The middle classes could not, of course, afford these wines, but they drank sound Port, Sherry, and Madeira, brown Brandy and Gin--Whiskey was almost unknown. But for conviviality, Punch, in bowls, was the drink. Green tea was introduced into the manufacture of Rum Punch--and may be now, for aught I know, if there is anybody living who knows how to make it--but here is a metrical recipe for Milk Punch, of the year 1815, which reads remarkably well. "Take seven large lemons, and pare them as thin As a wafer, or, what is yet thinner, your skin; A quart of French Brandy, or Rum is still better, (For you ne'er, in Receipts, should stick to the letter.) Six ounces of sugar next take, and pray mind, The sugar must be the best double refin'd; Boil the sugar in as near half a pint of spring water, In the neat silver saucepan you bought for your daughter; But be sure that the syrup you carefully skim, When the scum, as 'tis call'd, rises up to the brim. The fourth part of a pint you next must allow Of New Milk, made as warm as it comes from the Cow. Put the rinds of the lemons, the milk, and the syrup, With the rum in a jar and give them a stir up: And, if you approve it, you may put some perfume, Goatstone, or whatever you like in its room. Let it stand thus three days, but remember to shake it, And the closer you stop it the richer you make it. Then, filtered through paper, 'twill sparkle and rise, Be as soft as your lips, and as bright as your eyes. Last bottle it up...." It seems wrong to chronicle good living when bread was so dear--especially in the early years of the Regency where receipts for rice bread, and cheap adulterants of wheaten bread, were pressed upon the notice of the middle classes. One article of food they had which we should like at the same price--the very finest Native Oysters at 9s. and 10s. a barrel. * * * * * It was a brilliant period for the Stage. Kean was to make his appearance on the boards, but then Mrs. Siddons and Kemble retired. Death, too, was busy with some old dramatic favourites, and people connected with the Stage. In these nine years were called away--R. Cumberland, W. T. Lewis, Malone, G. F. Cooke, Chas. Dibbin, Chas. Burney, Mrs. Abingdon, H. Siddons, Mrs. Jordan, Sheridan, Signora Storace, and Miss Pope. In 1811 there were but three regular theatres in London--Drury Lane, Covent Garden, and "The Little Theatre" in the Haymarket--and they all did a good business, although the prices charged their audiences were very moderate, so were the salaries of the actors. The pit was all pit, and the pittites were a discriminating audience, who were neither ashamed nor afraid to applaud, or censure, as their judgment led them. The plays were frequently changed. There were no runs of hundreds of nights, and the consequence was that the actor, "playing many parts," could not acquire mannerism, and gained greater experience in his profession.