and Eve," every summer Sunday, virtuously smokes his pipe, and, with a fine sense of self-respect, confines himself to eight glasses of brandy-and-water. There he is, happy as a duck in a shower, with his wife, his sons, and his daughters. Next day, near one of the Barriers, a horse is to be baited by dogs: there is also to be an interesting fight between an ass and a muzzled bear. There, at the show, is the Cockney; there he is only, however, to express his vehement disgust at the brutality of the French. He returns to England; and having profanely enjoyed his Sundays abroad, thinks it his duty to sign every petition for the better observance of the Sabbath at home. John Bull is no hypocrite-not he!

The Cockney in his travels, like a mackerel in water, cannot turn without displaying a new beauty in a new light. He is not to be thoroughly known when rooted to London soil. See him bound for the Rhine. He is for the first day or two all anticipation of the coming glories of his voyage; yet, do not wonder if, from Coblentz to Mentz, he remain below, in the cabin, playing cribbage with a congenial fellow-tourist.

"And what place is that?" asked a Cockney who, coming upon deck, suddenly beheld the stupendous fortress of Ehrenbreitstein. "That, sir, is supposed to be one of the largest fortresses in the world-Ehrenbreitstein."

"God bless me! very large, indeed, very. Enormous! I—————” and he turned his head to his friend, "I wonder how many beds could be made up there."

The speculation revealed the calling of the travellers; they were cockney innkeepers-" The Blue Lion" out upon a jaunt with "The Bag-o'-Nails."

Even on our English shores, the Cockney is an animal of interest. There is infinite fun and humour in him when, escaped from the counter, and carefully put up in a continental Strand-made blouse, he sauntereth dreamily along, picking up star-fish on Ramsgate sands; or takes his post on Margate pier, with-prudent man!- a paper of shrimps under one arm, and in one hand, ready, like Van Tromp, to "sweep the Channel," the best of telescopes !

The Cockney is a good fellow at heart; and would be a much better, certainly a much more agreeable animal, had he not the crotchet in his head, that he was not only the cleverest, the wittiest, but, at the same time, the most decent, and the most moral, of all earth's many-favoured babes.

THE THEATRICAL MANAGER.

BY RICHARD BRINSLEY PEAKE.

THE public are most respectfully informed that this head is seldom visible to them, unless indeed the profession of an actor is added to that of Manager. How little do various grades of the public dream (whether seated aristocratically and in perfect comfort in private boxes, respectably and equally comfortable in the public boxes, conveniently in the pit, or most commodiously in the gallery, where gentlemen may sit with their coats off, if they like it) of the toil, care, misery, and vicissitude, of the caterer for their pleasure. Like other masters of stages, it may be said "it is all in the day's work;" but the Theatrical Stage Director has to work by night as well as by day: when other professions are seated quietly in their homes for the evening, then commences the most anxious and active business of the Manager. His domestic comforts are sadly invaded; and when once engaged in the avocations of a theatre, the enjoyment of an hour's ease must not confidently be relied on. The head of a modern play-house! some carping enquirer might ask if head it has any? We will endeavour to prove that if a head is placed in that situation, it stands in the predicament of those unfortunate brides named in the German legend of "The Dead Guest," likely in a single night to be turned completely round. We will first enumerate the imperative qualities which the Manager of a Theatre ought to possess; and we detail them without exaggeration.

His temper must be as equally mixed as a bowl of punch; but that is only a simple comparison. We must go to actual contradistinctions, to enable him to have a chance to pursue his course.

He must be firm, yet supple; bold, yet cautious; liberal, yet sparing; he must possess penetration, yet see no further than is necessary. Whether he is asleep or not, he must always be wide awake. He should be a man of education, and be able to calculate tenpenny nails; he should know Shakspere and the "Trader's Price Book" by heart. He should be accomplished as a painter, a musician, and an author; and yet he must have achieved that point of knowledge of being able to tell how many tallow candles go to the pound,

and how far that pound will go. His tact must be divided between judgment in the decision of dramas to be accepted, and Birmingham ornaments; the merits of actors, and cotton velvets; the favourable notice of the press, and the foil-merchant's account. He must have a pretty notion of tailoring, ladies' dress-making, and the armoury; in short he must be a factotum.

We will endeavour rapidly to sketch his duties; in fact, as if the Manager himself had kept a journal :

"Arrived at the theatre at ten o'clock; not late, considering I was here until half-past one this morning. Look at rehearsal-call, stuck up in the passage: New ballet at ten: every body concernedproperties, scenes, firework-maker, Mr. Pingle, répétiteur.'

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"Very wet day. All the ladies of the corps de ballet, including the coryphéés, assembled with their hair in papers, looking like ghosts with bad colds, being kept up so late every night in the frost scene in the pantomime. Sneezing and low grumbling in all directions; each person attending literally to the words of the call; every body looking concerned.'

Groupings commence to a single violin, and the loud thumping of the ballet-master's stick to keep time. Most of the sylphs and fairies rehearsing in their street-clogs, some with umbrellas. Go to my room adjoining the stage, the chimney of which smokes; but obliged to keep the door closed, because I hate to be overlooked. The table covered with letters, and the daily papers. Peep at superscriptions of the letters, to guess whether or not they may be disagreeable; endeavour to open that likely to be least offensive first. D-n the fiddling and the stamping-but they are unavoidable; and read Note, No. 1:

MY DEAR SIR-On my return home yesterday, I cannot conceal my surprise and mortification on finding that the part of Lady Anne has been sent to me. There must surely be some mistake, as it was expressly stipulated in my engagement that the Queen is my property. If any other lady in the theatre had been cast for the Queen but the one that has been so favoured, I might not have felt the insult so deeply; but, believe me, I never will play second to Miss who has, throughout her theatrical career, endeavoured assiduously to blight my prospects, and mar my success with the public; to the favour of which public I ever look forward with anxious pride, knowing that on their kind support I am to rest my professional welfare. You are at liberty to make this letter public, if you please. I have, therefore, sent the part of Lady Anne back, and shall in justice expect to perform the Queen.

I am, my dear sir, yours, most sincerely,

P. S.-The man omitted to leave the play-bills at my lodgings this morning: but it is the way I am generally used in this world.

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