0^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES > MEMOIRS OF CHARLES LEE LEWES, COMEDIAN. VOL. I. • • • i ■» ■ > • » o • .it « • .. - . ^. • •* • -, • . MEMOIRS OF CHARLES LEE LEWES, CONTAINING ANECDOTES, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL, OF TJIE ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH STAGES, DURING A PERIOD OF FORTY YEARS. WRITTEN BY IILMSELR IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. L HonDcn : Printed for RICHARD PHILLIPS, No. 6, Bridge- STREET, BLACKFRIARS. 1805. By T. Gillct, Salisburj'-square. V. 1 V ADVERTISEMENT. Previously to my submitting the following pages to the Public, the re- gard which I feel for departed talents, and the natural impulse which induces me to exhibit the claims of those ta- lents to posthumous fame and admira- ^ tion, render it expedient that I should ^ explicitly inform the public, that I have ^ neither directly nor indirectly been con- ^ nected with a late publication which has appeared under the title of " Comic i Sketches ;" and that I am wholly igno- rant of the means which were employ- ed to procure the " light and minute trifles" of which that Work is com- posed. This declaration will prove the de- gree of authenticity which attaches to the publication above named ; and \ ADVERTISEMENT. hope I shall stand justified for having exerted my humble efforts to rescue the fame and talents of my deceased parent from unjust depreciation. The world, I imagine, would deem me wanting in duty and filial obligation, were I silently to look on, while ma- lice, or ignorance, or both, were at- tempting to lessen that portion of po- pular regard, to which a character of so much public estimation is entitled. With respect to the biographical sketch prefixed to the work called " Comic Sketches," it is unnecessary to trouble my readers with a minute detail of each fictitious particular : I shall therefore leave the author to the enjoyment of his superior inventive powers. I will, notwithstanding, be bold enough to say (even in contra- diction of this false biographer), that whatever clouds hung over my father's ADVERTISEMENT. latter days, and however great was the contumacy and tyranny which he ex- perienced from managerial Nebuchad- nezzars, Mr. Lee Lewes w^as a man unrivalled in the comic line of his pro- fession : and althous;h doomed at fre- quent periods of his life to witness the cncourag^ement 8;iven to forciofners and adventurers of every denomination, while his native genius was suffered to languish in the very capital of the king- dom, there are many living testimo- nies who will subscribe to the truth of this assertion ; and I am prompted to make it from a thorough conviction, that his natural requisites, judicious conception, and acknowledged hu- mour, have placed him in tlic list of celebrated English comedians. Impressed as I am with the delicacy of the undertakiuG: which I ha\'C as- signed myself, and sensibly alive to tl\e ADVERTISEMENT. diiTiculties I have had to encounter in preparing the following sheets for the press, the liberality and candour of the public will, I trust, make allowance for impediments which it was impossible I cjuld anticipate or prevent. Encouraged by the hope that my motive will be duly appreciated, and having noticed the avidity with which theatrical anecdotes are read, I feel some degree of confidence in present- ing these authentic records to the pub- lic ; and if they should afford satisfac- tion to the numerous admirers of my late father, I shall have cause to felici- tate myself on the success of my efforts, in rescuing these genuine dramatic anecdotes from oblivion. John Lee Lewes, i^iverpool) J-une 1 8 05. PREFACE. TTAVING promised to give a sketch of my own life, as far as it is con- nected with the stage only, it is neces- sary that I should apologize for saying a little more concerning so unimport- ant a subject ; and as the conductors of the London theatres seem determined that I shall professionally die in the me- tropolis, it may not be improper (by way of my dying speech) to add also my birth, parentage, and education. Whether I have come naturally by this scenic death, or have been 70T.. I. B 11 PREFACE. m •guilty of fek de se ; or, whether the manap^crs not havinp' the fear of the O ■<■■ public before their eyes, have wilfully and maliciously buried me alive, it is for the coroner of Taste to determine. If I should be able to prove, as I trust • I shall, that I have not laid violent hands upon myself, and that des.i^n only has deprived me of life (by being deprived of " the means whereby I live") it will then Jiot be difficult for me to call to the remembrance of the public many a favourite actor and actress pre- maturely forced by the divan of a thea- tre into the hands of the scenic sexton, ; and likewise many that may probably follow, if 1 may be allowed to judge by llie ratio of proportions, founded on PREFACE. iil^ the logarithms of this unnatural drama- tic mortality. I know it has been said by many, who are unacquainted with the real cause why I am not employed, that I must be under lunar influence, not to » - accept of an engagement. Let me say to those observers, who would so un- kindly deprive me of the exercise of reason, that if in the ibeatnic hemisphere tliey observe a deviation from general laws, it is but fair they should endea- vour to illustrate it from local circum- stances, or some partial operation, and not rashly lay the cause of my non-employment at the chaste door of Diana, by 'placing me within the sphere of the moon's attraction. However I JB 2 IV PREFACE. may have been thought to be under the influence of this insinuating deity, I trust that, in the course of the follow- ing pages, I shall be able to effect a rea- sonable conviction, that I am not so fit for the strait waJsUeat, as the exercise of that profession, which to me, from its infancy, has been laborious ser- vitude and incessant toil ; and has only served to convince me, that when an actor has made such progress in his art, as to enable him to stand alone, the whim, or the caprice of managers, will soon shew him that he has no solid foundation ; all is delusive and airy. "I have seen merit become the sport of managerial passion, and the smallest twigs of novelty have been introduced PREFACfi. t to supersede and oppose its passage. I confess the crosses I have encountered, have been more difficult to digest, in the progress of my professional ambi- tion, than it was hard for me to curb the natural propension that led me to it. This preface, I will be bold to say, stands before the pages of truth. A very ingenious critic, on the utility of biography, has observed, that "It is not from the secret history of the green room, the artifices of managers, the petty cabals and., private intrigues of actors and actresses, their^humility in distress, or their unsteadiness in pros- perity, that much advant;igc or instruc- tion is to be derived.'* »3. VI PREPACK. Sensible of this remark, I am free to confess, that the following pages will " not add to the stores of wisdom," but presume to hope they may enlarge the sphere of dramatic anecdote, and extend the bounds of scenic whim, hi- therto generally confined to the terri- tories of the green room.. I have endeavoured to raise the laugh at the expenceof/?