_Mrs. F._--Indeed! that's strange: but I suppose you've heard of the clever Fiddlers? _Manager._--You mean Paganini, perhaps, and De Beriot? _Mrs. F._--No, indeed, I don't; I mean my clever children here, Master and Miss Fiddler. _Manager._--Indeed, madam; I'm happy to make their acquaintance. _Mrs. F._--And so you ought to be, sir. Come here, Julietta: this young lady, sir, has got _such_ a voice! It goes upon the high _C's_ as safe as an East-Indiaman. I want you to engage her. _Manager._--I should like to hear her sing, before I thought of engaging her; she might fail. _Mrs. F._--And if she did, sir,--if the public were so unjust,--how great would be the consolation to you to know that you partially repaired the injury by paying the dear child a salary! _Manager._--I am afraid, madam, I could not proceed on that plan. _Mrs. F._--You will excuse my saying, sir, that you have strange notions of liberality; but you shall hear her sing. Come, my dear, let's have the _Baccy-role_; it's beautiful in your mouth, my dear. _Manager._--(_Aside._) Baccy-role, indeed! (_Aloud._) Let's hear you, my dear. (_Miss F. looks stupid and does not sing a note. Mrs. F. moving her hands and arms, sing for her very badly, a bit of the Barcarole from Musaniello._) _Mrs. F._--You see, sir, that's what the dear child means; though she can't do it before you, she is so nervous. But all that will wear off when she gets before the audience. _Manager._--It's to be hoped so, but what can the young gentleman do? _Mrs. F._--What can he do! anything--he's a dancer; his pirouettes are tremendous: only look here! (_She turns him round and round till he falls down giddy._) See! he spins like a top; in fact he'll soon be the top of his profession. _Manager._--Why, bless the boy! you don't call that dancing, do you? _Mrs. F._--Of course: the dear boy has over-exerted himself, that's all; but he'll soon come round. _Manager._--Why, he has come round too much; but I can't engage him. _Mrs. F._--Then, sir, let me tell you, you'll never do. (_Exeunt Mrs. F. Master F. and Miss F._) _Manager._--Why, that's what everybody tells me. Here, Tom! don't let me be annoyed by any one else. I find there's no small difficulty in exercising one's own discretion in these matters. I may do much to improve the race both of authors and actors, if I think and judge for myself; but to render my efforts of any avail, the public must do so too. And when will they begin to do it? (_Curtain falls._) A CRITICAL GOSSIP WITH LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU.