MISCELLANIES

BY

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

LIFE OF KEMBLE-KELLY'S REMINISCENCES.*

[Quarterly Review, April, 1826.]

THERE are severe moralists who have judged the amusements of the stage inimical to virtue-there are many who conceive its exhibitions to be inconsistent with religious principle: to those this article can give no interest unless perhaps a painful one, and we must even say with old Dan Chaucer,

"Turn o'er the leaf and chuse another tale;

For you shall find enough both great and small,
Of storial thing that toucheth gentillesse,
And eke morality and holiness."

Where the scruples of such dissidents from public opinion. are real, we owe them all possible respect; when they are assumed for a disguise in the sight of man, they will not deceive the eye which judgeth both Publican and Pharisee.

For ourselves we will readily allow, that the theatre may be too much frequented, and attention to more serious con

1. Memoirs of the Life of John Philip Kemble, Esq., including a History of the Stage from the time of Garrick to the present period. By JAMES BOADEN, ESQ. Two vols. London. 1825.

2. Reminiscences of Michael Kelly, of the King's Theatre, and Theatre Royal Drury Lane, including a Period of nearly half a Century; with Original Anecdotes of many distinguished Per. sonages, Political, Literary, and Musical. London. 1826. 2 vols. VOL. III.-2

ESSAYS

OF

SIR WALTER SCOTT BART.

COLLECTED BY HIMSELF.

(NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED IN AMERICA.)

VOL. III.

PHILADELPHIA:

CAREY & HART.