To Mr. Moffop, on his Performance of the Characters of Zanga and Othello. How hard thy task! what wonder's in thy art!

warms,

[heart That could fo well difguif thy honeft Such fraud, fuch dire revenge, fo nicely feign, [within. Tho' no black thoughts, no Zangadwelt 'Tis Nature's gift, experience claims no fhare, [there. Nor gaudy drefs, in all that pleas'd us Such fire the youthful painter's fancy [ftorms; When the wild ocean foams with rufhing He eyes the tempeft's rage, himself feC.. (fcene: And to his piece transfers the turbid In his first sketch the waters feem to roar, [more. We gaze with wonder-and we hope for Such the applaufe, untinifh'd and unfram'd, [ment claim'd. Thy first rough draught fome candid judgThere might we fee thy powers, and thence prefage,

rene,

Increase of folid worth to grace the ftage: The manly eye, tho' dash'd by youthful fear, [mour'd ear! The voice that fills and chaims th' enaBut when a nobler pitch thy art acquir'd, And all thy foul immortal Shakespear fir'd;

Then thro' the bashful cloud, where till conceal'd [veal'd: It flrove to lie, thy genius flood reThen (trust the mufe, the faw the facred flade) [head,

The bard of Avon rear'd his laureli'd With greedy ear deucur'd each word you fpoke, [broke : And, raptur'd, thus, at latt, the filence "Two fuch! to fill my fcenes, Eblana + boast! [lott: "Let thefe furvive, and Shakespear is not "In one the Hamlet of my thoughts I fee, [thee." "And all the fire I gave my Moor in This praise from frangers hall thy

Mr. Moop heartened by the applause he received in the two black-faced characters of Zanga and Othello, and having acquired fome acquaintance with the bufinefs of the ftage, now thought ferioufly of attaching himself to that profellion, exclusive of any other, and accordingly engaged with Mr. Sheridan. He then began to play bare-faced, without the difguife of burnt cork; and during the remainder of that feafon he performed the characters of Caffius, in Julius Gajar; Gloucefter, in Jane Shore; Polidore, in the Orphan; Oreftes, in the Diftreft Mother (twice for his own benefit, to very great houfes) King John, and Bajazet, in Tamerlane. In all these characters he was defervedly applauded; and although the flage was then adorned by Mr. Macklin, Mr. Theophilus Gibber, Mr. Rofs, Mr. Digges, Mr. Dyer, &c. yet a chief part of its fuccefs, that season, might be juttly attributed to young Moffop.

The next feafon, which began O&ober, 1750, Mr. Moop appeared in feveral new characters; namely, Marcian, in Theodofius; Lycon, in Phedra and Hypolitus; Sempronius, in Cato; Hotspur, in the firit part of Henry IV; Pembroke, in Lady Jane Grey; Aboan, in Orconcko; Lorenzo, in the Spanish Friar (his firit attempt in comedy) and for his own benefit kichard the III. The principal performers this feafon, befide Mr. Mofjop, were Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Rofs, Mr. Digges, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Theoph. Gibber, Mr. King, &c.

The feafon ending in the fpring of the year 1751, Mr. Moifop was thought worthy of being engaged at the theatre-royal in Drury-lane, where he made his frit appearance in the October of the fame year, in the character of Richard the third, where, although the audience had been used to see the inimitable Mr. Garrick in that part, yet Mr. Moffop was well received; and had several capital parts affigned him on that stage. Some time after Mr. Moffop had appeared on the English theatre, Mr. Churchill wrote his Rofciad. This author had a peculiar talent of extending the flighteft foible into a fault, and it has been detrimental to the honest fame of feveral actors, that his cenfure has been reprinted and read long after the error, which firft gave room for the cenfure, had been totally amended. How far this was the cafe with Mr. Moffop, I leave my readers (most of them must have

feer

He foars beyond the hackney critic's reach :

"To epithets allots emphatic ftate, Whilst principals, ungrac'd like lacquies wait;

"In ways, first trodden by himself, excels,

"And ftands alone in indeclinables;

Conjunction, prepofition, adverb join "To ftamp new vigour on the nervous line,

the foul."

"In monofyllables his thunders roll, "He, fhe, it, and, we, ye, they, fright ROSCIAD. Notwithstanding this cenfure, Mr. Moffop was well received by the best judges in London, and was not only fixed in a very refpectable caft of parts in the ufual acting tragedies, but had several asfigned to him in fuch new pieces as came out, fuch as Lawson, in Mr. Moore's tragedy of the Gamefter; Perfeus, in Dr. Young's tragedy of the Brothers; Barbareffa, in Dr. Brown's tragedy of that name,&c. in which,although he conitantly appeared with Mr. Garrick, yet he acquired great applaufe, for a due exertion of his amazing powers, and doing juftice to the characters he represented.

