The principal actors at this period were, Mr. Booth, a gentleman of a liberal education, an agreeable person, and melodious voice; equally happy in his gesticulations as his elocution, and was reckoned the greatest tragedian that ever appeared on any stage at least to those who had not seen his predecessor Betterton. Mr. Wilks, who was a very handsome man, of a graceful mien; studious of proper attitudes and cadences, in which he excelled most of his competitors. His forte lay in comedy, though he was no contemptible tragedian. Mr. Doggett, the greatest original in low comedy that has ever yet appeared. Mr. Colley Cibber, the best fop that perhaps ever performed upon any stage. Mr. Estcourt, a great mimic, though but a middling actor. Mr. Johnson, a performer of sound judgment, who succeeded in many walks in comedy. To whom may be added as excellent actresses, Mrs. Oldfield and Mrs. Porter; the first in comedy and the last in tragedy.

CHAPTER III.

Quin's first appearance upon the London stage; the gradual advances he made towards speaking; the manager's opinion of his performance of Falstaff his uncommon success in that character. Anecdotes

concerning Ryan. An uncommon duel upon an uncommon

occasion.

MR. QUIN first made his appearance at Drury Lane in the year 1718. At that time of day, seniority of date was considered with as much jealousy in the green-room as in the army or navy; and an actor that should at once have rushed upon the town, with all the powers of a Betterton or a Booth, in a capital character, would have been looked upon by his competitors for fame as little better than an usurper of talents and applause. Besides, the manager considered acting as a mere mechanical acquisition, that nothing but time could procure; and therefore, every one in his company was to serve his apprenticeship before he attempted being even a journeyman actor. This accounts for Quin's remaining for a long time the mere scene drudge, the faggot of the drama. He at length, however, performed some capital parts, and his name made its appearance in the bills (though not in capitals) annexed to Banquo in Macbeth, and the Lieutenant of the Tower in Richard the Third.

It was not till the year 1720, that he had an opportunity of displaying his great theatrical powers. Upon the revival of the Merry Wives of Windsor at Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, of which the late Mr. Rich was the manager, there was no one in the whole company who would undertake the part of Falstaff; Rich was, therefore, inclined to give up all thoughts of representing it, when Quin, happening to come in his way, said, if he pleased he would attempt it. "Hem!" said Rich, taking a pinch of snuff, "You attempt Falstaff!-why (hem !)-you might as well think of acting Cato after Booth. The character of Falstaff, young man, is quite another character from what you think" (taking another pinch of snuff), "it is not a snivelling part, that-thatin short, that anyone can do. There is not a man among you that has any idea of the part but myself. It is quite out of your walk. No, never think of Falstaff-never think of Falstaff-it is quite quite out of your walk, indeed, young man."

This was the reception his first effort of stepping out of the

B

faggot walk met with, and for some days he laid aside all thoughts of ever doing Falstaff, or indeed speaking upon the stage, except it were to deliver a message. Ryan, who at that time had the ear and confidence of Rich, having heard Quin, long before he thought of coming upon the stage, repeat some passages in the character of Falstaff, prevailed upon the manager to let Quin rehearse them before him; which he did, but not much to his master's satisfaction. However, as the case was desperate, and either the Merry Wives of Windsor must have been laid aside, or Quin perform Falstaff; this alternative, at length, prevailed upon Rich to admit James into the part.

The first night of his appearance in this character he surprised and astonished the audience; no actor before ever entered into the spirit of the author, and it seemed as if Shakespeare had, by intuition, drawn the knight* so long before for Quin only to represent. The just applause he met with upon this occasion is incredible; continued clappings and peals of laughter, in some measure interrupted the representation, though it was impossible that any regularity whatever could have more increased the mirth or excited the approbation of the audience.

It would, however, be injustice to the other performers not to acknowledge that they greatly contributed to the success of the piece, which had a very great run and was of eminent service to the company. Ryan was excellent in the part of Ford; Spillar, reckoned among the greatest comedians of that time, performed one of his strongest parts, that of Doctor Caius; and Boherne, another very good actor, did Justice Shallow.

