"Osc. However, I am glad to see you reconciled, and that you live together, as brothers should do.

"Nico. Yes, ever since we found your daughter cared for neither of us, we grew to care for one another. There is a fellowship in adversity that is consoling; and it is something to think that Lubin is as unfortunate as myself.

"Lub. Yes, we are well matched-I think Malvina dislikes him, if possible, more than me, and that's a great comfort.

"Nico. We often sit together, and play such woeful tunes on our pipes, that the very sheep are moved at it.

"Osc. But why don't you rouse yourselves, and, since you can meet with no requital of your passion, return the proud maid scorn for scorn.

"Nico. Oh mercy, no-we find a great comfort in our sorrow-don't we, Lubin?

"Lubin. Yes, if I meet no crosses, I shall be undone in another twelvemonth-I let all go to wreck and ruin.

"Osc. But suppose Malvina should be brought to give you encourage

ment.

"Nico. Heaven forbid! that would spoil all.

"Lubin. Truly I was almost assured within this fortnight that she was going to relax.

"Nico. Ay, I shall never forget how alarmed we were at the the appearance of a smile one day," &c. &c.

Of the poetical part of this opera, the only specimens he has left are a skeleton of a chorus, beginning " Bold Foresters we are," and the following song, which, for grace and tenderness, is not unworthy of the hand that produced the Duenna :

"We two, each other's only pride,

Each other's bliss, each other's guide,
Far from the world's unhallow'd noise,
Its coarse delights and tainted joys,
Through wilds will roam and deserts rude-
For, Love, thy home is solitude.

"There shall no vain pretender be,
To court thy smile and torture me,
No proud superior there be seen,
But nature's voice shall hail thee, queen,

"With fond respect and tender awe,
I will receive thy gentle law,
Obey thy looks, and serve thee still,
Prevent thy wish, foresee thy will,

And, added to a lover's care,

Be all that friends and parents are."

But, of all Mr. Sheridan's unfinished designs, the Comedy which he meditated on the subject of Affectation is that of which the abandonment is most to be regretted. To a satirist, who would not confine his ridicule to the mere outward demonstrations of this folly, but would follow and detect it through all its windings and disguises, there could hardly perhaps be a more fertile theme. Affectation, merely of manner, being itself a sort of acting, does not easily admit of any additional colouring on the stage, without degenerating into farce; and, accordingly, fops and fine ladies-with very few exceptions-are about as silly and tiresome in represen tation as in reality. But the aim of the dramatist, in this comedy, would have been far more important and extensive; -and how anxious he was to keep before his mind's whole wide horizon of folly which his subject opened upon him, will appear from the following list of the various species of Affectation, which I have found written by him, exactly as I give it, on the inside cover of the memorandum-book, that contains the only remaining vestiges of this play

"An Affectation of Business.

of Accomplishments.

of Love of Letters and Wit.
Music.

of Intrigue.

of Sensibility.

of Vivacity.

of Silence and Importance.

of Modesty.

of Profligacy.

of Moroseness."

eye

the

In this projected comedy he does not seem to have advanced as far as even the invention of the plot or the compo sition of a single scene. The memorandum-book, alluded to -on the first leaf of which he had written in his neatest hand (as if to encourage himself to begin)" Affectation"-contains, besides the names of three of the intended personages,

Sir

Babble Bore, Sir Peregrine Paradox, and Feignwit, nothing but unembodied sketches of character, and scattered particles of wit, which seem waiting, like the imperfect forms and seeds in chaos, for the brooding of genius to nurse them into system and beauty.

The reader will not, I think, be displeased at seeing some of these curious materials here. They will show that in this work, as well as in the School for Scandal, he was desirous of making the vintage of his wit as rich as possible, by distilling into it every drop that the collected fruits of his thought and fancy could supply. Some of the jests are farfetched, and others, perhaps, abortive-but it is pleasant to track him in his pursuit of a point, even when he misses. The very failures of a man of real wit are often more delightful than the best successes of others--the quick-silver, even in escaping from his grasp, shines; "it still eludes him, but it glitters still."

I shall give the memorandums as I find them, with no other difference, than that of classing together those that have relation to the same thought or subject.

"Character-Mr. BUSTLE.

"A man who delights in hurry and interruption-will take any one's business for them-leaves word where all his plagues may follow himgovernor of all hospitals, &c.—share in Ranelagh-speaker every where, from the Vestry to the House of Commons-'1 am not at home-gad, now he heard me and I must be at home.'-' Here am I so plagued, and there is nothing I love so much as retirement and quiet.'-' You never sent after me.' -Let servants call in to him such a message as "'Tis nothing but the window tax,' he hiding in a room that communicates.-A young man tells him some important business in the middle of fifty trivial interruptions, and the calling in of idlers; such as fidlers, wild-beast men, foreigners with recommendatory letters, &c.-answers.notes on his knee, and so your uncle died-for your obliging enquiries-and left you an orphan-to cards in in the evening.'

