"Four forgers born in one prolific age, Much critical acumen did engage: The first[6] was soon, by doughty Douglas, scar'd, Tho' Johnson would have screen'd him, had he dar'd. The next had all the cunning of a Scot;[7] The third, invention, genius,--may, what not?[8] Fraud, now exhausted, only could dispense To her fourth son, their threefold impudence." [Footnote 6: Wm. Lauder who tried to make Milton out a plagiarist,--but his quotations from various Latin authors were proved to be false.] [Footnote 7: James Macpherson, for his Ossian.] [Footnote 8: Chatterton.] Sheridan believed in the play, and engaged with Samuel Ireland, the father of the forger, to pay down £300, and half the profits of the first 60 nights. It was produced at Drury Lane Theatre, on 2 Ap. 1796, Kemble, playing Vortigern. He was an unbeliever in the authenticity of the MS., and, certainly, did not attempt to uphold it by his acting. In fact he burst the bubble, altogether, in the fifth Act, by emphasising, with much meaning, the words, "And when this solemn mockery is o'er," that the audience caught at it, and, amidst a chorus of yells, and hisses, the play was utterly condemned. W. H. Ireland soon afterwards confessed all his forgeries. [Illustration: Miss Brunton, as Juliet.] [Illustration: Miss Field, as Ariel.] OPERA AND BALLET. If there were good Actors, in those days, there were also good singers, traditions of whom have lasted until our time. Of course, they were fewer than the Actors, because there was but one Opera--and the operas, then in vogue, required but a very limited number of artists. Still, the names of several of the _prime donne_ are yet remembered, and the names of Mara, Storace, and Crouch will always live in the annals of song. _Elizabeth Mara_, whose maiden name was Schmelling, was born at Cassel in 1750. She commenced her musical education by playing on the violin, but, subsequently, finding she had a good voice, she devoted herself to its cultivation, and so far succeeded, as even to earn unqualified approbation, and applause, from Frederick the Great--who was, as a rule, absolutely indifferent to Music. She first came to England, in 1784, and chiefly resided here till 1802; when she retired to Moscow, where she had property, which, however, was destroyed at the French Invasion, and destruction of the city, in 1812, and she was reduced to poverty. She then went to reside at Revel, where her old friends kindly helped to support her. She came once more to London, in 1819, and gave a Concert--but her voice was gone, and this was her last effort. She went back to Revel, where she died, in 1833, aged 84. [Illustration: At the Opera.] [Illustration: At Church.] [Illustration: The Celebrated Mademoiselle G--m--rd, or Grimhard from Paris.]