his 1764. Æt. 36. mencement of that year, felt later, after appearing in a influence shaken and his comedy by Mrs. Sheridan and ground insecure. On a ques- giving it out to be his last aption of prices, the Fribble whom pearance in any new play Churchill has gibbeted in the (the character was a solemn Rosciad led a riotous opposition old_coxcomb, and one of in his theatre, to which he was his happiest performances),* he compelled to offer a modified announced his determination to submission; and not many weeks go abroad for two years. The pretence was health; but the with animated gesture expressive of the real cause (resentment of what wonder of his admiration. It is very he thought the public indifpleasing, let me add, to discover repeated ference, and a resolve that they evidences, in this not very reverential age, of the deep respect, the feeling akin should feel his absence) is surwith which Pope was regarded mised in a note of Lord Bath's towards the close of his life. Even John- which lies before me, addressed son has his personal pride connected to awe, 66 "don, and saying he will be soon de with him, and often "told us with high to his nephew Colman, the ad satisfaction, the anecdote of Pope's in- interim manager of the theatre. "quiring who was the author of his LonGarrick left London in the "terré." (Boswell, III. 86.) Reynolds too, autumn; and his first letter to like Johnson and Garrick, had his story Colman from Paris describes the to tell of the great little monarch, the honours which were showering supreme despot, of the age of literature just passed away. He was in a crowded upon him, the plays revived to auction-room on his first arrival in Lon- please him, and the veteran acdon, watching a sale of pictures for his tors recalled to act before him. master Hudson, when, as he stood near the auctioneer at the upper end of the He had supped with Marmontel room, he became aware of an extra- and d'Alembert; "the Clairon" ordinary bustle among the crowd at the other extremity near the door, which he was at the supper, and recited could only account for at the moment by them a charming scene from supposing that some one had fainted from Athalie; and he had himself given the effect of the heat. But he soon heard the dagger scene in Macbeth, the the name of Mr. Pope whispered from every mouth, and became conscious that curse in Lear, and the falling the poet was just entering. Every per- asleep of Sir John Brute, with son forming that crowd then drew back such extraordinary effect, that and divided to make way for him up the centre of the room, and all present, on "the most wonderful wonder of either side of the passage which was "wonders" was nothing to it. formed, held out their hands that he Yet on the very day that letter might touch them as he passed. Rey nolds occupied a modest position behind was written (the 8th of October, the front rank, but he put out his hand 1763), a more wonderful wonder under the arm of the person who stood before him, and Pope took it as he did was enacting on the boards of Own theatre. A young those of others in advancing. Reynolds, his when his own fame was at its height, bankers' clerk named Powell, to never forgot the exquisite pride of that moment. See Northcote, 1, 19; and Beechey, I. 44-5. *Sir Anthony Branville in the Discovery. whom, on hearing him rehearse, points of his style. In Philaster he had given an engagement be- he appeared sixteen times, in fore he left London of three Posthumus eleven, seven times 1764. pounds a week for three in Jaffier, six in Castalio, and years, appeared on that five in Alexander. Garrick himÆt. 36. day in Beaumont and self had meanwhile written to Fletcher's Philaster, and took the him from Italy to warn him audience by storm. Foote is de- against such characters as the scribed to have been the only latter, and restrain him from atunmoved spectator.* The rest tempting too much.