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mark, with either sport or malice, the unfortunate peculiarities of private life. He had, indeed, no temptation whatever to such an abuse of talent. The great, who sought the society of Mr. Kemble, sought it on the only terms which could be honourable to themselves or him. So it was at Wroxton Abbey, that he was welcomed by Lord Guilford :—thus it was that, in the life-time of the late Marquis of Abercorn, he was the happy and honoured guest at the Priory. It was thus that Lord Holland knew and loved Mr. Kemble; thus that the accomplished Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Egremont, Lord Blessington, and a long list of his noble admirers, bestowed a lasting and most cordial friendship with their notice And it was for these perfections of the man, his graceful! calmness, his unobtrusive wisdom, his steady principle, and unshakeable attachment, that he was honoured by the PRINCE OF WALES with invitations to Carleton House, and distinguished by attentions as tasteful as they were gracious. On one occasion, his royal highness, I have heard, smilingly said to Mr. Kemble-"I am afraid that, before so correct a speaker of the English language, I have mispronounced occasionally during our conversation." "Indeed," with great frankness, "Indeed, No, sir," replied Mr. Kemble, "I have heard but a single word in which I at all differ from your royal highness; and about that people are allowed to differ; the word oblige; which I pronounce in the English, and not in the French way."

It is to be remarked, with respect to the pronunciation attributed to the illustrious speaker, that Sheridan, in his dictionary, gives both the modes of speaking the word, without an absolute preference, or decision-oblige and oblege. It is added that, on a subsequent visit, the Prince condescended to take a pinch of snuff from the gold box with which he had presented Mr. Kemble, and sportively remembered the word in question, by saying, "I am obliged to you, Mr. Kemble.”

This I give as I received it, not, in course, from Mr. Kemble himself, from whom such a communication was not to be expected; but I give full credit to the anecdote, because I find it characteristic of the gracious manners of the GREAT PERSONAGE to whom it refers; and expressive of Mr. Kemble's nature, who knew how to combine a manly sincerity with the most profound respect.

CHAP. IX.

Situation of the Covent Garden Theatre.-Reconciliation dinner.-More persecution.-Lewis punishes the Liverpool rioters.-Cooke shipt off to America.-The horses.-Julius Cæsar.-H. Tooke.- Malone.-Retirement of Mrs. Siddons. -A poetical address.- New Drury opened.-Lord Byron's verses.-— -Mr. Kemble leaves Covent Garden for a time.His return and honours.-French tributes.-Mr. Kean.His opening.-How aided.-Miss O'Neill-Anecdote.— Death of Mr. Sheridan.- Mr. Kemble takes leave of the stage-At Edinburgh and in London.-Deputation from Drury Lane.--Public dinner.-Goes to the south of France. -His letter to his brother.Mr. Harris dies.-Mr. Kemble divests himself of his share in Covent Garden.—Negotiation for his old Plays.-Sale of his books and prints.Visits Italy.-Return and death.-His servant Rousham. --Conclusion.

I MUST now revert a little to the old evil, to show how short all conciliation must have been as to giving the proprietors what was vital to the concern. That persons, who refuse sixpence of their own in the pit, will give a shilling for others in the boxes, need excite little wonder. Perhaps, as to the box-frequenters, the shilling, where it was paid, did but compensate slightly for the enormous increase of free admissions, or cheap admissions. Generally speaking, the nightly receipts are not increased. But the blow which was not to be recovered, was the proscription of the private boxes. It is a mortifying proof of human weakness, to consider this subject and its frustration. The proprietors had built like the projectors of Babel, and the confusion of tongues ensued. They had deemed themselves sure of twenty-six boxes at 400/. per annum, amounting to 10,400. What a charming relief, in a season, which, as to the nightly receipts, perhaps produced NOTHING! They had engaged Madame Catalani, that opera frequenters, with all and more than their usual privacy, might miss no part of their accustomed delight; and thus, perhaps, tore away from the King's Theatre many of its greatest supporters. The nerve of Mr. Taylor, however invigorated by his native north, must have been shaken a little by so alarming an invasion. Who even

could surmise its end? The drama, enjoyed with the same comfort as to the opera, might at length become as eligible; and the classical projectors in Covent Garden might even precede the Haymarket in the engagement of any continental prodigy in music or the dance.

Instead of all this, existing but in fancy, we have in future to bear in mind the vast accession of burthen upon the proprietors, with no other relief than could be drawn from very powerful efforts. All the fascinating captivation of their gorgeous theatre blighted; the charm of novelty dispelled untried; a lingering displeasure felt as to the price of admission; and a jealousy as to the few annual boxes, which were still to be retained. It is true that, for a few seasons, the greatest display of their mature talents might yet be hoped from Mr. Kemble and Mrs. Siddons. What leading incidents still claim particular notice, to the retirement of those great performers, I now pro

ceed to relate.

On the 4th of January 1810, the rioters invited Mr. Kemble and Mr. Henry Harris to what was called a reconciliation dinner; but, by a toast, they marked the displeasure that a learned judge had excited, in the action of Clifford against Brandon; and upon Charles Bonnor's venturing to suppose, on the authoriy of Johnson, that reconciliation did not mean rankling hatred, they scouted his humane effort in favour of James Brandon, and would not on the present occasion listen to such a subject. A renewal, however, of the persecution as to the annual or private boxes took place on the following September, and they insisted on the strict performance of the original contract, three private boxes on each side. The proprietors made the attempt to evade it on the plea that parliament had, by the act for rebuilding Drury Lane Theatre, recognised the right to let annual boxes. On the liberality of a properly constituted public, these gentlemen had a claim, which in all probability would have been allowed; but as they could appeal only to a representative body self-elected,-inflated by success, and furious at resistance, they tried the experiment for a week-and then, shutting the house for one more, opened on the 24th of September with a literal performance of the contract.

