My Friend Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY, when we last met together at the
Club, told me that he had a great mind to see the new Tragedy with me,
assuring me at the same Time, that he had not been at a Play these
twenty Years. The last I saw, says Sir Roger, was the _Committee_,
which I should not have gone to neither, had I not been told
before-hand that it was a good Church of _England_ Comedy. He then
proceeded to enquire of me who this Distress'd Mother was, and upon
hearing that she was _Hector's_ Widow, he told me, that her Husband
was a brave Man, and that when he was a School-Boy, he had read his
Life at the end of the Dictionary. My Friend asked me, in the next
Place, if there would not be some Danger in coming home late, in case
the _Mohocks_ should be abroad. I assure you, says he, I thought I had
fallen into their hands last Night, for I observ'd two or three lusty
black Men that followed me half way up _Fleet-street_, and mended
their Pace behind me, in Proportion as I put on to get away from them.
You must know, continued the Knight with a Smile, I fancied they had a
mind to _hunt_ me; for I remember an honest Gentleman in my
Neighbourhood, who was serv'd such a Trick in King _Charles_ the
Second's Time; for which Reason he has not ventured himself in Town
ever since. I might have shown them very good Sport, had this been
their Design, for as I am an old Fox-hunter, I should have turned and
dodged, and have play'd them a thousand Tricks they had never seen in
their Lives before. Sir Roger added, that if these Gentlemen had any
such Intention, they did not succeed very well in it; for I threw them
out, says he, at the End of _Norfolk-street_, where I doubled the
Corner, and got Shelter in my Lodgings before they could imagine what
was become of me. However, says the Knight, if Captain SENTRY will
make one with us to Morrow Night, and if you will both of you call
upon me about Four a-Clock, that we may be at the House before it is
full, I will have my own Coach in Readiness to attend you, for _John_
tells me he has got the Fore-Wheels mended.
The Captain, who did not fail to meet me there at the appointed Hour,
bid Sir Roger fear nothing, for that he had put on the same Sword
which he made use of at the Battel of _Steenkirk_. Sir Roger's
Servants, and among the rest my old Friend the Butler, had, I found,
provided themselves with good oaken Plants, to attend their Master
upon this Occasion. When we had plac'd him in his Coach, with my self
at his Left hand, the Captain before him, and his Butler at the Head
of his Footmen in the Rear, we convoy'd him in Safety to the
Play-house; where, after having march'd up the Entry in good Order,
the Captain and I went in with him, and seated him betwixt us in the
Pit. As soon as the House was full, and the Candles lighted, my old
Friend stood up and looked about him with that Pleasure, which a Mind
seasoned with Humanity naturally feels in it self, at the Sight of a
Multitude of People who seem pleased with one another, and partake of
the same common Entertainment. I could not but fancy to my self, as
the old Man stood up in the Middle of the Pit, that he made a very
proper Center to a Tragick Audience. Upon the Entring of _Pyrrhus_,
the Knight told me, that he did not believe the King of _France_
himself had a better Strut. I was indeed very attentive to my old
Friend's Remarks, because I looked upon them as a Piece of Natural
Criticism, and was well pleased to hear him at the Conclusion of
almost every Scene, telling me that he could not imagine how the Play
would end. One while he appear'd much concerned for _Andromache_; and
a little while after as much for _Hermione_; and was extremely puzzled
to think what would become of _Pyrrhus_.
When Sir Roger saw _Andromache's_ obstinate Refusal to her Lover's
Importunities, he whispered me in the Ear, that he was sure she would
never have him; to which he added, with a more than ordinary
Vehemence, You can't imagine, Sir, what 'tis to have to do with a
Widow. Upon _Pyrrhus_ his threatening afterwards to leave her, the
Knight shook his Head, and muttered to himself, Ay, do if you can.
This Part dwelt so much upon my Friend's Imagination, that at the
Close of the Third Act, as I was thinking of something else, he
whispered in my Ear, These Widows, Sir, are the most perverse
Creatures in the World. But pray, says he, you that are a Critick, is
the Play according to your Dramatick Rules, as you call them? Should
your People in Tragedy always talk to be understood? Why, there is not
a single Sentence in this Play that I do not know the Meaning of.
The Fourth Act very luckily begun before I had Time to give the old
Gentleman an Answer; Well, says the Knight, sitting down with great
Satisfaction, I suppose we are now to see _Hector's_ Ghost. He then
renewed his Attention, and, from Time to Time, fell a praising the
Widow. He made, indeed, a little Mistake as to one of her Pages, whom
at his first Entring, he took for _Astyanax_; but he quickly set
himself right in that Particular, though, at the same time, he owned
he should have been very glad to have seen the little Boy, who, says
he, must needs be a very fine Child by the Account that is given of
him. Upon _Hermione's_ going off with a menace to _Pyrrhus_, the
Audience gave a loud Clap, to which Sir Roger added, On my Word, a
notable Young Baggage.
As there was a very remarkable Silence and Stillness in the Audience
during the whole Action, it was natural for them to take the
Opportunity of these Intervals between the Acts, to express their
Opinion of the Players, and of their respective Parts. Sir Roger
hearing a Cluster of them praise _Orestes_, struck in with them, and
told them, that he thought his Friend _Pylades_ was a very sensible
Man; As they were afterwards applauding _Pyrrhus_, Sir Roger put in a
second time, And let me tell you, says he, though he speaks but
little, I like the old Fellow in Whiskers as well as any of them.
Captain Sentry, seeing two or three Waggs who sat near us lean with an
attentive Ear towards Sir Roger, and fearing lest they should smoak
the Knight, pluck'd him by the Elbow, and whispered something in his
Ear, that lasted till the Opening of the Fifth Act. The Knight was
wonderfully attentive to the Account which _Orestes_ gives of
_Pyrrhus_ his Death, and at the Conclusion of it, told me it was such
a bloody Piece of Work, that he was glad it was not done upon the
Stage. Seeing afterwards _Orestes_ in his raving Fit, he grew more
than ordinary serious, and took Occasion to moralize (in his Way) upon
an evil Conscience, adding that _Orestes, in his Madness, looked as if
he saw something_.
As we were the first that came into the House, so we were the last
that went out of it; being resolved to have a clear Passage for our
old Friend, whom we did not care to venture among the Justling of the
Crowd. Sir Roger went out fully satisfy'd with his Entertainment, and
we guarded him to his Lodgings in the same manner that we brought him
to the Play-house; being highly pleased, for my own Part, not only
with the Performance of the excellent Piece which had been presented,
but with the Satisfaction which it had given to the good old Man.
_Addison._