in the rays of light caft upon a blank fheet through the focus of the lantern; about each of the caricatures Mr. Baddeley either told a laughable story, or made fome fatirical remarks on them. The entertainment continued an hour, and was divided into two parts. In the former was given the character of a modern widow, who upon the death of her first husband, by whom she had three children, erected a fuperb monument to his memory, affected to be inconfoleable, adopted for her motto, "Love lies a bleeding," and nevertheless. in a very fhort time went off to France in company with a horse grenadier. In the fecond part, an old Jew and his fon Ifaac were fhewn, and a humorous catechifm between them was recited. Befides thefe, a great variety of figures were produced; fome of a general tendency, others which would bear a peculiar and perfonal application. In the course of the entertainment, feveral ftrokes levelled at known foibles and remarkable perfons were introduced, moft of which had a good effect. This species of exhibition affords an ample field for ridicule and fatire. Mr. Baddeley deferves credit for the thought, and has met with great encouragement,

TH

Carey's Lecture on Mimicry.

HE Lecture begins with a poetical introduction. He then reads the profe exordium, which is a grave compoition, containing feveral obfervations; as well in favour of the mimic art, as in vindication of the Lecturer's attempt.

The Lecture itfelf is divided into three parts, or series of imitations; the first and last rhetorical, and the fecond vocal; and each imitation is introduced by fome apropos obfervations.

In the first part, Jerry Dowlas, a young fpouting linen-draper, is introduced to Mr. Fiddleftick, the Manager [A. Fisher, Efq;] Mr. Fiddleftick debres Jerry to inform him whether he can fiddle or fing; and on being anfwered in the negative, refers him to Mr. Smallcoal [Mr. Colman] whofe department it was to examine" your Tragedians and Comedians, obferving that there was more Jound fenfe in good Concerto, than all the Tragedies and Comedies in the world. Mr. Small-coal appearing, defires to know whether the spouter can read or write; and being anfwered in

the affirmative, affures him he will not do for him; that he engaged nobody who had thofe qualifications, as he taught his best actors to speak himself-witness the beautiful Mrs. Artichoke [Mrs.Hartley] who makes a fine fpeech to justify her patron's affertion. The spouter, difappointed in this application, applies to his friend Billy Buftle, the Bookfeller [Mr. Becket] who introduces him as a genius to Mr. Patent [Mr. Garrick]. A very characteristic and humorous dialogue enfues. The fpouter repeats a fpeech from King Richard III, in an aukward and affected manner. Mr. Patent rejects him with indignation, after giving him a very fine fpecimen of his own exquifite mode of acting, in a speech from King Lear.

The imitation of the monotony of a chimney fweeper [Mr. Smith] Little Peter Polish, the admirer of a wind mill and flying Mercury [Mr. Savigny] and the celebrated Shylock in Macbeth, conclude the first part of this entertainment.

The fecond part opens with Guadagni in the favourite Song of "Che faro,” in Orfeo. Mr. Banifter, Mr. Dibdin, Mr. Vernon, Mrs. Baddeley, Mifs Catley, Mr. Kear, &c. are the Characters imitated in this part. It is but juftice to the Lecturer to affert, that he is excellent in each. The introducing of Mr. Kear in the Mulberry Tree as the cryer of wooden-ware, and the contraft between Mr. Vernon and Mr. Dibdin in the Warwickshire Lads, has an irrefiftible effect on the risible muscles of the audience.

