sity to deception, was, when a youth, employed in the capacity of a rider to a linen draper in the north of England. In the course of this service he became acquainted with a young woman, who was nursed and resided at a farmer's house in the neighbourhood of his employer. She had been, in her earlier life, taught to consider the people with whom she lived, as her parents. Remote from the gaieties and follies of what is so idly denominated polished life, she was unacquainted with the allurements of fashion, and considered her domestic duties as the only object of her consideration. When this deserving girl had arrived at a certain age, the honest farmer explained to her the secret of her birth; he told her, that notwithstanding she had always considered him as her parent, he was in fact only her poor guardian, and that she was the natural daughter of Lord Robert Manners, who intended to give her one thousand pounds, provided she married with his approbation. This discovery soon reached the cars of Hatfield: he immediately paid his respects at the farmer's, and, having represented himself as a young man of considerable expectations in the wholesale linen business, his visits were not discountenanced. The farmer, however, thought it incumbent to acquaint his lordship with a proposal made to him by Hatfield; that he would marry the young woman if her relations were satisfied with their union, but on no other terms. This had so much the appearance of an honourable and prudent intention, that his Lordship, cn being acquainted with the circumstances, desired to see the lover. He accordingly paid his respects to the noble and unsuspecting parent, who, conceiving the young man to be what he represented himself, gave his consent at the first interview, and, the day after the marriage took place, presented the bridegroom with a draft on his banker for 1500l. This transaction took place about 32 or 33 years ago. Shortly after the receipt of his Lordship's bounty, Hatfield set off for London, and was perpetually at the coffee-houses in Covent Garden; describing himself to whatever company he chanced to meet, as a near relation of the Rutland family; would frequently purchase a haunch of venison; invite his coffee-house acquaintance to dine with him, and entertain them with a flowing description of his park in Yorkshire, and the flavour of the venison it produced, a specimen of which he passed current for a few weeks; when some of his new acquaintances began to find him out, and frequently jeer him on his being an adept in what they styled "poetical prose, or the beauties of imagination." Hatfield, however, was insensible to all these rebukes, and continued to retail his preposterous fabrication with such an air of confidence, that he became generally known throughout Covent Garden by the name of Lying Hatfield. The marriage portion being nearly exhausted, he retreated from London, and was scarcely heard of until about the year 1782, when he again visited the metropolis, and was shortly afterwards arrested, and committed to the King's Bench prison for a debt, amounting to the sum of 1601. Several unfortunate gentlemen then confined in the same place, had been of his parties when he flourished in Covent Garden, and perceiving him in extreme poverty, frequently invited him to dinner; yet, such was the unaccountable disposition of this man, that, notwithstanding he knew there were people present who were thoroughly acquainted with his character, still he would continue to describe his Yorkshire park, his estate in Rutlandshire, settled upon his wife, and generally wind up the whole with observing how vexatious it was to be confined at the suit of a paltry tradesman for se insignificant a sum, at the very moment when he had thirty men employed in cutting a piece of water near the family mansion in Yorkshire. At the time Hatfield became a prisoner in the King's Bench, the late unfortunate Valentine Morris, formerly Governor of the island of St. Vincent, was confined in the same place. This gentleman was frequently visited by a clergyman of the most benevolent and humane disposition. Hatfield soon directed his attention to this good man, and one day earnestly invited him to his chamber. After some preliminary apologies, he implored the worthy pastor never to disclose what he was going to communicate. The divine assured him the whole should remain in his bosom. "Then," said Hatfield, you see before you a man nearly allied to the house of Rutland, and possessed of estates: (here followed the old story of the Yorkshire park, the Rutlandshire property, &c. &c.) yet, notwithstanding all this wealth, continued he, I am detained in this wretched place for the insignificant sum of 1601. But the truth is, Sir, I would not have my situation known to any man in the world but my worthy relative his Grace of Rutland (the father of the present Duke was then living)....indeed I would rather remain a captive forever. But, Sir, if you would have the goodness to pay your respects to this worthy nobleman, and frankly describe how matters are, he will at once send me the money by you, and this mighty business will not only be instantly settled, but I shall have the satisfaction of introducing you to a connexion which may be attended with happy consequences." The honest clergyman readily undertook the commission; paid his respects to the Duke, and pathetically described the unfortunate situation of his amiable relative. His Grace of Rutland, not recollecting at the moment such a name as Hatfield, expressed his astonishment at the application. This re VOL. I....NO. III. duced the worthy divine to an awkward