Ryan, at that period, was amongst the first rate actors; and this will not appear extraordinary, if we consider it was before the accident he met with, which occasioned his voice to falter, as we may remember in our own time, that he was very genteel in his person, was elegant in his action, and was always correct in his part. The accident here mentioned was: Going home one night alone from the play-house, he was attacked by two street robbers near Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, when Ryan drew his sword in his defence and one of the villains fired a pistol at him, which lodged a ball in his throat. It was extracted by a very eminent surgeon while it was a matter of debate with the faculty whether

* Henry the Fourth was, at the same time, performed at Drury Lane Theatre, where Booth did Hotspur; Wilks, the Prince of Wales; Cibber, Glendour; and Harper, Sir John Falstaff. Nothwithstanding three of the parts were so well cast and Harper was no bad comedian, and a figure of the knight, this play did not meet with any applause, in comparison to what it did in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, which was entirely owing to Quin's doing Falstaff.

the wound was mortal. It proved otherwise, but it greatly affected his voice to the end of his life. This accident, however, never diminished his salary, and to the last hour he continued receiving as much as he had done in the greatest zenith of his acting; so permanent and inviolable a friendship did there exist between Mr. Rich and Ryan, and the latter never once deserted him in all the various revolutions of the stage.

These remarks are perhaps somewhat antedated, but as I may not have another fair opportunity of mentioning Ryan again as an actor, I hope to be excused inserting them here, rather than drag them in head and shoulders in another place.

Soon after Quin came upon the stage, a duel was fought in Hyde Park for an actress; the only duel upon record, that ever was fought for an actress; but this is not astonishing when it is known that it was for no less a personage than the (afterwards) celebrated Polly Peachum-she who could captivate the great and intrepid soul of Captain Macheath, and vanquish the pride and honour of the D- of B- who entitled her to figure to the

end of her days as a D

She was in the upper boxes at the representation of a new performance, when a gentleman of the army, who was sat next to her, said some civil things to her, which her theatrical virtue construed into an insult and the son of Mars had the mortification to find that all his soft things were thrown away upon her. The next time she appeared upon the stage, the Captain happened to come somewhat surcharged with claret, and recollecting the lady's insolence a few evenings before, he began to give her a serenade of cat-calls which interrupted the play.

A man of fashion, who sat next to the Captain and had the lady's glory at heart, told him "He behaved very ill, and ought to be turned out." This was sufficient, they retired to an adjacent tavern in order to settle their difference in an amicable way, and cut one another's throats, whilst the tragedy went peaceably on, without any uproar or bloodshed. But the man of fashion having more prudence than to contend with anyone in his profession, he declined fighting with swords, but agreed meeting the next morning in Hyde Park to decide the affair with pistols. They met accordingly, and the man of fashion was à-la-mode de l'honneur, mortally wounded in the skirt of his coat.

CHAPTER IV.

Curious and entertaining anecdotes of the theatre. The origin of their being guarded by the military power. A few strictures thereupon, and its effect illustrated. Quin's extraordinary fortitude and presence of mind in a capital character: an unlucky adventure, which costs him his liberty and endangers his life.

THE theatres till now had never been guarded by any but civil officers, when a riot that happened in the year 1721 at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, gave occasion to the military power being added to the civil, for the protection of the audience, as well as the players, from insult. As this is a memorable epoch in dramatic history, the reader will, doubtless, not be displeased to meet with the anecdote that gave rise to this extraordinary

measure.

A certain noble earl, who was said (and with some degree of certainty, as he drank usquebaugh constantly at his waking) to have been in a state of intoxication for six years, was behind the scenes at the close of a comedy, and, seeing one of his companions on the other side among the performers, crossed the stage, and was accordingly hissed by the audience. Mr. Rich was on the side the noble earl came over to, and on hearing the uproar in the house at such an irregularity, the manager said, "I hope your lordship will not take it ill if I give orders to the stage door keeper not to admit you any more." On his saying that his lordship saluted Mr. Rich with a slap on the face, which he immediately returned, and, his lordship's face being round and fat, made his cheek ring with the force of it. Upon this spirited return my lord's drunken companions collected themselves directly, and Mr. Rich was to be put to death; but Quin, Ryan, Walker, &c., &c., stood forth in the defence of the manager, and a grand scuffle ensued, by which the gentlemen were all drove out at the stage door into the street. They then sallied into the boxes, with their swords drawn, and broke the sconces, cut the hangings, which were gilt leather, finely painted, and continued the riot until Mr. Quin came round with a constable and watchmen, and charged them every one into custody. They were carried before Justice Hungerford, who then lived in the neighbourhood, and all bound over to answer the consequences; but they were soon persuaded by their wiser friends to make up this