In the third part, Mr. Barry, Mrs. Pitt, Mr. Hartry, Mr. Parfons, Mrs. Baddeley, and Mr. Hurft are introduced. Mrs. Pitt in the Nurfe in Romeo and Juliet, Mr. Hartry in Snuffle in the Mayor of Garret, and Mr. Hurst in the King in Cymbeline, afforded much entertainment. But the converfation scene between Foote and Wefton, which concludes this part, is the happiest that can be imagined. The great Ariftophanes is reprefented as confulting Billy Buckram on the materials for another fummer campaign; and a very humorous dialogue introduces an imitation of the braying of an afs, the fire-works of Torre, and the amorous courtship between two cats in a gutter, which Ariftophanes obferves will make a damn'd good moonlight scene,

The

This has been fufficiently fhewn fince the conclufion of thofe treaties, by the late conduct of the Pruffians with regard to Dantzick. And though the other two partitioning powers have not yet taken any fteps of the fame nature, there is little room to doubt that in proper time and fea on they will follow the example. Indeed the measures they have all taken for a continual interference in the affairs and government of Poland, fufficiently explain the nature of their future defigns. Diftracted and torn as this unhappy country continues, it has not during this year prefented those fhocking fcenes of calamity, which had long made it a fpectacle, as much of horror, as of compaffion. The vaft armies with which it was covered, having rendered all oppofition impracticable, the pretences for cruelty were taken away; and the muftitude of fpectators compofed of different nations, and under different commands, being a mutual check upon the enormities of each other, the rage for blood dwindled into regular oppreffion. Upon the whole, the condition of Poland is not worse than it has been; nor are the poffibilities fewer, in its favour. The fortune of Ruffia has not at all been predominant this year with refpect to the war. Their enemies become daily more habituated to arms, and have been beaten into order and discipline. Diftance and fituation were alfo much against them; and they have been taught by experience the difficulties of a Bulgarian campaign; a fervice, which can icarcely be carried on with a probability of fuccefs, without the affiftance of fuch a fleet, as can maintain a fuperiority on the Black-Sea. The rebellion in the Crimea, and apprehenfions of danger nearer home, prevented, however, fome of the exertions that might otherwife have been made in the war upon the Danube.

It' ftill remains to be feen, whether it was a wife policy in Ruffia, to attempt increafing the bulk of that vaft empire, by adding new conquefts to those boundlefs and ill-cultivated regions which the already poffeffes; and which are perhaps at present too large for the grafp of any fingle government. It may poffibly hereafter be thought, that the immenfe waste of treasure and blood, which has been fo lavishly fquandered in this purfuit, would have been much better applied to the great purposes of populati

on and internal improvement; and that the glare of fruitless victories, are a poor récompence for the diforders excited by the confequent oppreffions of the people, and the real weakness that muft enfue, from fo long, and fo violent an exertion. it was evident from the nature and fituation of the countries, and the confequences of former wars with the Turks, that conquefts in Moldavia, Wallachia, or Beffarabia, and victories on the Pruth or the Danube, were not likely to be attended with much benefit to Ruffia. The gaining of a port upon the Black+ Sea, was indeed an object of the utmoft importance; but of fuch a nature as to be attended with almost infuperable difficulties; both from the fatal aspect which it must bear to the Ottoman empire, and the jealoufy which it must excite in feveral of the European powers.

It ftill remains to be enquired; whether the new acquifitions in Poland, or the influence gained in that country by the court of Petersburg, be equivalent to the lofs, expence, and danger of such a war. These will be found upon examination, to be very inadequate to fuch a price. If Poland still continued to be, what it long was, a great and powerful nation, under the conduct of illustrious princes, and guarded by a nobility famous for their prowess and military virtues, fuch an extension of frontier would be a matter of real moment, and carry with it. great additional fecurity. In the prefent inftance these circumstances are totally changed. Ruffia had nothing to apprehend from Poland, and much to gain by it. She has now obtained a large acceffion of territory in Lithuania, of the fame nature with respect to foil and climate, and much in the fame state as to cultivation, with thofe wide-extended, but half-defart countries, which the had already poffeffed in that quarter; and which will ftill require the time and labour of ages to be peopled and cultivated. Both the old and the new poffeffions produce the fame commodities, have the fame wants, require the fame degrees of improvement, and are incapable of being of any ufe or affistance to each other.

