“Mrs. Abington will feel herself most extremely mortified
indeed if she has not some hope given her that Mr. and Mrs.
Cosway will do her the very great honour of coming to her
benefit this evening.
“She has been able to secure a small balcony in the very midst
of persons of the first rank in this country, which she set
down in the name of Mrs. Cosway, till she hears further; it
holds two in front, and has three rows holding two upon each,
so that Mr. Cosway may accommodate four other persons after
being comfortably seated with Mrs. Cosway.
“_February 10th._ Nine o’clock.”
* * * * *
“ADELPHI, _December 8th_.
“DEAR MADAM,--I altered the beginning of your epilogue, merely
for your ease and credit. I leave it wholly to your own
feelings to decide what to speak or what to reject. I find the
epilogue is liked, and therefore I would make it as tolerable
as possible for you. I assure you, upon my word, that if
you please yourself, you will please me. In my hurry I find,
looking over the lines this afternoon, that I have made a false
chime. I have made _directed_ and _corrected_ to chime, which
will not do: suppose them thus,
“Does not he know, poor soul, to be _detected_
Is what you hate, and more to be corrected.--
or thus:--
“Does not he know, in faults to be _detected_
Is what you hate, and more to be _corrected_.[350]
“I most sincerely wish you joy of your friend’s success. The
comedy will be in great vogue.
“I am, Madam, your very humble Servant,
“D. GARRICK.”
Bad pen, and gouty fingers,
Poor Anacreon, thou growest old![351]
* * * * *
“PALL MALL, _November 4th, 1794_.
“Mrs. Abington begs leave to present her compliments to Mr.
Webster, and to assure him that she feels perfectly ashamed
of the trouble which she has repeatedly given him, and is now
about to give him; but, indeed, she has so much dependence upon
the goodness of his heart, as well as of his understanding,
that she flatters herself he will forgive her committing
herself to him, upon matters which require more sense as well
as more management than falls to the share of the generality
of her acquaintance. The enclosed letter will explain to Mr.
Webster the nature of Mrs. Abington’s present difficulty, as he
will see she is in danger of losing the fine picture which has
been for near six years in the hands of Mr. Sherwin, for the
purpose of making a print from it. There is not one moment to
be lost, if Mr. Webster will have the goodness to undertake the
business; and she begs of him not to mention the matter further.
“The picture is the property of Mrs. Abington, and given by Sir
Joshua Reynolds to Mr. Sherwin at his own particular request,
that Sir Joshua would favour him so far as to let him have the
preference of the many artists who, at the time the picture was
painted, applied for it to engrave a plate from it.
“Mrs. Abington begs leave to present her kindest love and
regards to Mrs. Webster, and flatters herself that the whole
family are perfectly well.
“She has this moment heard that all the armaments will now end
in peace.
“To JOHN WEBSTER, ESQ., Duke Street, Westminster.”
As Sherwin’s plate from this beautiful picture was published by the late
Mr. John Thane,[352] on February 1st, 1791, and as Mrs. Abington’s letter
to Mr. Webster is dated November 4th, 1794, it appears that the engraver
retained it nearly four years after the plate was finished; so that,
according to Mrs. Abington’s date, it must have been upwards of two years
in hand.
My old friend, Mr. Thomas Thane, son of the publisher, who is now in
possession of the plate, kindly gave me impressions of it in three
states. The first is a great rarity: a proof before any letters, and the
reduction of the plate. The second is after the sides of the plate had
been reduced, with the names of the painter, engraver, and publisher,
perfectly engraved, and the name of Roxalana slightly etched. The third
and last state is, after the etched name Roxalana has been taken out and
engraved higher in the plate, to make room for some lines of poetry.
At page 70 of the Wilmot Letters in the British Museum is the following
letter, addressed by the Hon. Horace Walpole to Mrs. Abington the
actress:--
“PARIS, _September, 1771_.
“If I had known, Madam, of your being at Paris, before I
heard it from Colonel Blaquière,[353] I should certainly have
prevented your flattering invitation, and have offered you any
services that could depend on my acquaintance here. It is plain
I am old, and live with very old folks.”[354]