THE KEEPERS OF VLORA: REVENGE OF THE SORCERESS

Morris, of the Haymarket — Serious and much-to-be-rcgretted event — Great and wilfully exaggerated misrepresentations respecting it — Its inefficiency and ill consequences. Sickness — Pleasure of making apologies to an operatic audience — Confinement — Correspondence — Calumny — A very great man — Letter from a prime minister — Delays and delights of litigation — " Kcnihvorth" — Newspaper corre- spondence Kemble and Covent-Garden — Mr.

Cundee and the Pantheon — Mr. Honey man, and the Surrey Theatre — Mr. Honeyman — Arbitration — Verdict against the Haymarket. Kemble's definition of true independence — Easter campaign at Sadler's Wells— " Mrs. Jones and Lord Miichoster — Actors' interpolations — Sum- mary of all my dramatic attempts at all the theatres — Dedi- catory inscriptions — Unfinished works — Mr. Symptoms of separation h la Fielding — Death of Mr.

Whitbread's private theatricals — Rev. Plumptre, at once a zealous reformer and liberal defender of theatri- cals — Death of Talma — Fatalities — The Lottery — Increase of London amusements — Private theatres — Autobiographical road-book — Running to seed — Lamented loss to the Drama — Concluding lines to the Bard of Poor Jack. In the commencement of Mr. Cherry, of Drury-Lane Theatre, agreed with Mr. EUiston asked on what terms I would finish the piece for the benefit of the widow: Arnold to meet him at his house in Golden-square without loss of time. I first called at the Surrey Theatre, where I found Messrs.

EUiston, Dowton, Rus- sell, Mrs. Edwin, and Miss F. Kelly great names for a minor estciblishment! Dowton informed me why I was sent for ; his intelligence was corroborated by several others ; and when I breakfasted next morning with Mr. Arnold, that gentleman was much astonished to find me already in possession of his intended proposal, and the exact terms on which he meant to make it, as he had only con- fided them to one person. Our business was however soon arranged: To write to my old patron, was always to be sure of a kind reply ; and what he sent in this case is a pleasing proof.

I congratulate you very sincerely on the appoint- ment offered you so handsomely at Drury-Lane, and that you will no longer have to depend alto- gether on the at best precarious produce of your pen. I think you have very prudently and pro- perly drawn a line of distinction between your literary and your managerial efforts. You will always find me ready and desirous of giving every assistance and protection to any work of yours, to the best of my ability; but I am clearly of opinion, that in no instance it would be advisable for you to stand forth as the avowed author ; there- fore your attendance at rehearsals would be out of the question.

Best compliments to Mrs. Harris's taste, it should be acted at Covent-Garden. I had finished my "Metrical History," nearly all of which, for want of other time, while I was ma- naging the Surrey Theatre, was written after twelve o'clock each night ; observe, ladies and gentlemen! Elliston to quit his bargain, offered a consideration, and at length fairly explained ; but he was not inclined to relinquish his purchase: I believe it is now very scarce. Dibdin had been adequate to such a pro- duction. EUiston recited Lord Byron's prize address on the occasion; and for several nights after, the audience were annoyed by unsuccessful candidates, who dis- puted the judgment of the Committee appointed to select the address from the immense number offered ; and one gentleman, who came on the stage, and insisted on reciting his rejected off- spring, was only restrained from doing so by being taken into custody.

As there was no ridicule of deformed folks in the pantomime, I had no apprehensions of those whose backs were so awfully up, and had the pleasure to see the curtain fall unaccom- panied by a single token of disapprobation ; and the pantomime was acted forty-eight nights, which is more than I can say of a farce I produced at Covent-Garden under the title of " Schniederkins," which was soon withdrawn. Our dramatic novelties were not very fortunate. Sheridan ; and a farce from the French, by Mr. My play of " the Birth-day ' was several times very successfully acted, through the powerful aid of Messrs.

Bannister and Dowton ; and Mr. Ban- nister, at his benefit, delivered selections from his Budget, part of which I had written for him, wiih great applause. Jordan both acted on one night, towards the close of the season, for the benefit of the Drury-Lane Theatrical Fund. I have never seen either lady since. The first time I saw Mrs. Siddons as my mamma, by virtue of the heathen my- thology, on the boards of Old Drury, is as vivid in my recollection as my last time of seeing her in Lady Randolph ; and though I may never have the pleasure of seeing her again.

U it will be many years before I can assuredly say, as of the sister Muse who acted with her that night, — She ivas. The Drury-Lane Theatrical Fund, through the zeal of the two great actresses whom I have named, and all concerned, had a great benefit ; as the British prisoners of war in France had also. On the last evening of the season, the new prompter of Drury-Lane had no reason to complain of his own benefit niofht ; and that nothing- mi2: Notwithstanding all these desirable matters, there were points in my situation which rendered it any thing but enviable: I still however had the welfare of my mother, sister, and several other relatives, as well as that of my wife and my two children, to think of; and I, who had been used to the confidential, liberal, and fatherly govern- ment of emperor Harris ; the friendship and bro- therly regard of viceroy Lewis ; not forgetting the truly royal administration of king Colman, before he had partners ; — had now to see, hear, and feel a very considerable difference in all that related to my situation.

