ore him, and pointed out the absolute necessity there
was for changing the play and giving him up his bond of engagement. "The
prince of Wales," added he, "is omnipotent in Brighton; he is so beloved
and admired here, that his will is the law of every one's conduct, the
town will of course enter with violence into the resentment which his
highness will justly feel, and therefore for me to appear before them
after what has happened, will inevitably produce a riot which will
probably end in the destruction of the house. It would be considered by
the people, and very properly too, as an insult to them, for me to come
forward in such circumstances."

Hodgkinson's remonstrances had no effect upon the manager, who
peremptorily insisted upon his appearance in the character of Belcour,
be the consequences what they might. This, Hodgkinson always considered
as the most trying moment of his existence; and it was not until the
manager swore that he would have him arrested before he could leave the
county if he did not perform his engagement, that he could be prevailed
upon to stand his ground, and face the storm that threatened him. The
affair had got abroad, and when evening came, the house was uncommonly
full, partly owing to the attractive circumstance of a celebrated
actor's appearing among them, for the first time, and partly to the
curiosity of individuals to see what would be done to the new performer
for the part he had played that morning on the Stein.

(_To be continued._)

MISCELLANY.

QUIZZICAL CRITIQUE ON THE SONG OF

"BILLY TAYLOR."

"Et tragicus dolet plerumque sermone pedestri:
Telephus ac Peleus, quum pauper et exul uterque
Projicit ampullas ac sesquipedalia verba
Si curat cor spectantis, tetigisse querela."

_Hor. Art Poet._

I hope that I shall not appear to degrade the office of criticism by
making a ballad the subject of it, especially since that now before me
is of so excellent a nature. If it is objected to, I must shelter myself
under the authority of Addison, who has written a critique on
Chevy-Chace, to which, I venture to affirm, this ballad is infinitely
superior. That I may not appear too presumptuous in my assertion, let us
proceed to the examination of this justly celebrated poem. I call it a
poem--I had almost called it an epic, seeing it has a beginning, middle,
and end: the action one, namely the death of the hero Taylor: it is
replete with character, but sug