[Footnote A: General Dictionary.]
[Footnote B: Wilson's Memoirs of Congreve.]
[Footnote C: Yet Maskwell purposely talks to himself, designing to be
overheard by Lord Touchwood; undoubtedly an error in the conduit, and
want of art in the author. This he seems here to forget, or would not
remember it.]
* * * * *
Sir JOHN VANBRUGH,
This Gentleman was descended from an antient family in Cheshire, which
came originally from France; though by the name it would appear to be
of Dutch extraction. He received a very liberal education, and became
eminent for his poetry, and skill in architecture, to both which
he discovered an early propension. It is somewhat remarkable in
the History of Poetry, that when the spirit of Tragedy, in a great
measure, declined, when Otway and Lee were dead, and Dryden was
approaching to old age, that Comedy should then begin to flourish; at
an Æra, which one would not have expected to prove auspicious to the
cause of mirth.
Much about the same time rose Mr. Congreve, and Sir John Vanbrugh;
who, without any invidious reflection on the genius of others, gave
a new life to the stage, and restored it to reputation, which before
their appearance had been for some time sinking. Happy would it have
been for the world, and some advantage to the memory of those comic
writers, if they had discovered their wit, without any mixture of
that licentiousness, which while it pleased, tended to corrupt
the audience. The first step our author made into life, was in the
character of an ensign in the army. He was possessed of a very ready
wit, and an agreeable elocution. He happened somewhere in his winter
quarters, to contract an acquaintance with Sir Thomas Skipwith,
and received a particular obligation from him. He had very early
discovered a taste for dramatic writing, to improve which he made
some attempts in that way, and had the draft or out-lines of two plays
lying by him, at the time his acquaintance commenced with Sir Thomas.
This gentleman possessed a large share in a Theatrical Patent, though
he very little concerned himself in the conduct of it; but that
he might not appear altogether remiss, he thought to procure some
advantage to the stage, by having our author's play, called the
Relapse, to be acted upon it. In this he was not disappointed, for
the Relapse succeeded beyond the warmest expectation, and raised
Vanbrugh's name very high amongst the writers for the stage.
Tho' this play met with greater applause, than the author expected,
yet it was not without its enemies. These were people of the graver
sort, who blamed the looseness of the scenes, and the unguarded
freedom of the dialect. These complaints induced Vanbrugh to make some
observations upon them in his preface, which he thus begins, 'To go
about to excuse half the defects this abortive brat is come into the
world with, would be to provoke the town with a long useless preface,
when 'tis, I doubt, sufficiently sour'd already, by a tedious play.
'I do therefore, with all the humility of a repenting sinner, confess
it wants every thing--but length, and in that I hope the severest
critics will be pleased to acknowledge, I have not been wanting. But
my modesty will sure attone for every thing, when the world shall know
it is so great, I am even to this day insensible of those two shining
graces, in the play (which some part of the town is pleased to
compliment me with) blasphemy and bawdy. For my part I cannot find
them out; if there were any obscene expressions upon the stage,
here they are in print; for I have dealt fairly, I have not sunk a
syllable, that could be ranged under that head, and yet I believe with
a steady faith, there is not one woman of real reputation in town, but
when she has read it impartially over in her closet, will find it so
innocent, she'll think it no affront to her prayer book, to lay it
upon the same shelf.'
Being encouraged by the success of the Relapse, he yielded to the
sollicitation of lord Hallifax, who had read some of the loose sheets
of his Provok'd Wife, to finish that piece; and after throwing
them into a proper form, gave the play to the Theatre in
Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Though Sir John had a greater inclination to
serve the other company, yet the request of lord Hallifax, so eminent
a patron of the poets, could not be resisted. Sir Thomas Skipwith was
not offended at so reasonable a compliance, and the Provok'd Wife was
acted 1698, with success. Some critics likewise objected against this,
as a loose performance; and that it taught the married women how to
revenge themselves on their husbands, who should offend them.
The play has indeed this moral, that such husbands as resemble Sir
John Brute, may expect that neglected beauty, and abused virtue, may
be provoked to yield to the motives of revenge, and that the forcible
sollicitations of an agreeable person, who not only demonstrates
a value, but a passion for what the possessor slights, may be
sufficiently prevalent with an injured wife to forfeit her honour.
