Salmagundi; or, The whim-whams and opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, esq. [pseud.] and others. By William Irving, James Kirke Paulding and Washington Irving. Printed from the original ed., with a preface and notes by Evert A. Duyckinck.

NATURAL ACTING. 133
mode of doing it depended altogether on the peculiar character
of the person going to die. A Persian could not die in peace
unless he had his face turned to the east; a Mahometan would
always choose to have his toward Mecca; a Frenchman might
prefer this mode of throwing a somerset; but Mynheer Van
Brumblebottom, the Roscius of Rotterdam, always chose to
thunder down on his seat of honor whenever he received a
mortal wound. Being a man of ponderous dimensions, this had
a most electrifying effect, for the whole theatre'shook like
Olympus at the nod of Jove."' The Philadelphian was immediately inspired with a pun, and swore that Mynheer must be
great in a dying scene, since he knew how to make the most of
his latter end.
It is the inveterate cry of stage critics, that an actor does not
perform the character naturally, if, by chance, he happens not
to die exactly as they would have him. I think the exhibition
of a play at Pekin would suit them exactly; and I wish, with
all my heart, that they would go there and see one; nature is
there imitated with the most scrupulous exactness in every trifling
particular. Here an unhappy lady or gentleman, who happens,
unluckily, to be poisoned or stabbed, is left on the stage to
writhe and groan, and make faces at the audience, until the poet
pleases they should die; while the honest folks of the dramatis
personae, bless their hearts I all crowd round and yield most
potent assistance, by crying and lamenting most vociferously I
The audience, tender souls, pull out their white pocket-handkerchiefs, wipe their eyes, blow their noses, and swear it is natural
as life, while the poor actor is left to die without common Christian comfort. In China, on the contrary, the first thing they do is
to run for the doctor and tchoouc, or notary. The audience are
entertained throughout the fifth act with a learned consultation