//y; and sure- ly a man, who has all his life-time been the devotee, of folly, ranging over a great part of the globe as her humble instrument, has a right to think him- self entitled to act a principal charac- ter in one of her temples. If I have failed, I know my reward will be the cap and bells : wtU, even PR.EFACE. VU thtn, my intentioti- will in some de- gree be gratified, as by jingling them I may still raise the laugh. But to the candour of the public I submit : they must determine whether the laugh shall be with me, or at me. To the critic, I tremblingly bend. He need not be told, that neither my genius nor education qualifies me for purity of style; and though nearly sixty years have rolled over my head. I hope he will not consider me as an M offender. This is my first literary crime, I will never be guilty of the like again. All I can offer in my defence is, that I am merely a recorder, and as recor- der most humbly recommend myself B 4 VIU PREJFACE. to his mercy. Hoping farther, that should he sit in judgment upon me at the period of his breakfast, that his tea may not be smoked, nor his butter rancid. If after dinner, and over his bottle, that his viands may have been critically dressed, and his vine juice neat as imported ; my fate will then ckpend on his settled good humour, verifying this known apophthegm ; Quicquid reclpitur, recipitur ad modura recipientit. MEMOIRS OF CHAKLES LEE LEWES, Esq/ TO all whom it may concern — be it known, I am not a Welchman^ but proud of being the scion of as ho- nest a Cambrian as ever ranked with the reputable tradesmen of this king- dom, but whose classical education qua- lified him for the circle of polite arts. I was born in New Bond Street, St. George Hanover Square, London, on the 1 9th of November, old stile, 1 740. My father was honoured by being in fO MEMOIRS OF intimate friendship with the Lite Dr. Young (.luthor of the Night Thoughts) ; and I well remember the Doctor's attachment -to me when only five years of age, his often taking me with him to his house at Welwyn in Herts, where I stayed occasionally many weeks together. Lady Betty Young (his wife) died in the year 1741. Pre- vious to her marriage with the Doctor, , she was the widow of Colonel Lee, and daughter to the Earl of Litchfield. Her son by the Colonel was my god-father, (this accounts for Lee being added to my sponsorial appellation) ; she had also a daughter by the Colonel : they .all three died about the same period, which so severely afflicted the Doctor^ as to be the sole occasion of his Night Thoughts. This particular circumstance he thus beautifully describes, speaking^ of sublunary bliss : — * CHARLES LEE LEWES. FF ♦' Bliss! sublunary bliss ! — ^Proud words, and vain! *' Implicit treason to divine decree I "■ A bold invasion of the righrs of heaven ! •' I clasp'd the phantoms, and I found them air; " O had I weigh'd it ere my fond embrace ! " What datts of agony had miss'd my heart !' :• lie has often told me, tliat wheneirer and wherever the play of the Revenge (written by his father) is performed, he is sure to attend the representation, if within a day's ride, and always- la* mentingly shakes his head at the men- tion of Massop in Zanga, that he " shaU not look upon his like again ;" the drawing: of which character seems to me to be one of the greatest efibrts of human genius since Shakespeare. It is my pride to mention this cir- cumstance respecting the intimacy be- tween Doctor Young and my father, who by being a scholar, and a man of extensive reading, was well qualified 12 MEMOIRS OF- for the conversation of such an en- lightened character* My mother was the daughter of William Lewthwaite, esq. of Broad- gate in Cumberland. A very near re- lation, John Lewthwaite, esq. died lately at Whitehaven, leaving behind him no less a sum than one hundred thousand pounds, and by a flaw in his will, sixty thousand of his personal estate falls among his nearest relations. Before it came to my ears, it was pub- Jtcly talked of that I was one among seven others who were entitled to it j for some time we thought so, and actually put in our claims from the opinions given us by Sir John Scott and Mr. Selwyn, and locked up that sum in the three per cents, till by legal process we had substantiated our sepa- rate claims; but to our great disappoint- ment, and to the joy of Sir Qilford CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1 3 Lawson, we now find this fortune falls to him, and a few others, being of a nearer branch. I sincerely congratulate them, and with equal sincerity declare, that I do not feel one pang at the dis- appointment, though the possession of eight thousand of that sixty thousand was pointed out to me but a few months since as almost certain, having been offered one morning two thou- sand pounds stock, to be transferred to me in half an hour, if I would give up my claim for that consideration. Let not this be called apathy ; no, I have been too long accustomed to the up and down hill of life, and to " borrov/ all my happiness from hope, which in irksome and disappointed moments will not turn to pain, if we keep in remem- brance the uncertainty of events." I have the honour of being related by my mother's side to the dovvager Lady 14 MEMOIRS OT St. Aubyn ; and to the present Sir John St. Aubyn, and Sir Francis Bas- set, I am much indebted, for their un- bounded liberality at a very critical moment. At seven years old I was placed under the care of the Reverend Mr. Miles, at Ambleside in Westmord- land, from whence I returned to Lon- don, after seven years humming, as in, presently with little more improvement than what the discipline of the ferrula imprinted on my palm. Had I, like my^ sisters, been indefatigable to improve my education, I might, like them, have . Boasted a polish which has enabled them to complete the tutorage of some of the first families in the kingdom — Lord Bathurst's, Lord Hopetown's, Lord Lothian's, Lord Buckingham- shire's, hz. .Sec. I left the school at fourteen years of age, with the charac- ter of being the most volatile and cai'fi- CHARLES LEE LEWES. I5 less. My father, shocked at my non- improvement, undertook to instruct me himself, and, in truth, it needed parental authority to keep such spirits within bounds : for a little time I sub- mitted to the rules laid down by my affectionate parent, enforced with all the rigidness of a Spartan; but high spirits will overleap all bounds, and, if I may be allowed to pun, as I was so early fond of shifting the scene, 'tis no wonder I fixed at last in the theatre. The first staorc bite I received was by playing Cash in Every Man in his Humour, in the Hay market," about the year 1760. Mr. Wilkinson played Kitely. This scenic mania next led me to ap- pear for a benefit in Mr. Linnet's com- pany, at the Cross Keys, a little public house near Chelsea church, in the cha- racter of Mathew Mug, in Mr. Foote's fijce •f'thc Mayor of Garrat. Among l6 MEMOIRS OF the numberless ridiculous, and truly aukward situations, that country ma- nagers have been brought into in the course of their pilgrimage through this vale of sorrow, I think that of the veteran Linnet, on the following droll occasion, deserves to be mentioned. The old gentleman, while at Ham- mersmith, expressed a desire to play at Chelsea, but was informed it was -►under the control of a very inflexible magistrate, particularly averse to giv- ing any encouragement to plays, or other amusements. However, notwith- standing this seeming insurmountable difficulty, X-innet met with a friend, a gentleman who wrote a warm recom- mendatory letter for him to the obdu- rate magistrate, and gave him assur- ance of his meeting with success; with this encouragement Linnet boldly pushed to the justice's house, directing CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1/ tis whole company to proceed to Chel- sea, and order a dinner at the Swan, and regale themselves ; this mandate was cheerfully complied with, and the eventful letter was delivered according to direction. But what was the pur- port of this letter? Instead of that which should secure a welcome and support, it was one that menaced the reader with a sudden scene of horror. 'Tis proper to explain. Then thus it was. The comedy of the Bold Stroke for a Wife had been played a few nights before, and old Linnet, on this occasion, resolvins: to make a grand appearance, had put on the stage waistcoat he had worn in the Colonel ; in one of the pockets of which, a letter supposed to be sent by the colonel's friend to Obadiah Prim, upon hearing that the real Simon Pure was actually conv;^, which if not timely vol.. I. c l8 MEMOIRS OF prevented must ruin the coloners design upon the cautious quaker. Judge of the magistrate's surprise at opening the supposed letter of recommendation, when he found it began thus : — " There is a design formed to rob thy house and cut thy throat.'* — The justice rang his bell — a servant appear- ed. — Where is the man that brought this letter ?* — In the hall, sir. — Call him up directly. — While the servant was employed in going to fetch up the un- conscious culprit, old Quorum read on. " The gang, whereof I am one, though now resolved to rob no more,'* — (here old Linnet made his appear- ance; — Well, friend, says the Justice, you belong to a gang^ how many are there of you ? — We are fourteen in all, sir. — Fourteen ! and where are you all ?— At Tool's, sir*— at the Swan.— * One Mark Tool kept the Swan pv^blic house »t that period. CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1 9 Indeed ! oh, very well, you have all your tools at the Swan, have you ? I'll take care of you and your tools pre* sently. — Many thanks to you, sir. Squire told me you would encou- rage us. — Aye, was it he sent you to my house ? — Yes, sir. — Well, and when do you intend to begin this grand af- fair ? — We always begin about seven o'clock, sir. — You do ! — here Thomas, here, seize this daring, hardened old villain -, he and his whole gang are coming to rob and murder my family this night, and all their horrid tools are at the Swan public house ! — I did not think this of you (says the servant to Linnet). — What, do you know the fellow, sirrah ? — Yes, sir, he's master of the play.— -A player : and are nor you an open and avowed murderer ? Oh Lord, sir, what do you mean !— • Look at this letter, you hang dog ! Did c 2 20 MEMOIRS OF you not deliver this to me ? — Who can describe the innocent Linnet's astonish- ment upon the discovery of his mis- take ? Oh, dear sir, I beg your pardon, here's Squire 's letter, I hope this will satisfy you Hold him till I see what's here. On the perusal of the real letter, his worship's countenance was changed from a savage ferocity to a most placid smile. He immediately dismissed the innocent aggressor with a full permission for his performing, with this piece of wholesome advice — > Never to forget his part again. My probations in the Hay-market and Chelsea,, as Foote says, " like a link, threw a radiance round me," and lighted mc to Chesterfield in Derby- shire, unaer the management of one Parsons (not the comic hero of Drury Lane). My enfre was in the part of Charles in the Busy Body. The en- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 21 couragement I received vainly taught me to think, that towards the period the company left off performing, I was perfectly qualified for the Theatres Royal. This idea, with a little persua- sion from one Jackson, prevailed on mc to leave the company abruptly with him oncniglit, after the play was over; — and hereby hangs a tale of curious embar- rassment. Mr. Stanton, a respectable country manager, was a principal actor in the scene, and with whom, a few months ago, not having met for twen- ty years before, I enjoyed a hearty lauGch at the following; slorv. Mr. Jackson and myself had proceed- ed as far as the Peacock, the half-way house between Chesterfield and Derbv, and not belncr anxious to iiastcn our departure from thence, lo ! and behold! in the morning, in came the manager, and Mr. Stanton, then the leading per- c 3 22 MEMOIRS Of former In his company. So, says Mr. Stanton, young gentleman (addressing himself to me) we have overtaken you at last, how will you like to walk back again ? — Not at all, says I, because I'll run away. — No, you don't, replied he, and shut the door. — What is all this, Mr. Stanton? — Ask your colleague, Mr. Lewes. — Come, come, grumbled old Parsons, you two gentlemen must return with us to Chesterfield, you have robbed the wardrobe. — " Who, Ij Mr. Parsons ?" — I don't know which of you have done it. — The fact was, Jackson had, unknown to me, walked off with the black breeches he played in the preceding night, and vi et armis, we were forced back to Chesterfield. But the manager's sole view was, our be- ing two sheet anchors, he did not wish to lose us. Jackson was to be fright- ened into his staying with the compa- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 23 ny, by the manager's promise not to prosecute him for the small-clothes. — But how to detain me? Why, by a curious managerial manoeuvre. When we arrived at Chesterfield, the whole town had been apprized of the mana- ger's pursuit after his old breeches, and a great mob had gathered round the inn we were at. — While Stanton was using his endeavours to persuade Jack- son to stay, and proceed with the com- pany to Mansfield, old Parsons slipt out, and prevailed upon one Doctor Stani- forth to arrest me for his attendance durincj a sli2:ht illness. It is to be la- mcnted, that a man of the doctor's consequence, should have condescend- ed to aid the cunning of this mock ty- rant of a barn ; but so it was. I got previous intelligence that the bailifi* was at the door, up went the window, out went Harlequin ; but not without be- c 4 24 MEMOIRS OF ing perceived by the officer. I liad no- thing for it but my heels, with John Doe and Richard Roe at my back — but procul este prophani^ away I scoured over two fields, with not less than two hundred of the mob following, whom I afterwards learned meant to rescue me had the caption taken place. Finding my breath fail me, and a river being near, in I jumped, and laid hold of the branch of a tree that hung over close to the water ; in this situation remaining for a quarter of an hour, with only my head and hands out of tlie water, till the pursuit was over. When it was completely given up, I went shivering to a house about two hundred yards from me, where I was humanely rubbed down, and put to bed between two blankets. This was on Saturday ; as soon as the clock struck twelve, I was determined to CHARLES LEE LEWES. 