THE KNEBWORTH THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENTS--SIR EDWARD
BULWER--LYTTON--CHARLES DICKENS, CHARLES MATHEWS, MACREADY, DOUGLAS
JERROLD, AND MANY OTHERS.
Among my pleasantest reminiscences were the partly amateur and partly
professional entertainments that took place at the celebrated seat of
the distinguished author, Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, about the year
185-.
At that time a gentleman of position usually sought to enhance the
family dignity by a seat in Parliament. The most brilliant mediocrity
even could not succeed without the patronage of the great families,
while the great families were dependent upon those who had the
franchise for the seats they coveted.
Forty-shilling freeholders were of some importance in those days;
hence these theatrical performances at Knebworth Park, for Sir Edward
wanted their suffrages without bribery or corruption.
Those who were the happy possessors of what they called the
"frankise" were also distinguished enough, to be invited to the great
performances at the candidate's beautiful estate.
It was a happy thought to give a succession of dramatic
entertainments, amongst which "Every Man in his Humour" was one. Sir
Edward knew his constituents and their tastes; it would be better
than oratory at some village inn to ask them to the stately hall of
Knebworth, and give them one of our fine old English plays.
I have already said that I had made up my mind in my earliest days to
go to the Bar or on the Stage, and that love for the histrionic art
(sometimes called the footlights) never left me.
For some reason or other I was invited to join the illustrious company
which assembled on those eventful evenings, although I was cast for a
very humble part in the performance. Nor is there much to wonder at
when I tell you who my colleagues were.
First comes that most distinguished comedian of his day, Charles
Mathews. I had known him for many a year, and liked him the better, if
that was possible, the longer I knew him.
Mathews was the leader of the company; next was another illustrious
man whose name will live for ever, and who was not only one of the
greatest authors of his time, but also the most distinguished of the
non-professional actors. Had he been on the stage, Mathews himself
could not have surpassed him. This was Charles Dickens.
After him comes a great friend of Sir Edward, John Foster, a barrister
of Lincoln's Inn, and author of the "Life of Goldsmith," as well as
editor of the _Examiner_ newspaper.
I am not quite sure whether Macready was present on this particular
occasion, but I think he was; there were really so many illustrious
names that it is impossible at this distance of time to be sure of
every one. Macready was a great friend of Bulwer, and with Dickens
and others was engaged in giving stage representations for charitable
purposes in London and the provinces, so that it is at least possible
I may be confounding Knebworth with some other place where I was one
of the company.
Amongst us also was another whose name will always command the
admiration of his countrymen, Douglas Jerrold. There were also Mark
Lemon, Frank Stone, and another Royal Academician, John Leech,
Frederick Dickens, Radcliffe, Eliot Yorke, Henry Hale, and others
whose names escape my memory at the present moment.
No greater honour could be shown to a young barrister than to invite
him to meet so distinguished a company, and what was even more
gratifying to my vanity, asking me to act with them in the
performance. There were many ladies, some of them of the greatest
distinction, but without the leave of those who are their immediate
relatives, which I have no time now to obtain, I forbear to mention
their names in this work.
The business--for business it was, as well as the greatest
pleasure--was no little strain on my energies, for I was now obtaining
a large amount of work, and appearing in court every day. I had the
orthodox number of devils--at least seven--to assist me, and every
morning they came and received the briefs they were to hold.
Alas! of the illustrious people I have mentioned all are dead, all
save one lady and myself.
When will such a company meet again?
I was no sooner in the midst of Knebworth's delightful associations
than I was anxious to return to the toilsome duties of the Law Courts,
with their prosaic pleadings and windbag eloquence. I was wanted in
several consultations long before the courts met, so that it was idle
to suppose I could stay the night at Knebworth. But what would I have
given to be able to do so?
Not my briefs! They were the business of my life, without which the
Knebworth pleasures would not have been possible. I never looked with
any other feeling than that of pleasure on my work, and whenever the
question arose I decided without hesitation in favour of the more
profitable but less delightful occupation.
But I managed a compromise now and then. For instance, after I had
done my duty in the consultations, and seen my work fairly started in
court, I contrived to take the train pretty early to Knebworth, in
order to attend rehearsals as well as perform in the evening.
Sir Edward's good-nature caused him much distress at my having to
journey to and fro. What _could_ he do? He offered me the sole use of
his library during the time I was there if I could make it in any way
helpful, and said it should be fitted up as a bedroom and study. But
it was impossible to do other than I did. The rehearsals were nearly
always going on--we had audiences as though they were _matinées_--and
they afforded much amusement to us as well as the spectators when we
made our corrections or abused one another for some egregious blunder.
This, of course, did not include Mathews, who coached us from an
improvised royalty box, where he graciously acted as George IV., got
up in a wonderful Georgian costume for the occasion. George was so
good that he diverted the attention of the audience from us, and made
a wonderful hit in his new character.
