THE THEATRICAL YOUNG GENTLEMAN



All gentlemen who love the drama-and there are few gentlemen who
are not attached to the most intellectual and rational of all our
amusements-do not come within this definition. As we have no mean
relish for theatrical entertainments ourself, we are
disinterestedly anxious that this should be perfectly understood.

The theatrical young gentleman has early and important information
on all theatrical topics. 'Well,' says he, abruptly, when you meet
him in the street, 'here's a pretty to-do. Flimkins has thrown up
his part in the melodrama at the Surrey.'-'And what's to be done?'
you inquire with as much gravity as you can counterfeit. 'Ah,
that's the point,' replies the theatrical young gentleman, looking
very serious; 'Boozle declines it; positively declines it. From
all I am told, I should say it was decidedly in Boozle's line, and
that he would be very likely to make a great hit in it; but he
objects on the ground of Flimkins having been put up in the part
first, and says no earthly power shall induce him to take the
character. It's a fine part, too-excellent business, I'm told. He
has to kill six people in the course of the piece, and to fight
over a bridge in red fire, which is as safe a card, you know, as
can be. Don't mention it; but I hear that the last scene, when he
is first poisoned, and then stabbed, by Mrs. Flimkins as Vengedora,
will be the greatest thing that has been done these many years.'
With this piece of news, and laying his finger on his lips as a