Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

324 RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH.
pended from the walls supplied the deficiency, and a range
of oil lamps furnished the " foot lights" for the stage. The
orchestra, located in the green room, consists of EsidoVictor, from Water street, professor of the tamborine, and
another colored gentleman, professor of the violin. The
bell rings, and the curtain rises to scenes from Shakespeare's' Midsummer Night's Dream." As Peter Quince calls over
the names of his actors who are to play before the duke,
and " Nick Bottom, the weaver " Francis Flute, the bellows-mender," " Robin Starveling, the tailor," and "Tim
Snout the tinker," severally answer, "Here!" the oddity
of their names, combined with the ridiculous dresses they
have assumed, call forth shouts of laughter from the juveniles, and the humor of the scene is well enjoyed by the
audience generally. Nick Bottom is "an especial favorite)
and creates much mirth by promising, that if permitted to
play the lion, he will so roar that the duke shall say. " Let
him roar again i' nor less so, when, on being told that he
might frighten the ladies, he replies that he can, at will,
"roar as gentle as any sucking dove.' The entrance of
Snug, on all-fours, (enveloped in a buffalo skin) as the lion)
is the signal for a fresh outbreak of merriment.
Peter Quince, bidding adieu to Athens, retires to the
gentlemen's dressing-room in the entry, (under the stairs,)
transforms himself, by the aid of a Gilman Blues' uniform
into a fine looking soldier, and reappearing, recites with
much spirit pamphel's stirring poem of "Hohenlinden."'
A blooming young lady then favors the audience with a
popular song of the time, " Wreaths for the Chieftain," and
is succeeded by a young gentleman, who in the costume of
an American sailor, sings one of the war songs of 1812.
A very young gentleman, in a broad frilled ruffle, (his'i first appearance on any stage,") then recites, with the mostmost approved accent, the somewhat familiar lines, commenclnglYou'd scarce eapect oile of my age,
to speak in public on the stage."