PAGE he frankly claims in this paragraph. An attempt has been made in the present edition to indicate the source of his essays and criticisms, and also the various publications into which they were afterwards transferred. 179. Mr. Kean's Shylock. Edmund Kean (1787-1833) had already acted many important parts in the provinces. At Dorchester one of his performances had been witnessed by Arnold, the stage manager of Drury Lane, through whom an engagement was made with the management of that theatre. Kean insisted on playing Shylock, and though the management and his fellow-actors were incredulous as to his powers, his success was undisputed. Henceforward his many triumphs in London were associated with the Drury Lane Theatre, except for a short period from 1827 to 1829, when his services were transferred to Covent Garden. For a later account of his Shylock, see ante, pp. 294-6. 180. 1. 8. In The Morning Chronicle Hazlitt adds: After the play we were rejoiced to see the sterling farce of The Apprentice1 revived, in which Miss Smith. The assumed maiden name of the actress who married George Rae. Alexander Rae (1782-1820), after acting for a season at the Hay- 'Far-darting' eye. 'And covetous of Shakspeare's beauty seen 181. But I was born so high,' etc. COWPER, The Task, 111. 601-2. Richard III., Act 1. Sc. 3. The miserable medley acted for Richard III. The work chiefly of Colley Cibber, published in 1700. Cooke. George Frederick Cooke (1756-1811). His first appearance in London (Covent Garden, October 31, 1801) was in this part, which remained one of his best impersonations. 'Stand all apart, etc. Richard III. (Cibber's version). 182. The golden rigol,' etc. Ibid. Interpolated from Henry IV., Part II. Act iv. Sc. 5: This is a sleep That from this golden rigol hath divorced "Chop off his head. See post, note to p. 201. last line. In The Morning Chronicle Hazlitt proceeds: His fall, however, 1 By Arthur Murphy (1756). The PAGE 183. faithful representations according to the descriptions handed down to us. 'I am 'I am not i' the vein.' Richard III. Act IV. Sc. 2. "His grace looks cheerfully,' etc. Ibid. Act II. Sc. 4. 184. Take him for all in all, etc. Hamlet, Act 1. Sc. 2. Mr. Wroughton. Richard Wroughton (1748-1822), the main part of whose career closed in 1798. He returned to the stage two years later, and continued to act till 1815. Mrs. Glover. Julia Glover (1779-1850), the daughter of an actor named Betterton, a favourite actress who had made her first appearance in London in 1797. For in the very torrent, etc. Hamlet, Act 111. Sc. 2. Shakespear Gallery. Hazlitt refers to the well known Shakespeare Gallery projected and carried out by Alderman Boydell between 1786 and 1802. 185. Mr. Kean's Hamlet. Drury Lane, March 12, 1814. A young and princely novice. Richard III., Act 1. Sc. 4. 186. That has no relish,' etc. Hamlet, Act III. Sc. 3. 'That noble and liberal casuist. Charles Lamb refers to the old English Dramatists as those noble and liberal casuists.' Poems, Plays and Essays (ed. Ainger), p. 248. "Out of joint. Hamlet, Act 1. Sc. 5. "Come then, etc. Pope, Moral Essays, 11. 17-20. 187. A wave of the sea.' A Winter's Tale, Act iv. Sc. 4. That within, etc. Hamlet, Act 1. Sc. 2. "Weakness and melancholy.' Ibid. Act 11. Sc. 2. "Tis I, Hamlet the Dane. Ibid. Act v. Sc. I. 188. 'I'll call thee, etc. Ibid, Act 1. Sc. 4. The rugged Pyrrhus. Ibid. Act II. Sc. 2. 'Bordered on the verge, etc. Cf. Pope, Moral Essays, 11. 51-2. 1 Elizabeth Pope (1744?