confiderable time had elapfed. After his departure, the company was very weak, and a great many deferted it; and we then remembered the truth of what a very worthy man, now a Noble Peer, faid, when the Manager once fuddenly ran to Bath, and when he had not the effrontery, like a certain player, to face the audience" You are a very fine troop, Gentlemen," faid the worthy man alluded to; "you mufter wellyou appear fpirited and enterprifing, but you want your leader!" The faid Manager, however, has now found means to collect his fcattered forces, and to engage many, who, having nothing elfe to do, were not unwilling to try their talents as actors. To thefe he has affigned a very confiderable part in the comedy of Difcontent; and he places great reliance upon theni for the fuccefs of the piece, his old friends having figured away in grumbling characters, till they have quite worn out the patience of the public, who began to fmoke them. He has always been confidered as an actor of great talents; though exceedingly unhappy in the choice of the parts which he ought to play; as well as in the pieces which he produced, moft of which have been irretrievably damned. He is, befides, apt to be an enthufiaft in whatever he undertakes; and to carry his acting to a degree of extravagance, equally inconfiftent with common fenfe and good taste. This is, however, faid to be the effect of he advice of fome of his friends, who, with far inferior talents, have contrived to manage and mislead him. By their mcans, he has often attempted and been difgraced in parts which he ought never to have played, and which his own judgment, upon cool reflection, seems to have difapproved. He ftill, however, continues to direct the company, and to act the beft parts in their full pieces and after-pieces; and there can be no doubt that he will perform one of the most confpicuous characters in The Murmurs of Oppofition." Among Among those who are principally to support the Manager in this drama, is an Irishman, who is known among his friends by the name of Dan-Sherry, or Sherry-Dan, fuppofed to have been given him by his bottle companions, in allufion to the great quantity of Sherry-we are, however, told Claret-which he has been continually pouring down his throat, and which has lighted up a flame in his countenance, that all the water in the Thames cannot extinguish; while his nofe, like Bardolph's, ferves the purpose of a memento mori, continually keeping us in mind, as Shakspeare fays, of "Hell fire!" He may be confidered as the Munden of the company, and is therefore peculiarly well fitted to act his part in Low Comedy. This man wrote feveral pieces for a theatre of his own, which were well received; but nothing would content him but the place of an actor on the Political Stage. Here he cracks jokes, tells ftories, makes puns and conundrums, and pours forth repeated vollies of jests, at all which the audience laugh in the mean time; but notwithstanding this, most of the pieces in which he has been engaged in the Political Theatre, have been dd. Yorick, however, ftill perfifts in the fame career, and defies even Hamlet to fay that he is "chop-fallen." He is to play a He is to play a droll part in the comedy of "The Murmurs;" and the audience will, as ufual, laugh heartily at his jefts, but d-n his "good intentions." The next performer is known by the appellation of Wind-him, from his notorious liability to be wound and turned about, or in allufion to the variableness and inconftancy of the wind, which he a good deal resembles. He is alfo very much given to interlard his part with quotations, and fcraps of Latin. He, too, aims at jefts; and, by pains and application, fhreds and patches, he may no doubt qualify himself to play the part of " The Taylor riding to Brentford," at Aftley's, or the Royal Circus, Thefe jefts and quotations he lugs into his parts at all times and in all places. He deferted his former company, because one of the actors had faid that he was a fecond Knight of the Woful Countenance, as he was ever ready to attack windmills, fcale the walls of caftles for the relief of diftreffed damfels, and miftake country alehoufes for fortified redoubts. His dignity being offended at this, he bade adieu to his old friends, and now has a confpicuous part affigned him in the comedy of "Murmurs." For this he is fuppofed to be peculiarly well fitted, as he not only grumbles at others, but is even difcontented with the parts which he himself played with his former company. This laft actor will be fupported by one who appears in the character of a Lawyer, and has a voice very much refembling the noife of a baffoon. He is a vigorous grumbler; but there has been a neceffity for thortening his part, from a dread that the found of his voice would either drive away the audience or fet them asleep. A young Baronet is alfo expected to give his affiftance, lefs young in years, however, than in sense, as appears from what he calls his Hiftory of Athens. The part which he chooses to fupport is a fort of continued railing at all Volunteers, except 96,000! This he recites in a ftrange monotonous twang, which feals up the eyes of thofe who are able to refift the foporific qualities of the lawyer's baffoon. As it is feared that there may be a deficiency of women, fome of the males are appointed to take various female characters, for which feveral of them. are admirably qualified by their love of goip and fcandal. The parts of Silly Old Women are expected to to be particularly well performed. A great many real women are also to exert themselves behind the curtain; and for all this, the cuftom of the ancients is full and fufficient authority. Such are the chief parts in the expected comedy; but, notwithstanding their grumbling talents, and their exertions to fupport the piece, it is generally fuppofed that it will be d-d; and that the actors will be hiffed off the ftage-not for want of talents in their profeffion, but for proftituting thofe talents in the fupport of fuch execrable fluff. The comedy is. indeed faid to be not only deficient in judgment, common fenfe, and real wit, and totally void of all merit--but alfo in danger of being, upon the whole, ill fupported; for though fome of the actors have confiderable individual talents, the company is but ill arranged, and the parts are extremely ill caft. The troop is certainly very liable to come to an open rupture among themselves, as the different individuals fcarcely agree in any one thing, except in grumbling. The laft piece, therefore, which they will perform, and which is likely to be received with great applaufe, is "Difappointment; or, The Grumblers Outwitted." MR. COMPLIMENTARY CARDS. [From the General Evening Poft.] R. John Bull prefents compliments to Rear-Admiral Linois and friends; would be very glad of the pleasure of their company this evening, to take tea and have a Dance. China Row, Feb. 14, 1804. His Excellency Rear-Admiral Linois's most respectful compliments to Mr. John Bull; is forry he muft decline the pleasure of his very polite invitation; his Excellency and friends being afraid to encounter the heat of the evening's entertainment. Feb. 14, 1804. AS D. I. O. THE CONQUEROR OF LINOIS. A SONG: BY MR. HAYLEY, S Fame, the fair goddefs, whofe clarion's fo fhrill, Was leaning one day 'gainst an admiral's maft, "I am weary," fhe cried, (having blown a loud blast,) } Though |