A prompter's appoint- ment is never a complete sinecure, or rather it is always one of the extremest points that can be imagined as to distance from such a situation: Now I had two managers to please, who seldom pleased each other ; and as I could never please more than one at a time, I had hard work as Alderman Swain, at the beginning of this elaborate work, advised respecting Squire Cecil to " carry my dish even ;" and if I accomplished this, there was a higher power, and a still more difficult one to please, in the chief man of the ruling committee ; the head manager being king, and the said gentleman " viceroy over him.

Dibdin might be told as much: Dibdin was told as much, he thought it much more than he ought to have been told: A circumstance occurred one day, on the eve of which I received another verbal message, of the kind to which I have alluded, from the fount of authority, which I shall mention. The only instance of atten- tion to my comforts I ever received, was when a gentleman in office begged, on the occasion I refer to, that I would allow him to hold the book while I retired to my room, and expelled some of the effects of the frost from my fingers.

I availed myself of this permission, for such it was ; and returning to my place in a quarter of an hour, was told Mr. Whitbread had asked for me: I naturally, however, supposed that he who sent me away must have told the director as much, and thought no more of it; till, by way of sauce piquofite to my dinner, I received, by one of the house messengers, an- other half-angry communication, to which I wrote a reply and remonstrance.

This produced the following answer: Ward yesterday, and Mr. Arnold did communi- cate the contents to me of the one you wrote him on the same subject. Arnold, I believe I put down the words ' never present,' which certainly was not intended by me to bear the literal meaning which you have put upon it, and which has therefore given you, unnecessarily, so much uneasiness ; quite aware your absence might be satisfactorily explained, and not in- tending to convey any imputation upon you.

You have now before you the whole state of the case, and I think you will perceive there is no ground for the offence you appear to have taken: I am sure there was not any intended by me. I feel it necessary to make observations on every commission and omission I perceive at the theatre, or any thing that bears the appearance of either ; and I always receive satisfactory ex- planations with pleasure.

It will be seen that I have an- ticipated dates in here introducing it ; but as it is connected with the subject on which I was writing, it is as well here as in a future chapter.

Traiter L'acné Sans Pilule Jambon

With respect to the difficulty a prompter has to encounter in attempting to give general satis- faction to a company of performers, it requires but few words to evince the impracticability of a Consummation so devoutly to be wished: Should an actor be imperfect in his part, let the prompter be as watchful as Argus, or as diligent as Industry personified, " he shall not escape cen- sure" from the person who is imperfect, and who is, of course, ever anxious to avert blame from himself by transferring it to the prompter.

He is also the officer appointed to return the names of those who, for absence, negligence, or misconduct, have violated the rules of the theatre, and incurred fines ; and, in the course of thirty-five years experience, I never knew any prompter, from the great and whimsical Jemmy Wild, down to myself, — " Can't go lower, you know! Again, whenever a ] art is given out for study. Come we now to the re-opening of Drury- Lane in , and the commencement of my second season.

We began on the 11th of Sep- tember, and on the 27th Mr. Stephen Kemble made his appearance in Falstaff. Ray- mond, who lived in Chester-street, Grosvenor- place, observed to me that Mr. Stephen Kemble being alone in town, ought to be invited to take an oyster, after performing, by some of the esta- blishment, and regretted that the distance at which he Mr. Raymond resided from the thea- tre made it impossible for him to do the honours: Kemble's company several evenings to supper, and once or twice to dinner, during the twelve nights he played at Drury, in my new apart- ments in Great Russell-street.

Kemble gave me a warm invitation to the North, but 1 was always too much occupied to avail myself of it: John Taylor then of the Sun newspaper , Mr. I once since had the pleasure of dining with Mr. Kem- ble at the house of Mr. Francis, in Long- Acre: Kemble proposed to engage with me, and speak an address nightly in the character of FalstafF: The last time I saw him was when he was manager of Drury-Lane, when he expressed very kind remembrance of our Russell-street petits souperSy and told me, what to the London antiquarian may convey some interest, viz.

Rich, the prince of Harlequins by the name of Lunn , and the same manager of Covent- Garden who had to contend with such a competitor and actor as Garrick at the rival house: I remember a very beautiful chapel on the ground-plan of your back yard, evidently built by Inigo Jones for the Roman Catholic worship of Prance's VOL. Government gave him a lottery for plate and other curiosities which he had taken in pledge from the nobility and gentry, which lottery was drawn in your house: The house was afterwards oc- cupied by an eminent Roman Catholic woollen- draper of the name of Tancred, who was very opulent, and kept a chair for his wife, which caused your entrance passage to be made so wide.