Although Mr. Moffop was then young, it is obferved that Mr. Garrick, (that great judge of merit,) feldom or ever allotted him any part, but those whose characteristics were haughtiness, pride, and fullennefs; for indeed he did not, at that time, any more than in the latter part of his life, feem adapted to shine in any character that required tenderness or pathos, as he was ever more capable of raifing terror than pity; from a want of fortnefs, eafe and delicacy, which to the last he could never attain; and this made the circle of his parts more confined than his friends could have wifhed.

(To be concluded in our next.)

The Life of William Penn, Founder of the Colony of Penfylvania, in North-Amė

rica.

At a Time when the Affairs of AMERICA are the great Objects of Public Notice, the Hiftory of one of the firft illuftrious English Settlers of that Country appears with peculiar Propriety.

Though, as an Authors and a Divine, this celebrated Qaker, whose Life we are going to relate, be bat little known, except to Perfons of his own Perfuafion; bis Reputation, in a Character no less refrpelable, is universal among all civilifed Nations, we mean that of a Legifator. It was to his own Wisdom and Ability, that the Penjylvanians are indebted for that Charter of Privileges, which has put their Colony on fo respect↑able a Footing. Civil and Religious Liberty in the utmoft Latitude, was laid down by this great Man, as the only Foundation of all bis Inflitutions. Chriftians of all Denomínations may not only live unmot fled, but have a fhare in the Government of the Colony. No Laws can be made but by the Confent of the Inhabitants: Even Matters of Benevolence, to which the Laws of few Nations have extended, were, by Penn, fubjected to Regulations. The Affairs of Widows and Orphans were to be inquired into by a Court inflituted for that Pur1ofe. The Caufes between Man and Man were not to be fubicced to the Delay and Chicanery of the Law, but decided by wife and honeft Arbitrators. His Benevolence and Generosity extended also to the Indian Nations: Infead of immediately taking Advantage of his Patent, he purchased of theje People the Lands he had obtained by his Grant; judging that the original Property and eldeft Right was vefted in them. William Penn, in fhort, had he been a Native of Greece, would have had his Statue placed next to thofe of Solon and Lycurgus.

Afterwards he went to a private fchool on Tower-hill, and had, befides, the advantage of a private Tutor, which his father kept in the houfe. In 1660 he was entered a Gentleman-commoner of Chrift's Church in Oxford, and matriculated in October, that year, as a Knight's fon.

Here he continued two years, as we are told; and delighted much in manly fports at times of recreation. But, mean while, being influenced by the preaching of one Thomas Low, or Loe, a Quaker, he and fome other Students withdrew from the national form of worthip, and held private meetings for the exercife of religion, where they preached and prayed among themselves. This giving great offence to the Governors of the University, Mr. Penn was fined for non-conformity; and, continuing till zealous in his religious exercifes, was at length expelled his college.

Upon his return home in 1661, he was feverely treated by his father on the fame account, who at laft turned him out of doors; but, his anger abating afterwards, he fent him to travel into France, in company with fome Perfons of Quality, where he continued two years or upwards, and returned well fkilled in the French Language, and accomplished with a polite and courtly behaviour Then he was entered into Lincoln's-inn to ftudy the laws, where he remained till the plague began to rage in London.

In 1666, his father committed to his care and management a confiderable eftate in Ireland, which occafioned his refidence in that kingdom. But, inttead of going into the diverfions there, he took to a ferious and retired way of life; and, by the preaching of Thomas Loe above-mentioned, at Cork, was prevailed upon to profefs himself publicly a Quaker, and conftantly to attend their meetings: In one of which he was apprehended, with many others, in November 1667, and imprifoned, but, by writing a letter to the Earl of Orrery, was foon after discharged. His father, hearing of his having embraced Quakerifm, fent for him to England; and, finding him too much fixed to be brought to a general compliance with the fathions of the times, feemed inclinable to have borne with him in other refpects, provided he would be uncovered in the prefence of the King, the Duke of York, and himfelf; but, after fatting and fupplication,

whereupon his father turned him out of doors a fecond time. However, he retained fo much paternal affection for him, that, when he was imprifoned for being at the Quakers meetings, he would privately use his intereft to procure his difcharge.

About the year 1668, he became a public Preacher among the Quakers; and published his first piece, entitled, Truth exalted,' alfo, foon after, The Guide mistaken; and, The fandy Foundation fhaken.' Being, the fame year, committed to the tower of London for his opinions, he wrote there several treatifes, particularly, No crofs, no crown.' After feven months impritonment, he was releafed; and went, in September, 1669, to Ireland, where he preached among the Quakers.

