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 Getleman's Difadvantage, of whom I muft declare my self an Admirer; namely, that Signior Nicolini and the Lion have been seen fitting peaceably by one another, and fmoaking a Pipe together, behind the Scenes; by which their Enemies would infinuate, that it is but a fham Combat which they represent upon the Stage: But upon Enquiry 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 WestminsterHall, where nothing is more ufual than to see 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 Tafte

of

of his Audience; he knows very well, that the Lion has many more Admis ters than himself; as they fay of the famous Equestrian Statue on the PontNeuf at Paris, that more People go to fee the Horfe, than the King who fits upon it. On the contrary, it gives me a juft Indignation, to fee a Person whofe Action gives new Majefty to Kings, Refolution to Heroes, and Softnefs to Lovers, thus finking from the Greatness of his Behaviour, and degraded into the Character of the London Prentice. I have often wifhed, 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 capa ble of giving 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 fhew what are att prefent the reigning Entertainments of the politer Part of Great Britain:

AUDIENCES have often been reproached by Writers for the Coarse

ness

nefs of their Tafte; but our present Grievance does not feem to be the Want of a good Tafte, but of common Senfe.

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C

NI4.

Friday, March 16.

·Teque bis, Infalix, exue monftris. Ovid.

3

Was reflecting this Morning,

I

upon the Spirit and Humour of the publick Diverfions Five and Twenty Years ago, and those of the prefent Time; and lamented to my felf, that though in thofe 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 old Fellow, whofe Face I have often féen at the Play-houfe, gave me the following Letter with thefe Words, Sir, the Lion prefents his humble Service: to you, and defired me to give this inta your own Hands.

From

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

SIR,

J

Have read all your Papers, and have ftifled my Refentment against your Reflections upon Opera's, till that of this Day, wherein you plainly infinuate that Signior Grimaldi and my felf 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 Intimations for the future; and must say it is a great Piece of Ill-nature in you, to fhew fo great an Efteem for a Foreigner, and to difcourage a Lion that is your own Country-man.

Í take Notice of your Fable of the Lion and Man; but am fo equally concerned in that Matter, that I fhall not be offended to which foever of the Animals the Superiority is given. "You have mif-reprefented 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

was a Fox-hunter, I fhould not re'fign my Manhood for a Maintenance; ' and affure you, as low as my Circumftances are at prefent, I am so much 'a Man of Honour, that I would fcorn '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 several 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. Diverfions.

SIR, Covent Garden, March 13.
Have been for twenty Years Un-

der-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 Satisfa&tion, 'till this Fortnight laft paft, 'during which Time I find my Congregation take the Warning of my Bell, Morning and Evening, to go to a Puppet-Show fet forth by one Powell under the Piazzas. By this 'Means I have not only loft my two

• Cufto