My late dear grand- father's cordial friend, the celebrated Barton Booth, lived in Charles-street, No. Oldfield lived in South- ampton-street ; Wilkes built the house in Bow- street, next door but one to the theatre ; Garrick and Mackhn lodged in it. I was author of the succeeding novelty, a farce from the French, to which I gave the name of " Who's to Have her? Arnold, from indisposition, had gone to Bath ; Mr. Raymond had not sufficient authority to assist me ; and there was no appeal to any effi- cient power for protection.

Whitbread was in a hurry for the farce ; Mr. Phillips, the prin- cipal singer in the piece, had, during the re- hearsals, permission to go to Bath ; and while anxiously expecting his return, I received the following letter from my manager Mr. By the author of Rejected Addresses. Comfort for an author! Pyne I should think your mark. It is a very hard case both on you and on the theatre; but I advise you not to neglect, for a moment, to prepare a substitute, that the piece may not be delayed beyond Thursday.

I do not know when I shall return, but certainly not in time to witness your success on the first night. Pyne did play the part ; but observe, kind reader! As there was no other ostensible authority in town, I complained to Mr. Pyne to get ready in the rejected part in one day. Whitbread's an- swer was, the farce must be done on the Thurs- day. I could have but one reply, which was that it was impossible. Whitbread wrote, in consequence, — '' Sir, " I received your letter on my return home last night. I beg you to be persuaded that the expressions I used were meant only to convey my anxious desire that that should be done for the benefit of the theatre which I had been led to expect would certainly take place, and not from any perverse or obstinate feeling, on my part, to bring out any thing dangerously and prematurely.

I am a very incompetent judge of the length of time necessary for prepa- ration, and only name Thursday because I know it to have been Mr. Arnold's confident hope and expectation that the farce would be produced that very night ; and I am sure it is very much wanted.

I do not presume to give any direc- tion; and I beg that my wishes may be put quite out of the question when they clash with the interests of the theatre or the author. Raymond must act according to your own judgments. I do not un- derstand how salaries can be paid, if performers will not co-operate to render pieces attractive.

Wishing you and the theatre every possible suc- cess, and desiring by no means to interfere, I am, sir, " Your obedient servant, ''S. T received one hundred pounds from the theatre, and forty pounds from my old pub- lisher Barker for my copy-right. A grand orien- tal spectacle in three acts, which was alternately by report given to Mr. Thomas Sheridan, Lord Byron, and half a hundred other authors, but which was really Mr.

Larpent, the deputy licenser, with a veto, because there were two or three songs which were thought too personal against Bonaparte. In consequence of this un- exampled circumstance, the following hand-bill was immediately circulated: This piece, in one act, was sent to Mr. Larpent's office on Saturday last. Under this extraor- dinary and unlooked-for impediment, it is re- spectfully hoped the public will pardon the disappointment which this postponement un- avoidably occasions. Edwin, and was hailed with applause throughout.

I published the in- terdicted songs in the books sold in the theatre. The words in which Mr. Arnold chose publicly to express the reception of this piece, were, — " it met with the most unequivocal, unbounded, unanimous approbation, and was announced for a second representation without a single dissen- tient voice. Harris highly approved, and accepted: When this farce was nearly finished, the licenser stopped its further progress, and, at the desire of Mr.

Harris, I waited on him in Bedford-street, Bed- ford-square, to inquire what were his objections to it. Larpent would hardly deign to listen to a word I had to say ; and told me, that if the farce were to be acted, no respectable farmer would be able to pass through the streets lest people should cry out, " There goes an old Locust!

On another oc- casion, the run of my opera of " II Bondocani " was stopped in its career on the 33d night. Pitt's quitting office, there happened to be a line in a song sung by Mr. Fawcett, which said, — When fairly kick'd out, I but call it resigning ; which said line had been written as the reader may remember five years before the opera was acted.

At Christmas, my pantomime of " Harlequin Harper, or a Jump from Japan," was well re- ceived, and repeated often through the season: Sheridan's was next performed ; and on Wednesday, January 2Gth, , Mr. Kean made his debut in the character of Shylock. What further hath befallen, or may befal, I by and by may tell you, if at all.

Bannister retires— Death of Mr. Coutts raises the price of gallery tick- ets — Bob Palmer, and the Silver Greyhound. The rapid progress of Mr. Kean in public es- timation, and his unparalleled attraction, which quite restored the already drooping affairs of Drury-Lane, are so well known, that it would be unfair to fill up pages by any length of detail here.

A necessary, but un- expected change of play, on some occasion, caused the usual question, — ''What shall we act? I immediately advised a second appearance of the " new gen- tleman. Raymond said that was also Mr. Arnold's wish ; and Mr. Kean played Shylock again on the first, third, and fifth of February. Remembering Cooke's success in Richard, I strongly recommended Mr. Kean's playing that part, and many voices were against it.

