The close of the same year presented the eighth wonder of the world to the Londoners, as Mr. De Lepine, the inventor, had the vanity to call it. This was a machine, moved by springs and wheels, impelling figures to advance on a stage, where they performed a pantomimic opera, aided by the usual changes of scenes, musick, &c. &c. The patent of Sir Richard Steele, dated October 18, 1714, by which that gentleman, Robert Wilks, Colley Cibber, Thomas Doggett, and Barton Booth, had authority to establish a company of Comedians, received a violent attack in January 1720; when, through the intrigues of the Lord Chamberlain, the King was induced to revoke his Royal licence, and to command their silence at Drury-lane Theatre. This proceeding was violently resented by Sir Richard; who vented his anger in very severe terms against the Duke of Newcastle in a periodical paper, intituled, "The Theatre," and the King now and then received a slight rub. At the very instant a company of French comedians arrived in England, encouraged by advantageous offers and a large subscription. Whether the above prohibition had any reference to such arrival does not appear; but that the King was partial to their performances is very certain, and he frequently saw them act. The London Journal of March 5, 1720, says: "Yesterday morning the King's company of Comedians belonging to the Playhouse in Drury-lane were sworn at the Lord Chamberlain's office at Whitehall, pursuant to an order, occasioned by their acting in obedience to His Majesty's licence, lately granted, exclusive of a patent formerly obtained by Sir Richard Steele, knight. The tenor of the oath was, that as his Majesty's servants they should act subservient to the Lord Chamberlain, Vice Chamberlain, and Gentleman Usher in waiting." The company of the New Theatre in Lincoln's-inn-fields was dissolved in July 1720, and the house seized in execution for debt. The fashionables of 1720 derived one of their amusements from a most magnificent marriage celebrated between a Jew and a Jewess of great respectability named Cornele. Part of the ceremony was held at Leathersellers Hall, which they hired for six days. These spirited Israelites went in procession on the Sabbath after their marriage to the Synagogues, preceded by two men strewing flowers and herbs, and followed by a great number of nobility and their friends, all on foot, as the Law of Moses forbids the use of carriages or horses on that holy day; but, as John Bull did not enter into the spirit of these rites correctly, Master Cornele thought it useful to provide a guard of grenadiers, who served to render the pageant splendid, and the persons who composed it safe.