25 have my revenge upon old Parsons, so forth I sallied in the queer habiliments my good rustic host had lent me ; a pair of thick yarn stockings, greasy patched leather breeches, a long red waistcoat, and his best grey cloth Sun- day coat, with a large slouched beaver umbrella, that wanted only a crape hat- band to sanctify it for a funeral. I found him with the doctor and a num- ber of tradesmen, at a house where they used to meet every Saturday night, without any regard to the following sacred day ; for here would they cele- brate their nightly orgies, till the early hours of Sunday generally sent them reeling to their beds. I was by no means a welcome visitor to cither the old sly manager, or his colleague the doctor. At the moment of my abrupt obtrusion, the waiter happened to be carrying in a large bowl of punch. 26 MEMOIRS OF which I snatched from him, and with it saluted this " King of shreds and patches." It must be observed that he was (at the moment I sluiced him) either dosing, or fast asleep, and I sup- pose dreaming, for the shock had such an effect, that he fell with his face upon the floor, and, being pretty well drench- ed, must have fancied himself fallen in- to the river, and in danger of being drowned, for he instantly began sprawl- ing with his legs and arms, as if in the action of swimming, and called out lustily, a boat ! a boat ! and had actu- ally swam half across the room, before he could be convinced he was in no danger of suffocation. I then began to reproach the doctor, a general scuf- fle ensued, and ended in my being forcibly conducted to the cage in the market place. And here I must lament that provincial towns cannot accom- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 27 modate nocturnal disturbers of the peace, like the parish rendezvous houses in the metropolis, where a Dogberry or a Verges, over a gallon of porter, can cure a black eye, a bloody nose, or a broken head, and afterwards submit themselves to be kicked, and the regis- ter of their proceedings torn to pieces, as lately happened in Covent Garden watch-house, between those mighty Gothamites, and the manager of a theatre royal in London, a principal actor, and a favourite author. Not so with poor pilgarlick ; I had no one to appeal to ; the wind whistling through my airy cage, till daylight brought round me tag, rag, and bob-tail. Up stood orator Lewes, and to the rabble told his " unvarnish'd talc.'* They lieard me, and they wished it had been otherwise — they wished " my redemp- tion thence," and " swore 'twas piti- 28 MEMOIRS OF fill J 'twas wonderous pitiful." I so far *' beguiled them of their tears," they would actually have pulled down the cage to effect my freedom, had I not assured them such a measure would have added to my distress. However, I was soon released, the heads of the town ha,ving taken up the matter, and it ended in the doctor's withdrawing: o his writ, and the manager apologizing to me, for being the cause of volunta- rily ducking myself in the river ; and after an apology from me to him for interrupting his slumber, by forcin the bowl of punch on him, instead of in him. I then Vvcnt to London for a few weeks, and aftev/ards joined the samie company at Mansfield ; and here I had not been many days before Mr. Stanhope, the chief magistrate, a gen- tleman of the Chesterfield family (who when in London always lodged- at my or O r CHARLES LEE LEWES. ig father's) sent for me to his hous?, where I received from him a severe lec- ture, for running about the country, and " blacking my face for the diver- sion of children," as he was pleased to express himself, with his positive com- mands instantly to return to my pa- rents, or the house of correction should be my portion. — I remonstrated — he was peremptory — however I was able at last to soften him by a promise, that when the benefits were over, (which I sliould much injure by then leaving the company) I would return home ; which promise I kept. But on my be- nefit ni2:ht in this town a circumstance happened, which I cannot pass over. The benefits were double, and my partner was Mrs. Bates, the wife of the well known facetious Bobby Bates. Previous to the night of performing, I had sold tickets to the amount of about 50 MEMOIRS OF live pounds, which money I constantly kept in my pocket, and not being trou- bled with much more, I thought this sum a pretty plaything. On the night of the play I was appointed to receive the money at the door, without any check taken ; a trusty office, which I suppose Mr. Bates thought me compe- tent to fill, being a novice, and not having learned the door-keeping art of sinking. On the contrary, for it was well known the house would not hold, when full, more than sixteen pounds, however I brought to book twenty one pounds. Here was uplifted hands — "What an honest door-keeper I was! what a misfortune I had not stood there every night ! And though they did not directly charge each other, who had alternately been employed in that important office, with peculating, yet did they all agree, that there must CHARLES LEE LEWES. 3 1 have been holes in the pockets where the money was deposited. Well, the charges being deducted, eight pounds each fell to the share of Mrs. Bates and self, which Bates received. The next morning, when I cam.e to make up my account, 1 was two pounds len shillings deficient. Thus I explain it : I had mixed the money I had taken for tickets before the night, w^ith the money received on the night, and which I should have been accountable for only in tickets. On the discovery of this mistake I immediately applied to Bates, and insisted on his refunding. He said I was a very honest fellow, and he did not believe I meant to de- ceive him, and as to a mistake, he was sure there was none on his side ; as to refund. Master Lewes, I do not under- stand that; I have heard of the theatri- cal fund, but refund is quite out of 32 MEMOIRS OF the course of things. No, no, posses- sion is eleven points of the law, as they say ; — a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. You get no money of me. Master Lewes; you are ayounker, it will teach you how to be honest at the door again. In short, I was only laughed at by Mr. Bates ; so I found it necessary to lay my complaint before Mr. Stanhope. He sent for Bates, who had the mortification of refunding be- fore a third person, the chief magis- trate ; when, had he laid aside, but for a moment, his natural talent for low humour, it might have been settled as it ought, between ourselves. I here took my leave of this company, and, in a few months, entered under the dramatic flag of the celebrated James Augustus Wliiteley. And here I must digress ; as no memoirs of this extra- ordinary gentleman have been published CHARLES LEE LEWES. 