py, dumpy,
dumpling of a man, in a round jacket, and very tight striped
trousers. "Sure such a pair were never seen." The sour she, stepped
into their small boat first, but as soon as her fat playfellow
seated himself by her, the poor little cockle-shell dipped so with
the increased weight that the tail of the cross-shawl hung deep in
the water. I called after them, and they rectified the accident
without sending me back a "Thank you." I love the manners of my
country-folk, they are so unsophisticated with civility.

At the theater the play was "The Gamester," for my benefit, and the
house was very fine. My father played magnificently; I "not even
excellent well, but only so-so." The actors none of them knew their
parts, abominable persons; and as for Stukely--well! Mdlle.
Dumesnil, in her great, furious scene in Hermione, ended her
imprecations against Orestes by spitting in her handkerchief and
throwing it in his face. The handkerchief spoils the frenzy. I
wonder if it ever occurred to Mrs. Siddons so to wind up her abuse
of Austria in "King John." By the by, it was when asked to give his
opinion of the comparative merits of Clairon and Dumesnil, that
Garrick said, "Mdlle. Clairon was the greatest actress of the age,
but that for Mdlle. Dumesnil he was not aware that he had seen her,
but only Phedre, Rodogund, and Hermione, when she did them." After
the play the audience clamored for my father. He thought that
"l'envie leur en passerait;" and not being in a very good humor, he
declined appearing. The uproar went on, the overture to the farce
was inaudible, and the curtain drew up amid the deafening shouts of
"Kemble! Kemble!"--they would not suffer the poor _farceurs_ to go
on, even in dumb show. I was at the side scene, and thought it
really a pity not to put an end to all the fuss; so I went to my
father, who was standing at the stage door in the street, and
requested him to stop the disturbance by coming forward at once. He
turned round, and without saying anything but "Tu me le
conseilles," walked straight upon the stage, and addressed the
audience as follows: "Ladies and gentlemen, I had left the theater
when word was brought to me that you had done me the honor to call
for me; as I conclude you have done so merely in conformity to a
cu