N° 13

Thursday, March 15.

Dic mihi, fi fueris tu Leo, qualis eris ?

Were you a Lion, how wou'd you behave ?

T

Mart.

HERE is nothing that of late Years has afforded Matter of greater Amusement to the Town than Signior Nicolini's Combat with a Lion in the HayMarket, which has been very often exhibited to the general Satisfaction of most of the Nobility and Gentry in the Kingdom of Great-Britain. Upon the first Rumor of this intended Combat, it was confidently affirmed. and is still believed by many in both Galleries, that there would be a tame Lion fent from the Tower every Opera Night, in order to be killed by Hydafpes; this Report, though altogether groundless, fo univerfally prevail'd in the upper Regions of the Play-houfe, that fome of the moft refined Politicians in thofe Parts of the Audience. gave it out in Whisper, that the Lion was a Coufin-German of the Tiger who made his Appearance in King William's Days, and that the Stage would be fupplied with Lions at the publick Expence, during the whole Seffion. Many likewife were the Conjectures of the 1 reatment. which this Lion was to meet with from the Hands of Signior Nicolini; fome fuppofed that he was to fubdue him in Recitativo, as Orpheus used to serve the wild Beasts in his time, and afterwards to knock him on the Head; fome fancied that the Lion would not pretend to lay his. Paws upon the Hero, by reafon of the received Opinion, that a Lion will not hurt a Virgin: Several,. who pretended to have feen the Opera in Italy, had informed. their Friends, that the Lion was to act a Part in HighDutch, and roar twice or thrice to a Thorough-Bafe, before: he fell at the Feet of Hydafpes. To clear up a Matter that. was fo variously reported, I have made it my Business to examine whether this pretended Lion is really the Savage he appears to be, or only a Counterfeit.

C 5

BUT

BUT before I communicate my Difcoveries I muit acquaint the Reader, that upon my walking behind the Scenes laft Winter, as I was thinking on fomething else, I accidentally juftled against a monftrous Animal that extremely startled me, and upon my nearer Survey of it, appeared to be a Lion Rampant. The Lion feeing me very much furprised, told me, in a gentle Voice, that I might come by him if I pleafed: For, (fays he) I do not intend to hurt any Body. I thanked him very kindly, and paffed by him: And in a little time after faw him leap upon the Stage, and act his Part with very great Applaufe. It has been obferved by several, that the Lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice fince his firft Appearance; which will not feem ftrange, when I acquaint my Reader that the Lion has been changed upon the Audience three feveral times. The firft Lion was a Candle-' fnuffer, who being a Fellow of a tefty cholerick Temper over-did his Part, and would not fuffer himself to be killed fo eafily as he ought to have done; befides, it was obferved of him, that he grew more furly every time he came out of the Lion; and having dropt fome Words in ordinary Converfation, as if he had not fought his best, and that he fuffered himself to be thrown upon his Back in the Scuffle, and that he would wrestle with Mr. Nicolini for what he pleased, out of his Lion's Skin, it was thought proper to difcard him: And it is verily believed, to this Day, that had he been brought upon the Stage another time, he would certainly have done Mifchief. Befides it was objected against the firft Lion, that he reared himfelf fo high upon his hinder Paws, and walked in fo erect a Pofture, that he looked more like an old Man than a Lion.

THE fecond Lion was a Tailor by. Trade, who be longed to the Play-houfe, and had the Character of a mild and peaceable Man in his Profeffion. If the former was too furious, this was too sheepish, for his Part; infomuch, that after a fhort modeft Walk upon the Stage, he would fall at the firft Touch of Hydafpes, without grappling with him, and giving him an Opportunity of fhewing his Variety of Italian Trips: It is faid indeed, that he once gave him a Rip in the flesh-colour Doublet; but this was only to make work for himself, in his Pri

vate Character of a Tailor. I must not omit that it was this fecond Lion who treated me with so much Humanity behind the Scenes.

THE Acting Lion at prefent is, as I am informed, a Country-Gentleman who does it for his Diverfion, but defires his Name may be concealed. He fays very handfomly, in his own Excufe, that he does not act for Gain, that he indulges an innocent Pleasure in it, and that it is better to pass away an Evening, in this manner, than in Gaming and Drinking: But at the, fame time fays, with a very agreeable Rallery upon himself, That if his Name should be known, the ill-natured World might call him, The Afs in the Lion's Skin. This Gentleman's Temper is made out of fuch a happy Mixture of the Mild and the Cholerick, that he outdoes both his Predeceffors, and has drawn together greater Audiences than have been known in the Memory of Man..

