author of one. of the most spirited pieces of the last century. For Colman "to withdraw" a piece, written under such conditions, was almost ludicrous. Yet when both met in "Johnson's parlour," Garrick, having now heard of Colman's complaints and unkind speeches about him in the interval, took another tone, told him plainly that the comedy must be treated entirely as his own, and be brought forward at the present season, or not at all. "Should I not rather accuse you of using me in a strange manner by withdrawing the piece which I had a share in, and upon whose appearance I reckoned? I have ever," he wrote admirably, "thought of you and loved you as a faithful and affectionate friend; but surely your leaving London so abruptly, and leaving complaints of me behind you, was not a very becoming instance of your kindness to me; and if I betrayed any warmth in consequence of your conduct, such warmth was, at least, more natural and excusable than your own. Your suspicions of my behaving in a managerbefore you went to Bath, are very unworthy of you. I never assumed the consequence of a manager to anybody (for I know that fools may be, and that many fools have been, managers), much less to one whom I leave your heart to supply the rest." lady friend of Colman's had taxed Garrick with his great obligation to the writer; and alluding to that, and to an allusion in Colman's letter to a past service, he says, charmingly-" Having heard since of her great warmth in our affair, I own myself surprised, and would wish, for both our sakes, that no account courant (as there ought to be none in friendship) may be produced on either side." With such a nature it like manner, A was impossible to quarrel, and the matter was speedily made up. He was very busy with a dramatic epilogue for the comedy a little drama in itself; and on the morning of Christmas-day, while sitting in his pew, listening to the clergyman, owned that he had been busy making seasonable verses in honour of his friend-warm and sincere lines, the best commentary on which was his own behaviour: "May Christmas give thee all his cheer, This gives to Christmas all his cheer, When later Foote met with his dreadful accident; Garrick, offering every service in his power, until he should be well, took care to mention specially, how his "friend Colman has particularly shown his regard to you," in feeling and lamenting his misfortune. He had not miscalculated the effect of his message; for Foote wrote back, filled with gratitude and thanks, to Mr. Colman "for his friendly feelings." And it was this delicate and considerate kindness, always most active when his friends were absent-this perfect loyalty that was the charm of Garrick's character. It was determined that King should be the Lord Ogleby-for him a fortunate choice, for with his name the part has become identified. He at first declined it, but it was pressed upon him. Garrick, it is said, took the opportunity of insinuating his own view of the character in various private interviews, and finally fixed a day for a rehearsal in his own parlour, when King went through it, but after a manner of his own, which extorted Garrick's admiration as perfectly original, and far better than any mere imitation of him. But Garrick always regretted the chance he had allowed to slip from him, and his eyes often turned back wistfully to the part. On the 20th of February the comedy was brought out. Garrick himself opened the night with a prologue, in which he alluded to the recent deaths of Quin and Mrs. Cibber. Then the play began. The house was filled with the friends of the two authors; and as there was a great masquerade that night at the Pantheon, many of the company in their zeal came with portions of their fancy dresses on, under their coats, and left other portions at neighbouring taverns and coffee-houses, to be put on after the play. Yet danger was expected. The first act passed over without interruption; but in the second, when the Swiss valet said there was nothing in the papers but Antisejanus and advertisements, a storm broke. Antisejanus—a well-known clergyman-called Scott, whose employer was Lord Sandwich, was sitting in the boxes; and when some one in the pit jumped up, and pointing to him, called out, "There he is! turn him out!" a perfect storm arose. The clergyman, who was six feet high, stood up defiantly in his place, and looked down contemptuously at the crowd. This episode had nearly shipwrecked the play. But King's Lord Ogleby put every one in good humour. The VOL. II. N tradition of it is still kept alive. Wherever Lord Ogleby has been played-unhappily but rarely-it is acted as King performed it. There is a picture of him which represents the stiff, ungainly nobleman with hard wooden, heavy cheeks, a languishing ogle in his old eye, a wig with a comic curl over his forehead, dressed in finery, and taking a pinch of snuff with an air of exquisite dandyism. In the course of the play there was another rock-a scene between the lawyers, which has some humour, but which excited murmurs, from the same nicety that caused Goldsmith's humorous bailiffs to be objected to. Anything like broad, open, healthy humour was reckoned "low," and "the lawyers," like the bailiffs, had to be very much cut down. In the last act, too, so many alterations had been made, up to the very last moment, that the players did not know what they were to say, or what to leave out; and the "business" became a mass of confusion. There was a deal of rushing in and out, from bedrooms, &c.; but the energetic "Pivy" Clive, who to the last was full of spirits and animal motion, came bustling on, and threw such life and vigour into the scene, that she restored the day, and brought the piece triumphantly through. In his epilogue he determined to satirize the new popular fancy for English opera, which had grown up in his absence, and had taken serious hold of the public. Yet a taste that brought out such fresh English music, and such truly characteristic dramas "Love in a Village" scarcely deserved such bantering. Mrs. Quaver asks, "Pray do you know the author, Colonel Trill?"-(here was Garrick's old system of self-depreciation once more)-and the "first lady" whispers him, which makes Lord Minim break out, "What, he again! And dwell such daring souls in little men?" After that first night it had a great success, and ran for many nights.* Kenrick attacked it openly; Hawkesworth was gentle with it; and Johnson good-naturedly sent down to Bath, to Garrick, a refutation of Kenrick's review. Even Davies, the bookseller, and friend of Garrick, had his little sling ready, and from a private corner abused the play as full of "vulgarisms," which only made Garrick smile. Now turned bookseller, the former actor had made his shop a sort of rendezvous for all who disliked the manager; and there, as Gar * The town, as usual, was to indemnify itself with a joke, and made merry at the joint authorship. The "Monthly Review" alluded pointedly to Tate and Brady, Sternhold and Hopkins, and other noted collaborateurs, while newspaper wits made rhymes on them as a new Beaumont and Fletcher : F. No matter what. But now, let's search the room. That's to my wish, Pish! B. See here a lord, a cit, a modern wife, A rake, a lawyer, painted to the life." |