"Can't bear to be doing nothing.-Can I do anything for any body any where? Have been to the Secretary-written to the Treasury,'— 'Must proceed to meet the Commissioners, and write Mr. Price's little boy's exercise.'-The most active idler and laborious trifler.

"He does not in reality love business-only the appearance of it. Ha! ha! did my Lord say that I was always very busy?-What, plagued to death?'

"Keeps all his letters and copies- Mem. to meet the Hackney-coach Commissioners-to arbitrate between,' &c. &c.

"Contrast with the man of indolence, his brother.-So, brother, just up! and I have been,' &c. &c.-one will give his money from indolent generosity, the other his time from restlessness-Twill be shorter to pay the bill than look for the receipt.'-Files letters, answered and unanswered – Why, here are more unopened than answered!'

"He regulates every action by a love for fashion-will grant annuities though he doesn't want money-appear to intrigue, though constant; to drink, though sober-has some fashionable vices-affects to be distressed in his circumstances, and, when his new vis-a-vis comes out, procures a judgment to be entered against him-wants to lose, but by ill-luck wins five thousand pounds.

"One who changes sides in all arguments the moment any one agrees with him.

"An irresolute arguer, to whom it is a great misfortune that there are not three sides to a question-a libertine in argument; conviction, like enjoyment, palls him, and his rakish understanding is soon satiated with truth -more capable of being faithful to a paradox-'I love truth as I do my wife; but sophistry and paradoxes are my mistresses-I have a strong domestic respect for her, but for the other the passion due to a mistress.'

"One, who agrees with every one, for the pleasure of speaking their sentiments for them-so fond of talking that he does not contradict only because he can't wait to hear people out.

"A tripping casuist, who veers by others' breath, and gets on to information by tacking between the two sides—like a hoy, not made to go straight before the wind.

"The more he talks, the further he is off the argument, like a bowl on a wrong bias.

"What are the affectations you chiefly dislike ?

"There are many in this company, so I'll mention others.-To see two people affecting intrigue, having their assignations in public places only; he affecting a warm pursuit, and the lady, acting the hesitation of retreating virtue- Pray, ma'am, don't you think,' &c.—while neither party have words between 'em to conduct the preliminaries of gallantry, nor passion to pursue the object of it.

A plan of public flirtation-not to get beyond a profile.

"Then I hate to see one, to whom heaven has given real beauty, settling her features at the glass of fashion, while she speaks-not thinking so much of what she says as how she looks, and more careful of the action of her lips than of what shall come from them.

"A pretty woman studying looks and endeavouring to recollect an ogle, like Lady, who has learned to play her eyelids like Venetian blinds. "An old woman endeavouring to put herself back to a girl.

"A true-trained wit lays his plan like a general-foresees the circumstances of the conversation-surveys the ground and contingencies-detaches a question to draw you into the palpable ambuscade of his readymade joke.

"A man intriguing, only for the reputation of it-to his confidential servant: 'Who am I in love with now ?The newspapers give you so and 30-you are laying close siege to Lady L. in the Morning Post, and have succeeded with Lady G. in the Herald-Sir F. is very jealous of you in the Gazetteer.'' Remember to-morrow the first thing you do, to put me in love with Mrs. C.'

"I forgot to forget the billet-doux at Brooks's.'' By the bye, an't I in love with you?"—' Lady L. has promised to meet me in her carriage tomorrow-where is the most public place?'

"You were rude to her!'-'Oh, no, upon my soul, I made love to her directly.'

"An old man, who affects intrigue, and writes his own reproaches in the Morning Post, trying to scandalise himself into the reputation of being young, as if he could obscure his age by blotting his character-though never so little candid as when he's abusing himself.

"Shall you be at Lady

's

-'s?-I'm told the Bramin is to be there, and the new French philosopher.'-No-it will be pleasanter at Lady conversazione-the cow with two heads will be there.'

"I shall order my valet to shoot me the very first thing he does in the morning.'

"You are yourself affected and don't know it-you would pass for morose.'

"He merely wanted to be singular, and happened to find the character of moroseness unoccupied in the society he lived with.

"He certainly has a great deal of fancy and a very good memory; but with a perverse ingenuity he employs these qualities as no other person does-for he employs his fancy in his narratives, and keeps his recollections for his wit-when he makes his jokes you applaud the accuracy of his me

• This simile is repeated in various shapes through his manuscriptsShe moves her eyes up and down like Venetian blinds"-"Her eyelids play like a Venetian blind," &c. &❤.