TO THE SHADE OF ELLISTON

JOYOUSESTofonceembodiedspirits,whitheratlengthhastthouflown?towhatgenialregionarewepermittedtoconjecturethatthouhastflitted.

ArtthousowingthyWILDOATSyet(theharvesttimewasstilltoewiththee)uponcasualsandsofAvernus?orartthouenactingRover(aswewouldgladlierthink)bywanderingElysianstreams?

Thismortalframe,whilethoudidstplaythybriefanticsamongstus,wasintruthanythingbutaprisontothee,asthevainPlatonistdreamsofthisbodytobenobetterthanacountygaol,forsooth,ofsomehouseofdurancevile,whereofthefivesensesarethefetters.Thouknewestbetterthantobeinahurrytocastoffthosegyves;andhadnoticetoquit,Ifear,beforethouwertquitereadytoabandonthisfleshlytenement.ItwasthyPleasureHouse,thyPalaceofDaintyDevices;thyLouvre,orthyWhiteHall.

Whatnewmysteriouslodgingsdostthoutenantnow?orwhenmayweexpectthyaerialhouse-warming?

Tartarusweknow,andwehavereadoftheBlessedShades;nowcannotIintelligiblyfancytheeineither.

Isittoomuchtohazardaconjecture,that(astheschoolmenadmittedareceptacleapartforPatriarchsandun-chrisomBabes)theremayexist——notfarperchancefromthatstorehouseofallvanities,whichMiltonsawinvisions——aLIMBOsomewhereforPLAYERS?andthat

Upthitherlikeaerialvapoursfly

BothallStagethings,andallthatinStagethings

Builttheirfondhopesofglory,orlastingfame?

AlltheunacplishdworksofAuthorshands,

Abortive,monstrous,orunkindlymixd,

Damnduponearth,fleetthither——

Play,Opera,Farce,withalltheirtrumpery——

There,bytheneighbouringmoon(bysomenotimproperlysupposedthyRegentPlanetuponearth)maystthounotstillbeactingthymanagerialpranks,greatdisembodiedLessee?butLesseestill,andstillaManager.

InGreenRooms,impervioustomortaleye,themusebeholdstheewieldingposthumousempire.

ThinghostsofFigurantes(neverplumponearth)circletheeinendlessly,andstilltheirsongisFyeonsinfulPhantasy.

Magnificentwerethycapricciosonthisglobeofearth,ROBERTWilliamElliston!forasyetweknownotthynewnameinheaven.

Itirksmetothink,that,striptofthyregalities,thoushouldstferryOver,apoorforkedshade,incrazyStygianwherry.MethinksIheartheoldboatman,paddlingbytheweedywharf,withraucidvoice,bawling"Sculls,Sculls:"towhich,withwavinghand,andmajesticaction,thoudeignestnoreply,otherthanintwocurtmonosyllables,"No:Oars."

ButthelawsofPlutoskingdomknowsmalldifferencebetweenking,andcobbler;manager,andcall-boy;and,ifhaplyyourdatesoflifewereconterminant,youarequietlytakingyourpassage,cheekbycheek(OignoblelevellingofDeath)withtheshadeofsomerecentlydepartedcandle-snuffer.

Butmercy!whatstrippings,whattearingoffofhistrionicrobes,andprivatevanities!whatdenudationstothebone,beforethesurlyFerrymanwilladmityoutosetafootwithinhisbatteredliner!

Crowns,sceptres;shield,sword,andtruncheon;thyowncoronationrobes(forthouhastbroughtthewholepropertymanswardrobewiththee,enoughtosinkanavy);thejudgesermine;thecoxbswig;thesnuff-boxalaFoppington——allmustoverboard,hepositivelyswears——andthatancientmarinerbrooksnodenial;for,sincethetiresomemonodrameoftheoldThracianHarper,Charon,itistobebelieved,hathshownsmalltastefortheatricals,

Aye,now`tisdone,Youarejustboatweight;puraetputaanima.

Butblessme,howlittleyoulook!

Soshallwealllook——kings,andkeysars——striptforthelastvoyage.

Butthemurkyroguepushesoff,Adieu,pleasant,andthricepleasantshade!withmypartingthanksformanyaheavyhouroflifelightenedbythyharmlessextravaganzas,publicordomestic,

Rhadamanthus,whotriesthelightercausesbelow,leavingtohistwobrethrentheheavycalendars——honestRhadamanth,alwayspartialtoplayers,weighingtheirparti-colouredexistencehereuponearth,——makingaccountofthefewfoibles,thatmayhaveshadedthyreallifeaswecallit,(though,substantially,scarcelylessavapourthanthyidlestvagariesupontheboardsofDrury,)asbutofsomanyechoes,naturalrepercussions,andresultstoheexpectedfromtheassumedextravaganciesofthysecondaryormocklife,nightlyuponastage——afteralenientcastigation,withrodslighterthanthoseMeduseanringlets,butjustenoughto"whiptheoffendingAdamoutofthee"——shallcourteouslydismisstheeattherighthandgate——theO.P.sideofHades——thatconductstomasques,andmerry-makings,intheTheatreRoyalofProserpine

PLAUDITO,ETVALETO.