* The adof the audience were not content vice was admirably written, and with clapping; "they stood up gratefully acknowledged; nor is "and shouted," says Walpole; there any reason to doubt its and Foote's jeering went for no- sincerity. Remoteness of place thing. Walpole describes the has in some respects the effect scene with what seems to be of distance of time; and the a satisfied secret persuasion great actor, doubtless not sorry (in which Goldsmith certainly to be absent till the novelty shared) that Garrick had at last should abate, was less likely to met a dangerous rival. He calls be jealous in Piedmont or the the new actor "what Mr. Pitt Savoy than in the green-room of "called my Lord Clive," a heaven- Drury-lane. He knew himself born hero;** says the heads of yet unassailed in what he had althe whole town are turned; and ways felt to be his main strength, describes all the boxes taken for his versatility and variety of a month. Powell's salary was power. ** Three men were now at once raised to ten pounds a week, George Garrick consenting on the part of his brother; and such was the anxiety of the town to see him in new characters, and the readiness of the management in giving way to it, that in this his first season, from October '63 to May '64, he ap-" peared in seventeen different plays, to a profit on the receipts of nearly seven thousand pounds. *** His most successful efforts indicate the attractive "I am very angry with Powell," he writes to Colman, "for playing that "detestable part of Alexander. Every 66 genius must despise it, because that, "and such fustian-like stuff, is the bane "of true merit. If a man can act it well, "I mean to please the people, he has "something in him that a good actor "should not have. He might have served "Mrs. Pritchard, and himself too, in 'some good natural character. I hate "your roarers." Rome, April 11, 1764. Memoirs of the Colmans, 1. 111, 112. And see an excellent letter to Powell himself, written from Paris in December 1764, Garrick Correspondence, 1. 177-8. **The earliest of Garrick's critics was one of the most discriminating, and is entitled on other grounds to be listened to with respect, for he became a bishop, and, even after he had published his *** See Boaden's prefatory memoir to book on the Prophecies, continued to Gar. Corr. I. XLII. *Davies's Life of Garrick, II. 71. **Letters to Mann, 1. 167. think Shakespeare and Garrick not un 1764. Æt. 36. dividing his laurels; and till alternate Ranger with Macbeth, Powell could double Richard and and till Weston could exhibit Sir John Brute, till O'Brien could Lear by the side of Abel Drugger, worthy of his regard. Newton lived with Garrick had no call to be Lord Carpenter in Grosvenor-square, as seriously alarmed. tutor to his son, when the Goodman's- Be that as it might, fields prodigy began to be talked about; however, Powell's success was a low-townsman of Lichfield; and not only great thing for the authors. He used to travel every week that distance came to occupy for them, opof six or seven miles to see the new actor, portunely, a field which the other but, sending servants beforehand to keep places (necessary then) that nothing of had avowedly abandoned; and eye or gesture might be lost, carried to Goldsmith, always earnest for Goodman's-fields with him all the great the claims of writers, sympeople he could induce to accompany him, took additional interest in him as a fel and wrote excellent letters of encourage pathised strongly in his success. ment and advice to the object of his ad- Another incident of the theatrimiration. I quote from one which is cal season made hardly less noise. dated exactly six months from the day of Garrick's first appearance. After telling O'Brien's charms in Ranger and him that one of the masters of West- Lovemore proved too much for and Betterton was of opinion that in Lady Susan Fox-Strangways, minster school who remembered Booth Lear he had far excelled the first and man * even equalled the last, "The thing," he "Garrick, sir, bless my soul! it was quite continues, "that strikes me above all"a different sort of thing." Even Horace "others, is that variety in your acting, Walpole, in one of his most elaborate "and your being so totally a different depreciations of Garrick (Coll. Lett. v. 11, in Lear from what you are in 12), is unconsciously betrayed into an "Richard. There is a sameness in every admission of his unrivalled variety and "other actor. Cibber is something of a versatility when he summons back two 66 coxcomb in everything; and Wolsey, of the Betterton race, lays under con"and Syphax, and Iago, all smell strong tribution the French stage, and has to "of the essence of Lord Foppington. pick and choose from among the living "Booth was a philosopher in Cato, and English actors, before he can establish was a philosopher in everything else. the fact of his having had equals or "His passion in Hotspur and Lear was superiors in the art. So when Johnson "much of the same nature, whereas talked of the old actors during the tour "your's was an old man's passion, and to the Hebrides (Boswell, iv. 132): “You "an old man's voice and action; and in". compare them with Garrick and see "the four parts wherein I have seen you, "the deficiency. Garrick's great dis"Richard, Chamont, Bayes, and Lear, I "tinction is his universality." "never saw four actors more different "from one another, than you are from "yourself." Garrick Correspondence, 1. 