situation, and he faultered in his speech, when he began making an apology, which the Duke perceiving, he very kindly observed, that he believed the whole was some idle tale of an impostor, for that he never knew any person of the name mentioned, although he had some faint recollection of hearing Lord Robert, his relation, say that he had married a natural daughter of his to a tradesman in the north of England, and whose name he believed was Hatfield. The reverend missionary was so confounded, that he immediately retired and proceeded to the prison, where he gave the unhappy gentleman, in the presence of Mr. Morris, a most severe lecture. But the appearance of this venerable man as his friend, had the effect which Hatfield expected; for the Duke sent to inquire if he were the man that married the natural daughter of Lord Robert Manners; and being satisfied as to the fact, dispatched a messenger with 2001. and had him released. In the year 1784 or 1785, his Grace of Rutland was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and, shortly after his arrival in Dublin, Hatfield made his appearance in that city. He immediately on his landing, engaged a suit of apartments at a hotel in College-green, and represented himself as nearly allied to the viceroy, but that he could not appear at the castle until his horses, servants, and carriages were arrived, which he ordered, before his leaving England, to be shipped at Liverpool. The easy and familiar manner in which he addressed the master of the hotel, perfectly satisfied him that he had a man of consequence in his house, and matters were arranged accordingly. This being adjusted, Hatfield soon found his way to Lucas's coffee-house, a place where people of a certain rankgenerally frequent, and, it being a new scene, the Yorkshire park, the Rutlandshire estate, and the connexion with the 9 HATFIELD. Rutland family, stood their ground At the expiration of this time, The landlord returned highly thankful for the information, and immediately arrested his guest, who was lodged in the prison of the Marshalsea. Hatfield had scarcely seated himself in his new lodgings, when he visited the jailer's wife in her apartment, and, in a whisper, requested her not to tell any person, that she had in custody a ncar relation of the then viceroy. The woman, astonished at the discovery, immediately shewed him into the best apartment in the prison, had a table provided, and she, her husband, and Hatfield, constantly dined together for nearly three weeks, in the utmost harmony and good humour. During this time he had petitioned the Duke for another supply, who, apprehensive that the fellow might continue his impositions in Dublin, released him, on condition of his immediately quitting Ireland; and his Grace sent a servant, who conducted him on board the packet that sailed the next tide for Hollyhead. the other side of the water, we A few years after his arrival on understand he was arrested for a debt contracted in the north of England, and that he remained in prison for seven years. he had the good fortune to connect Sometime after he was liberated, himself with tradesmen in Devonshire, where some respectable he might have lived happily, secluded from those who formerly knew him, and acquired an honest independency; but deception was so rooted in his nature, that he could never shake it off. He was soon detected in fraudulent pactices, and, as we have heard, declared a bankrupt. His flight succeeded, and unfortunately some evil genius directed his steps to the once happy cottage of poor Mary of Buttermere. Her story is well known, and generally lamented; but let us in charity hope that this wretch's crimes will be forgiven " in another and better world,"....and that his the salutary purposes of example! punishment in this, will answer A THEATRICAL CAMPAIGN. [The following is so agreeable a spe cimen of wit, that though it has already appeared in a daily paper, we cannot resist the inclination to insert it in this collection.] with an account of our melancholy Fully convinced, however, that it was not through want of taste that the Albanians did not attend, we immediately went to work with renewed spirit, and determined to melt them with tragedy on the next exhibition. An army was equipped, equal in number and splendor to those who generally tag at the heels of our theatric warriors in New York; our military music consisted of a drum, fife, and two pot lids, by way of cymbals, and for want of a trumpeter, the entree of our heroes was announced by a ferryman, with his conk-shell. Our orchestra was in a style equally superb, and consisted of three most inveterate fiddlers. Their music was much admired, being a selection of veteran symphonies, from the ancient stock of the New York leader, that had grown grey in the service. For a few evenings we succeeded happily. The novelty of a theatre was attractive; our sceneries were admired; the citizens were pleased to express their approbation of our operas, because "we sung without warbling, that defect so common to modern singers!!" and as to our dunder and blixum, it gave universal satisfaction. Indeed, we found our thunder of most material service, for whenever any of us were out in our parts, or an actor was tardy in making his appearance, we had but to wink to the prompter, and a peal of thunder came happily to our assistance; the audience clapped their hands, encored, and pronounced the gentleman who roiled the thunder ball, a most promising performer. Ah happy days! Ah prosperous times of hearty dinners and hot suppers, why was your date so short! why were your enjoyments so transient! Poor dogs