Read Ebook: The Mirror of Literature Amusement and Instruction. Volume 14 No. 392 October 3 1829 by Various

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THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

The above theatre was erected in the year 1671, about a century after the regular establishment of theatres in England. It rose in what may be called the brazen age of the Drama, when the prosecutions of the Puritans had just ceased, and legitimacy and licentiousness danced into the theatre hand in hand. At the Restoration, the few players who had not fallen in the wars or died of poverty, assembled under the banner of Sir William Davenant, at the Red Bull Theatre. Rhodes, a bookseller, at the same time, fitted up the Cockpit in Drury Lane, where he formed a company of entirely new performers. This was in 1659, when Rhodes's two apprentices, Betterton and Kynaston, were the stars. These companies afterwards united, and were called the Duke's Company. About the same time, Killigrew, that eternal caterer for good things, collected together a few of the old actors who were honoured with the title of the "King's Company," or "His Majesty's Servants," which distinction is preserved by the Drury Lane Company, to the present day, and is inherited from Killigrew, who built and opened the first theatre in Drury Lane, in 1663. In 1662, Sir William Davenant obtained a patent for building "the Duke's Theatre," in Little Lincoln's Inn Fields, which he opened with the play of "the Siege of Rhodes," written by himself. The above company performed here till 1671, when another "Duke's Theatre." was built in Dorset Gardens, by Sir Christopher Wren, in a similar style of architecture to that in Lincoln's Inn Fields. The company removed thither, November 9, in the same year, and continued performing till the union of the Duke and the King's Companies, in 1682; and performances were continued occasionally here until 1697. The building was demolished about April, 1709, and the site is now occupied by the works of a Gas Light Company.

At the end of Dorset-street, now communicating with Fleet-street, through Salisbury-square and Salisbury-court.

The Duke's Theatre, as the engraving shows, had a handsome front towards the river, with a landing-place for visiters by water, a fashion which prevailed in the early age of the Drama, if we may credit the assertion of Taylor, the water poet, that about the year 1596, the number of watermen maintained by conveying persons to the theatres on the banks of the Thames, was not less than 40,000, showing a love of the drama at that early period which is very extraordinary. All we have left of this aquatic rage is a solitary boat now and then skimming and scraping to Vauxhall Gardens.

The upper part of the front will be admired for its characteristic taste; as the figures of Comedy and Tragedy surmounting the balustrade, the emblematic flame, and the wreathed arms of the founder.

FOUR SONNETS.

SPRING.

Season of sighs perfumed, and maiden flowers, Young Beauty's birthday, cradled in delight And kept by muses in the blushing bowers Where snow-drops spring most delicately white! Oh it is luxury to minds that feel Now to prove truants to the giddy world, Calmly to watch the dewy tints that steal O'er opening roses--'till in smiles unfurled Their fresh-made petals silently unfold. Or mark the springing grass--or gaze upon Primeval morning till the hues of gold Blaze forth and centre in the glorious sun! Whose gentler beams exhale the tears of night, And bid each grateful tongue deep melodies indite.

SUMMER.

Now is thy fragrant garland made complete, Maturing year! but as its many dyes Mingle in rainbow hues divinely sweet, They fade and fleet in unobserved sighs! Yet now all fresh and fair, how dear thou art, Just born to breathe and perish! touched by heaven, From lifeless Winter to a beating heart, From scathing blasts to Summer's balmy even! Methinks some angel from the bowers of bliss, In May descended, scattering blossoms round, Embraced each opening flower, bestowed a kiss, And woke the notes of harmony profound; But ere July had waned, alas, she fled, Took back to heaven the flowers, and left the falling leaves instead.

AUTUMN.

Field flowers and breathing minstrelsy, farewell! The rose is colourless and withering fast, Sweet Philomel her song forgets to swell, And Summer's rich variety is past! The sear leaves wander, and the hoar of age Gathers her trophy for the dying year, And following in her noiseless pilgrimage, Waters her couch with many a pearly tear. Yet there is one unchanging friend who stays To cheer the passage into Winter's gloom-- The redbreast chants his solitary lays, A simple requiem over Nature's tomb, So, when the Spring of life shall end with me, God of my Fathers! may I find a changeless Friend in thee!

WINTER.

The trees are leafless, and the hollow blast Sings a shrill anthem to the bitter gloom, The lately smiling pastures are a waste, While beauty generates in Nature's womb; The frowning clouds are charged with fleecy snow, And storm and tempest bear a rival sway; Soft gurgling rivulets have ceased to flow, And beauty's garlands wither in decay: Yet look but heavenward! beautiful and young In life and lustre see the stars of night Untouch'd by time through ages roll along, And clear as when at first they burst to light. And then look from the stars where heaven appears Clad in the fertile Spring of everlasting years!

BENJAMIN GOUGH.

EXERCISE, AIR, AND SLEEP.

There is another process accomplished by exercise, which more immediately concerns the nervous system. "Many people," says Mr. Abernethy, "who are extremely irritable and hypochondriacal, and are constantly obliged to take medicines to regulate their bowels while they live an inactive life, no longer suffer from nervous irritation, or require aperient medicines when they use exercise to a degree that would be excessive in ordinary constitutions." This leads us to infer that the superfluous energy of the nerves is exhausted by the exercise of the body, and that as the abstraction of blood mitigates inflammations, in like manner does the abstraction of nervous irritability restore tranquillity to the system. This of course applies only to a state of high nervous irritation; but exercise is equally beneficial when the constitution is much weakened, by producing throughout the whole frame that energetic action which has been already explained.

