ther comedians, than to inveftigate the character or conduct of Cicero. He died on the 12th of December, 1757; his man-fervant, whom he had talked with by his bed-fide at fix in the morning, apparently in good health, finding him dead at nine, ly ing on his pillow juft as he had left him. He had entered, a few weeks before, into his eighty-feventh year. He had several children, of whom two, Theophilus and Charlotte +, were very excentric characters. He appears to have been a man of uncommon vivacity, great good humour, much benevolence, and a large share of vanity; and it was the preponderance of the latter quality, and the liberties which he fometimes took with others, though without any ill intentions, that occafroned him to have no small number of enemies, by whom he was often attacked with more feverity than he deferved. Their attacks, however, feem to have made very little impreffion upon him; and he would acknowledge his own foibles with the utmost franknefs. As an actor he had great merit, and appeared in very various characters; but his chief excellency lay in the walk of fops, and feeble old men in comedy; in the He was a refpectable actor, but a diffolute and extravagant man. He was the husband of the celebrated actrefs, Mrs. Cibber; and perished in a fhipwreck on the coast of Scotland, in October, 1758. ↑ Her history is very remarkable. She was the youngest child of the laureat, born when her mother was forty-five years of age, and in her infancy difcovered a wild and ungovernable difpofition. In her narrative of her own life, the gives an account of her propenfity to a hat and wig at four years of age, and mentions several strange frolics played by her in her youth. She had a natural averfion,' fhe fays, for a needle, and a profound refpect for a currycomb, in the ufe of which the excelled most young ladies in Great Britain. Her father, however, fpared no expence in her education; he was taught French, Italian, and fome Latin; and inftructed in geogra phy, mufic, and dancing. Employments of a very different kind, however, frequently engaged her attention; and when he was fourteen, she was particularly fond of fhooting; imagining herself, the fays, equal to the best fowler or marksinan in the univerfe. Among her other favourite amufements were hunting, riding races, and digging in a garden. She married, when very young, Mr. Richard Charke, an eminent performer on the violin; but her husband had a great attachment to other women, and they foon feparated. She then went upon the stage, and first appeared in the character of Mademoiselle, in the Provoked Wife, in which he was well received. From this the rofe, in her fecond and third attempts, to the capital characters of Alicia in Jane Shore, and Andromache in the Diftreffed Mother. She was hereupon ergaged, at a very good falary, at the theatre at the Haymarket, and afterward at Drury-lane. But her inprudence, and impetuofity of temper, occafioned her to quarrel with Mr. Fleetwood, the then manager, whom the not only left on a sudden, without any notice given, but vented her spleen against him in public, by publishing, in 1735, a farce called The Art of Management;' in which the endeavoured to place him in a very ridiculous light. However, at the defire of her father, he received her again; but her repeated mifconduct foon caufed her to be thrown out of employment in her profeffion as an actrets. She then commenced trader, and fet up as a grocer and oil-woman in a fhop in Long-acre. But this fituation fhe foon quitted, and became mistress of a puppet-fhow, by which undertaking the was a lofer. After that she went, for many years, in man's clothes. For fome time' fhe was valet de chambre to a peer, afterward fet up an eating-house in Drury-lane, and at length became a drawer at Marybone. She was alfo a dealer in pork, and nine years of her life was a trolling-player in the country. In Wales, fhe turned paftry-cook and farmer; and at Briftol, hired herfeif to a printer, as corrector of the prefs. On her return to London the published, in numbers, in 1755, a narrative of her own life, to which the prefixed a dedication from herfef to herself. She complains much that her father would not take the leaft notice of her; but he was very indulgent to her in the former part of her life, and feems not to have deferted her till he was grown profligate to a very high degree. She kept a public-house at Iflington for fome time, and died on the 6th of April 1760. former former of which he is fuppofed never to have been excelled. He appears to have poffeffed much judgment as a theatrical manager: his own pieces are in general of a moral tendency; and his comedies have a juft claim to confiderable applaufe. He collected and published the best of his dramatic pieces in two volumes, 4to. in his life-time; and they have fince been more completely published, in five