to his duty nor sent any excuse! There was no one to take the part, and they had to cut out his scenes altgether. There was a wretched house. "The School for Scandal" was down for the next night, and again Parsons could not play. No wonder the harassed prompter said they were in a dreadful situation. The worst symptom was the inferior player venturing on such liberties. What a change from the discipline of the late manager, under whose rule no one dared to have offered such disrespect to the public. Their only hope was in the pantomime, got up with gorgeous scenery, and the famous Grimaldi as clown. He was the very life and soul of it; but though galleries and pit were full, the boxes were thin.

His

Mr. Garrick died on January 20th, 1779, and as his friend Johnson said justly, "eclipsed the gaiety of nations and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure." retirement had been a series of ovations, during which he had presented most of his favourite characters. Friends came even from Paris to see him. During his twenty-nine years' management he is said to have accumulated a sum of 140,000l., and living at all times at "no mean expense." Taking him for all in all, he was, as we have said, a truly remarkable man, distinguished as an author, actor, manager, business man, and a most agreeable and recherché member of society; the best of husbands, a just, honourable man, liberal in important things, for which he prepared himself by being careful (or penurious, his enemies said) in trifles.

Within the next few years the ranks of the drama were filled up by Miss Farren, Edwin, and Henderson, who all appeared at the Haymarket. But Garrick's loss was soon to be repaired, and two stars were to arise in the persons of Mrs. Siddons* and her brother, John Kemble. She appeared

It has often been noted how ineffectual mere description is in giving an idea of acting. The only approach is in good and sincere imitation. My

on October 12th, 1782, the Drury Lane management being lucky enough to secure her services. Her brother made his appearance the following year, on September 30th. The extraordinary success of this accomplished pair was as assured as it was lasting. It may be doubted if any female tragedian from any country has exceeded her in force and effect.

Another highly important addition to the stage was Mrs. Jordan, the unsurpassed hoyden of the stage, whose gaiety and sense of rustic fun was found irresistible. This, as is well known, was not her name, which was Francis, but one given her by the eccentric Tate Wilkinson.

The year 1781 witnessed the production, at Covent Garden, of the wonderful and truly admirable comedy, "The Man of the World"-wonderful because the work of so old a man as Macklin then was. It was the powerful work of a powerful mind, which triumphed over many obstacles. The terrible picture of a Scot alone was certain to raise up opposition, but I venture to say that a more masterly, fresh, and well-drawn character does not exist. "This play," says the author of the biography, "which in respect to originality, force of mind, and well-adapted satire, may dispute the palm with any dramatic piece that has appeared within the compass of half a century, was received with the loudest acclamations in Ireland about seventeen years before, under the title of The True

friend, Mr. Fladgate, well known as the friend of the Kemble family and of all that was dramatic in his day-himself an excellent and experienced critic— was not long since alluding to one of her famous bursts in "The Gamester," where, at the end, Beverley being charged with his villanies, she exclaims, "No. It was not so! He could never," etc. This has often been described, but seemed to convey little idea. But catching enthusiasm from his recollections, her friend conveyed an admirable picture of the scene. She started from the ground, where she had been kneeling, there was an agitated struggle of words contending with each other, accompanied by a frantic gesture to supply their want. Then, with a hysterical sort of passionate remonstrance, as though calling on all the world to hear her, she seemed with a piteous vehemence to plead for him. "N-o-o (this a sort of shriek), it was not!" etc.

born Scotchman,' in three acts. In London, however, an official leave for its exhibition was repeatedly denied; and our audiences are indebted for the pleasure they have since derived from it to the death of Mr. Capell, the late sub-licenser of the Theatres Royal. This scrupulous petty placeman had long preferred what he conceived to be the bias of a Court to the innocent gratification of the public. His sagacity on a former occasion, also, should not be forgotten. He once prohibited the rehearsal of an opera because he thought the situation of Pharnaces too nearly resembled that of the Young Pretender; nor, till a minister of state interposed his authority, would our guardian eunuch of the stage indulge the lovers of music with this favourite entertainment. Provident dulness could have dug no deeper grave for its literary remains. The wonderful old man (Macklin) performed the leading character himself with infinite spirit and breath."

CHAPTER II.

THE REBUILDING OF DRURY LANE THEATRE.

THE month of June, 1787, was to witness the first stirrings of serious revolt against the principle of the patent monopoly, and therefore marks an era of great importance. Though the attempt was defeated for the time, it was certainly a substantial one, and brought the question, to use a well-known phrase, within the domain of practical politics. Mr. John Palmer had conceived the idea of erecting a new playhouse, and assuming the most extraordinary and baseless hypothesis that was ever used to support a speculation, obtained the money and proceeded to build his house. He selected the quarters where the old Goodman's Fields Theatre stood, being Wellclose Square. He chose to take for granted that some magistrates of this district being willing to grant him a licence, and the governor of the Tower giving his sanction as from one of the royal palaces, his authority was complete. The Royalty Theatre accordingly rose from its foundation, to the satisfaction of the inhabitants and taverns, and houses of call were soon established about it. The foundations were laid with great pomp, processions, etc., and the whole wus nearly completed and ready for opening when the patentees unmasked their batteries, and a notice came from the Drury Lane, and

Covent Garden, and Haymarket patentees declaring they would suffer no infringement of the patent. Palmer had actually engaged Garrick, Johnstone, Mrs. Wells, and others, and had made preparations for a regular dramatic season. Appeals were made to the public, the usual " case" was drawn up; but the patentees were resolute, and the new manager had the mortification of being obliged to open his theatre for one night for a charity, so as to escape the penalties of the law, and of closing it immediately. He had to content himself with a speech. Nothing more rash or unbusinesslike could be pointed out even in the annals of theatrical management. The case seemed hard; but, before venturing on such a step, he should have made sure of his ground. Counsel's opinion-that of the well-known Mr. Bearcroft-was taken as to playing burlettas, farces, etc. Nothing could be shorter or more simple than the response:

I am of opinion that no licence under the 26 Geo. II. c. 36, can authorise the performance of any entertainments of the kind described in the query, and falling within the meaning of the 10 Geo., and consequently that the performers in such entertainments will be liable to be proceeded against under the last-mentioned Statute and that of 17 Geo. II. I am aware that the practice has been otherwise, but I have always thought it illegal. EDWARD BEARCROFT.

Lincoln's Inn, June 29th, 1787.

A simple reference to the Act of Geo. II. is clear even to a layman:

No person shall for hire, gain, or reward, act, represent, or perform, or cause to be acted, etc. etc. any interlude, tragedy, comedy, play, farce, or other entertainment of the stage, except under a patent from the Crown, or a licence from the Lord Chamberlain, as by said Act is provided.

To the layman of "good common sense" nothing can be clearer than the meaning of an entertainment of the stage,"