On his first rehearsing the part of Shylock, so little in- terest seemed to be attached to the event of Mr. I apolo- gised to Mr. Kean for this seeming neglect, which he appeared quite indifferent about; and was repaid for his philosophy by seeing his first rehearsal of Richard as fully attended as if it had been an evening's performance.

He did not ' I once amony; many other singular excuses from per- formers for non-attendance received a letter from a lady, deeply deploring her inability to leave home, because she had " got such a head-ache as never was! Wroughton, who was rehearsing King Henry, whispered me, '"This gentleman 's an actor! There were passages however in his Mr. Kean's reading, which did not at all accord with the ideas I had, from long observa- tion, formed of them ; and as a relative of the new performer had introduced him to me rather particularly, with a request that I would be very free and candid in my opinion of his rehearsing, — I took the liberty, when we were alone, of re- marking to Mr.

Kean what I observed: I did so, and returned the book at night, with excuses for having been more copious in my recomrrenda- tions than I had at first intended: It was at this time Mr. Kean's rehearsals of Richard hinted that the under- taking must fail, had, many years before, sat next me at Covent- Garden on the night of Cooke's debut, and remarked the paucity of spectators, I replied, " The thinness of the house, on a first appearance, can be no crite- rion: Cooke played Richard 24, and Kean 25 nights during their respective first seasons.

In brief continuation of this subject, I have to state that some months after Mr. Kean's appear- ance, I received the following note from the lady, who, in the year , had introduced me to Mrs. Garrick's compliments to Mr. The old lady desired to see me relative to a benevolence she wished to be conveyed in a particular manner to a musical person.

It was a very cold day when I waited on her in her late husband's library ; a long room, from one end of which to the other Mrs. Garrick tripped like a girl of eighteen, before T could prevent her, to place a screen between me and a door-way. She still retained just so much of her foreign accent as was agreeable ; and, first salutations over, the commission she wished me to under- take being arranged, refreshments offered and refused, the lady was pleased to say, — " Mr.

Dipdin, I look upon you as a twick of the old school: I go now and then to my box there, and am much pleased with your new actor Mr. Kean pos- sesses considerable talent. I believe you also approved of my friend Mr. Garrick ; but Mr. Kean — it is like Mr. Kean could never have seen Mr. Garrick, who was dead before your new actor was born: Garrick over the fire-place , but he seems to me to choose the very same board to speak them on ; and this, Mr. Kean, when the worth of my husband is still tickling I presume for tingling in my ears.

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Garrick observed much on the superior splendour of modern theatres when compared with those of lier day ; their larger expense in scenery, dresses, appointments, and number of actors. You do more for the people now than we did, and they do less for you than they did for us. When 1 was joint manager with Mr. Garrick to ask a loan of the manuscript of the " Shakspeare Jubilee," written by her husband, and composed by my father ; which she would cheerfully have ac- commodated the theatre with, but it was at Hampton-Court and could not be got at.

I then took my last leave of her.

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Arnold ; and " Intrigue," by Mr. Poole, were all I recollect of novelty during the remainder of a season, which was principally supported by the amazing popularity and attrac- tion of Mr. Kean, notwithstanding much of conflicting opinion on and off the stage. In the course of this winter I made an agreement with Messrs. As I professed to give the original list VOL.

John Kemble, who gave me access to his library, and frequently wrote me the casts himself, as thus: Oldfield ; Lucia, Mrs. I wish these characters were as well represented now-a-days. Thank you a thousand times for your obliging present a book. Forty or fifty numbers of this work were pub- lished: I have this day October the 10th seen advertised the publication of a " Minor Theatre," with my name to it, of which I know nothing.

In August I produced, at the request of Mr. I was paid fifty pounds for it, and sold the copy- right for five-and-thirty. John Taylor of the Sun , and a medical gentleman, — I followed the remains of my father to the grave. It would not become me to say how much I think his talent was under-rated, especially by rival composers, during his life. Through the kind and unremitting zeal of that most amiable and benevolent friend, the late Mr. John Young, of the British Institution, a large subscription was procured, and several highly respectable public meetings held Ad- miral Sir Joseph Yorke presided at the last , for the purpose of erecting a monument to the memory of our national lyrist ; but what ar- rangements have been made since Mr.

Young's lamented death, or when the subscribers are to be informed of the destination of their liberality, or to whose care the funds are entrusted, — my brother and self, as well as our personal friends, remain equally uninformed. The theatre was altered, re-embellished, a new proscenium, with stage-doors, and several private boxes, added, at the expense of nearly fourteen thousand pounds. On the 10th of October I had the misfortune to lose my dear mother: I do not want to fill up my book with episodes ; but I have always thought there is more profitable food for the mind in marking the matter-of-fact progress of men of any pretension to talent, than in all the fascinating pictures of imagination for which our best romance-writers can draw on their resources.