volumes, 12mo. in 1760. Befide the plays already enumerated, he publithed Venus and Adonis, a Mafque; Myrtillo, a Paltoral Interlude; Cefar in Egypt, a Tragedy, The Provoked Hufband, or a Journey to London, partly written by fir John Vanbrugh; The Rival Queens, with the Humours of Alexander the Great, a burlefque on Lee's Rival Queens; and Love in a Riddle, a Paftoral. The writer of his life in the Biographia Dramatica fays, I think the English ftage as much obliged to Mr. Cibber, for a fund of rational entertainment, as to any dramatic writer this nation has produced, Shakspeare only excepted; and one unanswerable evidence has been borne to the fatisfaction the public received from his plays, and fuch an one as no author befide himself can boaft, viz. that although the number of his dramatic pieces is very extenfive, half of them at least are now, and feem likely to continue, on the lift of acting and favourite plays.'. Mr. Victor alfo obferves, that he enjoyed the reputation, for thirty years, of being the greatest actor for that time in his caft, and that the ftage is beholden to Mr. Cibber for more good comedies than to any one author; which will perpetuate his name as long as the English language exifts. ALIMEK; or the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS: An Arabian Tale. LIMEK, a fhepherd of Ara wandering here and there, from pafture to paiture, when he discovered a cavern, under a rock overgrown with briars and thorns. This cavern, at the entrance, was very gloomy; but proceeding farther, he found the bottom illumined from an aperture in the roof; and looking round him, he perceived a purse, a ring, and an old piece of paper. He inftantly took up the purfe, but finding it empty, 'What a disappointment,' faid he, is this! Why am I thus tantalized by a mere illufion? Oh! that it were full of gold!' He then threw it contemptuously on the ground. The purfe fell against a ftone, with a noife that feemed to Alimek, as if it were full of gold. Aftonished, he eagerly took it up again, and found that this was actually the cafe. Heavens' faid he, how is this. By Mahomet, this must be the effect of enchantment. Be this as it will, I fhall now be happy.' This faid, he took the ring and the paper, and left have got this purfe, I will go and enjoy all the pleafures of life. Oh! that I were at Mecca !'-Scarcely had he uttered these words, when he actually found himfelf in Mecca. Aftonished at this, he opened the paper, with a trembling hand, and read these words: When thou wifheft this purfe to be full of gold, it fhall be full; and with this ring thou shalt be inftantly conveyed to any place which thou mayft be defirous of vifiting.' On reading this intimation, the curiofity of feeing other countries, was the first fentiment which it excited in the breast of Alimek; and he was impatient to gratify this new paffion. Such was the facility with which he could tranfport himself from one region to another, that in a short time he had vifited a great part of the world. He felt, at firft, the most exquitite pleature in obferving the va riety of countries, the difference of climates, the innumerable productions of of nature, the magnificent efforts of art, and the diverfity of cuftoms and manners in fo many different nations. But this pleasure infenfibly dininifhed. As objects grew familiar, novelty and variety loft their charms. The productions of nature and art which had fo much enchanted him at firft, began to exhibit foon the fame objects, or what greatly resembled them. He perceived that the customs and manners of different nations, being only the effect of the fame paffions in all mankind, were no longer to be known but by fome flight fhades of difference. Satiated with voyages, he now bethought himself of repose. He fixed on the city of Conftantinople, in which, he thought, he could find all the varieties of enjoyment; which his inexhaustible riches would fo readily command, and in which the concourfe of people from every nation would bring to his recollection whatever he had obferved in his travels. He adopted, with avidity, the most pleafurable idea; not a wifh, not a caprice but what was indulged; and he hurried from enjoyment to enjoyment in every variety of form. He foon felt, however, that fatiety and languor which follows the inceffant purfuit of pleasure. Intent upon enjoy ment of the moft voluptuous kind, the ardour of purfuit foon rendered them infipid. He felt that vacuity of mind which refults from the want of employment, and is ever productive of an infupportable languor. A fevere illness, the natural confquence of unreftrained indulgence, led him, in fine, to conclude, that Happiness refided not in the fplendid domes of luxury, or among the effeminate votaries of pleasures. He determined, therefore, to turn his thoughts to fome useful employment, which, by engaging his whole