which from long and intimate association, were naturally so much alike in all respects.

It may be satisfactory to the reader to be told that these worthy friends and compatriots reached Calais in perfect safety and good spirits, notwithstanding a tedious passage, the wind being smack in their teeth the greater part of the voyage-a circumstance of much annoyance and vexation to every passenger on board, with the exception of Mr. Heath.

The following will prove a fair pendant to the foregoing fact:BANNISTER AND HIS TOUPÉE.

It is well known to all who remember him, that Mr. John Bannister was a singularly handsome man in his youth; and indeed remained such," with a difference," even to the latest period of his life. In consequence of his father, Charles Bannister, the celebrated wit and excellent bass singer, continuing upon the stage long after "Mr. Bannister, junior," had ceased to be "Young Bannister," the comedian was so called later, perhaps, than his time of life strictly warranted such distinction; but Mr. Bannister's line of acting, after his first few years of tragedy, with which he commenced his theatrical career under the tuition and management of Garrick, was sprightly comedy and other youthful

characters, of which he kept undisputed possession when youth no longer abided. It was, therefore, desirable that he should keep up as much as possible, his juvenile reputation and appearance, which he had little difficulty in doing; for though beyond the middle age when I first knew him, this charming man retained all the early advantages of a fine face and figure unimpaired; and at the period alluded to, the only falling off that indicated the approach of the "sear and yellow leaf," was from the crown of his head, where a smooth round place had gradually but determinately asserted its independence of all natural covering.

On the first discovery of this bald place, Mr. Bannister was much chagrined; less from personal vanity than from professional considerations, which made a fine head of hair of great importance at a time when artistes had not yet acquired the skill to make wigs more natural than nature herself. On this increasing deficiency, as I must call it, the comedian had from time to time confidentially consulted his hair-dresser, who at first added a little more powder occasionally to the "damned spot;" but at length the blemish getting daily more noticeable, and Mr. Bannister more and more uneasy, his faithful confident suggested the expedient of an addition to his employer's otherwise well-thatched head. A small plot of hair might, the barber averred, be so artfully attached with the aid of some gum to the defective c 2

place, that it would not be possible for the most fastidious eye to detect it in public or private, especially as powder and pomatum were lavishly and universally worn. To this proposition—a truly barbarous one-Bannister gave a reluctant consent; though at this period he might have followed the glorious example of Cæsar, and like him have boasted that he had acquired laurels sufficient to cover his baldness without less honourable aid. Nevertheless, ere long, a kindly patch of hair was skilfully applied to the denuded spot, and thenceforward constantly worn by "Young Bannister," whose secret was necessarily confided to Mrs. Bannister, with a solemn injunction not to admit even their children into her confidence.

As age increased, so did this baldness, which gradually reached the forehead, making together a fine expanse of polished meaning for the contemplation of a phrenologist, infinitely benevolent and intellectual; but no one guessed the fact, for the toupée was as gradually enlarged as the natural covering became less, and no change in the head was to be detected except by the initiated.

After a very laborious period at the Haymarket Theatre, Mr. Bannister quitted town with his family one season on a visit to Brighton for a few weeks. His medical man having recommended sea-bathing to him to renovate his slightly impaired health. The comedian, on the day after his arrival, finding the weather bright and sunny, hastened to

the sea-side in order to take his first dip; when having plunged himself, and remained in the water longer than the prudent period, the bather returned to the machine wherein he had left his clothes; and having dressed himself, he proceeded to arrange his head, which he had dried; and looking round for his toupée, to his great consternation it was nowhere visible, and the fatal truth at once flashed horribly athwart his mind. Bannister was, as the preceding account has described him, a very absent man; and in his eagerness to jump into the sea, he had omitted to take off his demi-wig, which naturally forsook his head as soon as it was thoroughly saturated, without his being aware of its ungenerous secession. Bannister now recollected having seen something float near him, which he took to be a small knot of sea-weed; and he rushed from the machine upon the sands, looking disconsolately about, upon the "ocean vast," where wave rolled upon wave, as if in unfeeling mockery of his hope, and the missing scalp was no more seen: his "wrinkled front was in the deep bosom of the ocean buried !"

What a cruel blow was this to "Young Bannister!" Repining was useless as puerile. He had pledged himself to return home to an early dinner with his children, and feeling that he was wasting time in a vain pursuit, he at length in utter despair placed his, now much too large, hat over his eyes, and getting into a "fly," winged his way to the High Street, wherein he remembered to have seen

a wig-maker's shop; and where, taking the master of it confidentially into his back-parlour and closing the door, with great caution and delicacy unfolded his embarrassment, asking anxiously whether his loss could not be immediately supplied. At this the man shook his head despondingly, and then gave Mr. Bannister the sad intelligence that nothing like "the article" alluded to, was to be found readymade in the town of Brighton; adding, that it would take at least two days to make; in short, that he could not undertake to have one ready before the following night. Poor Mr. Bannister, completely chap-fallen at this intelligence, suffered his head to be measured; and, maugre his reluctance to confess to his wife his carelessness and consequent privation, at length presented himself half-shorn of his beams, at his house, where he found Mrs. Bannister and the children anxiously expecting his return, the hour fixed for dinner having some time elapsed. Unluckily a chance visitor was present, a friend whom Mrs. Bannister had pressed to stay and dine with them, and the discomfitted and dilapidated comedian was altogether dispirited and out of sorts. His wife looked anxiously in his face, and "hoped he was not ill." "No, not ill, but he had somehow caught cold, and begged on that account to be permitted to sit down to dinner," just then announced, "with his hat on;" apologising for so unceremonious an act to his visitor, who, with Mrs. Bannister, unconsciously harassed him by various