ed; another, that they had no taste for Irish character, or
that accustomed, as they had long been, to associate with the
representative of my poor countrymen a ruffian with a black eye, and
straw in his shoes, the public taste was too vitiated to relish a quiet
portrait of nature undebased.

This was flattering, but not pleasant: the only man whose views appeared
sanguine was Mr. P----, who had been my companion on the voyage, and
whose cheering reply to all doubters was, "I tell you, sir, it must do."

The theatre was announced to be re-opened on the 28th of August, with
the "Irish Ambassador" and "Teddy the Tiler." The day was one of the
hottest we had known, and towards night it became oppressively close.

No strange actor of the least note could open in New York, to anything
short of a full house; it seems to be a hospitable principle to give the
aspirant for fame a cordial welcome and a fair hearing; let it not be
considered egotistical, therefore, when I say that the house was
crowded; from pit to roof rose tier on tier one dark unbroken mass; I do
not think there were twenty females in the dress circle; all men, and
enduring, I should imagine, the heat of the black hole at Calcutta. I at
the time regretted the absence of the ladies, when, had I been less
selfish, I should have rejoiced at it.

The moment came when "Sir Patrick" was announced; and amidst greetings
as hearty as ever I received in my life, I made my first bow to the Park
audience. I saw no coats off, no heels up, no legs over boxes--these
times have passed away; a more cheerful, or apparently a more English
audience, I would not desire to act before.

I was called for at the end of the play, and thanked the house for its
welcome. If the performance had not gone off with that electric and
constant laughter and applause to which I had grown accustomed at home,
I had received positive assurance that my new clients were intelligent
and very attentive, and I therefore no longer entertained fears for the
result.

Not so, however, one or two of my friends, whose anxiety and kind wishes
it would have been hard indeed for any measure of applause to have
satisfied: amidst the congratulations they brought me were therefore
mixed up little cautionary drawbacks.

"It was capital," said one; "but you must not be so quiet: give them
more bustle."

"In some other piece," replied I; "here it is not in the bond."

"You must paint a little broader, my dear