hold his tongue, this great painter is celebrated; and will probably be remembered as long as painting and Miss Wolstonecraft have any friends or enemies. He is now verging toward old age, his head is white as snow, and forms a striking contrast to his florid countenance.

From the antique academy we went into the library.— This collection consists of books on the imitative arts, principally in the French and Italian languages. The ceiling of the room is adorned with a very majestic female figure, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, representing the theory of the art of painting.

Last of all we visited the life academy, where the student is not confined to statues, models, casts, and pictures, but copies nature, without any intervening representative. An overseer, a man of gravity and years, always attends the students in this apartment. It is only when male figures are standing that visitors are admitted; for this service the male figures receive from the students two shillings and six-pence, and the female half a guinea a day. They are selected for their uncommon beauty of form, and stand, naked, in the attitude of statues, while the students copy them. It is hardly necessary to add that they are taken from that class of society who value money more than some other considerations. The man who was

standing to-day had been a soldier in the horse-guards, but was bought off from the service by the students, upon condition that he should expose himself for their improve

ment.

ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE.

July 19.-I had made an appointment to meet an American friend this evening, at the door of Astley's

amphitheatre, which is just over Westminster bridge on the Surry side. This theatre is precisely on the plan of the royal circus, and the entertainments are of the same kind, that is, pantomime, buffoonry, and riding. The house is very splendid, and the scenery, decorations, and machinery are in a style of very uncommon elegance.

The evening was opened with the pantomime of Zittaw, or the Woodman's daughter. It was the most intelligible pantomime that I have ever seen; this was owing to the liberty they took of speaking certain parts in plain English-of singing others, and of frequently displaying pieces of painted cloth, containing, in large capitals, a hint of the story.

And what was the subject of the pantomime? Do you ask? It was that which is the first, second and third thing in all theatrical performances.

If we are to believe the theatres, love is a most sanguinary passion, for it rarely comes to a catastrophe without murder. They killed no fewer than four, in the course of this pantomime. Even the lady herself, who is the heroine of the story, is made, in the progress of the representation, to appear on the stage, and to fence for a good while, with one of her unsuccessful suitors, whom at length, (being unable to despatch him with the sword,) she destroys with a pistol ball. It is to be hoped that this was not a very faithful copy of life, for, surely, it is enough to be repulsed, without being murdered besides.

The pantomime being through, we had next the achievement of Lieutenant Yeo,* who, under the command of Captain Maitland, with a boat's crew or two, from the

* Since Sir JAMES YEO, and in the late war with England, so famous on Lake Ontario. 1818.

frigate La Loire, a short time since, carried by assault, a Spanish fort, in Muros bay, in the West-Indies, and this, against astonishing obstacles.

The achievement, although a very gallant thing, was, in its consequences, of no great importance, but, in a war so barren of great events, the theatres make the most of little things. This piece was executed very well. The scenery was fine; the fort, the frigate, the boats landing the men, and the assault itself, were all well represented.

You would be interested to observe the aspect of an English audience when subjects of this kind are exhibited. They are received with enthusiasm by all classes of people, and it is easy to see, that a conviction of their naval superiority, and a disposition to maintain it, beat in every pulsation of an Englishman's heart. Should they lose this superiority, even without being conquered, it would probably break down the spirits of the nation.

In the course of the evening we had numerous feats of bodily activity, and exhibitions of astonishing equestrian skill, so perfectly like those which I have noticed before that I shall not say any thing more concerning them.

Harlequin in Scotland, another pantomime, concluded the exhibition.

In this piece there seemed to be very little of a plot; the object was to make sport, and for this purpose we had Harlequin and clowns, and Scaramouch and bears, and monkeys and spirits, and heroes and apparitions, and devils. If all this would not move the audience, there would certainly be little hope of doing it by any means. Most of it was contemptible, and rather ridiculous than humerous. But, the seemingly magical transformations, such as that of a case of drawers which became a flower

pot, and of a flower-pot which became a man, with the uncommon beauty of the scenery, were well worthy of notice. The dancing, which seems to be a very favourite part of the entertainment in all the English theatres, was rather more indecent than usual. The performances were through at half past ten. I am afraid that you will think me very censorious, since I find, in the theatres of London, so little that I can commend; but my only apology is, that I give you my genuine impressions.

No. XXXI.-LONDON.

Animals—A camel with a monkey for a rider-Puffs—Lloyd's coffee-house and the Royal Exchange-Rare things advertised there-Vauxhall gardens-Their attractions announced-Shopkeepers-Their modesty, arts, and address.

ANIMALS.

July 23.-Having occupied my leisure hours, of late in perusing Buffon, Shaw, and other writers on zoology, I have been naturally led to visit the museums, and collections of animals, which are found in such perfection in London. With these views I spent several hours before dinner in Pidcock's menagerie at Exeter Change, and at the Leverian Museum. There are not many animals of importance which one may not see, at this time, in London; to mention only a few of those which I have examined to-day;-the lion and lioness, royal tiger of Bengal, panther, hyena, tiger cat, leopard, ourang-outang, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, great white bear of

Greenland, the bison, elk or moose deer, the zebra, &c. Most of these were living. I was regretting, as I was returning home, that, in all the collections of animals in London, there was no camel, and I had never seen one since I was a boy. With this regret on my mind I had almost reached my lodgings, when I was saluted by martial music, which I thought must proceed from a regiment of volunteers going out to a review; but, on turning the corner of Margaret-street, what should I see but a camel, directly before my windows. The music preceded the camel, which was led by a man, while a monkey, dressed in a scarlet military coat, with much seeming gravity, was mounted on his back as a rider. It was the Bactrian camel, with double bunches, which were very acute cones, rising about two feet from the animal's back. The space between them furnished a very convenient place for the monkey to ride in. To increase the mirth, a boy mounted the camel, and the little red coated equestrian took his station on the boy's head, and played off his feats of activity with as much skill as Astley or Ricketts, and without degrading his nature like them. I was amused with the oddity of the group, while I was seriously gratified with a sight so unexpected. This camel seemed rather dispirited and poor in flesh; he was reluctant to move, as the rough stones of the pavement appeared to hurt his feet, accustomed as they had probably been, only to grass or sand. He would not stir without whipping, and then uttered a piteous noise like a groan.

PUFFS.

July 24.-In the course of the morning I was at the Royal Exchange, and at Lloyd's Coffee-House, which is,