The following, the original of which he gave me, is the first letter he wrote to his Northumberland friends on his arrival in the great metropolis, and is, I think, a very natural Joseph Andrews sort of an effusion: It is the season of amusement, and if I can hit upon any thing of the harmless and diverting kind to present you with, let business wait another post. What a strange place this London is!

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I was laughing at the two fallen heroes, and looking back as I walked on, when, before I was aware, my head encountered a basket of tobacco pipes on a porter's shoulder, and had nearly dismounted it: Christmas is but half Christmas here, and seems very strange to one who has been used to north-country customs: I have not had a single night's diversion but one at Jenny Horsley's sister's, I mean Simpson's the tailor: Twelfth-day is a great day here among the pastry-cooks and the appren- tices ; and young people of the lower class meet together to choose king and queen.

There was in St. Giles's that night a queen who got drunk and broke a chimney-sweep's arm, while a dust- man was sent to the round-house for abusing the king her consort. Would to Heaven every one that abuses the king were served in like manner! We have seen the letter he wrote to me in Soon after I was at Drury-Lane, I had a letter of the deepest distress from him, requesting I would solicit the company of Drury- Lane for subscriptions to realize a pound or two. All the professed saints on the face of the earth are not a hundredth part so ready to assist distress as theatrical performers: Arnold desired me to offer him a situation as housekeeper of the Lyceum.

This was doing my friend a solid and permanent service, and doubled and trebled the good news I had to send poor Mark of the subscription. He came to town — grateful, but spirit-broken, and, as it eventually turned out, heart-broken. I shall, however, without mean- ing the slightest offence to any professional folks, give a fair idea of Lonsdale's professional senti- ments, which he never thought would meet the light, found among his papers after his death ; and which show that he understood something of management, and the interior of a theatre: It is better to go on with the regular chain of management, under no restraint as to particular wishes of particular performers: Arnold, who, though he began at the eleventh hour, completely anti- cipated a piece on the same subject which had been long in preparation at Covent- Garden, I wrote, jointly with Mr.

Arnold, " the Ninth Statue," which proved a golden one to me: Miller applied to the Lord Chancellor for an injunction against this intrusion on the copy-right, which was granted: I was present in court when the ap- plication was made, and heard it argued. As it was necessary to compare the copies. Lord Eldon read part of the first scene in my book aloud. Little did I think, when I was writing it, that I should have the honour of hearing the Lord Chancellor of England gravely recite to his solemn auditory, — " That's a great big bouncer, by St.

The pantomime this season was invented and produced by Mr. Kirby, the clown, who died lately in America: I had to put the recitatives and songs into form for him: On the 6th of March, , my wife pre- sented me with another son, who, as well as his brother, thank God! M undents part of Dozey in this farce was given with the same excellence which characterized his Captain Bertram, Mainmast, and several other parts I had had the good fortune to write for him. On the 1st of June Mr. Bannister bade the stage and his public patrons farewell: Kenny's comedy of " The World" was acted on this occasion ; and, at the conclusion, Mr.

On the 6th of July, Drury-Lane Theatre was closed for that evening, on account of a most melancholy incident, which was thus announced to the public, surrounded by a sable border: I ought also to state, that in the year preceding. Miss Mellon presented me with five pounds for a gallery ticket, and, in the note accompanying it, good-humouredly desired to have a place kept for her. On the occasion of Mr.

Robert Palmer's com- pletion of the 50th year of his engagement at Drury-Lane, I was applied to by Mr. Raymond to draw up a proposal to the company to sub- scribe for some token to be presented to Mr. Palmer, expressive of such an intention. This I embodied in the following words: Whatever was presented to Mr.

Palmer had it been only a silver pencil-case or a pair of sleeve-buttons should have been made expressly for the pur- pose ; instead of which, a second-hand silver sporting cup, with a greyhound on the lid, ran away with our good intentions: Robins's sales, and VOL. To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow. Lamb — Peter Moore, Esq. Bannister — Jack Litchfield — Mr. Soon after the death of Mr. Whitbread, there was a whisper of a change in the management of Drury-Lane Theatre; and, of course, there was to be an alteration in all the official situa- tions.

My engagement as prompter having been made by Mr. Arnold for three years, which ex- pired with the last season, I had every reason to suppose that if that gentleman resigned, those he had brought in would go out with him. Warren, a sort of comptroller among the money and check- takers, and high in committee confidence, " I do not imagine I shall remain as prompter if the management is altered. I stipulated that some gentleman on the stage should be appointed my assistant, with respect to addressing the audience on any occasion ; and also, as I was to be entrusted with much of the correspondence of the house, and other matters transacted in the manager's room, such gentleman would, being actively employed in the stage business himself, without much extra trouble be able to attend to rehear- sals.

