CHAPTER XII.

THE LAST ACT.

1776.

EARLY in the year began that wonderful series of performances, in which he gave a round of all his best characters, each for the last time. The rush and excitement for places, during this wonderful season, has never been equalled, not even during the early Goodman's Fields era. The highest persons in the land were begging for boxes and places, and were disappointed.

A host of fine people came, and were crushed, and went away enchanted. Lady Colebrooke offered an extra sum for places; for she was desirous that her young children should see Mr. Garrick, and be able to talk of that night fifty years after. Wilkes, a faithful admirer and actor, was coming a long journey from Dublin, to see his idol; and a greater compliment still, the charming Madame Necker-the heroine of Gibbon's early love-was to journey over from Paris. The whole kingdom was in a ferment. There was besides the additional attraction of seeing him in a round of his great plays, long since laid aside. He could not oblige half his friends, and Doctor Percy,* of

*It was Garrick's rule to allow no letters to be brought to him behind the scenes, so that his mind should not be distracted. Percy had come to the stage-door, and had sent in for a place, on one of these last nights, an application of which no notice could be taken. He never forgave Garrick

whose temper Boswell has given us a specimen, chose this inappropriate moment for an irreconcileable quarrel with his old friend. Another intimate friend, Sir Grey Cooper, was actually offended because he could not get into the theatre so often as he wished. He said, he had moved the Theatrical Fund Bill in the House, and thought Mr. Garrick should remember that obligation. Yet he hears that a certain "Mons. Necker and a Dean of Derry have boxes every night." Very wittily he added, there was "a sort of ministerial promise" given, accompanied by a "gentle squeeze of the hand and a measured smile of consent" -a very happy description of the ambiguity of such engagements.

But Garrick never forgot what was owing to his dignity. He showed he was somewhat hurt at this charge. "When have I been inattentive to your and Lady Cooper's commands? The last box I procured for you, has caused much mischief to your humble servant. My likings and attachments to my friends will, I hope, be remembered when my fool's-cap and bells will be forgotten "-a remarkable and sincere declaration. The other was truly penitent, and wrote to him to say that if, in the eagerness to enjoy the pleasure of seeing Garrick, anything petulant had escaped him, he begged his pardon most sincerely. This shows how excited the world had grown about this festival, as it might fairly be called. There was this remarkable feature also. Other actors retire and make their bow in one night: Garrick's retirement filled nearly a whole season, and morally culminated on the last night. In every point of view he is thus quite apart.

"Richard" was kept for the end. "I gained my

fame in Richard," he said, "and I mean to close with it." It was a pity he did not adhere to that resolution. He accordingly ordered a superb new dress. When this came home, he, with a little want of judgment, said he would play Lear in his 'new Richard' dress." His friends remonstrated, but he persisted. And yet from Richard he almost shrank. "I dread the fight," he said to his friend Cradock, "and the fall. I am afterwards in agonies." He was, indeed, now suffering acutely from a complication of maladies.

One of the earliest of these farewell performances was on the eleventh of April, when the world saw the Abel Drugger for the last time. With what effect he gave it, and what feeling, may be conceived from a hurried note written the next day. "Last night I played Abel Drugger for the last time. I thought the audience were cracked, and they almost turned my brain."* During the next two months the others followed rapidly. Yet at such a time Colman would worry him with quibbles. He wanted payment for some alterations, and chose the week before Garrick's final appearance to urge his claims. Garrick said be really thought it was a present. Colman rather ungraciously said he could not have pretended to make a gift of it, for he did not think they were then on sufficiently good terms to think of his making a present, though he was much pleased and flattered, &c. Yet Garrick was then bringing out his plays, which had failed, and had written affectionately to offer him the refusal of the theatre. "Pray let me know what I

* Forster MSS.

must do," wrote the sweet-tempered Garrick, " for I cannot have such a burden upon my mind at this very distressing time, when my theatrical life is so near its end. If I am confused or unintelligible, impute it To 'RICHARD.' What an operation!"

On June the 5th, "Richard" was given, in was given, in presence of the king and queen. The end was fast drawing on, and only a few nights more were left. On that night it was seen, with astonishment, that he was as active, as graceful, as in the old Goodman's Fields days, now, alas! so far, far off,-when he was the gay, sprightly, "neatly-made" young fellow, in the flush of youth and triumph. With him played on that great occasion, Mrs. Siddons, who was scarcely equal to the part.*

What a procession of characters-his best and finest made yet finer by the special character of the occasion, and his natural determination to excel himself. Hamlet, Lear, Richard, Lusignan, and Kitely were the graver characters he chose. Archer, Abel Drugger, Sir John Brute, Benedick, Leon, and Don Felix made up the more varied round selected for comedy. It is, indeed, wonderful to see from this list how his real strength had gradually developed. Most of these characters were played from two to three times each-Archer but once, on May 7th, Sir John Brute four times. The lively actresses all played

* Woodfall, of the "Chronicle," perhaps the best theatrical critic of the day, said she did it "sensibly," but that her powers were not equal to a London Theatre. When she played Mrs. Strictland with Garrick, some friends in the pit got up applause for her, which Miss Younge took to herself. Davies, inaccurate to the last, says that, "Richard" was acted but once. It was played three times. The king was surprised to see the nimbleness with which Garrick performed the fighting portions, and ran about the field.

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with him, and played their best. It needed all this excitement to carry him through; for he was suffering acutely. "Gout, stone, sore throat," he wrote, "yet I am in spirits." The excitement of these Curwen, the American

nights was long remembered. loyalist clergyman, then in England, came often to Drury Lane door, but could not get in. Northcote, long after, used to tell of the crushing and the crowds. Hannah More, up from Bristol, could hardly trust herself to speak of the effect produced on her. "I pity those who have not seen him. Posterity will never be able to form the slightest idea of his perfections. The more I see him, the more I admire. I have seen him within these three weeks take leave of Benedick, Sir John Brute, Kitely, Abel Drugger, Archer, and Leon. It seems to me as if I was assisting at the obsequies of the different poets. I feel almost as much pain as pleasure."

There was, indeed, a pathos about the whole. He seemed to be in a sort of whirl. He spoke sadly of the present situation of my affairs, of the last hours of my theatrical life, and my preparing for another.” He then added, "Just going to perform Benedick for the last time," which was on May the ninth.

Was it at all surprising that he should feel quite unnerved on these trying occasions? Friends did not help him much. Steevens pressed him hard to give the genuine text of "Lear" as a novelty; but at such a crisis, he dare not trust himself to unlearn. Even in the morning, when going over some slight alteration, he became quite distressed and confused. After the play was over, a little scene took place in the green-room. Miss Younge, whose frowardness had