Though this event may often fall out, that the brutality of a husband
produces the infidelity of a wife, yet it need not be shewn upon the
stage; women are not generally so tame in their natures, as to bear
neglect with patience, and the natural resentments of the human
heart will without any other monitor point out the method of revenge.
Besides, every husband ought not to be deemed a brute, because a too
delicate, or ceremonious wife, shall, in the abundance of her caprice,
bestow upon him that appellation. Many women who have beheld this
representation, may have been stimulated to imitate lady Brute in her
method of revenge, without having suffered her provocation. This play
verifies the observation of Mr. Pope,
That Van wants grace, who never wanted wit.
The next play which Sir John Vanbrugh introduced upon the stage
was Aesop, a Comedy; in two Parts, acted at the Theatre-Royal in
Drury-Lane 1698. This was originally written in French, by Mr.
Boursart, about six years before; but the scenes of Sir Polidorus
Hogstye, the Players, the Senator, and the Beau, were added by our
author. This performance contains a great deal of general satire,
and useful morality; notwithstanding which, it met with but a cold
reception from the audience, and its run terminated in about 8 or 9
days. This seemed the more surprising to men of taste, as the French
comedy from which it was taken, was played to crowded audiences for
a month together. Sir John has rather improved upon the original by
adding new scenes, than suffered it to be diminished in a translation,
but the French and the English. taste was in that particular very
different. We cannot better account for the ill success of this
excellent piece, than in the words of Mr. Cibber's Apology for his own
Life, when speaking of this play, he has the following observation;
'The character that delivers precepts of wisdom, is, in some sort,
severe upon the auditor, for shewing him one wiser than himself; but
when folly is his object, he applauds himself for being wiser than the
coxcomb he laughs at, and who is not more pleased with an occasion to
commend, than to accuse himself?'
Sir John Vanbrugh, it is said, had great facility in writing, and is
not a little to be admired for the spirit, ease, and readiness,
with which he produced his plays. Notwithstanding his extraordinary
expedition, there is a clear and lively simplicity in his wit, that
is equally distant from the pedantry of learning, and the lowness of
scurrility. As the face of a fine lady, with her hair undressed, may
appear in the morning in its brightest glow of beauty; such were the
productions of Vanbrugh, adorned with only the negligent graces of
nature.
Mr. Cibber observes, that there is something so catching to the ear,
so easy to the memory in all he wrote, that it was observed by the
actors of his time, that the stile of no author whatsoever gave the
memory less trouble than that of Sir John Vanbrugh, which he himself
has confirmed by a pleasing experience. His wit and humour was so
little laboured, that his most entertaining scenes seemed to be
no more than his common conversation committed to paper. As his
conceptions were so full of life and humour, it is not much to be
wondered at, if his muse should be sometimes too warm to wait the slow
pace of judgment, or to endure the drudgery of forming a regular Fable
to them.
That Sir John was capable of a great force of thinking, appears
abundantly clear from that scene between Aesop and a country
gentleman, who comes to complain of the bad conduct of those in power.
The dialogue is at once sensible and animated. Aesop shews him what
he reckoned the oppressions of the administration, flowed from the
prejudices of ignorance, contemplated through the medium of popular
discontent. In the interview between the Beau and the Philosopher,
there is the following pretty fable. The Beau observes to Aesop, 'It
is very well; it is very well, old spark; I say it is very well;
because I han't a pair of plod shoes, and a dirty shirt, you think
a woman won't venture upon me for husband.--Why now to shew you, old
father, how little you philosophers know the ladies.--I'll tell you an
adventure of a friend of mine.'
A Band, a Bob-wig and a Feather
Attack'd a lady's heart together,
The band in a most learned plea,
Made up of deep philosophy,
Told her, if she would please to wed
A reverend beard, and take instead
Of vigorous youth,
Old solemn truth,
With books, and morals into bed,
How happy she would be.
The Bob, he talk'd of management,
What wond'rous blessings Heav'n sent
On care, and pains, and industry;
And truly he must be so free,
To own he thought your airy beaux,
With powdered wigs, and dancing shoes,
Were good for nothing (mend his soul)
But prate and talk, and play the fool.