I was asked to name my coadjutor, and mentioned my old friend Russell, between whom and Mr. Rae was then proposed to me ; his salary was to be increased from fifteen to eighteen pounds per week ; and, as among five gentlemen there will unavoidably be different opinions, an endeavour was once or twice made by one of the committee to invest Mr.

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Rae with a larger share of the management than belonged to myself, which was exactly the converse of my incipient agreement — even to a proposition not made with the slightest delicacy, that I should keep the prompter's room, and resign the more commodious apartment close to the stage to Mr. I instantly tendered my entire resignation, and at length thought I conceded quite enough in accepting a complete equality of engagement jointly with Mr.

Rae, than whom a more gen- tlemanly or better-meaning co-adjutor I could not have had ; but my years and experience, particularly on that very spot, gave me — I am vain enough to say it, because it is true, — gave me a decided professional superiority, and qua- lified me for a less limited exercise of discretion in almost all technical matters relative to the theatre ; and I can solemnly aver that this feel- ing alone, — a very just one, — gave birth to the desire I had to be unfettered in my zeal for the interests of the establishment. It was very soon arranged by the committee that Mr.

Rae should be immediately dispatched to France, and the sum of fifty pounds voted for his ex- penses, besides his salary. Rae's going there did not produce a single result, good or bad. I had now five masters and a co-adjiitor to go on peaceably Math, before the desires, fears, hopes, and whims of the congregated establish- ment were yet added to my cares: I say mine ; for by the absence of my partner, though ranking only as half manager, I had the whole of the work to do, and all its responsibility: I am quite aware of the delicacy it will require to describe the exact nature of my posi- tion, as connected with the five nobles and gen- tlemen with whom I now had the honour to be daily associated, and with whose proceedings I was so much necessarily identified.

I shall set- out at once with affirming, that no five men ever appeared to, or, I believe, could feel more for the welfare of the theatre, than they did ; or could be more anxious, not merely to fulfil, but to exceed, if necessary, whatever labours their honorable association in the service of Drury- Lane might involve: I hope and believe I conducted myself with equal respect to all ; nor will they deny, that where I thought it my duty to ex- press the different lights in which I but too often beheld points where the good of the theatre was concerned, I gave my sentiments with so little ceremony, as more than once to run great risk, however unintentionally, of giving offence.

George Lamb, the Hon. Douglas Kinnaird, and Mr. It may be remembered by some, that when, at the end of the season, my engagement was not renewed, I addressed a letter to the public, in a style, as one of the public prints termed it, of subdued resentment. After which, all un- pleasant feeling was forgotten ; and I had the honour of being visited, or noticed, in my after government of the Surrey Theatre by all but Lord Byron, who had then finally left England ; and at parting, besides a handsome present from his lordship at my benefit, I had to boast of the follow- ing tokens of the good-will of the whole commit- tee: The Earl of Essex, besides the exer- cise of great hospitality and affable condescension towards me in my frequent visits, by invitation, to Stanhope-street and Cassiobury-park, made me a present of two pies and a picture ; but take this with you, reader!

On my taking a lease of the Surrey Theatre, Mr.

Moore took me to his bankers, Messrs. I should add, that I had constant invitations and often accepted them to the tables of Mr. Lord Byron introduced me to Lady Byron: Lamb gave me an Irish song, and the Hon. Kinnaird gave me — leave to go. Thus I was placed under very considerable obligations to every one. In proof of the urbanity and kindness which prevailed among much good-humoured difference of opinion respecting attainment of the same ob- ject, — I shall take the liberty of producing letters of business from each member of the sub-com- mittee.

I have in my possession between one and two hundred, above sixty of them from the Earl of Essex alone. I shall select only one or two, which were not confidential, and which may serve to show the anxiety of the parties for the business of the house, as also to prove how much of that business I had to attend to.

From Lord Essex, in consequence of one of many appeals or remonstrances from Mr. Rae and myself — and in which I acknowledged the particular kindness of two of the sub- com- mittee, I received, — - " Dear Sir, " I am always glad when you meet with kindness, because I am sure you deserve it. Rae's to the committee, and that every thing will be done, I trust, as you can wish, and I may say, without flattery, as our interests require.

To one of these gazettes Mr. I was sorry, for many reasons, I was forced to leave the committee so early the Friday before last. Your account of our going on is satisfac- tory. LIow is the new tragedy cast? Kinnaird, or some of you, would manage it for me. Voic have your hands full. The best thing in a theatre, next to decisive success, is decided failure: I can write no more: I am arraigned for stealing India rubber, and must defend. Remember me to Mr. I hope to see you all on Monday. Was there a rehearsal of ' Love for Love' to-day, as promised? Lamb is very anxious no time should be lost in getting that out: I entirely agree with him.

