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I had been present at first at a few hauls in which no salmon had been caught; and declaring that I was as bad as the minister, generally requested me to withdraw when they had bad luck. It is a fact, that I never was present when a salmon was caught; and ridiculous as it may appear, the fishermen generally attributed their want of success to my being with them.

I once undertook to swim across this lake and back again, without touching ground on the opposite shore, excepting with one foot. Some one informing Mr. Bruce of my attempt just after I had started, he immediately, with affectionate anxiety, ordered his boatmen to attend me; they overtook me about half way, but I declined assistance; they, however, still kept by me, and I performed what I had undertaken.

In the mornings, during my stay at Ardwhillary, I generally passed the greater part of my time with Mr. Bruce, in his private chamber, reading with him his manuscript, and receiving from him such instruction and information as few can receive from the most celebrated universities. Still was there time for relaxation; and when the weather would not permit us to seek amusement out of doors, the bagpipe and the reel afforded us sufficient within.

Anecdotes serve occasionally to enliven the dullness of private history. I was walking about the grounds one evening, when, having strayed to the road, I saw a large party of Highlanders, male and female, refreshing themselves under the foliage on the bank of the lake. I begged leave to join their party, and finding them inclined to be communicative, I asked them whence they came, and whither they were going?

They informed me that they came from a great distance northward, and were travelling southward to the lowlands to get work during the harvest. On further inquiry, I found that the usual product of such excursions was twenty shillings, ten of which it was their cus tom to expend for oatmeal, and the other ten supplied them with necessaries at home during the winter. I observed a considerable difference in the arrangement of the head dresses of the female peasantry, and was informed that it was intended to distinguish the married from the single, which I thought an excellent precau. tion.

Having passed two or three months in the most agreeable manner at Ardwhillary, I left it with regret, and returned to London; here I found all the doors of. my relations closed against me, or opened with such a ceremonious coolness, that I was very soon convinced I could no longer be a welcome guest. Some few young men, cousins, still favoured me with their acquaintance; one of whom meeting me one day in the street, informed me that my aunt, lady Brett, had lately died, and had left no will; and that consequently her only daughter, now the lady of admiral Bowyer, had possession of the whole property. It was then adieu to my promised legacy; yet I thought it strange that the old lady, while I was reading the Bible to her, should have so frequently told me, that she had handsomely remembered me in her will, and that after her decease no will was to be found. However, I bore this buffet of fortune with stoical ingenuity; I mean that I pretended not to care about it. I took my old lodgings in Norfolk-street, and finding that my relations generally de

serted me, I thought it high time, somehow or other, to begin to take care of myself; accordingly, one Monday morning I went to Covent Garden Theatre, inquired for Mr. Harris, the manager, and was introduced to him. I told him in a few words my business: he took me before the curtain, the rehearsal being over, and heard me recite a few passages from the respective plays in which I had performed. He appeared pleased, and asked me if I could make my first appearance in Othello on the Thursday following: I observed that I should prefer a later day, upon which the Saturday was determined upon. I had at this time the honour of an intimacy with Mr. Coutts, the celebrated banker, and his family; he had kindly permitted me to make use of his drawingroom, which was ornamented with large pier-glasses, for rehearsal, and the practice of attitude, gesture, expression, &c. Mr. Smith, then called, for distinction's sake, gentleman Smith, had favoured me with peculiar attention and useful instruction. One morning I was rehearsing, while Mr. Coutts, Mr. Smith, and a young friend of mine, Mr. Crawfurd, a humorous, eccentric character, were present; when Mr. Smith observed, that if I had a black eye it would be worth ten housand pounds to me-upon which Crawfurd, doubling his fists, observed, that as a proof of his friendship, he would give me two; of course I declined his obliging offer. In the continuance of our conversation I asked Mr. Smith if he had ever played Othello himself? "No," said he; "I have been forty years on the stage, and have never blacked my face, or passed through a trap-door." I played Othello on the Saturday, and with such success as induced the manager to request

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that I would repeat it on the Monday. I consented, with the advice of Mr. Coutts, and performed accordingly.

Soon after my appearance in Othello, I had the pleasure of an invitation, which I accepted, from Mr. and Mrs. Broadhead, the parents of a fellow collegian. Mrs. Broadhead informed me that she had lately received a visit from Mr. J. Kemble, who, immediately on his entránce, walking up and down the room with apparent anxiety, entered on the subject of my performance; hinting, that in a few days he would give me a lesson; he accordingly did, by performing the character him. self, for which trouble I considered myself particularly indebted to him. I regretted much that he would not condescend, or that it was not convenient to him to give me a second lesson, that the benefits derived from the former might have been more deeply impressed on my mind.

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My next part was Alexander the Great, which I performed twice; and, my fifth night, contrarily to the advice of Mr. Harris, was Jaffier. At this time I was visited by Mr. Danvers, now my brother-in-law, who called on me to request that I would desist from playing, as he was about being married to my sister, Henrietta; that sir John Danvers and my father had given their consent to the union; and he was fearful that sir John, who had promised to make him one of the richest commoners in England, if he married with his consent, would withdraw it, if he knew his intended wife had a brother on the stage. The general amount of my conversation with him was this: that having been deserted by my relations, I had, in my turn, a right to disregard

them; that being left to myself, I should conduct myself solely upon the principles of self-interest, and should, consequently, continue in a vocation which promised to support me. He left me, but wrote immediately to my mother, from whom I received a letter, dictated by the heart that seemed to know

"The only method to subdue me."

I yielded; and informed Mr. Harris, that family difficulties would prevent my appearing again on the stage. Mr. Harris appeared to regret it, and observed, that as I had played several nights to full houses, without receiving any emolument, he wished me to take one night for my own benefit. I replied, that the same cause which prevented my playing for him, operated equally against myself; and that I was, consequently, obliged to decline his generous offer at that time. My sister was married; and every thing being settled beyond recantation, I then applied to Mr. Harris, who readily appointed a night for my benefit. I feel proud in relating the following anecdote. All the clubs, of which I had been a member at Cambridge, came to London in full uniform, to attend my benefit, and presented me with a guinea for each ticket. Mr. Coutts, having already taken and paid for a box, sent to me, with a very friendly note, sixteen guineas for sixteen tickets, which he destroyed. The number of guinea tickets amounted to about two hundred, which, with the profit from the receipts in the house, proved something acceptable to a man who, on this occasion, received the first remuneration for his exertions on the stage. I played Macbeth, and the Liar, Young Wilding,

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