monds! my Lord, (in some confusion,) yes, a mi. lion, by G-d." "And why would you sacrifice three tricks by not playing one?"-" Because (said one of the party) Garrick would not let him,"

Thus did his jealousy and self-love prevail over reason and experience; and thus did he subject himself to continual taunts and reproaches, because he would not suffer another to reach that point of fame which he acquired, with infinitely higher pretensions than his own.

The jealousy of Quin and Cibber, so far from injuring Garrick the least in his well-earned reputation, helped to increase it; as it called upon the attention of the best critics to study such a phanomenon the closer, and be satisfied themselves, as well as give the ton to others, "whether the general praises ascribed to this actor, were the sudden effusions produced by novelty, or the effects of real merit?"

Mr. Pope, amongst others, though at that time rather in the decline of health, was persuaded by Lord Orrery to see Garrick at Goodman's Fields; and though he had all the prejudice about him of a long and intimate acquaintance with Betterton, (whose talents he so much admired as an actor, and whose conversation and character he so much valued

valued as a man, that he painted a picture of him, lately in the possession of William Lord Mansfield,) yet such was the force of genius, operating upon a man of candour and true discernment, that he told Lord Orrery, after the performance, "he was afraid the young man would be spoiled, for he would have no competitor."

What particular play it was that Pope saw him in, we have no account. Macklin could not remember it, though he could the observation of the Poet; and Davies, who afterwards wrote Garrick's life, is equally silent: the presumption therefore is, (Pope seeing him at Goodman's Fields,) that it was either King Richard; or Bayes, in The Rehearsal; as these were the two principal characters he performed on that Theatre.

The praises of Garrick, though loud and universal, did not seduce his understanding; but, on the contrary, led him to consider how to preserve it, so as to establish his reputation on a firm and permanent basis. Accordingly, when he quitted Goodman's Fields, and made his engagements with Fleetwood in the spring of 1742, he dismissed many of those characters which he performed in the city; such as Clodio, Jack Smatter, the Ghost in Hamlet, &c. &c. and aspired to higher walks, such as would bring him on a level with the Bettertons, the Booths, and Wilks of former times; for, feeling his own force, he knew

H 4

knew of no over-awed timidity, but was zealous of trying the bow of Ulysses with his ablest competitors.

With this view, he consulted Macklin and Dr. Barrowby (a very eminent Physician and Critic at that time, and of whom more will be said hereafter) about the part of Lear, which they for some time paused upon, as a character rather of too much weight and variety for so inexperienced an actor: they, however, referred him to himself; adding, "that if he felt equal to the conception and execution of the part, he was the best judge." Garrick answered in the affirmative; and the Tragedy of Lear was announced for representation. He, however, previously stipulated that his two friends sl ould sit in judgment on him the first night, ad report their opinions faithfully to him afterwards,

To this both Macklin and Barrow by agreed; and, though the fascinating powers of this great actor had their usual influence with the generality of the audience, these two critics, acting like real friends, made rather an unfavourable report to him the next morning. They said, that, although he was dressed very appropriate for the character of Lear, he did not sufficiently enter into the infirmities of a "man fourscore and upwards:" that in the repetition of the curse, at the close of the

first

first act, he began it too low, and ended it too high; that reversing this, in a great measure, would have a better effect; only by letting his rage fall off towards the close, and melt itself in the pathetic: that he had not dignity enough for a King in the prison scene: and that he was particularly defective in the following speech of the fourth act, scene 5.

"It were an excellent stratagem

To shoe a troop of horse with felt:

I'll put it in proof-No noise-no noise-
Now will we steal upon those sons in law,
And then-kill-kill-kill——

by raising his voice too high in the first part, and letting it down too much in the last line; whereas the very text of "no noise-no noise," intimated, it should be repeated in a voice not much above a whisper; whilst the words "kill-killkill," should be given in all the loud-toned fury of revenge.

Whilst Macklin and Barrowby were thus freely commenting on the actor, the latter had his pencil in his hand, noting the several passages and observations; which, when he had concluded, "he thanked them, said it exactly met his then better judgment; and, as a proof of it, promised them he would not play the same character till he had made himself absolute master of the very kind and judicious hints which he then received."

Recollecting

Recollecting afterwards, however, that the play was advertised for the next week, he would not disappoint the public; and he appeared again in Lear, which Macklin said he played rather worse than the first night; and this he very judiciously attributed to the sudden difficulty that arose in getting rid of his old habits, and adopting the new. The performance, on the whole, was respectable; and the Tragedy, though much called for by the town, was laid upon the shelf for six weeks.

At the end of this period, Lear was again advertised; and his two friendly critics, eager to see his, or rather their own, improvements, begged hard to be present at the rehearsal; but Garrick was resolute to the contrary: he answered, "If there should be any little thing not quite right, being told of it so near the performance, it might hurt his feelings in the execution, as he experienced on the second night, after their friendly admonitions-that he would rather trust to have his defects corrected afterwards, which he could better do at his leisure, than run the risk of a present embarrassment."

There was an observation in this reply which satisfied his friends, and they contented themselves with waiting for the first night of its revival. We have often heard Macklin speak of this night with