33 since his demise, the following short relation may not prove wholly unenter- taining to my theatrical readers. JAMES AUGUSTUS WHITELEY, was descended from an obscure stock ; his father was a private in the St. George's light dragoons — not (as he boasts in liis preface to his Intriguing Footman J a major in the army ; and while "^Vhite- Icy was very young, reduced to the scanty allowance of an out-pensioner of Kilmainham hospital. The indigence of the parent was the consequent neg- lect of the son's education ; but as young James was a shrewd, sensible lad, he had attracted the notice of an old limb of the law, who being a papist, and not qualified for the exer- cise of his profession in any of the courts of judicature, he prudently fol- lowed the business of a chamber soli- vol,. J. D '34 MEMOIRS OF citor, or, as they commonly term It in Ireland, a lough derug- attorney. This respectablepersonagetookyoung White- ley into his service, and finding the boy of a quick understanding, he put a pen in his hand, and instructed him in writ- ing. After some time, the master was immured for debt in the City Marshal- sea, where young Whiteley paid close attendance on him, and became very useful in procuring many lucrative jobs ibr him in the hackney line of writing; but on the failure of work in that way, on a casual visit of Joe Elrington, the comedian, to this mansion of distress, a sudden acquaintance commenced be- tween them, and Elrinsfton recom- mended him to Mr. William Rufus Chetwood, prompter of Smock-alley theatre, Dublin, as one well qualified to write out such parts as he might have occasion for j. upon which an agree- CHARLES LEE LEWES. -^5 ment was struck, and the needy law- yer was forced to the necessity of writ- ing parts at a penny a length (42 lines each), when the unconscionable promp- ter charged the manager, Tom Phillips (Mr. Garrick's hrst employer in the Dublin theatre), no less than two-pence. However, this intercourse with the theatre opened to young Whiteley a more enlarged field of action, as he was not only principal scribe, his master being frequently attacked with the gout^ but the only confidential messenger his master had to fetch and carry tlie work. In short, Whiteley was made free of the house, and Thomas Carmichacl, then prompter's call-boy, as it is termed, growing tired of his servile station, and ambitious to wield a truncheon, gave William Rufus warning to provide him- self with another deputy. Upon this desertion Chetwood cast his eyes upon D 2 35 MEMOIRS OF young Whiteley, and tampered with him to engage as his call-boy, pro- mising most solemnly to make him a first-rate actor if he would mind his duty. Fired with the proposal, White- ley, without hesitation, closed with it ; and at the end of the Dublin season, without giving the proper warning to his unhappy master, still in durance, set off with the company for Waterford, and during his three months abode there, made such a rapid progress in the scenic profession, that he was soli- cited by a widow Parker to join her company at Galway, with a pleasing offer of a first cast of parts ; or, in -the modern phrase, a principal line of bu. siness. This was too flattering an ofiv Before I return to my unimportant self, I shall relate what further happened in this company before 1 left it for Sheirield, One day, this Bajazet of the stage kings, Whiteley, was taking a cheerful glass with some respectable inhabitants of the town, when one George Down- ing, a rub)'-faced member of the scenic corps, came in, and desired to s-peak to j\Ir. Whiteley. — Your commands with me, my dear sir ? — Sir, I have glorious news for you, as well as me. — What is it, my dear sir ? — I have got my play be- spoke by the gentlemen of the hunt. — I am glad of it, my dear. The gen- tlemen, sir, have cast the play ; 'tis She Would and She Would Not j and r6 MEMOIRS OF have sent mc to have it signed with your approbation, that I may take it hn mediately to the printer : here it is, sir; they have cast me Trapanti. — What! How! Who? What Trapanti ? —Trapanti in tlie play, sir ? You don't mean my Trapanti ? — To be sure, sir; they say you are too old, and. too fiit for such a starved character! — They do, you red nosed rascal, do they? Then pray hunt out these gentlemen of the hunt ; lap up my compliments to them in a cabbage leaf, and carry them to the ignorant rascals ; and there's for your impudent, presumptuous message, (sluicing poor George with the best part of a tankard of beer.) Look, look, gentlemen, observe how the beer hisses and sputters on his worm inhabited countenance, like a'salamander ! You get no benefit in my company, you creeping incendiary ! Sirrah, I'll expose CHARLES LEE LEWES. 5/ you through the three kingdoms ; you informing scoundrel ! My Trapanti in- deed ! So George walked off, disho- noured and undone. FORETHOUGHT FOR A COFFIN. It is customary in travelling compa- nies, when any thing is to be shared, to make the dividend as soon as the farce is concluded ; in Whiteley's com- pany, at this period, which was not common, the sharing had been very indifferent for a succession of nights. However, a bespoke play filled the house, and the actors v/ith the expec- tancy of a large dividend at the end of the farce, which was of Whiteley's own writing — The Humbug. Eigh- teen shilling's fell to the share of each performer ; but Whiteley gave Andrews, one of the company, only nine shillings. What's this for ? says Andrews* — Your 5^ mj:M()IRs of share, my dear. — JNIy share! Don'^C humbug me, Mr. Whiteley, though you hrive Iiumbug'd the audienc6 to-night ; why, I don't owe you any thing ! True, my dear, but you will very soon ; you are in a bad state of heakli. — Look at him, gentlemen — the thief vv-ants to leave us without warning. You see he is in a consumption. Where did you get it, you thief, not in my flesh and blood company, but the skin and bone troop you came from. You'll die in a fortnight, my dear ; and, as we must bury you, I ha^ve stopped nine ^.hillings towards your coiiin. Cruel as these modes of joking vrere, V/hiteley could not forego them. The following anecdote of Mr. Richard Hurst may not unaptly be related here, as it will serve to place our friend Whiteley in a point of light we have not yet noticed hiiD in. CHARLES LEE LEWES. 59 Mr. Hurst, after his hopes were blighted, in respect to the great benefit he was sure his merit as an actor would command at Liverpool, turned his thouQ-hts towards an immediate en- gagement ; and hearing that Whiteley was then playing at Manchester, to very great houses, he w rote him a let- ter to the following purports (( Sir, " I am a gentleman, well re- ceived in my professional line, as an ac- tor of no m.ean abilities. This you may judge of, by the applauding world declaring, that I have been these two years treading hard upon the heels of Barry. In short, so great a favourite am I, that all true connoisseurs in act- ing say, wherever I appear on a coun- Jtry stage, that I am too good for such mean places. However, sir, hearing 6o MEMOIRS OF you hiivc a tolerable stock of clothes and scenes, and a good circuit, I will wave, for the present, my superiority over others of your company, and con- descend to join you immediately, on only two shares. Your speedy answer to this will oblige yours, &c. Richard Hurst." On the receipt of this truly modest epistle, Whiteley was, for some minutes, at a stand to find words to answer it. A tolerable stock of clothes and scenes! 