[303] "Comus," 366.
[304] Charles Hart, who died in 1683, was the creator of several
important parts in plays by Wycherley, Dryden, and Lee. Hart and
Mohun were the principal members of Killigrew's company. Hart was the
grandson of Shakespeare's sister Joan, and Cibber mentions specially
the fame of his representation of Othello. See No. 138.
[305] Michael Mohun, like Hart, fought on the side of Charles in the
Civil War, and began his life as an actor by performing women's parts.
He generally played second to Hart. Gildon ("Comparison between Two
Stages," 1702) says that plays were so well acted by Hart and Mohun
that the audience would not be distracted to see the best dancing in
Europe.
[306] The thirteen years' monopoly at Drury Lane came to an end in
1695, when Betterton opened a new theatre at Lincoln's Inn Fields. In
1705, Betterton's company moved to the new theatre in the Haymarket;
but the drama did not succeed at Vanbrugh's house, and in 1706 the
Haymarket was let to M'Swiney. In 1708, through the instrumentality
of Colonel Brett, the actors were again reunited at Drury Lane, and
the Haymarket Theatre was devoted to Italian operas. But Rich soon
quarrelled with his company, some of whom entered into negotiations
with M'Swiney. In June 1709, Drury Lane Theatre was closed by an order
from the Lord Chamberlain, and after certain structural alterations at
the Haymarket, plays were acted successfully at that house. For a time
there was thus again only one theatre open, until William Collier, M.
P., a lawyer, got for himself the licence refused to Rich, and entered
into forcible possession.
[307] In the "Touchstone," 1728, attributed to James Ralph, we are told
that rope-dancing was then still in great esteem with the generality
of people, though it had for some years been held in contempt in the
refined neighbourhood of St James's. See Prologue to Steele's "Funeral":
"Old Shakespeare's days could not thus far advance;
But what's his buskin to our ladder-dance?
In the mid region a silk youth to stand,
With that unwieldy engine at command."
[308] Christopher Rich, who was forcibly expelled by Collier, by the
aid of a hired rabble. According to an affidavit of Collier's, dated
January 8, 1710, "On or about the 22nd of November, it being a day of
public rejoicing, he ordered a bonfire to be made before the play-house
door, and gave the actors money to drink your Majesty's health ... and
that he came that evening to the play-house and showed the players Sir
John Stanley's letter, and told them they might act as soon as they
pleased, for that he had the Queen's leave to employ them. Upon which
the players themselves and some soldiers got into the play-house, and
the next day performed a play, but not the play that was given out, for
Rich had carried away the clothes."
[309] Because it recalled the name of Jeremy Collier, who began his
attack on the immorality of the stage in 1698.
[310] No. 96.
[311] See No. 96.
No. 100. [ADDISON.
From _Saturday, Nov. 26_, to _Tuesday, Nov. 29, 1709_.
Jam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna.--VIRG., Eclog. iv. 6.
_Sheer Lane, Nov. 28._
I was last week taking a solitary walk in the garden of Lincoln's
Inn (a favour that is indulged me by several of the benchers who are
my intimate friends, and grown old with me in this neighbourhood),
when, according to the nature of men in years who have made but little
progress in the advancement of their fortune or their fame, I was
repining at the sudden rise of many persons who are my juniors, and
indeed at the unequal distribution of wealth, honour, and all other
blessings of life. I was lost in this thought when the night came
upon me, and drew my mind into a far more agreeable contemplation.