-1797) wife of Alexander Pope the actor. She made her first appearance in 1768 and became famous in a wide range of parts. Better known as Mrs. Barry. Ann Spranger Barry (1734-1801) first appeared at Drury Lane in 1767-8, and soon acquired a great reputation both in tragedy and comedy. She married Spranger Barry the actor in 1768. 3 See post, note to p. 184. PAGE 189. Mr. Raymond's Representation, etc. For Raymond, at this time acting manager at Drury Lane, see Leigh Hunt's Critical Essays (1807), PP. 29-32. Mr. Dowton. William Dowton (1764-1851), one of the chief comedians of the Drury Lane company, made his first appearance in London in 1796 and retired in 1840. Flows on to the Propontic, etc. This and the other quotations in this notice The rest of the play, etc. Pope played Iago, Miss Smith Desdemona and 190. 'A consummation,' etc. Adapted from Hamlet, Act 111. Sc. I. Antony and Cleopatra. This version was attributed to Kemble. 191. The barge, etc. Antony and Cleopatra, Act 11. Sc. 2. 192. He's speaking now,' etc. Ibid. Act 1. Sc. 5. 'It is my birth-day,' etc. Ibid. Act 111. Sc. 13. Mrs. Faucit. Harriet Faucit, the mother of Helen Faucit, had made her first appearance, on October 7, as Desdemona. Mr. Terry. Daniel Terry (1780 ?-1829), who appeared in Edinburgh in 1809 Artaxerxes. By Thomas Augustine Arne (1710-1778), originally produced 193. Catalani. Angelica Catalani (1779-1849), the greatest prima donna of her time. Mr. Liston's acting, etc. See ante, pp. 159-60. The Beggar's Opera. See the essay On Patronage and Puffing' in TableTalk (Vol. vi. pp. 292-3), where Hazlitt gives an interesting account of the writing of this article, the last,' he says, "I ever wrote with any pleasure to myself.' Cf. also The Round Table, (Vol. 1. pp. 65-6) for an account of The Beggar's Opera, which Hazlitt was never tired of praising. 'O'erstepping, etc. Hamlet, Act III. Sc. 2. 194. Woman is [Virgins are] like, etc. The Beggar's Opera, Act 1. "There is some soul, etc. Henry V., Act iv. Sc. 1. Hussey, hussey,' etc. " Cease your funning. 195. Described by Molière. Mrs. Liston's person. Ibid. Act 11. Sc. 2. In La Critique de l'École des Femmes, Sc. 6. Miss Tyer (d. 1854), who married Liston in 1807, was of diminutive stature. She retired from the stage when her husband left Covent Garden in 1822. Richard Coeur de Lion. The version (1786) by General Burgoyne of Oh, Richard! etc. This song in the original opera O Richard! O mon Roi!' had enjoyed great popularity in France before the Revolution. 196. Miss Foote. Maria Foote (1797 ?-1867), a very pretty woman and a very pleasing actress,' according to Genest. Some circumstances of her private life, alluded to by Hazlitt elsewhere, increased her popularity with the public. She retired in 1831, and in the same year married the fourth Earl of Harrington. PAGE 196. Amanthus. In Mrs. Inchbald's Child of Nature. "Youthful poet's fancy,' etc. Rowe, The Fair Penitent, Act 111. Sc. 1. 197. Madame Grassini. Josephina Grassini (1773-1850), a contralto singer who first appeared in London in 1803. Cf. De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium Eater (Works, ed. Masson, III. 389). Signor Tramezzani. A favourite Italian tenor. To a beautiful voice he joined delicate apprehension, intense feeling and rich expression.' (Dictionary of Musicians, 1824.) 'Might create, etc. Comus, 562. 