Beard followed his blow with the opera of Artaxerxes, in which the fongs were set to most delightful music by Arne. In fhort, the people were allured this year by nothing but the power of found and fingfong; Shakespeare and Garrick were obliged to quit the field to Beard and Brent.

Mr. Garrick had long meditated a journey to the continent; and I cannot but suppose, that the several disagreeable occurrences which attended the last year of his management had contributed to quicken his refolution of leaving for a time his native country. His own and Mrs. Garrick's health were not fo firm as their friends and the public wifhed. The baths of Padua were celebrated for their healing power in certain disorders, and pronounced efficacious in Mrs. Garrick's cafe. Exercise, amusement, and change of air, were what He feemed principally to want. To a mind active and inquifitive, such as Mr. Garrick's, the knowledge of foreign customs would afford inftruction as well as entertainment. The theatres on the con

VOL. II.

F

tinent,

tinent, with their multifarious exhibitions, might, in all probability, furnish him with proper materials to enrich his own dominions on his return home. His inclination to travel might gain additional strength from two other motives, very incidental to the human breaft; the defire of increafing his importance, by not being so often feen; and convincing the public, that the fuccefs and fplendour of the ftage depended folely on himself. He fet out for Dover, in his way to Calais, the 15th of September, 1763, accompanied by Mrs. Garrick, who, from the day of her marriage till the death of her husband, had never been. separated from him for twenty-four hours.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXIV.

State of the stage during Mr. Garrick's abfence on his tour to the continent-Mr. Powell, a young actor, favoured by Mr. Lacy and Mr.Colman-Greatly applauded and followed-His fondness for the profeffion of acting-Confequence of the dif pute between him and a low comedianHis merit rewarded.

WHEN

HEN Mr. Garrick fet out on his travels, he did not leave his theatre. unprovided of fome fupport during his abfence: he engaged Pompeio, an Italian finger; and he recommended to his partner, and Mr. George Garrick his brother, whom he had appointed his substitute in his abfence, the performing of fome musical pieces, and fuch fort of ftage entertainment chiefly as would please the fight and charm the ear.

The joint labours of the machinist, the painter, and the mufician, with a very F 2

fmall

portion

portion of the poet's art, he knew would produce a confiderable effect upon an audience fuch as the English, which is composed of all ranks and degrees of people.

He had, befides the giving this important advice, during the fummer months, inftructed a young gentleman, whose name was Powell, in feveral characters, and particularly the Philafter of Beaumont and Fletcher, and Pofthumus in Shakespear's Cymbeline. But notwithstanding these helps, he had fo juft an opinion of his own personal ftrength, and the great chaẩm which his abfence muft create in the operations of the theatre, that he affured his partner he would write to him. from every stage of his journey; and if his prefence should be found to be abfolutely neceffary, he would be in London at a very short warning.

Powell had the good fenfe, by a most obliging manner and polite address, to recommend himself to Mr. Lacy and Mr. Colman. The latter was induced, either by defire of Mr. Garrick, or his own

opinion of the merit of the play, to make Philafter a proper entertainment for a modern audience, by retrenching superfluous fcenes, as well as licentious expreffions; and with the addition of new matter to connect the ftory more dramatically.

The young actor had not only the advantage of Mr. Garrick's inftructions, but of Mr. Colman's advice, who conftantly attended the rehearsal of Philafter, and was of great fervice to the performers, from his acquaintance with the drama,

Mr. Lacy, as well as Mr. Colman, had formed a high opinion of Powell's merit; and indeed he did not difappoint their expectations; for to a very brilliant and critical, though candid audience, he gave very great fatisfaction and pleasure; they crowned his first endeavours repeatedly with loud and univerfal approbation. Foote was in the boxes, and was the only fnarler in the houfe; he endeavoured to laugh those who fat near him out of their feelings, but the power of nature was too strong for the efforts of wit.