NUMB. 25. SATURDAY, October 7, 1758.

SIR,

To the IDLER.

AM a very conftant frequenter of the playhouse,

a place to which I fuppofe the Idler not much a ftranger, fince he can have no where else fo much entertainment with fo little concurrence of his own endeavour. At all other affemblies, he that comes to receive delight, will be expected to give it; but in the theatre, nothing is neceffary to the amusement of two hours, but to fit down and be willing to be pleased.

The laft week has offered two new actors to the town. The appearance and retirement of actors are the great events of the theatrical world; and their first performances fill the pit with conjecture and prognoftication, as the firft actions of a new monarch agitate nations with hope or fear.

What opinion I have formed of the future excellence of these candidates for dramatick glory, it is not neceffary to declare. Their entrance gave me a higher and nobler pleasure than any borrowed character can afford. I faw the ranks of the theatre emulating each other in candour and humanity, and contending who fhould moft effectually affift the ftruggles of endeavour, diffipate the blush of diffidence, and still the flutter of timidity.

This behaviour is fuch as becomes a people, too tender to reprefs those who wish to please, too generous to infult those who can make no refiftance. A publick performer is fo much in the power of fpectators, that all unneceffary severity is reftrained by that general law of humanity, which forbids us to be cruel where there is nothing to be feared. `

In every new performer fomething must be pardoned. No man can, by any force of refolution, fecure to himself the full poffeffion of his own powers under the eye of a large affembly. Variation of gefture, and flexion of voice, are to be obtained only by experience.

There is nothing for which fuch numbers think themselves qualified as for theatrical exhibition. Every human being has an action graceful to his own eye, a voice mufical to his own ear, and a fenfibility which nature forbids him to know that any other bofom can excel. An art in which fuch numbers fancy themselves excellent, and which the publick liberally rewards, will excite many compe→ titors, and in many attempts there must be many mifcarriages.

The care of the critick fhould be to diftinguish error from inability, faults of inexperience from defects of nature. Action irregular and turbulent may be reclaimed; vociferation vehement and confused may be reftrained and modulated; the stalk of the tyrant may become the gait of a man; the yell of inarticulate diftrefs may be reduced to human lamentation. All these faults fhould be for a time overlooked, and afterwards cenfured with VOL. VIII. gentle

H

gentleness and candour. But if in an actor there appears an utter vacancy of meaning, a frigid equality, a ftupid languor, a torpid apathy, the greatest kindness that can be fhewn him, is a speedy fentence of expulfion.

I am, SIR, &c.

THE plea which my correfpondent has offered for young actors, I am very far from wishing to invalidate. I always confidered thofe combinations which are fometimes formed in the playhouse, as acts of fraud or of cruelty; he that applauds him who does not deserve praife, is endeavouring to deceive the publick; he that hiffes in malice or fport, is an oppreffor and a robber.

But furely this laudable forbearance might be justly extended to young poets., The art of the writer, like that of the player, is attained by flow degrees. The power of diftinguishing and difcriminating comick characters, or of filling tragedy with poetical images, must be the gift of nature, which no inftruction nor labour can fupply; but the art of dramatick difpofition, the contexture of the fcenes, the oppofition of characters, the involution of the plot, the expedients of fufpenfion, and the ftratagems of furprize, are to be learned by practice; and it is cruel to difcourage a poet for ever, because he has not from genius what only experience can bestow.

Life is a ftage. Let me likewife follicit candour for the young actor on the stage of life. They that

enter

enter into the world are too often treated with unreasonable rigour by thofe that were once as ignorant and heady as themfelves; and diftinction is not always made between the faults which require speedy and violent eradication, and thofe that will gradually drop away in the progreffion of life. Vicious follicitations of appetite, if not checked, will grow more importunate; and mean arts of profit or ambition will gather ftrength in the mind, if they are not early fuppreffed. But miftaken notions of fuperiority, defires of useless fhow, pride of little accomplishments, and all the train of vanity, will be brushed away by the wing of time.

Reproof fhould not exhauft its power upon petty failings; let it watch diligently against the incurfion of vice, and leave foppery and futility to die of themfelves.

I

NUMB. 26. SATURDAY, October 14, 1758.

Mr. IDLER,

NEVER thought that I should write any thing

to be printed; but having lately seen your first effay, which was fent down into the kitchen, with a great bundle of gazettes and useless papers, I find that you are willing to admit any correfpondent, and therefore hope you will not reject me. If you publish my letter, it may encourage others, in the fame condition with myself, to tell their ftories, which may be perhaps as useful as those of great ladies.

We

I am a poor girl. I was bred in the country at à charity-fchool, maintained by the contributions of wealthy neighbours. The ladies, or patroneffes, vifited us from time to time, examined how we were taught, and saw that our clothes were clean. lived happily enough, and were instructed to be thankful to thofe at whofe coft we were educated. I was always the favourite of my mistress; fhe used to call me to read and fhew my copy-book to all ftrangers, who never difmiffed me without commendation, and very feldom without a fhilling.

At laft the chief of our fubfcribers, having paffed a winter in London, came down full of an opinion new and strange to the whole country. She held it little lefs than criminal to teach poor girls to read and write. They who are born to poverty, she said, are