7. This letter (written, be it remembered, when Garrick was only twenty-five) helps | to explain what was meant by the celebrated prompter of Drury-lane, Waldron, a man of discernment and even taste in poetry, when he frankly made answer, on a question of comparison between his early master Garrick, and a later ornament of the stage, "No man admires Mr. "Kemble, sir, more than I do. He is a 66 great man! a very great man! but Mr. "A very pleasing girl, though not "handsome. Lord Ilchester doated "on her." Letters to Mann, 1. 195. The branch of the Fox family to which Lady Susan belonged took the name of Strangways on her father's marriage with an heiress so called. "The king," writes her uncle Lord Holland to Mr. Grenville, asking him for a place in the New York Customs to banish O'Brien to, "has "shown so much compassion on this un"happy occasion, that," &c. Grenville Correspondence, II. 447. "O'Brien and "Lady Susan," says Walpole to Lord . 1764. and she ran away with him. It could not have believed that cured Walpole for a time of his Lady Susan would have stooped theatre-going. He had a few so low. On the other hand, days before been protest- Goldsmith speaks of O'Brien's ing to Lord Hertford that elegance and accomplishments Et. 36. he had the republican ("by nature formed to please,” spirit of an old Roman, and that said Churchill), and seems to his name was thoroughly Hora- think them not unfairly matched.* tius; but a homely-looking earl's daughter running away... "would have done? One must have a with a handsome young player, great soul, to be of the aucune family; "which is not necessary, to be a ran away with all his philosophy. "Howard." Lett. to Mann. 11. 221. He thought a footman would then she had become a Walpole. have been preferable,** and *Coll. Lett. IV. 336. But A clever little piece called Cross Purposes, written by O'Brien, was played after his return from America; and he afterwards less successfully borrowed from the French a comedy called the Duel. O'Brien lived to a very great age, and is remembered living 66 on his farm Hertford, "are to be transported to the "Ohio and have a grant of 40,000 acres." Coll. Lett. IV. 404. In Taylor's Records of his life (1. 177) it is said of O'Brien "that "he was a fencing-master in Dublin, or in one of the midland counties during "the son of a fencing-master, but with the first quarter of the present century; 66 manners so easy and so sprightly that while his wife, Lady Susan, did not die "he was admitted into the best company, till 1827, at the ripe age of 84. I am "and was a member of several of the happy to be able to quote a hitherto un"most fashionable clubs at the west end published letter of his to George Garrick, "of the town." which pleasantly exhibits the social nature of the man, the regret with which he **Coll. Lett. IV. 405. Within a very entered the temporary exile to which the few months his preference was gratified pride of his wife's grand relations had by another of his lady friends, Lord sentenced him, and the wondrous changes Rockingham's youngest sister, actually which a century has made in the scene marrying her Irish footman, Mr. William of his exile. The letter was probably one Sturgeon. Coll. Lett. IV. 460. ("A sen- of his first from New York, and its date "sible, well-educated woman," says Gray, shows with what a horrible haste "27 years old indeed, and homely ("O'Brien and his lady big with child," 66 enough." Correspondence with Mason, writes Gray to the master of Pembroke, 335.) Yet, such are the strange incon- Oct. 29, 1764, "are embarked for America sistencies of character, this same Horace "to cultivate their 40,000 acres of woodWalpole could thus write to Mann eight "land") the fashionable folk had packed years later: "We have an instance in our them off. "NEW YORK, Nov. 10th, 1764. "family of real dignity of mind, and I"DEAR GEORGE, Though I think you "set it down as the most honourable "don't deserve it at my hands, yet I must "alliance in the pedigree. The dowager "write to you, and beg you will take the "Lady Walpole" (his aunt), "you know, "first opportunity to let me hear from 66 was a French staymaker's daughter."you, how you do, and how every thing "When ambassadress in France, the "goes on among you at old Drury, where queen expressed surprise at her speak-"I often wish myself, just to take a peep ing so good French. Lady Walpole said "thro' the curtain and have a frisk in the "she was a Frenchwoman. 