that we were, no sooner had we begun to get familiar with our new patrons, and to display our talents with confidence, but we had the misfortune to experience a general desertion. Far be it from me, Mr. Quoz, question the taste of the good people of Albany; their love of Sturgeon, and hatred of warbling, place that far beyond the reach of dispute. Unfortunately, however, they were too much engaged in more solid and profitable pursuits to pay us that attention they doubtless would otherwise have shewn. Of course, the number of citizens who attended our exhibitions, was rather circumscribed, and their curiosity was unluckily diverted into another channel. An eminent artist, arrived from New York, loaded to the muzzle with fire-works; his bills blazed conspicuously at every corner; his rockets soared over the city, and dazzled every eye. The honest folks gaped at them with astonishment, "they swore in faith, 'twas strange! 'twas passing strange!" and then, so cheap....wondrous cheap; at our place they had to pay a dollar admittance, while here, it was but climbing on a fence, and they might see the whole “free gratis" for nothing at all!! In vain we essayed every art to draw them back; in vain we reinforced our orchestra with a musicgrinder, and advertised an extra storm of dunder and blixum.... all would not do....the artist still kept his ground. To be sure, he sometimes get out of gun-powder, but then he always gave them plenty of brimstone. How long fire-works would have been the rage, I cannot say, had not brimstone disagreed as much with their nerves, as it did with those of the honest citizens of New York, on a certain fourth of July exhibition; we should therefore, most probably have experienced a return of their patronage, had not, as ill luck would have it, a company of wooden puppets arrested their attention. To see a number of persons act a play, even though they did it tolerably well, was nothing remarkable; for what could be more natural or easy, than for a man to walk and talk in his own manner and language; but to see several little sticks of wood, strat ting about, squeaking through the nose, and hopping a hornpipe like men and women....Lord, it was so strange, so queer, so cut of the way, every lady was in raptures. In a short time, however, their surprise wore off, and they began to look upon us with returning complacency, when who should arrive in town, but another formidable enemy....the learned Pig! There was new matter for astonishment and admiration! A pig that understood, one and one made two, and could cast up a sum according to Cocker or Dilworth, was not to be passed over with neglect, by a mercantile people. Every one was for seeing the remarkable animal.... every one was for having some of the breed to stock their counting rooms. For some time we kept the field against the pig, with unequal success, when, fortunately we advertised a play for the benefit of Mr. Hogg. Here then, the match stood, Hogg against Pig, the bets ran high in favour of Pig, when as a desperate resource, we promised in the bills a dissertation between the play and the farce, on the art to grow rich, to be spoken in the character of Major Sturgeon. The plan succeeded, Hogg beat the Pig all hollow, and the knowing one's were finely taken in. Thus, Mr. Quoz, were the honest people of the metropolis, distracted with a variety of amusements, and their judgments continually undetermined, on which they should bestow their patronage....good souls! how do I wonder, that possessed of such a flow of spirits, such volatile imaginations, you managed to keep your senses in such a confused medley of plays, puppets, pigs and brimstone! Satisfied with the meagre success of our expedition, we determined to return once more to our old situation in New York, and henceforth be content with the humble honours of a frovincial theatre. We accordingly took our leave of Albany, eans drum, sans trumpet, a la mode Francaise, and arrived safely in this city, where we have always found the inhabitants not too refined to relish our performances, but indulgent in our faults, and sensible of our merits. Happy were we, to meet once more our fellow performers who had not accom pained us in our unfortunate excursion, and infinitely more so were we on our first evening's exhibition, to behold once more the smiling faces of our patrons, and receive their kind and friendly salutations. We found the theatre in some little derangement on our return, having been converted during the sickly season, into a printing-office...... This change, however, was material in its nature, as the place had still been devoted to the instruction and amusement of the public; things were much in the state we left them, except the robes of Dr. Last, which were considerably worn by the Editor, during his medical lucubrations. This reminds me of an observation I have somewhere seen, “sic tempora mutantur et trumpery mutantur etiam." Your humble servant, MEMOIRS OF JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. JAMES BOSWELL was born about the year 1740. He was the eldest son of Alexander Boswell of Auchinleck, the representative of a very ancient and respectable family, and one of the senators of the College of Justice, the supreme civil court in Scotland. He received his early education at the schools and in the university of Edinburgh, where his father's professional pursuits necessarily fixed his residence. In his very boyish years, he was distinguished among his young companions for a quickness and precocity of parts, and for a playful vivacity of humour. During his attendance at the university, the powers which he dis |