The heaven above me appeared in all its glories, and presented me
with such a hemisphere of stars, as made the most agreeable prospect
imaginable to one who delights in the study of nature. It happened
to be a freezing night, which had purified the whole body of air
into such a bright transparent æther, as made every constellation
visible; and at the same time gave such a particular glowing to the
stars, that I thought it the richest sky I had ever seen. I could not
behold a scene so wonderfully adorned and lighted up (if I may be
allowed that expression) without suitable meditations on the Author
of such illustrious and amazing objects. For on these occasions,
philosophy suggests motives to religion, and religion adds pleasures to
philosophy. As soon as I had recovered my usual temper and serenity of
soul, I retired to my lodgings with the satisfaction of having passed
away a few hours in the proper employments of a reasonable creature,
and promising myself that my slumbers would be sweet. I no sooner fell
into them, but I dreamed a dream, or saw a vision (for I know not
which to call it), that seemed to rise out of my evening meditation,
and had something in it so solemn and serious that I cannot forbear
communicating it; though I must confess, the wildness of imagination
(which in a dream is always loose and irregular) discovers itself
too much in several parts of it. Methoughts I saw the same azure sky
diversified with the same glorious luminaries which had entertained
me a little before I fell asleep. I was looking very attentively on
that sign in the heavens which is called by the name of the Balance,
when on a sudden there appeared in it an extraordinary light, as if
the sun should rise at midnight. By its increasing in breadth and
lustre, I soon found that it approached towards the earth; and at
length could discern something like a shadow hovering in the midst of
a great glory, which in a little time after I distinctly perceived
to be the figure of a woman. I fancied at first it might have been
the angel or intelligence that guided the constellation from which it
descended; but upon a nearer view, I saw about her all the emblems with
which the goddess of Justice is usually described. Her countenance was
unspeakably awful and majestic, but exquisitely beautiful to those
whose eyes were strong enough to behold it; her smiles transported
with rapture, her frowns terrified to despair. She held in her hand
a mirror, endowed with the same qualities as that which the painters
put into the hand of Truth. There streamed from it a light, which
distinguished itself from all the splendours that surrounded her,
more than a flash of lightning shines in the midst of daylight. As
she moved it in her hand, it brightened the heavens, the air, or
the earth. When she had descended so low as to be seen and heard by
mortals, to make the pomp of her appearance more supportable, she threw
darkness and clouds about her, that tempered the light into a thousand
beautiful shades and colours, and multiplied that lustre, which was
before too strong and dazzling, into a variety of milder glories.
In the meantime the world was in an alarm, and all the inhabitants
of it gathered together upon a spacious plain; so that I seemed to
have the whole species before my eyes. A voice was heard from the
clouds, declaring the intention of this visit, which was, to restore
and appropriate to every one living what was his due. The fear and
hope, joy and sorrow, which appeared in that great assembly after this
solemn declaration, are not to be expressed. The first edict was then
pronounced, that all titles and claims to riches and estates, or to
any part of them, should be immediately vested in the rightful owner.
Upon this, the inhabitants of the earth held up the instruments of
their tenure, whether in parchment, paper, wax, or any other form of
conveyance; and as the goddess moved the mirror of truth which she
held in her hand, so that the light which flowed from it fell upon the
multitude, they examined the several instruments by the beams of it.
The rays of this mirror had a particular quality of setting fire to all
forgery and falsehood. The blaze of papers, the melting of seals, and
crackling of parchments made a very odd scene. The fire very often ran
through two or three lines only, and then stopped. Though I could not
but observe, that the flame chiefly broke out among the interlineations
and codicils, the light of the mirror, as it was turned up and down,
pierced into all the dark corners and recesses of the universe, and
by that means detected many writings and records which had been hidden
or buried by time, chance, or design. This occasioned a wonderful
revolution among the people. At the same time, the spoils of extortion,
fraud, and robbery, with all the fruits of bribery and corruption, were
thrown together into a prodigious pile, that almost reached to the
clouds, and was called "the Mount of Restitution"; to which all injured
persons were invited to receive what belonged to them.
One might see crowds of people in tattered garments come up, and change
clothes with others that were dressed with lace and embroidery. Several
who were plumbs, or very near it, became men of moderate fortunes; and
many others, who were overgrown in wealth and possessions, had no more
left than what they usually spent. What moved my concern most, was, to
see a certain street[312] of the greatest credit in Europe from one end
to the other become bankrupt.
