse furniture and ornaments, they had no other scenes or decorations of the stage, but only old tapestry, and the stage strewed with rushes, with habits accordingly; as we are assured in a short discourse on the English stage, subjoined to Flecknoe's 'Love's Kingdom,' 12mo. 1674. Puttenham tells us, they used vizards in his time, 'partly to supply the want of players when there were more parts than there were persons, or that it was not thought meet to trouble princes chambers with too many folkes.' Art. of English Poets, 1589, p. 26.

It would seem from this last clause, that vizards were chiefly used in the Masques at court. 'Ancient Songs and Ballads,' p. 128. Readers, who are curious in theatrical history, may derive farther gratification, from the Supplement to Dodsley's Preface,' in the edition of Dodsley's Select Collection of Old Plays,' 12 vols. crown 8vo. with notes, 1780. The same intelligent and very accurate writer informs us, that on the junction of the king's and the duke's companies of players, in 1682, Hart discontinued to act, and retired on a pension, and Mohun died soon after,

d

or weak of understanding. The insolence of a ruler of this place made him resign the possession of it to the management of my above-mentioned friend Divito. Divito was too modest to know when to resign it, till he had the opinion and sentence of the law for his removal. Both these in length of time were obtained against him; but as the great Archimedes defended Syracuse with so powerful engines, that if he threw a rope or piece of wood over the wall, the enemy fled; so Divito had wounded all adversaries with so much skill, that men feared even to be in the right against him. For this reason, the lawful ruler sets up an attorney to expel an attorney, and chose a name dreadful to the stage, who only seemed able to beat Divito out of his intrenchments.

On the 22d instant, a night of public rejoicing, the enemies of Divito made a largess to the people of fagots, tubs, and other combustible matter, which was erected into a bonfire before the palace. Plentiful cans were at the same time distributed among the dependencies of that principality; and the artful rival of Divito, observing them prepared for enterprize, presented the lawful owner of the neighbouring edifice, and showed his deputation under him. War immediately ensued upon the peaceful empire of Wit and the Muses; the Goths and Vandals sacking Rome did not threaten a more barbarous devastation of arts and sciences. But when they had forced their entrance, the experienced Divito had detached

c This and the following paragraph refer to a transaction between William Collier, esq. and Christopher Rich, esq. two lawyers, of which there is here given a very ludicrous account. Rich was the patentee of Drurylane Theatre, when Collier, having first obtained a licence to head a company of players, procured next a lease of Drury-lane playhouse, from the landlords of it; and under this authority, by the help of a hired rabble, he forcibly expelled Rich, and got possession. The particulars of this transaction are recorded by Colley Cibber, in his Life, vol. i. p. 306, &c.

See Tatler, No. 83. note on Archimedes; and Tatler, No. 81.

The

all his subjects, and evacuated all his stores. neighbouring inhabitants report, that the refuse of Divito's followers marched off the night before, disguised in magnificence; door-keepers came out clad like cardinals, and scene-drawers like heathen gods. Divito himself was wrapped up in one of his black clouds, and left to the enemy nothing but an empty stage, full of trap-doors, known only to himself and his adherents.

FROM MY OWN APARTMENT, NOV. 25.

I HAVE already taken great pains to inspire notions of honour and virtue into the people of this kingdom, and used all gentle methods imaginable, to bring those who are dead in idleness, folly, and pleasure, into life, by applying themselves to learning, wisdom, and industry. But, since fair means are ineffectual, I must proceed to extremities, and shall give my good friends, the company of upholders, full power to bury all such dead as they meet with, who are within my former descriptions of deceased persons. In the mean time the following remonstrance of that corporation I take to be very just:

6 WORTHY SIR,

UPON reading your Tatler of Saturday last, by which we received the agreeable news of so many deaths, we immediately ordered in a considerable quantity of blacks; and our servants have wrought night and day ever since, to furnish out the necessaries for these deceased. But so it is, Sir, that of this vast number of dead bodies, that go putrifying up and down the streets, not one of them has come to us to be buried. Though we should be loth to be any hindrance to our good friends the physicians, yet we cannot but take notice what infection her Majesty's subjects are liable to from the horrible stench of so

many corpses. Sir, we will not detain you; our case, in short, is this: here are we embarked in this undertaking for the public good; now, if people should be suffered to go on unburied at this rate, there is an end of the usefullest manufactures and handicrafts of the kingdom: for where will be your sextons, coffinmakers, and plumbers? what will become of your embalmers, epitaph-mongers, and chief mourners ? We are loth to drive this matter any further, though we tremble at the consequences of it: for if it shall be left to every dead man's discretion not to be buried till he sees his time, no man can say where that will end; but thus much we will take upon us to affirm, that such a toleration will be intolerable.

• What would make us easy in this matter, is no more but that your worship would be pleased to issue out your orders to ditto Dead to repair forthwith to our office, in order to their interment; where constant attendance shall be given to treat with all persons according to their quality, and the poor to be buried for nothing: and for the convenience of such persons as are willing enough to be dead, but that they are afraid their friends and relations should know it, we have a back-door into Warwick-street, from whence they may be interred with all secrecy imaginable, and without loss of time, or hindrance of business. But in case of obstinacy, for we would gladly make a thorough riddance, we desire a farther power from your worship, to take up such deceased as shall not have complied with your first orders, wherever we meet them: and if after that there shall be complaints of any persons so offending, let them lie at our doors. We are, your worship's till death, • The Master and Company of Upholders. P.S. We are ready to give in our printed proposals at large; and if your worship approves of our