'Français!' “ green-room. . . . I suppose you long to "replied the queen. 'Vous Français, "have an account of our passage, "madame! et de quelle famille?'"this place. As to the first, it was a "D'aucune, madame,' 66 answered my very remarkable one for the time of Don't you think that aucune "year, they say, being only 34 days-but "sounded greater than Montmorency "between you and I, the tempest we have "aunt. and 1764. But much depends on whether his poem of the Sugar Cane; and these things are viewed from a found him in little better plight luxurious seat in the private than in his garret days. "When boxes, or from a hard bench in "I taxed little Goldsmith the upper gallery. "for not writing," he says Poverty pressed heavily just to Percy, "as he promised now upon Goldsmith, as I have "me, his answer was, that he said. His old friend Grainger": 'never wrote a letter in his life; came over on leave from his "and 'faith I believe him, unless West India station, to bring out "to a bookseller for money." 66 Æt. 36. "been used to see on dry land before a Letter to Percy, dated March 24, "crowded house, is far pleasanter than 1764, in Nichols's Illustrations, VII. 286. "some we met with on the American In the same letter he describes himself to "coast. I assure you I thought it a have been robbed, "about three o'clock "serious affair, and began to say my "of the day we parted, about three miles "short prayers. Lady Susan was vastly "on this [London] side of St. Albans. "ill the whole way, but is now quite well "Luckily he did not ask for my watch, "again and sends you her compliments." and went off by telling me he was sorry "New York is not equal to London, but "to be obliged to take our money. So 66 we shall be very comfortable I make no "civil are our highwaymen. In France "doubt-every one here seems extremely "or Spain our death would have pre"disposed to make it as agreeable as "ceded the robbery." Mrs. Thrale writes "possible to us. Everything appears just to Johnson (October 1773), "Mr. M- was "in the bud, a world in its infancy,"robbed going home two nights ago, "which to folks used to the conveniences" and had a comical conversation with "and luxuries of London is at the first "the highwayman about behaving like a "rather awkward-time makes every- 66 'gentleman. He paid four guineas for "thing feel less so. Whenever I meet "it." Piozzi Letters, 1. 185. I may here "with anything I think worth your while take the opportunity of saying that in the "accepting, you may be sure I won't fifty-first volume of the Gentleman's Magaforget you. In the mean time I beg zine, 39, there is given an "Epitaph in "you'll do me the favor to desire Mr. "Jamaica. By Dr. Goldsmith. Not "Woodfall will send me the Public Ad- "printed in his works;" and it is quite "vertisers that I may see the progress of possible that this may in some way be "Politics and Plays at one view. He may connected with Grainger, whether as "send them regularly by the packets as written by his request, or at the solicitathey come; and if possible let me have tion of some friend introduced by him to "them from the first day the house opened, Goldsmith. The epitaph itself is worth "and so on day by day; I'll have them subjoining as a well-balanced specimen "all the while I continue in this coun- of tombstone-literature, richly merited if "try.... Hearing from England will be true. It is "On Zachary Bayly, Esq. แ my greatest pleasure, therefore I hope "He was a man, to whom the endow"you among the rest won't forget me."ments of Nature rendered those of Art "East, West, North, or South, I am ever, "superfluous. He was wise, without the "Dear George, Yours most sincerely"assistance of recorded Wisdom; and "WM. O'BRIEN." After his return to "eloquent, beyond the precepts England, O'Brien got the place of re- "scholastic Rhetoric. His study was of ceiver-general of the county of Dorset, "Men, and not of Books; and he drank and you see him in the peerages as Wm." of Knowledge, not from the Stream, but O'Brien, of Stinsford Co. Dorset, Esq "from the Source. To Genius, which (where he died in 1815). See note to "might have been fortunate without Garrick Correspondence, 1. 170. See also "Diligence, he added a Diligence, which, Taylor's Records of his own Life, 1. 176,"without Genius, might have comand Selwyn Correspondence, 1. 273. "manded Fortune. He gathered riches of |