Their Majesties' Servants. Annals of the English Stage (Volume 2 of 3)

31

Dr. Doran must refer to Brooke, who made £1000 by publishing "Gustavus Vasa." Paterson, I think, was not likely to be equally lucky.

32

Macklin played Roxana on 17th May, 1738; Shylock on 14th February, 1741.

33

"Miss Lucy in Town" was produced at Drury Lane this season.

34

Verbruggen died before Betterton.

35

Should be on the 26th.

36

Davies and Murphy both give the name as "Lyddal."

37

Lyddal.

38

Should read: – "Millamour, created by him in Fielding's 'Wedding Day,' Lothario, Wildair."

39

This list is very inaccurate. It is obviously taken from Genest, iv. 38, but Dr. Doran has mistaken the meaning of Genest's list, which includes only those nights for which the bill is not given in the text. The record should stand thus: – Hamlet, fifteen times; Richard and Bayes, fourteen; Archer, eleven; Lear, seven; Fondlewife and Hastings, five; Chamont, four; Plume, five; Clodio, four; Pierre, three; Abel Drugger, four or five times, it cannot be decided which. Then the Schoolboy must be added to the list of occasional characters; and it should be noted that there are no bills for April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

40

There is some obscurity about this date. Garrick's handbill in answer to Macklin's "case" says that the latter was published in order to prejudice him that night, and the bill is dated 5th December 1743; but, in succeeding advertisements, the disturbance is alluded to as "Tuesday night's" riot. Now Tuesday was certainly the 6th, not the 5th.

41

It is extremely improbable that Foote was the unnamed "Gentleman" who played Hamlet on this occasion.

42

Cashell's Hamlet was a personal eccentricity on his benefit night; not an attempt on the part of the theatre to oppose Garrick.

43

Very doubtful. The statement rests on Victor's authority.

44

Faulconbridge and Iago seem also to have been new characters this season.

45

This refers to the new Smock Alley, 1735.

46

Should be, "Love Makes a Man."

47

And Thomas Wright, who seems to have been principal actor.

48

Should be October 4.

49

Delane was not at Covent Garden. He did not leave Drury Lane till next season.

50

Dr. Doran has reversed the cast of these two plays. Garrick played Lothario and Iago; Barry, Horatio and Othello.

51

This is a most extraordinary statement. It was acted nineteen times.

52

He lived for nearly a year. "Merope" was produced April 1749: Hill died February 1750.

53

It is a character named Arnold who joins the French for love of Marianne. Dr. Doran has misread a somewhat obscure sentence in Genest's description of the plot.

54

1731.

55

Probably the "Mourning Bride" – (Zara by Mrs. Pritchard) – is meant. "Zara" does not seem to have been played.

56

Should be 5th of May 1737.

57

It is occasionally revived. —Doran MS.

58

1731.

59

Quin's last appearance was for Ryan's benefit; but it was at Covent Garden, and he played Falstaff – 19th March 1753.

60

I think this must be a misprint for fourteen years.

61

In the second edition Dr. Doran says: "After he passed to Lincoln's Inn Fields, Rich designed to bring forward the 'Merry Wives of Windsor,' but no one seemed daring enough to undertake Falstaff. 'I will venture it,' said Quin, 'if no one else can be found.' 'You!' cried Rich, 'you might as well try Cato after Booth. The character of Falstaff is quite another character from what you think. It is not a little snivelling part that any one can do; and there isn't any man among you that has any idea of the part but myself!' Ultimately Quin 'attempted' the part; his conception of it was admirable, and the house willingly flung itself into a very storm of hilarious jollity."

62

I do not understand what is meant here. Mossop could not be said, in any sense, to succeed Quin.

63

This conveys a very wrong impression. "Athelstan" was played thirteen times; that is, it was a great success at the time. Dr. Browne did not destroy himself until ten years after "Athelstan's" production.

64

These lines were written by Berenger, Deputy-master of the Horse.

65

March 1574-75; that is, as we should say, March 1575.

66

The Fountains had their patent as early as 1673.

67

This performance took place in 1719; four years after the above date, not eleven.

68

There was no connection between these two events, as the theatre in Carrubber's Close was not built till 1736.

69

She was probably born some years earlier. Wilkinson says she was about forty-four when she gave up the stage – that is, in 1757.

70

This is a popular error. Miss Betty Barnes (afterwards Mrs. Workman) was the Macheath; Woffington played Polly.

71

She made her first appearance in a speaking part on 12th February 1737, but she had been engaged as a dancer for some years previously.

72

The correct form of the story is that Garrick grumbled at the strength of the tea, remarking that it was as red as blood.

73

These verses were really written by Sir Charles Hanbury Williams.

74

This is very fanciful. Mrs. Bellamy does not hint that Mrs. Woffington had anything to do with her faint. In fact she sneers at her playing of Jocasta.

75

This incident occurred in January 1751, about fifteen years before Mrs. Cibber left the stage.

76

Murphy's statement is not made seriously; it is simply a joke.

77

Cibber did not offer to do it; he was indeed rather forced into the part. His own words are: – "I durst not refuse."

78

January 1695-96; that is, 1696.

79

"The London Cuckolds" ceased to be an institution on Lord Mayor's Day within fifty years of this time.

