I 



56 



Perhaps T might fay that the beft part of 

 tlie entertainment proceeded from a joHy tar, 

 in a fit of mirth, letting himfelf down from the 

 gallery, to fnatch off the fool's cap, — which 

 he put upon his own head, and, ufurping the 

 place and charader of the clown, d^fired him 

 to " budget' for he was " too great a fool to 

 keep the decL^^ This introduced a very ludi- 

 crous fcenc between Jack and the clown. The 

 clown met the adventure as mere failor's fun, 

 bore it patiently, and, in his own way, en- 

 deavoured to turn it to the amufement of the 

 audience : while Jack made many hits of 

 humor and drollery, and feemed not, alto- 

 gether, unworthy of the cap. For fome time 

 they maintained a very ridiculous and fportive 

 conteft, who fhould wear it. Jack repelling 

 the rough wit and farcafm of the clown with 

 confiderable efFed. But, at length, the latter 

 obferving that " two JooW* were too much 

 for fo genteel an audience^'' abruptly feized the 

 cap from the head of the merry tar, and poor 

 Jack, thus deprived of necromantic influence, 

 reeled off the ftage, a mere drunken failor, 

 ftammering, by way of apology, " i)..^/., 

 dammee^ ladles and g.^.gentkmen^ Vm o,.A.,.b..^ 



