PROPRIETY OF RIOTS.

[From the British Press, Oct. 3.]

MR. EDITOR,

HOUGH the riots at Covent Garden Theatre, after a short life of two years, may be said "to have made their exeunt;" yet it is likewise said, that "the memory of a good thing never dies." On this account, I rejoice at the admirable precedent they must leave behind them. It will now be impossible for any dealer, whether in theatrical or other wares, to demand any price but what the mob may think fair and justifiable; which is precisely what the law ought to. be on this subject; for it would be extremely hard if the seller of an article should have any thing to do, with fixing a price upon his own goods!

But what I admire most is, the perfect non-chalancewith which the Ministry have looked on, while the great town of London was in a state of uproar for: above a year! Some malicious people have intimated, "that they had their reasons" for such conduct, as it drew off all attention from their own drama; and that, in consequence, they could act their own pieces with the most miserable performers, without being hissed off the stage. This at first appears. plausible enough; but as they have continued acting with the same set, and have shown no disposition to improve their company, I am not led to believe they think the opinion of John Bull of much consequence.. If Mr. Perceval plays "the King," Lord Chatham "the Grave-digger," and Lord Mulgrave" the Choleric Man," at a fixed salary, which they are sure to receive, good or bad, what signifies public opinion?

All therefore that can be said is, that some fear may reasonably be entertained, that while they have been smiling maliciously" at the disturbances at Covent Garden, they have been nourishing a "nest

c 6

egg"

egg" of riot, which may soon discharge its contents upon themselves; and established a school for some "pretty boys," hereafter to practise the lessons which they have taught them.

SHILLELAH.

ON MR. KEMBLE.

[From the Morning Chronicle, Oct. 5.}

ACTOR and architect, he tries

To please the great and charm the small;
This bids the private tiers to rise,
And that the public tears to fall.

'TIS shameful, cried W-ly, R-se, and the rest, To talk at this scurrilous rate;

When, in their Report, it is prov'd by themselves,
We've done nothing to injure the state.

Oct. 6, 1810.

A

THE WHITE HAT:-A TALE.

[From the British Press, Oct. 11.]

N honest hearty British Tar,

Just landed from a man of war,

For drubbing well foes Dutch and Spanish,
And French, and Russian, and Danish,
Receiv'd from th' agent of his ship,

Of prize-money so vast a heap,

That Jack was plagu'd and teas'd with doubt
If he should ever see it out;

2

J.

But

THE WHITE HAT.

But judging right-" If aught can do it,
London's the place for getting through it,"
On Portsmouth soon he turn'd his tail,
And bore for town with press of sail.
Jocund his look-all toils forgot,
Jogg'd on, he thus or said or thought

If Fortune messes on the earth,

I'm sure enough stow'd in her berth ;
What thof I've wander'd three long years,
Left Poll love-sick and drown'd in tears-
What thof, on bounding billows borne,
Felt battle's rage and tempest's storm;
Now safe and rich I tread the shore,
And toils and dangers are no more →
How great do present blessings seem!
And troubles past-how like a dream!"
Of moral jaw, how long a spell
He would have ta'en, I cannot tell;
But from his maintop looking out,
He spied, which made him tack about,
A neat brick house, close by the road,
Where, o'er the window, hung a board
To tell the traveller its merits,
In porter, ale, and foreign spirits;
And to invite both man and beast
To enter and refresh or feast.
Jack, rather wearied with his walk,
This invitation would not baulk,
But enter'd his tir'd limbs to rest,
And call'd for some'at of the best.
The Landlord, ready at his post,
Soon set before him Britain's boast,
A good sirloin, so nice and brown,
And nappy ale to wash it down.
Our Tar, by appetite made brief,
Did ample justice to the beef,
And speedy-(for so sharp his case,
He stopp'd not even to say grace-
Nor pickle did he need, nor salad,
To stimulate his hungry palate)—
Unus'd at table long to stay,
Swallow'd his ale, and call'd to pay;

The

The bill, on Landlord's fingers counted,
To four and three-pence net amounted.
Jack from his fob a guinea drew,
And toss'd it down to pay his due;
The host declar'd, cash was so strange,
He could not give his Honour change.

"Ne'er mind," quoth Jack, " just now—but when From London I return again,

You'll know me; and I'll tell by what,

Be sure remember this white hat-
Then twirl'd his hat, and off he went,
Leaving old Boniface content.

At every inn where'er he stay'd,
His reck'ning in this manner paid,
The white hat serv'd to dozens more
The self-same signal as before.

At length arriv'd in town-he flew
To meet his Poll, so kind and true;
From her ripe ruby lips to hear
Th' applause, to British seamen dear;
To treat her to the play, the ball,
The gardens, Circus, and Vauxhall ;
To feast and revel all the day,
And kiss the fleeting night away.

It needs no foresight to discover
This kind of work would soon be over-
Time flew as if on wings of wind,
And Jack, too late, began to find
That, if you spend your money fast,
The heaviest purse will fail at last.
He knew that none but fools could think
To live on shore without the chink ;
And quick resolv'd to go to sea,
To make more cash for Poll and he.

Had I the knack to show the heart

Of loving sweethearts when they part,
I here most movingly had painted

How much Poll wept-nay, even fainted→→
How sad Jack snatch'd the parting kiss,
And bade a long adieu to bliss-

But, this not hitting with my taste,

I to my tale return in haste,

For

THE WHITE HAT.

For Portsmouth now, so fate inclin'd,
Jack steers, nor casts one look behind.
Some four leagues made with passing speed,
He o'ertook one of Abram's seed,
Whose bended back a glittering store
Of golden toys and trinkets bore,
Such as poor landsmen grieve to pass,
When sailors treat their fav'rite lass.
As travellers of every station
Soon enter into conversation,

Jack and the Jew full quickly found
Whence each had sail'd, and whither bound;
And as both steer'd for the same port,
Resolv'd to make their course, by convoy, short.

Of various things they talk'd-of snakes and toads,

And Buonaparte, and the dirty roads

Our Tar was griev'd there was no war this year-
Moses regretted " travelling vash so tear.”
"Ho!" says the Tar," that alters not my plight,
This magic hat pays every bill at sight;

A look of it soon settles every claim,
Whether for meat or drink, 't is all the same."
Moses was too polite to say " he lied;"

But only begg'd to see its virtues tried.
Jack now resolv'd, since he had begun,
To have his joke, and carry on the fun.
An inn just then appearing pat,
To prove the merits of the hat,
They enter, eat and drink their fill,
The magic hat settles the bill.

Moses was half-convinc'd by the first bout,
And two 'r three more dispell'd all doubt.
The value of the hat appear'd so great,
He was resolv'd to have 't at any rate.
Jack's strength was such, that open force,
He saw, would be a dang'rous course;

But craft remain'd, and that was Moses' forte,
To it, of course, he made his first resort.
Some miles from Portsmouth, he began
To sound our Tar upon this plan;
Swore 't was a shame to take to sea
What there would wholly useless be;

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