“Part I.--Exordium.--Mr. Bannister’s Interview with
Garrick.--Garrick’s Manner attempted by Mr. Bannister in a
Shaving Dialogue.--Mr. Doublelungs in the Clay-pit.--Macklin’s
advice to his Pupils.--The Ship’s Chaplain, and Jack Haulyard,
the Boatswain; or, Two Ways of Telling a Story.--Sam
Stern.--The Melodramaniac, or Value of Vocal Talent.--Mr. and
Mrs. O’Blunder, or, Irish Suicide!
“Part II.--Superannuated Sexton.--Original Anecdotes of
a late well-known eccentric Character.--Trial at the Old
Bailey.--Cross-Examination.--Counsellor Garble.--Barrister
Snip-snap.--Serjeant Splitbrain.--Address to the Jury.--Simon
Soaker, and Deputy Dragon.
“Part III.--Club of Queer Fellows!--President Hosier.--Speech
from the Chair.--Mr. Hesitate.--Mr. Sawney Mac Snip.--Musical
Poulterer.--Duet between a Game Cock and a Dorking Hen.--Mr.
Molasses.--Mr. Mimé.--Monotony exemplified.--Mr. Kill-joy, the
Whistling Orator.--Susan and Strephon.--Budget closed.
Rotation of Comic Songs to be introduced on this particular
occasion.
“IN PART I.
Vocal Medley.
Captain Wattle and Miss Roe (by particular desire).
Tom Tuck’s Ghost.
Song in Praise of Ugliness!
The Debating Society.
“IN PART II.
The Deserter; or, Death or Matrimony.
Miss Wrinkle and Mr. Grizzle,
and
The Tortoiseshell Tom Cat.
“IN PART III.
THE TRAGEDY OF OTHELLO; OR,
FINE FLEECY HOSIERY.
The Marrow-fat Family.
Jollity Burlesqued, and
Beggars and Ballad-singers.
The doors to be opened at six o’clock, and to begin precisely
at seven. Boxes, Upper Circle, 4s.; Lower Circle, 3s.; Pit,
2s., Gallery, 1s.
N.B. Care has been taken to have the Theatre well aired.”
1810.
My reader will find by the following copy of a paper written by the
Rev. Stephen Weston, B.D.,[340] and read at the Society of Antiquaries’
meeting, 25th January 1810, that the term Swan-_hopping_ is to be
considered a popular error.
“It appears in the Swan-rolls, exhibited by the Right Honourable Sir
Joseph Banks, that the King’s were doubly marked, and had what was
called two nicks, or notches. The term, in process of time, not being
understood, a double animal was invented, unknown to the Egyptians
and Greeks, with the name of the Swan with Two Necks. But this is
not the only ludicrous mistake that has arisen out of the subject,
since Swan-upping, or the taking up of Swans, performed annually by
the Swan companies, with the Lord Mayor of London at their head,
for the purpose of marking them, has been changed by an unlucky
aspirate into Swan-hopping, which is not to the purpose, and perfectly
unintelligible.”[341]
1811.
In the summer of this year, the Earl of Pembroke allowed me to copy a
picture at Wilton, painted by the celebrated architect, Inigo Jones.
It is a view of Covent Garden in its original state, when there was a
tree in the middle. The skill with which he has treated the effect is
admirable.
There is also, in that superb mansion, a companion picture of Lincoln’s
Inn Fields by the same artist.
1812.
The political career of John Horne Tooke, Esq., is well known, and the
fame of his celebrated work, entitled the _Diversions of Purley_, will be
spoken of as long as paper lasts.
In the year 1811 a most flagrant depredation was committed in his house
at Wimbledon by a collector of taxes, who daringly carried away a silver
tea and sugar caddy, the value of which amounted, in weight of silver,
to at least twenty times more than the sum demanded, for a tax which
Mr. Tooke declared he never would pay. This gave rise to the following
letter:--
“TO MESSRS. CROFT AND DILKE.
“GENTLEMEN,--I beg it as a favour of you, that you will go in
my name to Mr. Judkin, attorney, in Clifford’s Inn, and desire
him to go with you both to the Under Sheriff’s Office, in New
Inn, Wych Street.
“I have had a distress served upon me for taxes, at Wimbledon,
in the county of Surrey.
“By the recommendation of Mr. Stuart, of Putney, I desire Mr.
Judkin to act as my attorney in replevying the goods; and I
desire Mr. Croft and Mr. Dilke to sign the security-bond for me
that I will try the question.
“Pray show this memorandum to Mr. Judkin.
“JOHN HORNE TOOKE.
“WIMBLEDON, _May 17th, 1811_.”
As Mr. Croft and Mr. Dilke were proceeding on the Putney Road, they met
the tax-collector with the tea-caddy under his arm, on his way back
with the greatest possible haste to return it, with an apology to Mr.