attention, might relieve him from the languor and wearifome fenfations which he had found fo predominant in a life of diffipation. His opulence foon procured protectors and friends. The various I knowledge which he had acquired in his travels, made him confidered as a perfon capable of tranfacting the moft important affairs. Through a series of great employments, he foon rofe to the higheft dignity in the empire, that of grand vizir. In this envied ftation, he was oppreffed by an almost infupportable weight of business, and inceffantly befieged by a multiplicity of applications. The capricious orders of his fovereign, the murmurs of a difcontented people, the intrigues of the feraglio, or the cabals of envious and afpiring courtiers, kept him in a conftant ftate of alarm and apprehenfion. He begun then to perceive, from this experiment, that the road to the dignities and honours of the fate was only an avenue to the most illuftrious flavery. Tired of this exalted fituation, he was on the point of relinquishing it, when intelligence was brought to Conftantinople that the Perfian army was in motion, and threatened an invafion. Being ordered to levy a powerful army to chaftife the infolence of the enemy, he now felt, for the first time, the defire of glory, and he panted to acquire it. His conduct, at the head of the army, was foon fignalized by two glorious victories. The Perfians, completely defeated, were compelled to evacuate the Ottoman territories with precipitation. He was loaded with panegyrics and honours. The name of Alimek refounded through the empire; and the grand fignior was preparing to honour his public entry into the capital with all the magnificence of oriental triumph, when advancing with too much ardour into the enemy's country, the vizir fell into an ambufcade which he had not forefeen, and from which he could not extricate himself but by the lofs of a confiderable part of his army. The fcene was inftantly changed; panegyric was converted into execration; and, inftead of a triumph, the mutes approached him with the fatal bowftring. Happily, Happily, his ring delivered him from this danger: he difappeared, and after having wandered about different parts of India, bearing with him the mixed fenfations of difguft and anxiety, he flopped, at laft, in the city of Golconda, which was the capital of a princefs of the most exquilite beauty. Alimek was fmitten the monent he beheld her, and inftantly determined to procure an introduction to court. The magnificence of his appearance, his handíome perfon, noble deportment, and polished manners, with his engaging converfation, and the univerfal knowledge he difplayed, the fruit of his travels and adventures, attracted the attention of Selima (which was the name of this princess) and rendered his company particularly agreeable to her. He was urged to fix his refidence at Golconda; an invitation which he was happy to accept. Festivals were prepared for him, with diverfions and entertainments of every kind. Nor was any thing wanting on his fide: his dress, his jewels, and his equipage, all difplayed at once his opulence and his tafte. Selima entered imperceptibly into the most intimate confidence with this captivating Atranger: the appeared to him to be quite enamoured, and he was fo perfuaded of this, that he even afpired to the honour of her hand. Intoxicated with joy, Alimek imagined himself on the point of obtaining the felicity he had fo ardently fought, when the envy of the courtiers, who could not bear the diftinguished fuperiority of a foreigner, excited them to form a confpiracy against him. Calumnies of the most odious kind, and the molt artfully contrived, were employed to prejudice the beautiful queen against him; and fo well had flander affumed the femblance of truth, that the even decreed his execution. Alimek once more found it neceffary to have recourfe to his ring, to fave him from this new danger. chagrined to find that all his hopes had vanished, and that the felicity which he had fancied to have found at laft, was reduced to nothing. He wandered among other parts of Asia, without knowing where to fix. At length, he determined to vifit China. Indulging, one day, his melancholy thoughts in one of the most fequestered parts of the country, he heard on a fudden, the founds of harmony, mingled with fome enchanting voices. He haftened to the fpot whence he imagined this pleasing music iffued, and found a neat cottage, near which were affembled a number of village youths and maidens, who were enjoying the fprightly dance, while the ruftic pipe, and melodious fong, exhilarated every heart. Aftonished at finding a joy fo fincere and unaffected depicted on every countenance, he perceived an old man, whofe ferene afpect feemed to befpeak habitual happiness. Years did not appear to have diminished either the vigour of his mind, or the ftrength of