"If the wind blows on you through a hole Make your will, and take care of your soul."

In sleeping, as in eating and drinking, we must consult our habits and feelings, which are excellent monitors. What says the poet?--

"Preach not to me your musty rules, Ye drones, that mused in idle cell, The heart is wiser than the schools, The senses always reason well."

One particular recommendation I would propose in concluding this subject, from the observance of which much benefit has been derived--it is to sleep in a room as large and as airy as possible, and in a bed but little encumbered with curtains. The lungs must respire during sleep, as well as at any other time; and it is of great consequence that the air should be as pure as possible. In summer curtains should not be used at all, and in winter we should do well without them. In summer every wise man, who can afford it, will sleep out of town--at any of the villages which are removed sufficiently from the smoke and impurities of this overgrown metropolis.

THE NOVELIST.

"Away--three cheers--on we go."

The carriage had pursued the direction of the path at a speed unequalled in the annals of the postilions; but the termination of the dell did not appear. Huge impending cliffs with their crown of trees imparted a shadowy depth to the solitude, which the travellers did not seem to relish.

"How cursed inconvenient is this dell with its frightful woods," said the baronet to his smiling daughter, "one might as well be sequestered in Dante's Inferno. Look at those awful rocks--my mind misgives me as I view them. Sure there are no brigands concealed hereabout!"

"Hope not, Pa'," replied the graceful Rosalia; but the last word had scarcely died on her lips, ere a discharge of shot was heard. The baronet opened his carriage door, and leaped on the ground.

"Hollo! John, Tom, pistols here, my lads, a pretty rencontre this! Stand by Rosalia, my own self and purse I don't value a grout, but stand the brunt, lads; here they come--oh, that I had met them at Waterloo!"

This attack perplexed the thoughts of the poor baronet. He regarded it as a romance in which he was to become the hero. But his present situation did not allow him the fascination of a dream. The brigands advanced from their concealment, and their chief, who seemed a most pleasant and polite scoundrel, commanded his men to inspect the luggage of the travellers.

"Humph! and is that all?" growled the baronet.

"I want a thousand crowns," said the chief, in a gentle tone, "you may then proceed."

"Humph! and won't five hundred do?"

"I insist!" returned the brigand, placing his hand on his sword!

This menace was enough. It produced an awful consternation in the countenance of the Englishman. He, dear man, felt his heart quake within him, as he paid the brigand his enormous demand. But a second trial was reserved for him--he turned to his carriage--his daughter was not there! where could she be? He heard a laugh, and on raising his head, saw the identical object of his care! She waved her delicate white handkerchief from the steeps above, while an Italian officer stood beside her laughing with all his might. The suspicions of the father were realized. He was the tall intriguing scamp who had charmed the eyes of Rosalia at the inn!

Away ran the sire, but the guilty pair seemed to fly with the wings of love attached to their heels; up the steep he clambered, scaring all the birds from their solitudes; still the lovers kept on before; they passed the bridge of Laino; the infuriated sire pursued; spire, tree, castle, church, stream; and in short the most beautiful features of the landscape appeared in the chase, but the fugitives did not stop to survey them. Away they pressed down the sunny slope, through the glen, along the margin of the Casparanna, swifter to the eye of the agonized parent than Jehu's chariot-wheels. Now they flag--they sit down amid the ruins of yonder old chapel--he will reach them now; alas! how vain are the calculations of man! In leaping across the Cathanna Mare, he received a shot in his arm; the cursed Italian had fired at him, and he fell, like a wounded bird into the stream!

"Dear pa', how you kick one!" exclaimed the beauteous little daughter of the Englishman; "surely you have had a troublesome dream." "Dream! let me see," said the baronet, rubbing his eyes; "then I'm not drowned, and we are again at Albano, are we, and this is our merry host, and thank God, Rosalia, you are safe, and I must kiss you, my sweet girl." This was a pleasant scene!

R. AUGUSTINE.

TIME.

IN IMITATION OF THE OLDEN POETS.

Time is a taper waning fast! Use it, man, well whilst it doth last: Lest burning downwards it consume away, Before thou hast commenced the labour of the day.

Time is a pardon of a goodly soil! Plenty shall crown thine honest toil: But if uncultivated, rankest weeds Shall choke the efforts of the rising seeds.

Time is a leasehold of uncertain date! Granted to thee by everlasting fate. Neglect not thou, ere thy short term expire, To save thy soul from ever-burning fire.

LEAR.

SEPULCHRAL ENIGMA.

The following Sepulchral Enigma against Pride, is engraved on a stone, in the Cathedral Church of Hamburgh:

"O, Mors, cur, Deus, negat, vitam, be, se, bis, nos, his, nam."

CANON.

Your's, &c.

THE VINE--A FRAGMENT.

See o'er the wall, the white-leav'd cluster-vine Shoots its redundant tendrils; and doth seem, Like the untam'd enthusiast's glowing heart, Ready to clasp, with an abundant love, All nature in its arms!

C. COLE.

THE COSMOPOLITE.

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