1 his slighting account of hig stage pro- perty, he looked upon as more intoler- able, than any other part of his boun- cing letter. His being too great and good for country towns, he considered as the effusions of a young coxcomb, who had been taught by some to set an extraordinary value upon himself. To the same account he placed his treading upon Barry's heels. After CHARLES LEE LEWES. 6 1 some struggles with himself, wherein rage and laughter had then* turns alter- nately, he hit upon a scheme to draw this too good person to the company ; as he longed to see one that had the impudence to avow himself a better man than he was, who had never been out of the country. Accordingly he sent for this phenomenon, and in three days after received a billet from an inn, in Manchester, subscribed Richard Hurst, desiring to speak with him. The first part of Whiteley's plan, for mortifying this self-sufficient gentle- man, was to collect his v/hole company together, when he proposed to intro- duce them to an uncomm.on prodigy. Accordingly, they all attended their manager to the Bull, in the market place. Whiteley inquired for the strange gentleman, and was shewn into a room, where they found Mr, Hurst seated, 6l MEMOIRS Of v/ith a bottle of wine before him. They soon came to a right understanding — the ceremony of civility being over, Mr. Whiteley having acted as master of the ceremonies on the occasion, he asked him what character he vi'ould choose to open with ? Bajazet, sir, if the play is up. Well, sir, said Whiteley, appoint your night, and you sliall have a fair trial, though the part is a fa- vorite one of my own. This was done, and Hurst, upon the whole, was well received. The re- ceipts of the house Vv'ere shared, and the book put into Hurst's hands, for his inspection. The nightly, or inci- dental charges, he lightly passed over j but when he came to the line which informed him of the prodigious num- ber of shares which the residue of the cash was to be divided into, his blood ran cold, and with a look of astonish- CHARLES LE2 LEWES. 6l ment he demanded of the manao-er^ whether there was not some mistake in it ? What, fifty-six shares ! — Yes, sir, says Whitcley, and if there are too many, you may blame yourself for it : ve were but twenty-seven, 'till you came to us. No I No, sir. Why, sir, does tlie single addition of mc Come, sir, says the manager, I'll relieve }'0U from your surprise, by explainin^^ to you the cause of our being so seem- ingly overloaded with people. — I allow, honestly, that one half is but ideal. — Well, sir, and do you call it honest to— Pray, good sir, says "Whitcley, don't interrupt me till I have done : I pro- mised you an explanation, and you . %hd.\\ have it. Did )-ou not, good sir, dcm.and two shares for your perform- ance r and did I not promise, in my answer, that you should have them ? I have most religiously kept my pro- 64 MEMOIRS OF mise to you. Now, sir, would you wish me to injure the interests of all the other members of my company, and deprive them of their just rights, to gratify your vanity ? I was resolved to have you at all events ; 1 sent for you, and that I might strictly keep my word with you, two shares you have eral sympathy took place. Though twenty-six years have passed since that misfortune befel me, I at this moment feel a lively sense of gratitude, and ever shall, for the kind assistance afforded me by my friends at Sheffield j and particularly to the present Duchess of Norfolk (then the Honourable Mrs. Howard"* for her tenderness and anxic- ty on that occasion. I was two months confined to my room, and one month before I could bear the rays of light, so violent was the concussion. How- ever, my reputation as an Harlequin reached the metropolis, and I was in- vited by a letter from Mr. Beard, to a situation in Covent Garden theatre, as second Harlequin to Mr. Woodward, which I embraced. But before I enter upon my royal ^2 70 MEMOIRS OF progress, and how it has ended, I must give my readers some of the eccentri- cities of my two years itinerancy. Her- bert, the manager, who was generally known by the name of Doctor Her- bert, was celebrated by the lovers of the nipikin, through the counties of Nor- folk, Lincoln, and Nottingham, for the incredible number of half pints of beer and ale he soaked up in a day, no less indeed than ninety-two, from five in the morning (he was an early riser) till nine at night, always finishing the night with the ninety-third for sup- per. This extraordinary gentleman was blessed with a provident wife ; she gave him a daily allowance of half a crown for pocket-money, a plentiful supply you must allow, but thirsty Dennis Herbert frequently found it too little. Shame would not suffer him to apply CHARLES LEE LEWES. 71 to his wife for any additional allow- ance ; but as he wisely foresaw that the half-crown would be insufficient for the expenditure of a whole day in such a town as Lynn, he made use of an in- genious stratagem to enlarge his stock. The necessary attention required at the theatre caused Mrs. Herbert to sleep soundly during the morning, which put a scheme into old Dennis's head of sup- plying himself liberally, without being detected, or accused of beino; more ex- travagant than there was a necessity for. — I said before he was an early riser: a thirsty spark that must be quench- ed was his sole motive for it. Not for the reason some silly wise people give, as the means of prolonging life : but to obey the calls of the present mo- ment. His spouse's pockets were al- ways carefully tied up together, and deposited under her head. Dennis, tak- F 4 7i MEMOIRS OF ing advantage of her whilst she was under the dominion of the drowsy god, would aFtfulW draw away the depo- sitary of her cash, and purloin from thence such sums as he thought pro- per, carefully restoring the bags to the place from whence he took them. This trade of filching from himself he fol- lowed for a great while, and chuckled with the thoughts of having such a safe resource, without casting one thought on the ruinous consequences which might ensue to his family by such an extraordinary procedure. But the time drew nigh for a fatal stop to be put to this unnatural fraud. Mrs. Herbert was most punctual in the pay- ment of all the tradespeoples' bills any way connected with what concerned the theatre, as the tallow-chandler, car- penter, painter. Sec. ; their demands she made a rule to discharge every CHARLES LEE LEWES. 