his body; and he was contemplating the fcene with looks of heartfelt fatisfaction. Alimek enquired of him what was the occafion of this feftival. Nothing extraordinary,' anfwered the old man; on the days of reft, after having paid the homage which we owe to the tutelary god of our fields, we spend the hours that remain in innocent amusement.' You have an eafy compenfation then,' faid Alimek, for the fatigue you undergo, and the miferable lives which you are compelled to lead at other times.' The old man, fmiling, anfwered, I have already spent feventy years of that life, and it is not in my power to tell you that I have found it miferable. I know, that you great folks think nothing can make you happy but gold and filver. Riches and diamonds do not fparkle here; and yet we country people, when we enter your cities, and obferve the agitation and anxiety which is fo apparent there, are much oftener led to pity than to envy you. Tranquillity was never formed for you: ambition, M He left Golconda, indignant at the unjust treatment he had received, and or or avarice, deffroy it in an inftant; and where there is no tranquillity, it is impoffible there can be happiness. We are not fo rich as you: gold and filver are almost unknown to us; but to thefe imaginary bleffings compare our flocks, our fields that fupply all our wants, and you will perceive that it is in our power to be content and happy.' Alimek, furprised at the novelty of these fentiments (for to him they were abfolutely new) defired to know how it was poffible, under the preffure of poverty and fatigue, to enjoy that felicity which, in the midft of opulence, he had fought in vain. I cannot conceive,' he continued, how it is poffible for men to call themselves happy, who are conftantly compelled to labour, and to endure fatigue.' Labour,' anfwered the old man, to one long accustomed to perpetual indolence, may feem a burden; but to us it is a cordial. My moft melancholy hours have been thofe, in which I have been obliged to fufpend my wonted labour, and to remain without employment. Time feemed then to creep along with infupportable flowness. When I am employed in the occupations to which I have been accustomed, and which are fo fuitable to my inclinations, I find myfelf almost imperceptibly at the end of the day. I never feel that oppreffive weight of languor, of which I have been fenfible fometimes, when forced to leave my work.' But the inceffant fatigue you endure,' faid Alimek, is fill more heavy and infupportable.'- Fatigue,' answered the old man, is neither heavy nor infupportable but to the flave, who labours by compulfion, without being able to take repofe when nature requires it. It is not fo with us: when I am tired, I peacefully repofe as long as is necessary to enable me to refume my labour with renovated vigour. As I take care not to exhaust my ftrength by exceffive labour, I find it merely an agreeable exercise, which, by keeping me employed, di verts from me alfo every melancholy thought. The body, moreover, acquiring a more robust state of health, we are not fubject to those diseases to which the unoccupied man is often a prey. The wholsome repaft, and undifturbed fleep, after labour, become fo fweet, even while that labour lafts, that we enjoy by anticipation the benefit it prepares for us. You great people never know this. I make not a furrow in my field' which brings not to recollection the delightful days of harveft; and from this thought I derive the greatest pleasure.' But,' refumed Alimek, the advantages which you reap from it, at laft, are very trifling, if you compare them to the enjoyment of riches, which never fatigue nor tire.' My fields and my flock,' replied the good old man, fupply fufficient to fatisfy all my wants and defires. What can I require more when I am content. Felicity confifts not in having much, but in knowing how to enjoy in peace whatever industry or fortune can confer, and to be fatisfied with that. You who live in abundance, are much poorer than I am, because your defires extend beyond what you poffefs. The wants of Nature are easily fatisfied. You, on the contrary, have a thousand wants which I never know, or about which I never trouble myself. The inability to fatisfy your caprices, is to you a perpetual fource of uneafinefs. Three things (and you may believe an old man intructed by long experience, and who has feen the agitation of cities as well as the filence and quiet of the country) three things only are neceflary to happiness; I mean tranquillity, employment, and conftancy. Learn to preferve tranquillity of mind, by banishing far from you every fentiment of hatred and difcord; reftrain the turbulent paffions; fupport with conftancy and fortitude the evils neceflarily incident to human nature. Find fome occupations, that may keep you from indolence, and its attendant languor. Learn to enjoy with |