Returning to England, and the Conventicle-act prohibiting the Meetings of Diffenters under fevere penalties, he was committed to Newgate in August 1670, for preaching in Grace-church-street. But, being tried for that offence, with William Mead, at the Seffions at the Old Bailey, they were acquitted by the Jury. On the 16th of September the fame year, his father died; and, being reconciled to him, left him an estate of 1500 pounds a year in England and Ireland. About this time, he held a public difpute concerning the univerfality of the Divine Light, with Mr. Jeremy Ives, an eminent Baptist Preacher, at WeftWicomb in Buckinghamshire. The fifth of February 1670-71, Mr. Penn was again committed to Newgate, for preaching at a Meeting in Wheeler-ftreet, London, and continued a prifoner fix months. After his difcharge he went inte Holland and Germany.

He married, in the beginning of the year 1672, Gulielma-Maria, daughter of Sir William Springett, formerly of Darling in Suffex; and then went and fettled with his family at Rickmanfworth in Hertfordshire. The fame year he published a piece against Reeve and Muggleton.

In 1677, he travelled into Holland and Germany, in order to propagate Quakerifm; and had frequent converfations with the princefs Elizabeth, daughter of the Queen of Bohemia, and fifter to the Prince's Sophia, grandmother to his late Majesty King George the Second.

Upon his petition to King Charles

the

the fecond, and in regard to the memory ard merits of his father in divers fervices, particularly in the fea-fight again't the Dutch in 1665, under the Duke of York, he obtained a patent, dated March 4, 1580-81, whereby was granted to him all that tract of land in America, bounded eastward on Delaware river, from 12 miles Northward of Newcafile, to the 434 degree of northern latitude, and to extend five degrees in longitude from the faid river; to be bounded northerly by the beginning of the 43d degree of northern latitude, and on the fouth by a circle drawn at twelve miles distance from Newcastle northward, and weftward unto the beginning of the 40th degree of northern latitude, and then by a strait line westward to the limits of longitude above-mentioned: Erected into a province and feignory to be called Penfylvania. The delign of it to be to reduce the favage nations, by gentle and juft manners, to the love of civil fociety and the Chriftian religion; and to tranfport thither an ample colony towards enlarging the Englith Empire and its trade,

Upon obtaining this grant, Mr. Penn publifhed a brief account of the province of Penfylvania, with the King's patent and other papers; defcribing the country, and propofing an easy purchase of lands, and good terms of fettlement, for such as were inclined to remove thither. He published alfo, fhortly after, the fun damental Constitutions of Penfylvania, in twenty four articles; and agreed, July 11, 1681, upon certain conditions with the Adventurers and Purchasers, Thefe were many fingle perfons, and fome families out of England and Wales, which went over about September. In order to fecure them from any infults from the natives, he fent to them a letter, to conciliate their friendship; and appointed Commiffioners to treat with them, about fettling the land, and to confirm a league of peace.

In November 1681, he was elected Member of the royal Society. In 1682, he published The Frame of the Government of the Province of Penfylvania, and a Charter of Liberties and Privileges to the people,' dated April 25,1682. The 30th of Auguft following, he embarked at Deal for Penfylvania, accompanied with many perfons, especially Quakers; and, during his abode there, took all proper meatures to caufe his infant-colony to thrive and flourish. He planned or laid out his new town of

Philadelphia in the most elegant manner; and, the fecond of April, 1683, made fome alterations in his firtt charter.

Philadelphia confifted of eight long ftreets of two miles, and fixteen crois ftreets of one mile each, in length; cutting each other at right angles, with proper fpaces for public buildings; and the whole laid out with much exactness. But, the fituation of it being at the confluence of two large fresh-water rivers, Delaware and Schuyl - kill, renders the inhabitants obnoxious to pleuritic, peripneumonic, dyfenteric, and intermitting fevers. There are in it about 2076 houses, public buildings, ware-houses, and out-houfes not included.

In Auguft following, he obtained from the Duke of York fome lands, which were intermixed with thofe that had been granted him by the Crown. He returned to England in Auguft, 1684. His friend King James the Second coming foon after to the Crown, he was admitted into a very great degree of favour with his Majelty; But it brought upon him the imputation of being a Papist, and of promoting the bad defigns of the Court, by his frequent attendance there. Upon that account being, at the Revolution, fufpected of difaifection to the Government, and looked upon as a Papift, or a Jefuit in the disguise of a Quaker, he was examined before the Privycouncil, December 10, 1688, and obliged to give fecurity for his appearance the firit day of the next term; which he did, and then was continued on the fame fecurity, to Eafter-term following, on the laft day of which he was discharged.

In 1690, when the French fleet threatened a defcent on England, he was again examined before the Council, upon an accufation of holding correfpondence with the late King James the Second, and imprifoned or held upon bail for fome time, but released in Trinity term. He was attacked a third time, and his name inferted in a proclamation, July 18th, the fame year; but was difcnarged the laft day of Michaelmas term. However, he was deprived of the privilege of appointing a Governor for Penfylvania, and Colonel Fletcher was put in by the Crown; till, upon Mr. Penn's vindication of himself; he was restored to his right of government. He defigned now to go over a fecond time to Penfylvania, and publifhed propofals in print for another fettlement there; and had so far prepared for his voyage, that an order

for