It probably was the safer course for them to take; yet at this very time, Lewis had obtained a complete triumph at Liverpool over his O. P.s, and had it in his option to convict them of conspiracy; but, at the recommendation of Mr. Baron Graham, the count in the information for conspiracy was given up, and the defendants found guilty only of the riot. I have the pleasure to record that, in the November following, Mr. Attorney General brought them up for judgment, and that two of the

offenders were sentenced to be imprisoned each twelve months in the Castle of Lancaster, another couple for three months, and two more worthies in the same place for two months each. I shall never cease to regret, that the same direct course could not be taken, or taken with equal effect, against the leaders of the London conspiracy; who, in the language of the Attorney General, were men systematically deluding the unwary, and who, with nothing but liberty in their mouths, were in disposition, and principle, and practice, the veriest and most unfeeling tyrants in the world.

That devoted being, Cooke, had, in the beginning of the year, sullied the Roman Father with drunkenness, and made his peace in Richard III.: but, on the opening of the next season, after having announced on the 30th of September to Mr. Henry Harris his intention with Mr. Munden to go to town from Liverpool on the Tuesday following; on the 3d of October, positively sober (so Mr. Cooper says), he was, not inviegled, but conveyed, secretely on board a vessel bound for New York, unknown even to his friends at Liverpool, and shipt off by the American manager with a skill that baffled all resistance. The treaty between them had commenced, it seems, in the month of August ; but I must presume, on the 30th of September, was conceived by Mr. Cooke himself to be at an end. Mr. Cooper was properly anxious on this occasion to vindicate himself from any suspicion of practising upon infirmity; beside that there is a pecuniary temptation about our transatlantic stages, that the profession seemed unable to resist. The Latin adage was verified completely in poor Cooke; he changed none of his habits either on the voyage or in America-skiey influences were not felt by such a mind; and to the astonished Americans he displayed all the professional power and personal inconsistency and debasement, that alternately delighted and provoked the people of England.

On the 18th of February 1811, in pursuance of a plan, which after long meditation they had determined to adopt, the proprietors of this theatre revived the dramatic romance of Blue Beard, with hitherto unequalled splendour. There had certainly been in the mind of Mr. Kemble, a strong reluctance to innovate upon the usual entertainment of a theatre royal; and it is highly probable, that could the concern have been allowed to carry their original plan into effect, they might never have resorted to the attractions of the amphitheatre; but persecuted as they had been, rather than encouraged, the scruples of exact taste unwillingly gave way, and the horses were introduced into the establishments of the theatre. Early in the second act of Blue Beard, sixteen most beautiful horses mounted by spahis

suddenly appeared before the spectators, and were received with immense applause; their various and incessant action produced a delightful effect upon the eye; and when they were afterwards seen ascending the heights with inconceivable velocity, the audience were in raptures, as at the achievement of a wonder. Subsequently, however, they seemed still more astonished at the sagacity, or recollection, of the noble animals before them; in the charge, some of the horses appeared to be wounded, and with admirable imitation fainted gradually away. One of them, who in the anguish of his wounds had thrown off his rider, and was dying on the field, on hearing the report of a pistol sprung suddenly upon his feet, as if again to join, or enjoy the battle; but his ardour not being seconded by strength, he fell again as if totally exhausted. It is hardly necessary to say more upon the subject, than that this splendid novelty was completely successful, and showed to the proprietors that means, however irregular, still might be found, to compensate in some degree, the losses they had sustained.

The revival of Cato, and the effect of Mr. Kemble's performance, I have conceived to merit a particular investigation; my opinion is already before the reader. On the 29th of February, 1812, Mr. Kemble revived the tragedy of Julius Cæsar; he had, as usual, made some very judicious alterations and arrangements in the piece, and in his own performance of Brutus, exhibited all that purity of patriotism and philosophy, which has been, not without some hesitation, attributed to that illustrious name. Julius Cæsar is almost single, among the dramas of Shakspeare, in the possession of three male characters, of nearly equal force. This theatre, however in the persons of Mr. Young, and Mr. Charles Kemble, possessed two actors capable of sustaining with equal effect, the impetuous Cassius, and the wily Antony. The other characters of the piece were brought out in their relative proportions; and the stage had realised, perhaps exceeded, the effect of one of the most important scenes of antiquity.

I step a little out of the range of theatrical concerns to notice the death of Mr. Horne Tooke, on the 18th of March, 1812 for this gentleman, as a grammarian, Mr. Kemble entertained the highest respect. I had lent to him my copy of the Diversions of Purley, that he might fill up from it the blanks which the printer's fear, or caution, had left at the press. His note, returning the books, now lies before me, and I transcribe, with pleasure, his opinion of the work.

"However people may differ with Mr. Tooke in politics, I think it is impossible any reasonable mind should disagree with him on grammar. I wish we may ever have the conclusion of his system! The work would, probaply, be the finest treatise on Philosophical Philology, that ever was, or ever will be written."

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