75 morRing after play-night ; but the sen- sible deficiency she often found, on ex;- amining the contents of her pockets, surprised and shocked her. She could not possibly account for it but by her pockets being picked, and who could do that ? None but her old chamber- mate, Dennis. She therefore resolved to detect him ; for which purpose, on the next play-day, she took a comfort- able nap, to quahfy her for the intended vigil. Her plot succeeded. About five next morning, just at the gUmmering of daylight, Dennis stole softly out ci bed, and ere he drew on his small clothes, he fell to rising the never fail- ing budget. But as soon as he began, the watchful wife cries out — O curse upon you, you old fumbling rascal ; have I found you cut ? — What's the matter, Moll ? D— n it, I believe my ' breeches are bewitched, I can't get my 74 MEMOIRS OF feet thro' 'em ; have you been sewing them up at the knees for fun, Moll ? — Here he kept grunting and tugging to get on the pockets, or money bags, which he pretended to mistake for his breeches. But his spouse was not to be imposed upon thus : she told the whole of this iniquitous transaction to the highly-diverted company at next re- hearsal. Mr. Herbert related to me the fol- lowing : — Bridge Frodshara, who was called the Roscius of the North, one night in the year 1758, was playing the part of King Richard the Third at Hull, and in the course of that solemn speech of " 'Tis now the dead of night," he was alarmed with the sound of a coarse brogueneer voice from behind the scenes, with — Arrah, Bell, what have you done with your husband's tliurty shirt? Frodsham's consternation CHARLES LEE LEWES. y^ can only be conceived by other capital actors in such circumstances. The shouts, the convulsive laughter of the audience in all parts of the theatre, threw the dismayed Richard into such an agony, that he could not speak more of the soliloquy that night ; so he quit- ted the stage abruptly, with a hearty curse on all Irishwomen ; but his au- ditors continued in good humour, and highly applauded his succeeding efforts. In this company v/as Mr. Thomas Brock, an excellent comedian, and many years the associate and congenial companion of the facetious George Alexander Stevens. Brock was not only esteemed the best comedian in the country, but was also plentifully en- dowed with a more than ordinary sliare of wit ; yet too frequently had that talent, by a wanton use of it, involved him in very disagreeable scrapes. How- "J^ MKMOIRS OF ever, the following fabrication of his, by the cunning and innocent use he made of it, will by its pleasantry, I trust, gain him a pardon for ardvancing a falshood. For a long course of yearSy through carelessness in the players, or inattention in the manager, Herbert's company was reflected on for the slo- venly manner they conducted their re- hearsals ; but after repeated animad- versions on this want of respect to their friends, the public, they one and all agreed to a laudable regularity in that necessary preparation for the bu- siness of the night, and under a con- siderable penalty to begin their rehear- sals every day (Sundays excepted) at the hour of ten, allowing, at the same time, ten minutes grace. This new- broom swept clean for some time, and its unremitting severity had pinched the stipends of many of them, both CHARLES LEE LEWES. *^'J male and female. Tom Brock, who seldom relinquished pleasure for busi- ness, was hailed by some jovial com- panions as he was steering towards the playhouse about the proper time for re- hearsal ; he was easily prevailed upon to outstay his time a full hour, and his part being,, a busy one, he forfeited a small sum for several scenes which had been read for him. But being at length permitted to depart, he entered the theatre with a most rueful countenance, and was saluted with loud shouts and sneers by his brethren of the sock and buskin. — I give you joy. Tommy — v/elcome to your half ounce, my boy — we commend your generosity — pluck up your spirits. Tommy. — Gentlemen, says Brock, you may shew yourselves as merry as you please ; but had you seen what I have beheld within this half hour, you would not be so jocular. 78 MEMOIRS OF I believe. — Why, what's the matter, Tommy ? — I am afraid, says Brock, we shall all feel the loss of the worthy man as well as his family, and all that knew him.— Vv^hat ? — Why there's Mr. — — , whom you all knew to be one of our staunchest friends, has dislo- cated his collar bone, . and broke his right leg, by a fall from the scaffold that was erected for the repair of his house, as he was unfortunately over- looking the workmen. I am sure I shan't be able to muster spirits suffi- cient to go through a single scene to- day, the shock has so affected me. This dreadful relation of their general bene- factor's disaster produced a sensation of another kind, and hurried the whole corps, men and women, out of the house, to the place mentioned by Brock, who took care to lay his scene at a con- siderable distance that he might proCt CHARLES LEE LEWES. 79 the more by their credulity. As soon as they were gone, Tom took up the prompt book, and read on for every absent person ; and by this droll stra- tagem he not only worked himself whole again, but had a surplus to re- gale with the Saturday following, when the forfeits were levied. It was in this company of Herbert's that his son Nat shewed me the follow- ine curious and laconic letter of Mr. Collins's, better known by the name of Brush Collins : " Sir, " Fortunately for your company I am disengaged ; I am up to Melpomene, down upon Thalia, twig Farce, and smoke Pantomime : they say I am a very good figure, and I never saw a lookinL'--c:lass that contradicted that re- port. To have me, now is your time or never. '^ Your's, &c," 3o MEMOIRS OF I think this is the true French nine shillings, as I once heard Lord Trinket express himself ignorantly, instead of non chalance. This gentleman many years ago played Captain Plume at Co- vent Garden Theatre for a trial part ; it so happened that he laboured that night under a very severe cold and hoarseness, solely on account of which his performance was not impressive. Being volatile, he bid adieu to Covent Garden, and rusticated till within these very few years, when he again intro- duced himself in the metropolis in a very entertaining evening's amusement, called the Brush, composed of pleasant old theatrical stories well told, with humorous songs well written by him- self. His Date Obolum BcUisario is an indubitable proof of his talent in the serious and interesting, and is never given by him but with wonderful ef- fect, by which he has acquired a well- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 8 1 earned easy competency, and I hope will long enjoy it. But as this gentleman is on the carpet, I must, without his leave, make free to brush up a few stories in my way, that may have been under his polishing. Having been witness to many of them above thirty years ago, they are surely as fair game for me as him. Mr. Collins knows they existed from twenty to thirty years before ever he rummaged them, and are now the standing green- room jokes of every theatre in England, Ireland, and Scotland — so sans