Kean play four times a week constantly? I send you something for publication: I cannot give a very favourable account of the piece I was condemned to hear yesterday. Speak to Lord Byron about the ' Spanish Friar: I have written to Paris for the costumes and the music of it. I quite agree with you about the new pieces: Dickons might be successfully introduced in a comic elderly character, and Bellamy's powers of mimicry in the Italian style brought to bear. I am delighted at the prospect of engaging Mrs. There is a tragedy of Mr.

Sotheby with a part for Kean in it. Speak to Kelly about the opera that was to have been for his benefit, — a translation or words made for the music of Mozart, Cosi fan tutte. I am to receive from Raymond to-morrow a good many pieces he has got on with. Will you have the goodness to send them enclosed? I will be at the theatre to- morrow at four o'clock, and shall hope to find you will have been setting all hands to work on what is to be done. How had my weary way been cheered, on my peripatetic tour to Eastbourne, could I have anticipated the subjoined sympathy of a sub-committee man of " the Great Grand" National Theatre!

I found the first so effec- tual, that I never used the second, as you will observe the bottle has never been opened. I think the salts and mint will also relieve you ; but I send the bottle to be at your disposal, take it or not: I wish it speedily.

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I mean two orders for one each — single admission. With regard to the probable effect of the piece, you are the best judge: I hope you got home at last, and that Miss has recovered from the eloquenceof my colleague, which, if it convinced, it is the first time, — I do not mean the first time his eloquence had that effect, — but that a woman could be convinced she was not fit for any thing on any stage.

Dowton should be asked to play Shylock; that " The Maid and Magpie" should be cast, as it is termed, with the strength of the company ; and, in consequence, parts were assigned to Messrs. Dowton and Mun- den, certainly not equal to their talent ; but, as some anxiety was expressed by the com- mittee that no refusal of parts should cast a shade on our opening, we were requested to ascertain, as quickly as possible, whether those gentlemen would or would not undertake the characters.

Our council broke up at three o'clock that day; and I proposed to Mr. Rae, who had recently returned from France, that we should immediately set olF for Tunbridge Wells, where, fortunately, Messrs. Dowton and Mun- den were both playing, in order to read the piece to them, arrange the matter, and return in time to surprise the committee at the usual time of meeting next day. This we accom- plished, as well as the aim of our journey ; got to the Wells to supper ; obtained assent from both gentlemen, who were much pleased with our attention ; set off for town at five in the morning, and gratified the committee at noon with the intelligence that all was as they wished.

Arnold's theatre was yet open ; and where, by the manager's in- defatigable exertions, the Maid of Palaiseau's first appearance took place ; but this was no fault, nor do I think it acted otherwise than well for the interests of Drury-Lane ; the piece having been received with the greatest applause, and repeated, for the short remainder of Mr. Arnold's season, just often enough to give the town an appetite for its continued representa- tion. Such proved to be its effect, when pro- duced on the second night of our season, that the half-price receipts, for many evenings, were above the nightly average of a hundred and forty pounds.

You are requested to convey to the performers of the new piece the grateful sense we entertain of their very handsome, and I need not say suc- cessful, zeal in behalf of the property, for the success of which it will be ever our best reward that all connected with it should feel equally interested.

I beg to congratulate you on this auspicious commencement of Mr. Byrne's co-ope- ration in the ballets, as well as on the first display of Mr. Greenwood's talents under the new ma- nagement: Sirs, your obedient servant, " Douglas Kinnaird. Cooke made his dcbiit in Carlos in "The Duenna," and Mr. Being desired by the committee to sell the copy-right of " The Maid and Magpie" for their friend, who had sent it from Paris, I applied to my old publishers, Whittingham and Arliss, who bid very little.

Lord Byron suc- ceeded better, as his own words to me will certify: Dove, printer, whose address he does not mention: I suppose we have done all for which we could, and have got him a decent price. You should have Mr. Sotheby's tragedy in hand: When will Kean be out? I think he should be announced. Murray is not in town, but at Chi- chester ; his draft is, however, dated London, which I suppose will make no difference.

Dowton played Shylock on the 5th and 12th: I think, had not Miss Nash been almost constantly indis- posed after her engagement, she would have proved a valuable acquisition to the theatre. Lamb and Lord Essex were at this time both from town, I now kept a sort of journal raisonne for each, and sent it by post as often as a sheet was full.

This is another of Mr. We must do something striking to counteract the expected attraction of Mrs. Alsop at the other house ; for though the description of her I have heard from an eye-witness is by no means appalling, still any power of acting, combined with the name of Mrs.

Jordan's daughter, must ensure celebrity for a little time. I have most flattering accounts of Miss Nash from those who have seen her at Bath. Plague on her hoarseness! We have not conquered the turn yet, i. The plan of your harlequinade is the most full of fun of any I ever remember: Kirby's pantomime of last year was ridiculously short. I still have great hopes of a tragedy from Coleridge: Jean Bart at the other house is not to be sneezed at.

