obscene songs, talked loudly at intervals of Shakespeare and Johnson, played on their catcalls a short prelude of terror, clamoured vehemently for the prologue, and clapped with great dexterity at the first entrance of the players.
Two scenes they heard without attempting interruption; but being no longer able to restrain their impatience, they then began to exert themselves in groans and hisses, and plied their catcalls with incessant diligence; so that they were soon considered by the audience as disturbers of the house; and some who sat near them, either provoked at the obstruction of their entertainment, or desirous to preserve the author from the mortification of seeing his hopes destroyed by children, snatched away their instruments of criticism, and, by the seasonable vibration of a stick, subdued them instantaneously to decency and silence.
To exhilarate themselves after this vexatious defeat, they posted to a tavern, where they recovered their alacrity, and after two hours of obstreperous jollity, burst out big with enterprise, and panting for some occasion to signalize their prowess. They proceeded vigorously through two streets, and with very little opposition dispersed a rabble of drunkards less daring than themselves, then rolled two watchmen in the kennel, and broke the windows of a tavern in which the fugitives took shelter. At last it was determined to march up to a row of chairs, and demolish them for standing on the pavement; the chairmen formed a line of battle, and blows were exchanged for a time with equal courage on both sides. At last the assailants were overpowered, and the chairmen, when they knew their captives, brought them home by force.