He said, 'twas wealth gave joy, and mirth,
And that to be the dearest wife,
Of one who laboured all his life,
To make a mine of gold his own,
And not spend sixpence when he'd done
Was Heaven upon earth.
When these two blades had done, d'ye see.
The Feather (as it might be me)
Steps out sir from behind the skreen.
With such an air and such a mien,
Look you, old gentleman, in short,
He quickly spoil'd the statesman's sport.
It prov'd such sunshine weather,
That you must know at the first beck
The lady leapt about his neck,
And off they went together.
The reputation which Sir John gained by his comedies was rewarded
with, greater advantages, than what arise from the usual profits of
writing for the stage. He was appointed Clarencieux King at Arms, a
place which he some time held, and at last disposed of. In August 1716
he was appointed surveyor of the works at Greenwich Hospital; he was
likewise made comptroller-general of his Majesty's works, and surveyor
of the gardens and waters, the profits of which places, collectively
considered, must amount to a very considerable sum. In some part
of our author's life (for we cannot justly ascertain the time) he
gratified an inclination of visiting France. As curiosity no doubt
induced him to pass over to that country, he lost no time in making
such observations as could enable him to discern the spirit, and
genius of that polite people. His taste for architecture excited him
to take a survey of the fortifications in that kingdom; but the ardour
of his curiosity drew him into a snare, out of which he found
great difficulty to escape. When he was one day surveying some
fortifications with the strictest attention, he was taken notice of
by an Engineer, secured by authority, and then carried prisoner to
the Bastile in Paris. The French were confirmed in suspicions of his
design, by several plans being found in his possession at the time
he was seized upon; but as the French, except in cases of Heresy,
use their prisoners with gentleness and humanity, Sir John found
his confinement so endurable, that he amus'd himself in drawing rude
draughts of some comedies. This circumstance raising curiosity in
Paris, several of the noblesse visited him in the Bastile, when Sir
John, who spoke their language with fluency and elegance, insinuated
himself into their favour by the vivacity of his wit, and the
peculiarity of his humour. He gained so much upon their affections,
that they represented him to the French King in an innocent light, and
by that means procured his liberty some days before the sollicitation
came from: England.
Sir John Vanbrugh formed a project of building a stately theatre
in the Hay-market, for which: he had interest enough, to raise
a subscription of thirty persons of quality at 100 l. each, in
consideration whereof, every subscriber for his own life, should be
admitted to whatever entertainments should be publickly performed
there, without farther payment for entrance.
On the first stone that was laid in this theatre, were inscribed the
words LITTLE WHIG, as a compliment to a lady of extraordinary beauty,
then the celebrated toast, and pride of that party. In the year 1706
when this house was finished, Mr. Betterton and his copartners put
themselves under the direction of Sir John Vanbrugh and Mr. Congreve;
imagining that the conduct of two such eminent authors would restore
their ruined affairs; but they found their expectations were too
sanguine, for though Sir John was an expeditious writer, yet Mr.
Congreve was too judicious to let any thing come unfinished out of his
hands; besides, every proper convenience of a good theatre had
been sacrificed to shew the audience a vast triumphal piece of
architecture, in which plays, by means of the spaciousness of the
dome, could not be successfully represented, because the actors could
not be distinctly heard.
Not long before this time the Italian Opera began to steal into
England, but in as rude a disguise, and as unlike itself as possible;
notwithstanding which the new monster pleaded, though it had neither
grace, melody, nor action to recommend it. To strike in therefore with
the prevailing fashion, Vanbrugh and Congreve opened their New Theatre
in the Hay-market, with a translated Opera, set to Italian music,
called The Triumph of Love, but it met with a cold reception, being
performed only three days, to thin houses.
Immediately upon the failure of the Opera, Vanbrugh produced his
comedy called The Confederacy, greatly improved from the Bourgois a la
mode of Dancour. The success of this play was not equal to its merit;
for it is written in, an uncommon vein of humour, and abounds with
the most lively strokes of raillery. The prospects of gain from this
theatre were so very unpromising, that Congreve, in a few months,
gave up his share and interest in the government wholly to Sir John
Vanbrugh; who being now sole proprietor of the house, was under a
necessity to exert himself in its support. As he had a happier talent
for throwing the English spirit into his translations of French plays,
than any former author who had borrowed from them, he, in the same
season, gave the public three more of that kind, viz.