The next command was, for the whole body of mankind to separate
themselves into their proper families; which was no sooner done, but
an edict was issued out, requiring all children to repair to their
true and natural fathers. This put a great part of the assembly in
motion; for as the mirror was moved over them, it inspired every one
with such a natural instinct, as directed them to their real parents.
It was a very melancholy spectacle to see the fathers of very large
families become childless, and bachelors undone by a charge of sons
and daughters. You might see a presumptive heir of a great estate ask
blessing of his coachman, and a celebrated toast paying her duty to a
_valet de chambre_. Many under vows of celibacy appeared surrounded
with a numerous issue. This change of parentage would have caused
great lamentation, but that the calamity was pretty common, and that
generally those who lost their children, had the satisfaction of seeing
them put into the hands of their dearest friends. Men were no sooner
settled in their right to their possessions and their progeny, but
there was a third order proclaimed, that all the posts of dignity and
honour in the universe should be conferred on persons of the greatest
merit, abilities, and perfection. The handsome, the strong, and the
wealthy immediately pressed forward; but not being able to bear the
splendour of the mirror which played upon their faces, they immediately
fell back among the crowd: but as the goddess tried the multitude by
her glass, as the eagle does its young ones by the lustre of the sun,
it was remarkable, that every one turned away his face from it who had
not distinguished himself either by virtue, knowledge, or capacity in
business, either military or civil. This select assembly was drawn up
in the centre of a prodigious multitude, which was diffused on all
sides, and stood observing them, as idle people use to gather about a
regiment that are exercising their arms. They were drawn up in three
bodies: in the first were the men of virtue; in the second, men of
knowledge; and in the third, the men of business. It was impossible to
look at the first column without a secret veneration, their aspects
were so sweetened with humanity, raised with contemplation, emboldened
with resolution, and adorned with the most agreeable airs, which are
those that proceed from secret habits of virtue. I could not but take
notice, that there were many faces among them which were unknown, not
only to the multitude, but even to several of their own body.
In the second column, consisting of the men of knowledge, there had
been great disputes before they fell into the ranks, which they did not
do at last without the positive command of the goddess who presided
over the assembly. She had so ordered it, that men of the greatest
genius and strongest sense were placed at the head of the column:
behind these, were such as had formed their minds very much on the
thoughts and writings of others. In the rear of the column were men
who had more wit than sense, or more learning than understanding.
All living authors of any value were ranged in one of these classes;
but I must confess, I was very much surprised to see a great body of
editors, critics, commentators, and grammarians meet with so very
ill a reception. They had formed themselves into a body, and with a
great deal of arrogance demanded the first station in the column of
knowledge; but the goddess, instead of complying with their request,
clapped them all into liveries, and bade them know themselves for no
other but lackeys of the learned.
The third column were men of business, and consisting of persons in
military and civil capacities. The former marched out from the rest,
and placed themselves in the front; at which the other shook their
heads at them, but did not think fit to dispute the post with them.
I could not but make several observations upon this last column of
people; but I have certain private reasons why I do not think fit to
communicate them to the public. In order to fill up all the posts of
honour, dignity, and profit, there was a draught made out of each
column of men who were masters of all three qualifications in some
degree, and were preferred to stations of the first rank. The second
draught was made out of such as were possessed of any two of the
qualifications, who were disposed of in stations of a second dignity.
Those who were left, and were endowed only with one of them, had their
suitable posts. When this was over, there remained many places of trust
and profit unfilled, for which there were fresh draughts made out of
the surrounding multitude who had any appearance of these excellences,
or were recommended by those who possessed them in reality.
All were surprised to see so many new faces in the most eminent
dignities; and for my own part, I was very well pleased to see that all
my friends either kept their present posts, or were advanced to higher.
Having filled my paper with those particulars of my vision which
concern the male part of mankind, I must reserve for another occasion
the sequel of it, which relates to the fair sex.[313]