80

There is every reason to believe that Sandford never played Richard; and, indeed, the play does not seem to have been produced once during his career. Cibber says he founded his playing on the general style of Sandford, trying to act as he thought Sandford would have done.

81

Cibber certainly kept his temper, but he can hardly be said to have been specially courteous, when his most powerful weapon was a story of Pope's misadventure in a house of ill-fame.

82

It was played eleven times.

83

Should be October 1758.

84

Should be Maddox. Mattocks was a singer and actor.

85

I presume Dr. Doran does not mean that Garrick went abroad immediately on Barry's departure. Barry went to Ireland in 1758; Garrick did not travel till 1763.

86

Patty.

87

Should be Lacy Ryan.

88

I think Dr. Doran must have confused Cassio and Cassius, in which latter Ryan was excellent.

89

Lacy Ryan.

90

He was on the stage not quite six years.

91

Another version, and a better, of his saying is: – "Barry and I still remain, but tragedy is dead on one side."

92

Should be December 1765. Her name is in the bill for the last time on 13th December 1765.

93

On 10th December 1763.

94

In the Memoirs of Bannister a speech to this effect is attributed to Waldron.

95

This is scarcely accurate. The fault referred to was that of "too loud and profuse expression of grief;" or, as Garrick put it, "She was apt to blubber her grief."

96

I think Dr. Doran must mean twoscore years. Havard made his first appearance in 1730; his last in 1769.

97

"Zingis" was played eleven or twelve times, an indubitable proof of success.

98

Played nine times.

99

Yet it was played ten times!

100

"Alonzo" was a fairly successful play, being acted eleven times.

101

This conveys a very wrong impression, and is founded upon a reported speech of one particular person, who, when asked whether he had hissed, said, "How could I? A man can't hiss and yawn at the same time." The piece ran for nine nights, so Kelly must have made some money by it, and he got £200 from the booksellers for the copyright.

102

The letter is dated 19th November 1773.

103

Should be his fourth appearance.

104

It should be 28th November 1776.

105

This is very doubtful. Cooke, who tells the story, merely says that Garrick pronounced Weston's Abel Drugger "one of the finest pieces of acting he ever saw."

106

These two words – "in argument" – are not in Davies's fourth edition.

107

Davies (fourth edition) has "vice."'

108

Davies (fourth edition) has "audacious."

109

"Strut-and-whisker parts" is the expression used.

110

This is a very mild version of the story, which may be found in John Taylor's "Records of my Life." Lord Darnley, not Sir Hanbury Williams, was the hero.

111

On 20th January 1776. Garrick was the original representative of Sir Anthony Branville, the part alluded to.

112

It is in connection with this preparation that Wilkinson gives the peculiarly indecent specimen of Garrick's humour.

113

I cannot reconcile these figures with the bills.

114

Walpole's expression is "is having her picture," which, as I understand it, does not mean wearing her portrait.

115

September 19.

116

Full justice has been done to Garrick's character by modern dramatic historians, and notably by Mr. Percy Fitzgerald.

117

It is perhaps scarcely worth noting, but the form of this speech seems to me so much better as given by Cooke, that I venture to quote it: – "Pray, sir, don't disturb me; consider, I am now at my rehearsal."

118

I cannot help remarking that Dr. Doran does not give Mossop anything like his proper importance. He was one of the three great actors of his period: Garrick, Barry, Mossop. I may also say that the date of his death is uncertain. It may have been 1775.

119

There are one or two trifling inaccuracies in this, and the preceding paragraph, which are scarcely deserving of separate notes; but which I cannot altogether pass by. Chetwood, from whom all this information is taken, says that Miss Raftor was only twelve when she used to watch Wilks. He also states that her mother had a handsome fortune, so that her household was probably not poor. Her first salary he gives as twenty shillings.

120

This is the date always given for Mrs. Clive's marriage, but it is curious that her name appeared in the bills as Miss Raftor up to 3d October 1733. On the 5th of the same month it is Mrs. Clive.

121

1734.

122

Mrs. Clive was not the original representative of this character. The comedy was produced in 1704, when Mrs. Lucas played Edging.

123

1717 is generally given as the year of his birth.

124

Should be Fitzfrolick.

125

Should be "Henry IV – part 1st."

126

Macklin was the original Buck; but when Foote produced the farce, during his own engagement, he played the part himself.

127

During the period here referred to, Foote played the part.

128

He certainly played during this summer, but probably only for a short period.

129

This is very inaccurate. "The Cozeners" was produced in 1774, and Dodd was not hanged till 1777.

130

Jackson who, as "Curtius," threatened Garrick. —Doran MS.

131

Edwin made his first appearance in London in 1776, as Flaw, in "The Cozeners."

132

Should be Miss Farren.

133

There is a slight confusion here. The company opened at the Haymarket in September. They did not go to Drury Lane till April.

134

Boaden's "Fontainville Forest" might be added.

135

I do not think this was Thompson's translation.

136

Should be Cumberland.

137

Reynold's "Fortune's Fool" might be added.

138

Translated by Thompson.

139

Genest says "attributed to Holcroft, but really written by Fenwick."

140

Mrs. Inchbald's "Wise Man of the East" might be added.