Tooke,--that being the advice of a friend. The two gentlemen returned
with him, and witnessed Mr. Tooke’s kindness when the man declared he had
a large family.[342]
On the 18th of March this year (1812), Mr. Tooke died, at his house at
Wimbledon. He was put into a strong elm shell. The coffin was made from
the heart of a solid oak, cut down for the purpose. It measured six feet
one inch in length; in breadth at the shoulders, two feet two inches; the
depth at the head, two feet six inches; and the depth at the feet, two
feet four inches. This enormous depth of coffin was absolutely necessary,
in consequence of the contraction of his body. His remains were conveyed
in a hearse and six, to Ealing, in Middlesex, attended by three mourning
coaches with four horses to each. It was Mr. Tooke’s wish to have been
buried in his own ground; but to this the executors very properly made an
objection.[343]
1813.
At the sale of the effects of the Rev. William Huntington (vulgarly
called the “Coal-heaver”), which commenced on the 22nd of September, and
continued for three following days, at his late residence, Hermes Hill,
Pentonville, one of his steady followers purchased a barrel of ale,
which had been brewed for Christmas, because he would have something to
remember him by.[344]
[Illustration: WILLIAM HUNTINGTON (S.S.)
“I cannot get D.D. for want of cash, therefore I am compelled to fly to
S.S., by which I mean Sinner Saved.”]
1814.
Mr. John Nixon, of Basinghall Street, gave me the following information
respecting the Beefsteak Club. Mr. Nixon, as Secretary, had possession
of the original book. Lambert’s Club was first held in Covent Garden
Theatre, in the upper room, called the “Thunder and Lightning;” then in
one even with the two-shilling gallery; next in an apartment even with
the boxes; and afterwards in a lower room, where they remained until the
fire. After that time, Mr. Harris insisted upon it, as the playhouse was
a new building, that the Club should not be held there. They then went to
the Bedford Coffee-house next door. Upon the ceiling of the dining-room
they placed Lambert’s original gridiron, which had been saved from the
fire. They had a kitchen, a cook, and a wine-cellar, etc., entirely
independent of the Bedford Coffee-house. When the Lyceum, in the Strand,
was rebuilt, Mr. Arnold fitted up a room for the Beefsteak Club, where it
remained until the late fire.
The society held at Robins’s room was called the “Ad Libitum” Society, of
which Mr. Nixon had the books; but it was a totally different society,
quite unconnected with the Beefsteak Club.[345]
1815.
One of the biographers of Mrs. Abington, the first actress who played
the part of Lady Teazle in the _School for Scandal_, and so justly
celebrated in characters of ladies in high life, states that she died on
the 1st of March 1815, in her 84th year. Another informs us that she
died on the 4th; but neither of the writers say where she died, or where
she was buried; on inquiry, I found that she died at Pall Mall.[346] Of
all the theatrical ungovernable ladies under Mr. Garrick’s management,
Mrs. Abington, with her capriciousness, inconsistency, injustice, and
unkindness, perplexed him the most. She was not unlike the miller’s
mare, for ever looking for a white stone to shy at. And though no one
has charged her with malignant mischief, she was never more delighted
than when in a state of hostility, often arising from most trivial
circumstances, discovered in mazes of her own ingenious construction.[347]
Mrs. Abington, in order to keep up her card-parties, of which she was
very fond, and which were attended by many ladies of the highest rank,
absented herself from her abode to live _incog._ For this purpose
she generally took a small lodging in one of the passages leading
from Stafford Row, Pimlico,[348] where plants are so placed at the
windows as nearly to shut out the light, at all events, to render the
apartments impervious to the inquisitive eye of such characters as
Liston represented in _Paul Pry_. Now and then she would take the small
house at the end of Mount Street, and there live with her servant in the
kitchen, till it was time to reappear; and then some of her friends would
compliment her on the effects of her summer’s excursion.
“ADELPHI, _November 9_.
“Mr. Garrick’s compliments to Mrs. Abington, and has sent her
on the other side a little alteration (if she approves it, not
else) of the epilogue, where there seems to be a patch: it
should, he believes, run thus:--
“Such a persecution!
’Tis the great blemish of the constitution!
No human laws should Nature’s rights abridge,
Freedom of speech, our dearest privilege;
Ours is the wiser sex, though deemed the weaker,
I’ll put the Question, if you’ll cheer me, _Speaker_.
“Suppose me now bewig’d, etc.[349]
“Mrs. A. is at full liberty to adopt this alteration or not.
Had not our house overflowed last night in a quarter of an
hour, from the opening of Covent Garden had suffered much. As
it was, there was great room in the pit and gallery at the end
of the third act.
“Much joy I sincerely wish you at your success in Lady Bab. May
it continue till we both are tired, you with playing the part,
and I with seeing it.
“MRS. ABINGTON, 62, PALL MALL.”
* * * * *