I must not conclude my Narrative, without taking Notice of a groundless Report that has been raised, to a Gentleman's Difadvantage, of whom I must declare myfelf an Admirer; namely, that Signior Nicolini and the Lion have been feen fitting peaceably by one another, and fmoking a Pipe together behind the Scenes; by which their common-Enemies would infinuate, that it is but a fham Combat which they reprefent upon the Stage: But upon Inquiry I find, that if any fuch Correfpondence has paffed between them, it was not 'till the Combat was over, when the Lion was to be looked upon as dead, according to the received Rules of the Drama.. Befides, this is what is practifed every Day in Weftminfter-Hall, where nothing is more ufual than to fee a Couple of Lawyers, who have been tearing each other to pieces in the Court, embracing one another as foon as they are out of it.

I would not be thought, in any part of this Relation, to reflect upon Signior Nicolini, who in acting this Part only complies with the wretched Taste of his Audience; he knows very well, that the Lion has many more Admirers than himself; as they fay of the famous Equestrian Statue on the Pont-Neuf at Paris, that more People go to fee the Horfe, than the King who fits upon it. On the

con

contrary, it gives me a juft Indignation to fee a Perfon whofe Action gives new Majefty to Kings, Refolution to Heroes, and Softnefs to Lovers, thus finking from the Greatnefs of his Behaviour, and degraded into the Character of the London Prentice. I have often wished, that our Tragedians would copy after this great Mafter in Action. Could they make the fame use of their Arms and Legs, and inform their Faces with as fignificant Looks and Paffions, how glorious would an English Tragedy appear with that Action, which is capable of giving a Dignity to the forced Thoughts, cold Conceits, and unnatural Expreffions of an Italian Opera. In the mean time, I have related this Combat of the Lion, to shew what are at prefent the reigning Entertainments of the Politer Part of Great-Britain.

AUDIENCES have often been reproached by Writers for the Coarfeness of their Tafte; but Our prefent Grievance does not seem to be the Want of a good Tafte, but of Common Senfe.

N° 14

I

TRQILARDIRKKI Friday, March 16.

1

Teque his, Infelix, exue monftris.

Ovid. Met. 1. 4. v. 590.

Wretch that thou art! put off this monftrous Shape.

WAS reflecting this Morning upon the Spirit and Humour of the publick Diverfions Five and twenty Years ago,and thofe of the prefent Time; and lamented to myself, that, though in those Days they neglected their Morality, they kept up their Good Senfe; but that the beau Monde, at prefent, is only grown more childish, not more innocent, than the former. While I was in this Train of Thought, an odd Fellow, whose Face I have often feen at the Play-house, gave me the following Letter with thefe Words, Sir, The Lion prefents his humble Service to you, and defired me to give this into your own Hands.

From

From my Den in the Hay-Market, March 15.

SIR,

I

Have read all your Papers, and have stifled my Refentment against your Reflexions upon Operas, 'till that of this Day, wherein you plainly infinuate, that Signior Grimaldi and myself have a Correfpondence more friendly than is confiftent with the Valour ⚫ of his Character, or the Fiercenefs of mine. I defire you would for your own Sake forbear fuch Intima⚫tions for the future; and muft fay it is a great Piece. of Ill-nature in you, to fhew fo great an Efteem for a Foreigner, and to discourage a Lion that is your own Countryman.

'I take notice of your Fable of the Lion and Man, but am fo equally concerned in that Matter, that Í fhall not be offended to which foever of the Animals the Superiority is given. You have mifreprefented me, in faying that I am a Country-Gentleman, who act ' only for my Diverfion; whereas, had I ftill the fame • Woods to range in which I once had when I was a Fox-hunter, I fhould not refign my Manhood for a Maintenance; and affure you, as low as my Cir<cumstances are at prefent, I am so much a Man of • Honour, that I would scorn to be any Beaft for Bread ⚫ but a Lion.

Yours, &c.

I had no fooner ended this, than one of my Landlady's Children brought me in feveral others, with fome of which I fhall make up my prefent Paper, they all having a Tendency to the fame Subject, viz. the Elegance of our present Diversions...

:I Have been for twenty Years Under-Sexton of this Parish of St. Paul's Covent-Garden, and have not * miffed tolling in to Prayers fix Times in all thofe Years; ' which Office I have performed to my great Satisfac ⚫tion, till this Fortnight laft paft, during which Time I ⚫ find my Congregation take the Warning of my Bell, • Morning