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CHARLES MACKLIN placed within the reach of the polite. From Dennis and Dryden, however, something was to be picked up. Shakspeare he may be presumed to have read, as players commonly read him, in the interpolated copies; but as to his fables, Mrs. Lenox had, the very year before he started, published two volumes, containing the novels and histories on which his plays had been founded, with her own critical and not very gentle remarks. Yet these, with a confident brow, an emphatic utterance, the practice of public speaking, and an established reputation, kept the young Templars for some time in hopes of improvement, and the tavern dreamers in the notion of his authority, upon all subjects at least connected with the stage. And now we are arrived at the moment to relate our incident. The rival Romeos of Garrick and Barry had shaken the scenic world to the very centre; and, though the public contest had dropt, the critical strife was likely long to continue. Macklin, in foct, had been the adviser of Barry, in his desertion of Garrick, and the competition between them; and, as his countryman and sworn friend, is likely to have really preferred the more material requisites of Barry, his beautiful person and harmonious voice, to the energy and consummate professional skill of Mr. Garrick. But he took an opportunity to communicate to the little manager that he was at length in a station which enabled him at once to close all debate upon the subject of the Romeos, and decide the point for ever in Mr. Garrick's favou. “Eh! How?" exclaimed Garrick, "my dear Mack-Eh! how can you contrive to bring this about?"-Sir" returned Mackli, "the British Inquisition shall settle the matter; I shall discuss the play."-" Why, eh! to be sure, my dear Mack, no