I will not say that at our regular performances we always won
the admiration, but I will affirm that we certainly received the
forbearance, of our audience, which says a great deal for them. This
observation, however, does not, of course, apply to the professional
artists, but only to myself, who, luckily, through all the business
still kept my head.
And it will be easily understood that this was the more difficult,
especially if I may include my temper with it, when the good-natured
Baronet actually invited several of his Hertford friends and
neighbours to take part in the performances, some of them being
friends of my own and members of my profession.
So that at this electioneering time the whole of that division was
alive with theatricals and "Every Man in his Humour," which was
exactly what Sir Edward wanted.
It was an ordeal for some of us to rehearse with the celebrities of
the stage, but I need not say their good-humour and delight in showing
how this and that should be done, and how this and that should be
spoken, was, I am sure, reciprocated by all the amateurs in studying
the corrections. Never were lessons more kindly given, or received
with more pleasurable surprise. Some could scarcely conceive how they
could so blunder in accent and emphasis. However, most things require
learning, even advocacy and acting.
Eliot Yorke was stage-manager, and wrote a very excellent prologue. It
must have been good, it was so heartily applauded, and the same may be
said of all of us. I think Radcliffe studied the part of Old Knowell,
while I played Young Knowell. Speaking after this interval of many
years, I believe we were all word-perfect and pretty well conscious of
our respective duties. Charles Dickens arranged our costumes, while
Nathan supplied them. He arranged me well. I was quite satisfied with
my Elizabethan ruff wound round my throat, but must confess that it
was a little uncomfortable for the first three or four hours. My hose
also gave me great satisfaction and some little annoyance.
I thought if I could walk into court without changing my costume, what
a sensation I should create! What would Campbell or Jervis say to
_Young Knowell_?
My father, as I have mentioned, lived at Hitchin, about six miles from
Knebworth, and my professional duties calling me so early to town, I
arranged to sleep at Hitchin, and go to London by an early train in
the morning. Sir Edward was much concerned at all this, and again
wondered whether his library could not be appropriated. But the other
was the only practicable plan, and was adopted. Every day I was in
court by nine o'clock, sometimes worked till five, then went by
rail to Stevenage and drove to Knebworth, three miles. That was the
routine. It was then time to put on my Elizabethan ruff and hose.
After the play I once more donned my private costume, and supped
luxuriously at a round table, where all our splendid company were
assembled.
After supper some of us used to retire to Douglas Jerrold's room in
one of the towers, and there we spent a jovial evening, prolonging the
entertainment until the small hours of the morning.
Then my fly, which had been waiting a long time, enabled me to reach
Hitchin and get three hours' sleep.
All this was hard work, but I was really strong, and in the best of
health, so that I enjoyed the labour as well as the pleasure. One
cannot now conceive how it was possible to go through so much without
breaking down. I attribute it, however, to the attendant excitement,
which braced me up, and have always found that excitement will enable
you to exceed your normal strength.
I had very many theatrical friends, all of them delightful in every
way. Amongst them Wright and Paul Bedford. Such companions as these
are not to be met with twice, each with his individuality, while the
two in combination were incomparable. They kept one in a perpetual
state of laughter. Paul was irresistible in his drollery, and whether
it was mimicry or original humour, you could not but revel in its
quaint conceits.
Such men are benefactors; they brighten the darkest hours of
existence, turn sorrow into laughter, and enable men to forget their
troubles and live a little while in the sunshine of humour. Banish
philosophy if you please, banish ambition if you must banish
something, but leave us _humour_, the light of the social world. All
who have experienced its beautiful influence can appreciate its value,
and understand it as one of the choicest blessings conferred on our
existence.
The dullest company was enlivened when Wright entered upon the scene.
I remember Paul being told one day at the Garrick Club that a certain
poor barrister, who had been an actor, was going to marry the
daughter of an old friend. "Ah!" said he, "yes, he's _a lover without
spangles_."
Who but Paul would have thought of so grotesque a simile? And yet its
applicability was simply due to the language of the stage.
I remember Robson, too, and his wonderful acting; he had no rival.
Nature had given him the talent which Art had cultivated to the
highest perfection. Next come the Keelys' impersonations of every
phase of dramatic life--originals in acting, and actors of originals.
But I must not linger over this portion of my story. It would occupy
many pages, and time and space are limited; I therefore take my leave
of one of the pleasantest chapters in my reminiscences.
All, alas! have passed away--all I knew and loved, all who made
that time so happy; and reluctantly as I say it, it must be said:
"Farewell, dear, grand old. Knebworth, with all thy glories and all
the glad faces and merry hearts I met within your walls--a long, long,
farewell!"