ces are made for the Licence of that Character, I mean of an Harlequin, whatever Pretences may be urged, from the Practice of the ancient Comedy, for its being play'd in a Mask, resembling no part of the human Species; I am apt to think, the best Excufe a modern Actor can plead for his continuing it, is that the low, fenfelefs, and monftrous things he fays, and does in it, no theatrical Affurance could get through, with a bare Face: Let me give you an Inftance of even Penkethman's being out of Countenance for want of it: When he first play'd Harlequin in the Emperor of the Moon, feveral Gentlemen (who inadvertently judg'd by the Rules of Nature) fancied that a great deal of the Drollery, and Spirit of his Grimace was loft, by his wearing that useless, unmeaning Mafque of a black Cat, and therefore infifted, that the next time of his acting that Part, he should play without it: Their Defire was accordingly comply'd with-but, alas! in vain- Penkethman could not take to himself the Shame of the Character without being concealed- he was no more Harlequin

his Humour was quite difconcerted! his Confcience could not, with the fame Effronterie declare against Nature, without the cover of that unchanging Face, which he was fure would never blush for it! no! it was quite another Cafe! without that Armour his Courage could not come up to the bold Strokes," that were neceffary to get the better of common Sense. Now if this Circumftance will justify

justify the Modefty of Penkethman, it cannot but throw a wholefome Contempt on the low Merit of an Harlequin. But how farther neceffary the Mafque is to that Fool's Coat, we have lately had a stronger Proof, in the Favour, that the Harlequin Sauvage met with, at Paris, and the ill Fate that followed the fame Sauvage, when he pull'd off his Mafque in London. So that it seems, what was Wit from a Harlequin, was fomething too extravagant from a human Creature. If therefore Penkethman, in Characters drawn from Nature, might fometimes. launch out into a few gamefome Liberties, which would not have been excufed from a more correct Comedian; yet, in his manner of taking them, he always feem'd to me, in a kind of Consciousness of the Hazard he was running, as if he fairly confefs'd, that what he did was only, as well as he could do-That he was willing to take his Chance for Succefs, but if he did not meet with it, a Rebuke should break no Squares; he would mend it another time, and would take whatever pleas'd his Judges to think of him, in good part; and I have often thought, that a good deal of the Favour he met with, was owing to this feeming humble way of waving all Pretences to Merit, but what the Town would please to allow him. What confirms me in this Opinion is, that when it has been his ill Fortune to meet with a Difgraccia, I have known him say apart to himself, yet loud enough to be heard- Odfo! I believe I am

a little wrong here! which once was fo well receiv'd, by the Audience, that they turn'd their Reproof into Applause.

Now, the Judgment of Leigh always guarded the happier Sallies of his Fancy, from the least Hazard of Disapprobation: he seem'd not to court, but to attack your Applaufe, and always came off victorious; nor did his highest Affurance amount to any more, than that juft Confidence, without which the commendable Spirit of every good Actor must be abated; and of this Spirit Leigh was a moft perfect Master. He was much admir'd by King Charles, who us'd to diftinguifh him, when spoke of, by the Title of his Actor: Which however makes me imagine, that in his Exile that Prince might have receiv'd his first Impreffion of good Actors from the French Stage; for Leigh had more of that farcical Vivacity than Nokes; but Nokes was never languid by his more strict Adherence to Nature, and as far as my Judgment is worth taking, if their intrinfick Merit could be justly weigh'd, Nokes muft have had the better in the Balance. Upon the unfortunate Death of Monfort, Leigh fell ill of a Fever, and dy'd in a Week after him, in December 1692. Care.

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Aston represents Underhill as h most literate d

ever

the venest Jure

plays in a theatre he says his face resembled the curary sutary or Homs

Underbil was a correct, and natural Comedian, his particular Excellence was in Characters, that may be called Still-life, I mean the Stiff, the Heavy, and the Stupid; to these he gave the exacteft, and moft expreffive Colours, and in fome of them, look'd, as if it T. Aown says his nose was flattest & short his upper lip very long & thick with a wide mouth' be shy

were

were not in the Power of human Paffions to alter a Feature of him. In the folemn Formality of Obadiah in the Committee, and in the boobily Heavinefs of Lolpoop in the Squire of Alfatia, he feem'd the immoveable Log he ftood for! a Countenance of Wood could not be more fixt than his, when the Blockhead of a Character required it: His Face was full and メ long; from his Crown to the end of his Nofe, was the shorter half of it, fo that the Disproportion of his lower Features, when foberly compos'd, with an unwandering Eye hanging over them, threw him into the most lumpish, moping Mortal, that ever made Beholders merry! not but, at other times, he could be wakened into Spirit equally ridiculous In the course, ruftick Humour of Justice Clod- a pate, in Epfome Wells, he was a delightful Brute! and in the blunt Vivacity of Sir Sampfon, in Love for Love, he fhew'd all that true perverse Spirit, that is commonly seen in much Wit, and Ill-nature. This Character is one of those few fo well written, with fo much Wit and Humour, that an Actor must be the groffeft Dunce, that does not appear with an unusual Life in it: But it will ftill fhew as great a Proportion of Skill, to come near Underbil in the acting it, which (not to undervalue those who foon came after him) I have not yet feen. He was particularly admir'd too, for the Grave-digger in Hamlet. The Author of the Tatler recommends him to the Favour of the Town, upon that Play's being acted for

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his Benefit, wherein, after his Age had fome Years oblig'd him to leave the Stage, he came on again, for that Day, to perform his old Part; but, alas! fo worn, and difabled, as if himself was to have lain in the Grave he was digging; when he could no more excite Laughter, his Infirmities were difmifs'd with Pity: He dy'd foon after, a fuper-annuated Penfioner, in the Lift of thofe who, were fupported by the joint Sharers, under the first Patent granted to Sir Richard Steele.

The deep Impreffions of these excellent Actors, which I receiv'd in my Youth, I am afraid, may have drawn me into the common Foible of us old Fellows; which is, a Fondnefs, and perhaps, a tedious Partiality for the Pleasures we have formerly tafted, and think are now fallen off, becaufe we can no longer enjoy them. If therefore I lie under that Sufpicion, tho' I have related nothing incredible, or out of the reach of a good Judge's Conception, I must appeal to thofe Few, who are about my own Age, for the Truth and Likeness of thefe Theatrical Portraicts.

There were, at this time, feveral others in fome degree of Favour with the Publick, Powel, Verbruggen, Williams, &c. But as I cannot think their beft Improvements made them, in any wife equal to those I have fpoke of, I ought not to range them in the fame Clafs. Neither were Wilks, or Dogget, yet come to the Stage; nor was Booth initiated till about fix Years after them; or Mrs. Oldfield

known,