Hoole was born in a hackney-coach, which was conveying his mother to
Drury-lane Theatre, to witness the performance of the tragedy of
_Timanthes_, which had been written by her husband. Hoole died in 1839,
at a very advanced age. In early life, he ranked amongst the literary
characters that adorned the last century; and, for some years before his
death, had outlived most of the persons who frequented the
_conversazioni_ of Dr. Johnson. By the will of the Doctor, Mr. Hoole was
enabled to take from his library and effects such books and furniture as
he might think proper to select, by way of memorial of that great
personage. He accordingly chose a chair in which Dr. Johnson usually
sat, and the desk upon which he had written the greater number of the
papers of the _Rambler_; both these articles Mr. Hoole used constantly
until nearly the day of his death.
Hoole was near-sighted. He was partial to the drama; and, when young,
often strutted his hour at an amateur theatre in Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
Upon one occasion, whilst performing the ghost in _Hamlet_, Mr. Hoole
wandered incautiously from off the trap-door through which he had
emerged from the nether world, and by which it was his duty to descend.
In this dilemma he groped about, hoping to distinguish the aperture,
keeping the audience in wonder why he remained so long on the stage
after the crowing of the cock. It was apparent from the lips of the
ghost that he was holding converse with some one at the wings. He at
length became irritated, and “alas! poor ghost!” ejaculated, in tones
sufficiently audible, “I tell you I can’t find it.” The laughter that
ensued may be imagined. The ghost, had he been a sensible one, would
have walked off; but no--he became more and more irritated, until the
perturbed spirit was placed, by some of the bystanders, on the
trap-door, after which it descended, with due solemnity, amid roars of
laughter.