out at different windows, asking what was the matter? Zounds! (said I) we shall be summoned to the townhall to-morrow, for breaking the peace and disturbing the whole town. "Town (said Charles,---why if the mayor and all the aldermen, and the town-clerk too, would not jump from their beds, and come here without either wigs or night-caps---if they would not run half wild and half naked to witness this, they would not be deserving of such a poet as their townsman Gay, nor such a singer as Charles Incledon.

On saying this, he rose from his seat, popped his head into a small window that was left open-he sung about half-a-dozen notes and exclaimed "Good night my friend---immortal Gay! good night, friend Jackey!"

But hold---the Printer tells me that my second volume is getting nearly as long as the first, and that if I mean to be consistent, I ought to prepare for my latter end, in order that I may make my exit with a good grace. I have had this in view some time, and on looking back it will be seen that I have been preparing accordingly. Pondering over the very long catalogue of my offences, I am led to believe, that one of my most flagrant sins has been that of Punning. And as confession has always been considered one of the surest ways of obtaining pardon, I make this public avowal, to show the sincerity of my repentance.

Doctor Johnson, gave many meanings, as I have already shown; and others (especially Mr. Colman) taught the knack of punning! I now speak seriously (though on the subject of making puns). I was at the

Brighton Theatre in the year 1789: Mr. Colman's
piece of Inkle and Yarico was got up there, and I
believe for the first time, though a young man,
I at
that period liked old characters better than young ones.
1 then played Old Medium: and in the second act
where Inkle is plodding and talking of arithmetic! He
then goes off, as if deeply engaged in making some
calculation of profit. His uncle (old Medium) says,
confound your arithmetic! and follows him. But I,
(infected with the punning influenza) added these words.
"Deuce take the fellow, and his rules of arithmetic! If I
can overtake him, I'll cast the cube root of my stick against
the decimal part of his head, which by the addition
of strength, will ten to one, cause a vulgar fraction!"

Now as many performers have sported this string of puns in Theatres all round the United Kingdom, I could not conscientiously remain silent, while Mr. Colman was liable to be blamed for offences by me committed. Another thing I must notice. I have occasionally joked about the learned Professions: none bear jokes so well as lawyers! Doctors, pretty well, and some clergymen, when in a good humour, will bear a little tickling! Shakspeare has made Queen Mab do this--

"And some times comes she with a tythe Pigs' tail

Tickling the Parson as he lies asleep,

"And then dreams he of a good fat Benefice!

As to the Law,---I more than twenty years ago made a little free with lawyers, and have often heard of my verses being spoken on public occasions, and have

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seen them in public prints; so, being now in a confessional humour, I take upon myself all the blame of having written the following verses, as well as having since published them in a poem called "Echoism."

"All the good things our ancestors once saw
"Attach'd to Faith, are now engross'd by Law!
"Satan may yet alarm; John Doe appals!

"Hence Cloisters are exchanged for Courts and Halls!

Tythe Pig! a trifle: Law,---insidious, sly,--

"By flaw, or error, claims both Pig and Sty!

"A Farmer's Goose !---long since the Vicar's due! "Law siezes Goose and Farm, and Farmer too!"

These reflections originally struck me while at Tavistock. Our Theatre there, was a large old building formerly belonging to the Abbey; so that we sometimes saw Father Paul, Friar Lawrence, and Cardinal Wolsey, within their own holy boundaries, and quite in character, while I might be thought an absolute diRECTOR, or a second VICAR of BRAY: and as stated in a former chapter, this happened at the time Mr. Cooke was engaged at Plymouth and at Dock, (now called Devonport).

At the period here spoken of, I remember seeing Miss Foote at her father's house; she was a very pleasing, and uncommonly interesting little girl, and gave symptoms of being what she now is, a charming woman and a most excellent actress.

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But hold-time advances---my fate approaches---I find I must commit a kind of sentimental suicide, and put an end to my Life,-I mean-my Memoirs! to depart in good humour, I will call on Sterne's Yorick to assist me ! In the same way as Sterne called on Hamlet! By the bye---I never heard of any of Shakspeare's numerous critics and commentators having yet ascertained whether there ever was, at the Court of Denmark, such a person as Yorick, the King's Jester? or whether he was only the creature of Shakspeare's fancy? Let this matter be as it may, I hope my readers will now, with the spirit and good humour of Sterne---say to themselves—

"Alas! Poor Lee!

May his playful puns be pardoned;

"His eccentric excesses be excused;

"And may his greatest errors

"Be either speedily forgot,

"Or most readily and generously forgiven."

FINIS.

PRINTED BY W BRAGG, CHEAPSIDE, TAUNTON.