ever relief the landed interest and their reprefentatives in parliament shall think their distressed fituation requires." I am one of those who think the profession of a schoolmaster one of the most important in the state, and that these men, instead of being depreffed, fhould be cherished, and their fituation made comfortable. The happiness of the individual and the the ftate depends on the education of youth. It is owing to these men that the common people in Scotland are more knowing than those perhaps of any other country in Europe. The meaneft peafant can read, and generally write, understands the principles of religion, and the foundation of moral conduct. It is owing to education and morals that the Scots have in general rifen in every line of life, wherever they have gone.

THE prefent miferable pittance which schoolmasters have by law is by no means fuch as to induce men of education to undertake fo laborious an employment *. There is no profeffion in which they might not earn more money;—even porters, pimps, and chairmen in this city, are opulent, when compared to moft country schoolmafters.

SHALL the person who administers to our fantastic indulgences, or to our vicious luxury, be paid

Y

The schoolmafters at present have only 51. 16s. 1d. per ann. and they petitioned Parliament for 11l. 2s. 2d. or 200 merks, which was oppofed by the landed gentlemen.

paid with liberality, and he who forms the minds and principles of our children be allowed to starve? Shall a foreign cook, who has learnt to please my palate with a luxurious difh, be rewarded with munificence; and fhall the man, who forms the mind and morals of my fon, be allowed to live on bread and water?

WHAT can afford fuch heartfelt joy to a worthy parent, as to fee affectionate children improving in useful knowledge and virtue, and daily gratifying their fond solicitude, by a progrefs towards that good and useful character in life which is the chief object of their warmest wishes? And shall the guardians of these most interesting hopes be doomed to penury and diftrefs? Forbid it every fentiment of humanity -every generous feeling of the heart!

IF fuch narrow policy fhall be followed, we must confign the education and morals of our youth to ignorant pretenders; for no man of virtue, capacity, and education can be expected to starve for the fervice of the public.

BESIDES, it is obvious, that the increase of vice of late in great cities and towns requires that fuch encouragement fhould be given as to induce teachers of ability and worth to embrace the profesfion, and to refide in the country, that an opportunity may be afforded of virtuous education in the first ftage of youth, and MEN may be brought forth to

be

be the fupports of a luxurious falling state, instead of the frivolous coxcombs or abandoned voluptuaries of a degenerate age.

I WISH not, to provide fuch falaries for schoolmafters as to render them indolent; but chill them not with cold parfimony-give them a comfortable fubfiftence, and they will be grateful. I highly respect the character of a schoolmaster, when I find him a man of good fenfe and good morals; and I think him more deserving of my regard, than a titled fool, or an opulent knave.

САТО.

E. C.

THE fame of Mrs SIDDONS, as an actress, occafioned fome gentlemen to raise a sum by subscription to induce her to come to Edinburgh, after her engagement at London, in fpring 1784.

MRS SIDDONS's first visit to Edinburgh was accordingly in May 1784.

THE gentlemen fubfcribers, who had been the occafion of her coming, thought themselves entitled to be fecured in feats in the pit the evenings the performed. This, was thought very reafonable, and they were admitted a quarter of an hour before the doors opened. But the vaft crouds

that attended, eager for admiffion, creating much inconvenience and difturbance, a part of the pit was railed off for the subscribers, after the three first appearances of Mrs Siddons. The anxiety to fee this celebrated actress was fo great, that crouds were often at the doors from eleven o'clock forenoon till five in the afternoon. This rage for seeing Mrs Siddons was fo great, that there were 2557 applications for 630 places. The weather being warm, and the house exceffively crouded, gave occasion for the fervants of the Theatre introducing a variety of liquors into the pit and galleries. Very circumftantial accounts of Mrs Siddons's acting, and criticisms on the plays, were given to the public in the newspapers on each performance.

THE following humourous lines appeared after her fifth appearance:

EPISTLE

From Mifs MARIA BELINDA B-GLE, at Edinburgh, To her friend, Mifs LAVINIA L-TCH, at Glasgow,

I HEAR, with deep forrow, my beautiful L-TCH, In vain to come here you your father befeech; I fay in all places, and fay it most truly, His heart is as hard as the heart of PRIULI; 'Tis compos'd of black flint, or of Aberdeen granite, But fmother your rage-'twould be folly to fan it.

EACH

EACH evening the playhouse exhibits a mob,
And the right of admiffion's turn'd into a job.
By five the whole pit us'd to fill with fubfcribers,
And those who had money enough to be bribers;
But the public took fire, and began a loud jar,
And I thought we'd have had a SIDDONIAN war:
The committees met, and the lawyers hot mettle
Began very foon both to cool and to fettle;
Of public refentment to blunt the keen edge,
In a coop they consented that fixty they'd wedge;
And the coop's now fo cramm'd, it will scarce hold
a mouse,

And the reft of the pit's turn'd a true public house.
With porter and pathos, with whisky and whining,
They quickly all look as if long they'd been dining,
Their fhrub and their fighs court our noses and ears,
And their twopenny blends in libation with tears;
The god of good liquor with fervour they woo,
And before the fifth act they are a greeting fou;
And still, as a maxim, they keep in their eye
This excellent adage, “ that forrow is dry:"
Tho' my mufe to write fatire's reluctant and loth,
This cuftom, I think, favours ftrong of the Goth.

As for SIDDONS herself, her features fo tragic, Have caught the whole town with the force of their magic;

Her action is varied, her voice is extensive,
Her eye very fine, but fomewhat too penfive.
In the terrible trials of BEVERLEY's wife,
She rofe not above the dull level of life,

She