as it happened.) The audience were listening with anxious attention! The fiery faced landlord, still trying to force his way up the gallery stairs! The heat, the reeking heat of the upper part of the gallery was almost unbearable. A CAT,-even a CAT-(notwithstanding its nine lives!) could not have lived long in such an exhausted atmosphere. I say exhausted, because there was no vital air, no oxygen, left unconsumed within it. As to the crowd at the top of the stairs, life was sustained in them only by the occasional whiffs of pure air that came up from the gallery door-way. But the poor devils puffing and panting for a time, were soon seen widely gasping for breath as fish do when they are first drawn out of the water, In short, the

top of the gallery was as offensive, as it would be to blow out a large candle, and immediately hold your nostrils over the smoking wick of it. And it was well for all parties that the state of the air in the gallery, was such as is here described; that there remained in it nothing that contained the chief principles of vitality: it was simply and completely azot, Had there still been left in it one inflammable particle, the least jot of oxygen, the landlord's face would have set fire to it, and the whole house would have been blown up. It happened otherwise, but in a manner almost as tremendous.

William the ostler not having answered, or appeared to the call, the impatient landlord once more pushed forward his head, and exclaimed "William! Squire! Squire !" This was enough. The whole audience thought he had called "Fire! Fire!" and in a moment

all was confusion and uproar! and then again, to make things worse, if possible,--when the landlord cried out thus-William most unfortunately replied "Here, Sir, Here!" This made the people think that the roof was already on fire, and that they should all be burnt alive. The noise, the confusion, that now ensued, must be conceived, it cannot be described. The screaming-the scrambling from the gallery down into the boxes,from the boxes into the pit. Every passage was soon clogged up and the outward doors being hung on the inner side, (by the bye this is a great error in public places) the pressure of the crowd was so powerful, that the said doors could not be opened, nor could any of the people get out that way. Talking to them, or giving advice, was useless in the hurry of escaping from the gallery and upper boxes, they had, by sliding down the posts, broken all the chandeliers and branches of candles; so that they were lost in darkness, while they supposed the roof of the Theatre to be all in a blaze. One thought of this sort might have pacified them: but no,-the darker the place they were in, the more they dreaded the light. The less they saw of danger, the more they feared its consequenees. In short, when they were at the top, they jumped to the bottom; and while on the floor, they feared the burning roof more It is thus than when their backs were touching it. consternation and alarm scare away the reasoning faculties of man. At length, however, the hubbub ceased: they found there was no fire to fear, they became convinced that there never had been the least appearance of fire to frighten them. Many seemed

ashamed of having so given way to their fears. Things now took a very different turn the cause of this ter rible mistake was asked for, and investigated. The unfortunate ostler was found, and strictly questioned: some violent people were for kicking him: some laughed at him: others pitied him but the gods,-the gallery gods, they had not yet given their irrevocable decree,

So when great Jove his Balance lifts in air,

He weighs Mens' brains-finds something wasting there!

But no matter about brains: when any fun is afloat, it shows a want of brains not to enjoy it.

Now these implacable godships of the upper regions, (having seen out their last twelve-penny worth of the Play) inquired for the rosy-faced culprit, the ostler. He was a bone-ified man :-A Teague: -A Scotchman. His high cheek bones rising, like the rough cliffs near John-a-groat's house and that huge promontory, his nose, was as ragged as the carbuncled craggy rocks near Bute Castle, a purchase lately made by my friend Kean; and which is, I believe, in the summer time his favorite residence.

I have lately read in the papers that he is there at this moment: methinks I see the rolling, piercing dark eyes of my old friend, looking from the loftiest turrets of his Castle northward. (nobody can see further north than he can when he chooses !!) He beholds, (in fancy at least, and in another direction) the Giants' Causeway! Himself in mind a Giant! He hears the minstrelsy of the old Welch Bards, and contemplates their living looks, —their reverend manners, and their flowing beards!

Bringing for a moment his faney homeward, he hears the foaming surge beating the firm-based rock beneath bis feet. With his friends embarked on board his yacht, and cabins richly stowed (like Nautilus, the sail and oars his own) coast-wise, he trips along towards Dunsinane's high towers, where, on the outward walls, the ery is still They come !" Now, anchored, and refreshed, Kean forward looks, as far at Fingal's Cave. Then in idea further north he glances; (for to his eager eye, leagues seem as miles, and miles but steps!) To Baltic seas and stern Selavonia's wilds he journies on! he brings great Odin,-(military chief and self-established deity!) he brings him onward to Scotland's frowning shores! -With Odin's power his creed and various other superstitions came !-The Raven Banner,— the magic of odd numbers!--The wizard art of something more than wisdom;-the (witchery) of old women! and the sybil force of mystic sorcery, of supernatural strength and rites most cabalistical! These-more than these,-famed Odin! brought to Scotland; and, with the wondrous Edda in his hand, he made laws, and with his sword confirmed them. Hence Scottish Highland Clans retain, 'tis thought, their traits of national bravery, that often lead them on to deeds of arms and chivalrous exploit. But hold! I've wandered far with Kean, perhaps too far! If so, 'tis he alone must check my course, and set me where he stands himself-on nature's firm-fixed basis. Once more to plain and simple narrative we'll now return.

The subject we were upon before this rambling digression, was that of alarm taking place at public

R

assemblies of every description, and most especially in Theatres.

It should be impressed on the minds of all, more particularly on the minds of men of sense, that during any symptoms of panic, it is best to remain as cool and collected as possible. As far as regards Theatres, accidents may occur from haste or from pressure, but not from fire: it is impossible unless the audience choose to set fire to themselves. The grand safety principle is this - there are so many eyes in all parts of the Theatre, at least during the performance, that dangers of this kind are sure of being soon seen, and consequently soon put an end to. Even if the back of the stage were on fire, by dropping a canvass scene or two, which always hang close behind the curtain, the danger would be prevented; for these scenes, like most of the others, are scarcely inflammable, being painted, not with oil, but with water-colors; therefore they would prevent the fire reaching the front of the house for an hour at least, which is surely time enough for every auditor to quit his place without alarm or danger of any kind. But to another subject.

I once was romantic enough to think of telling the world what I imagined wrong, and what appeared right but I presently discovered that hundreds who were going on wrong knew it full as well as I did, only they chose to wink or blink, or squint sideways; or else with eyes quite closed blindly to follow their own noses which readily smelt out the most direct paths to their own interests! And further as to what was found too that many saw

right or wrong I soon