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THE

LIFE

OF

DAVID GARRICK, Esq.

CHAPTER I.

Some account of Mr. Garrick's family...... His early acquaintance with Mr. Walmsley and Dr. S. Johnson...... His voyage to Lisbon .....Return to England... .Becomes pupil to Dr. Johnson.....Sets out in company with him for London.

I shall

ALL excellence has a right to be recorded. therefore think it superfluous to apologize for writing the life of a man, who, by an uncommon assemblage of private virtues, adorned the highest eminence in a publick profession.

In a narrative of Mr. Garrick's life will unavoidably be included many theatrical anecdotes, and a variety of observations upon several comedians of both sexes, who distinguished themselves by superiority in their profession. Their merits I shall endeavour to display, and their characters I intend to delineate with truth and candour.

The grandfather of Mr. Garrick was one of those unhappy French protestants, who, upon the revoca

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tion of the Edict of Nantz, sought for an asylum in England.

was

The father of Mr. Garrick, whose christian name was Peter, obtained a captain's commission in the army, and generally resided at Litchfield. His son David was born when he was on a recruiting party in Hereford; and baptized, as appears by the register, in the church of All Saints in that city, February the 28th, 1716. His mother's maiden name Clough, daughter to one of the vicars in Litchfield cathedral. Captain Garrick was a man of an amiable disposition, and much respected for his affable demeanour and agreeable conversation. Mrs. Garrick, though not beautiful in her person, was very attractive in her manner; her address was polite, and her conversation sprightly and engaging: she had the peculiar happiness, wherever she went, to please and to entertain. Though restrained in their circumstances, Captain Garrick and his wife were visited by the best families in Litchfield.

Young Garrick was a most sprightly and diverting boy; he engaged the attention of every body who knew him. Mr. Walmsley, register of the Ecclesiastical Court in Litchfield, a gentleman much respected, of very considerable fortune, and a friend of Captain Garrick, took early notice of him; he would often unbend himself by listening to his odd ques tions, and divert himself with his smart repartees and frolicksome actions. When young Garrick was about ten years of age, he was put under the care of Mr. Hunter, master of the grammar school at Litchfield.

This gentleman was an odd mixture of the

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