was surely got _by heart_;
And each, surrounded by his friends, so stands,
He will meet nought but kindness at their hands."

The Stanfield and Grieve, upon whose names the happy alliteration is
made, are supposed to be celebrated English scene painters. But although
the scenery meets with disparagement in the prologue, yet it was very
superior; and the interior of the old schoolhouse, with the names of the
boys cut into the oaken pannels of the door, and on which Jasper points
out to Horace their initials intertwined, was a perfect picture.

Having gone thus far, I cannot omit a notice of Mr. Benjamin Sears'
impersonation of the aged schoolmaster, Cedar. The dignity and
simplicity of the character combined, was rendered by him in such a
manner as almost to bring back those forgotten tears, drawn forth in
olden times by that masterpiece of acting of Harry Placide's, in
Grandfather Whitehead.

"Our Ladies," who required so much practice "to _look_ modest," had
become perfect in that requisite before the upraising of the curtain;
and the young gentlemen cast in those characters sustained them with
much tact, and knowledge of the demeanor of well-bred ladies: so much
so, indeed, that after they had got through their parts, they were
added, still in character, to the galaxy of "decorations before the
curtain;" and the only _faux pas_ I noticed was by "Marion," who, in
being led to her seat in the dress circle, was about to take an
unladylike step ever an obstruction, which her (?) innate modesty
checked with the impulse.

After the performance, all the characters attended a fancy dress ball in
their stage costume; and the pseudo ladies found partners in every
dance, and won many hearts by their grace and beauty.

Had also a performance in the "Reach," by the crew of H. B. M. steamer
Salamander. The larboard side of the forecastle was allotted to them;
and they gave a drama "adapted to their stage," by one of their number
called the "Smuggler," which they produced with good effect. The
performance was, as they gave out, "under the distinguished patronage
of the American and Her Majesty's officers."

But in spite of all these distractions, our delay was barely
supportable; and watching the course of the muddy river, the following
lament was penned:

Oh! swiftly flows thy dusky tide,
Dark river, onward to the sea;
And little doth thy current bide
The thousand things that float on thee!