I must state that my acquaintance with the attorney who brings it arose entirely from his attachment to the theatre, and eager- ness to recommend some country actors to me. If I get on at the bar by managing a theatre, it will be the most novel rise ever known in any court. Rae, and all friends who remember me. Whittingham and Arliss, of Pater- noster-row, bought the co] y-right. The reader is aware that 1 have never ventured to arraign, or wished to disturb, the verdict of the public ; but in this instance I had strong evidence, l oth before and subsequently to the representation.

The committee, one and all, were of this opinion ; and when I insisted on its being withdrawn, lest the town should imagine I ex- erted undue influence as manager, Mr. Kin- naird who never on any occasion flattered me wrote thus: I think you are too precipitate in withdrawing your farce, and I should like to think twice on that matter before it is resolved on. Please to come, or send word where we can meet this evening: Pray come at two, if you can. I can- not bear to occupy your time, while you have so many other calls on it: Thurs- day, house crammed, — an alderman and his wife nearly squeezed to death.

If you have an inclination to take a little fresh air, return here with my carriage: I shall be happy to see you ; or if your subjects require, this evening, the attendance of both kings, I send up my landau and four horses to-morrow: I have directed my porter to receive your orders. This is my foot upon a stool.

Every mark of equality finishes four out of five of the letters I am here honoured with ; and the ho- nourable gentleman who alone opposed four fifths of my intended measures, and at length disposed of myself, — is the only "obedient servant" I had to boast of in the whole sub-committee.

Poole ; on the 23d, Mr. Leigh's comedy of " Where to find a Friend," the prologue written by Mr. Rae, the epilogue by the Hon. Lamb ; and I wrote a song in the play for Mr. My brother Charles produced a very successful operatic farce called " My Spouse and I," on the 7tli ; Mr. Pope ; the epilogue was not written in time to be spoken this evening. The epilogue was finished, and this even- ing spoken by Mr. Harley with considerable effect.

Lamb is here, and has given me the best account of it. I shall always look back with regret upon those circumstances which prevented our seeing you this moment in com- pany with that respectable young man, Mr. John Horner, who is in the act of putting his finger into the Christmas pie ; and that you may not suppose I have forgotten my old friends, I have sent you one, which I trust will prove 78 AUT0B Covent-Garden, having Gri- maldi to support them, ought to blush scarlet for letting us even cope with them at all ; but letting us beat them, as I understand they have, they ought to drown themselves.

I shall not be at ease till some new first piece is actually in rehearsal: In the outset of my appointment, I had great pleasure in forwarding to Mr. Rae had heartily joined me in applying to tlie committee, and which was thus handsomely acknowledged: Rae for the friendly note which I have just had the pleasure of receiving ; and although it may be proper to acknowledge this extended and additional kindness to the gentlemen of the committee, yet I am well aware that it has been granted at the suggestion of you and Mr.

The privilege it affords me is a very agreeable one, but the manner and the time of its being granted I es- timate infinitely beyond the admission itself. So let it B. A question having arisen as to the remunera- tion which had been usually given to acting or stage managers at Drury-Lane, I took the free- dom of writing to the late Mr.

Wroughton on the subject, who favoured my inquiries with the annexed response. Wroughton had known me from infancy, was a chief mate in the " Keep the Line," and I need not say was held in the highest respect by the whole of the theatrical profession: Barnes, an English lady from the American theatre, made her first ap- pearance in London at Drury-Lane as Juliet, on the 29th of December: She again crossed the Atlantic, and again reigned the favourite of New- York and Philadelphia. In the summer previous to our opening, while I was one day very busy in council with the sub- committee, I was highly gratified by seeing Sir William Rawlins enter the room ; and, address- ing the gentlemen present, he said he had just heard rhat Mr.

He was referred to Mr. Ward the secretary ; and then, turning round, he discovered me, and a very friendly greeting ensued. He warmly invited me to dine with him, and afterwards to accom- pany him on an approaching day's " jollifica- tion "' on board the City Navigation Barge. The latter proposition I gladly accepted, as I was to meet many of Sir William's friends who remem- bered me when a boy.

I wrote a song for the occasion, which was received like another " Lit- tle Cherub;" and — carpe diem — for that day forgot Drury-Lane, the committee, and all but the friends who vied with each other in showing me kindness and civility. Among the distinguished or fashionable cha- racters I have had the pleasure of meeting round the convivial board, through the introduction of Mr. Colman, and my masters of the committee, were Mr. Sheridan and his son, the late Earl Craven and his brother the Hon.

I will pledge my life for his zeal, integrity, and ability in whatever he may be employed. What the line is in which he may be made most useful, Mr. Ward is most competent to explain. Kindle Edition File Size: James Thornburg 6 December Sold by: Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a product review. Get to Know Us. Not Enabled Word Wise: Enabled Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item Would you like to tell us about a lower price? Delivery and Returns see our delivery rates and policies thinking of returning an item?

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