With respect to frontier, for the neighbourhood of the peaceable, indolent and impotent Pole, Ruffia has now extended her boundaries into contact with thofe of her jealous, watchful, and enterprizing rivals; and has thereby laid

the

the foundation (if the prefent fyftem continues) for fuch endless altercation and difputes, as must keep Germany and the North in a continual ftate of warfare and confufion. The wifeft and most benevolent statesman could not have wifhed for a happier barrier than Poland, to prevent the clashing of the German and Mufcovite empires; nor could the demon of difcord have thrown out bitterer feeds of contention, than it is now likely to produce.

As to the obtaining or preferving of an influence in Poland, her late meafures have been attended with as little advantage in that refpect, as in any other. Ruffia before, folely guided and directed the councils of that country, nor could the have been deprived of the great fecurity and advantage which the derived from that unbounded influence; but by the most mistaken conduct and falfeft policy. She now divides her authority with the other members of the triumvirate, who will be fufficiently careful that she does not retain more than her fhare; nor will her dividend in a future partition of the remains of that republic, be in any degree an equivalent for the advantages which the has foregone, in lofing that fupreme influence and direction by which the guided the whole.

Those schemes which were trumpeted throughout Europe, of totally conquering and fubverting the Ottoman empire, however they might have been held out to flatter the imaginations of the people, or to answer purposes in negociations for loans, could not have been ferioufly adopted by any statesman. If the practicability of fuch an event, were even admitted, it could anfwer no good purpofe, and would probably be highly pernicious to Ruffia. The eternal boundaries which Nature has placed between those empires, their distance, fituation, and vaft extent, the extreme difference of climate, and in the manners, customs, and religions of the inhabitants, are infuperable bars to their coalefcing; and render it as impoffible for Peterburg to rule the Ottoman empire, as it would be for Conftantinople to govern the Ruffian.

The war in the Mediterranean, has, this year been attended with little hon our, and with no other advantage than what proceeded from the taking of prizes, As a war of this nature is always very prejudicial to commerce, and has in this

cafe been particularly fo to the French merchants, it has given much umbrage to the two great branches of the house of Bourbon. And as the death of Ali Bey, and the return of Egypt to its duty, has cut off one of the principal fources of advantage that could be expected from it, and that the paffage of the Dardanelles feems no longer to be thought practicable, it may still be a matter not unworthy of confideration, how much farther it may be confiftent with prudence, to irritate the refentment of those princes; and whether any advantages now to be expected from a continuance of the war in the Levant, are equivalent to the rifque of a rupture with France and Spain. This fleet however, has been lately reinforced, and it is faid will be rendered formidable in the enfuing fummer.

The ceffion of the dutchy of Holstein to Denmark, is to be confidered in no other light, than as a facrifice to the prefent war, and is therefore to be brought as a discount, on any future advantages that Ruffia may obtain by it. At the fame time, nothing can be a clearer demonstration of the apprehenfions which the latter had conceived, with refpect to the defigns of a near northern neighbour, than the great price which the has upon this occafion paid for the friendfhip of the former.

It was one of the most favourite and darling projects with Peter the Great, to obtain at any expence, and by any means, a German principality, with a vote in the diet of the empire. The watchful and prudent jealoufy, with which even his nearest allies regarded this defign, prevented its accomplishment. They readily joined him in ftripping Sweden of its plumes, and adorned themfelves with a part of them; but prudently declined the honour of his becoming a nearer neighbour. This object, of which he was difappointed in himfelf, he however wifhed to obtain for his fucceffors, and it accordingly influenced his conduct in the marriages of his children, in confequence of which, the late unfortunate Emperor, Peter the Third, united in his own perfon, the dutchies of Slefwick and Holftein, with the empire of Ruffia.

Such is the vanity of human defigns and wifdom, that this object of fo much care and folicitude, though his original paternal inheritance, venerable for its antiquity, and of fome confideration for SIf2

its