198. The Genius of Scotland. Hazlitt is perhaps thinking of Sir Pertinax Macsycophant in Macklin's The Man of the World, who always booed, and booed, and booed, as it were by instinct.' (Act ш. Sc. 1.) M. Vestris. The Champion reads: M. Vestris, who made an able-bodied representative of Zephyr in the ballet, appears to us to be the Conway among dancers.' Miss O'Neill's Juliet. For Eliza O'Neill (1791-1872), afterwards Lady Becher, see The Round Table, vol. 1., note to p. 156, and many references in the present volume. The Gamester, etc. Edward Moore's tragedy, first produced in 1753. 199. Palmer. John Palmer (1742 ?-1798), Plausible Jack,' the original Joseph Surface. See Lamb's Essay On Some of the Old Actors.' 200. Isabella. In Isabella; or the Fatal Marriage (1758), Garrick's version of "Sweet is the dew, etc. 'And Romeo banished. "I have forgot, etc. Cf. vol. 1. p. 91 (The Round Table). Romeo and Juliet, Act II. Sc. 2. Ibid. Act iv. Sc. 3. In Garrick's version (1750) of Romeo and Juliet. Mr. Jones's Mercutio. Richard Jones (1779-1851), known as 'Gentleman Mr. Conway's Romeo. William Augustus Conway (1789-1828) first The very beadle, etc. 'A very beadle to a humorous sigh.' Love's Labour's 201. Chop off his head.' Robert Coates (1772-1848), the wealthy Amateur known as 'Romeo Coates' from his representations of which took place at Bath in 1810. Drury Lane, October 3, 1814. 'Off with his head! So much for Buckingham !' Act iv. Sc. 3 of Cibber's 'miserable medley.' See ante, p. 181. 'I fear no uncles, etc. Richard III., Act . Sc. 1. 203. Inexplicable dumb show and noise.' Hamlet, Act 1. Sc. 2. Captain Barclay. Robert Barclay Allardice (1779-1854), generally known as Captain Barclay,' famous for his feats of pedestrianism, the most remarkable of which was walking one mile in each of 1000 successive hours, which he accomplished in the summer of 1809 at Newmarket. PAGE Bets amounting in the aggregate to £100,000 are said to have been made in connection with this feat. 204. With her best nurse, etc. Comus, 377-80. Mr. Kean's Macbeth. November 5, 1814. 205. 'Real hearts, etc. Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France (Select Works, ed. Payne, 11. 101). Fate and metaphysical aid. 206. Direness is thus,' etc. Macbeth, Act 1. Sc. 5. "Troubled with thick-coming fancies.' Ibid. Act v. Sc. 3. Subject [servile] to all the skyey influences.' Measure for Measure, Act 111. Sc. I. 207. Lost too poorly in himself. Macbeth, Act 11. Sc. 2. My way of life, etc. Ibid. Act v. Sc. 3. "Then, oh farewell, etc. Othello, Act 11. Sc. 3. To consider too curiously. Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 1. 208. Mr. Kean's Romeo. January 2, 1815. Added a cubit,' etc. St. Matthew, vi. 27. 'As musical, etc. Comus, 477. Luke. In Sir James Bland Burgess's Riches; or, The Wife and Brother, founded on Massinger's The City Madam, and produced in 1810. 209. Garrick and Barry. Garrick and Spranger Barry (1719-1777) were rival Romeos. In 1750 the play was acted twelve consecutive nights both at Drury Lane and Covent Garden. See Dr. Doran's Annals of the English Stage (ed. Lowe), II. 122-3, where the remark quoted by Hazlitt is attributed to a lady who did not pretend to be a critic, and who was guided by her feelings.' The silver sound, etc. 'How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,' 210. What said my man,' etc. Ibid. Act v. Sc. 3. 1. 36. In The Champion Hazlitt proceeded as follows: To return to Mr. Mr. Kean's Iago. Cf. ante, p. 190. 212. Hedged in,' etc. Adapted from Hamlet, Act iv. Sc. 5. In contempt of mankind. Hazlitt refers to a passage of Burke's. See Political 213. Play the dog, etc. Henry VI., Part III., Act v. Sc. 6. 214. Plausibility of a confessor. The Examiner has the following note on this 1 Cowley, Horace, Odes, III. I. |