cere?nonie, STROLLING EMBARRASSMENT. At Lynn, in Norfolk, a very imperfect performer, one Grouse, came forward to give out the play for the next night ; it being by particular desire, for the benefit of the box-keeper, and the last night of performing that season, which he gave out literally in the following manner : VOL. I. Gr 82 MEMOIRS OK " Ladies and Gentlemen— above and below, to-morrow eve— no— that's a lie — to-morrow's Sunday on Monday evening will be performed the celebrated comedy of— of— of— the tragedy of— of— of— no, the opera — opera — opera of— of— of— the play— the play— of — of_of— the play-bills of to-morrow will let you know all about it. To which will be added— the faixe of the — the pantomime of the — the — entertainment — of — what's to be done after the play, being by desire of the box-keepers, and for the benefit of the last season." The late Isaac Sparks, of facetious me- morv, and of whom I shall have occa- sion to speak hereafter, was used to say as many good things as most comedians upon record. I trust the following anecdotes will not be umvelcome here, as they are the groundwork of similar matter ingeniously brushed up by Mr. Collins, in his Brush. CHARLES LEE LEWF.S. 8^ During the halcyon management of Mr. Thomas Sheridan, in Dublin, Mr. Sparks was the stock Lord Mayor, both in the Eessrar's Bush, and Richard the Third, and being a digniiied figure, had bome blank verse dukes palmed upon him, which he ever looked upon as a iiardship ; and to get rid of them, with- out downright (juarrcliing with his in- terest, he turned them into downright drollery. Mr. Sheridan, who was the Richard, and was ever averse from mirth mixing, and intruding on his se- rious scenes, where capitally concerned, addressed honest Isaac thus one morn- ing : Mr. Sparks, you are an excellent comedian \ in most of the parts you un- dertake you are unrivalled. But, sir, 1 hope you v.-ili pardon me for what I have done ; 1 liave taken tlie liberty to set down Mr. Packenham fof tjie Lord flavor in to -morrow'sHriills. You know, G 2 84 MEMOIRS OF my dear sir, that the extraordinary good humour your very appearance throws the whole audience into, without any sinister design in you, so totally dis- concerts the gravity and proper atten- tion, that should attach to so interest- ing a scene of the play wherein you are concerned, that my feelings are discom- posed for the whole evening after.— Very well, mighty well, Mr. Sheridan; I thank you, sir, for many holidays I am likely to enjoy, during this suspension from my civic office. — But mark the consequence of this change of magis- trates — no sooner did the new Lord Mayor make his appearance, than the gods above began to shew their fierce re- sentment, by shouting out off"! ofi"!— - accompanied with whole vollies of pota- toes, &c. which obliged Richard himself to apologise for the affront he had put upon them, by the removal of their fa- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 85 vourite ; and all was hushed for that night. Richard was taking a run — and Sparks was summoned for the next rehearsal. Mr. Sheridan once more solicited his pardon for the indignity he had inno- cently put upon him. — Psha ! psha ! my dear sir, you did me no injury at all ; but I was sure you would never have a big loaf till I was chosen your Lord Mayor again. I mentioned that Mr. Sparks was the tragedy stock Duke, which very little suited his talent, or his inclination. So he resolved to get rid of those trouble- some honours by a coup de main^ which he thus effected. One night presiding in the senate scene, in Venice Preserved, he thus ad- dressed the conspirators — instead of " You, JafRer, are free, the rest must wait for judgment" — ^' 3 85 MEMOIRS OF he, with unusual gravity, delivered him- self thus : *' You, Jaflier, are free — to go to jail ; " As for the rest, let them wait till the day of judgment." ROGER KEMBLE, Father of the present meritorious and extraordinary family, was bred a hair- s faiUno; in Dublin and its vicinity, to obtain any further loans for his selfish wife, he resolved to ask a trifling sum of his richer brother. For this purpose, he walked to his bro- ther's mansion, near the famous town of Balroothery, in the yoke of Fingal. But his brother havinsc heard of his imprudent marriage, refused him ad- mittancci Ke was, however, kindly accommodated for the evening by an old tenant of his father's, who also presented him with all his little store could spare, which was two shillings, K 2 132 MEMOIRS OF in order to defray his road expences back to Dublin. The unkind and unexpected usage of his brother, drove him to the des- peration of robbing a gentleman of his watch and money, after having knock* cd him off his horse, near Turvybridge, about ten miles from Dubhn. With this booty, he pursued with all expedi- tion his way over a bog that led to the Neul, in order to escape through Fin- glass to Dublin. Thus did this man, against the plead- ings of nature and education, commit in open day-light an act defying the laws of God and man, and merely to satisfy the avarice and vanity of an un- principled wanton. Knowing that this woman would not see him without mo- ney, love and disappointment prompt- ed despair to dictate and execute the CHARLES LEE LEWES. J33 above enormous act of social delin- quency. Although he fled over the dangerous morass, v/ith all the expedition natural to a man in such imminent danger, yet he was very soon overtaken and con- veyed bound to prison. The whole of the stolen spoil being found upon him, and this operating to his conviction, he was sentenced to die : but this sen- tence, from the powerful interest and interference of friends, was changed to that of transportation for life. During his imprisonment, his gentle and generous spouse was delivered of a son, w^ho was christened Thomas. This son was, not many years ago, a musician in Mr. Stanton's company at Bridgnorth. The disgraceful voyage which poor Kit Martin was sentenced to take, being: known to have been in- stigatsd by Betty, although no proofs K 3 134 MEMOIRS OF could be produced sufficient to affect her life or liberty, yet was her native country rendered too alarming for her safety ; she, therefore, with Dick El- ' rington, set sail for England. It is here proper to state who were the rest of her companions, whom, be- sides the son of Kit Martin, she brought with her to this country. She had, beside the child by Martin, a daughter by one Davis, an eminent Sadler of Christ Church-yard, in Dub- lin. The girl v\^a3 well reared to matu- , rity, and married, in 1756, to a very worthy man, by whom she had several line children, one of whom is at this moment a female ornament to the Bri- tish stage in London, where she is en- joying a fame, equally merited and dis- tinguished. Indeed, the whole of this family, which are numerous, are such patterns of moral excellence, and so en- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 135 tirely exempt from the disgraceful vices of their grandmother, it would be in- sulting to detail any further particulars respecting them, amid what relates to the shameful proceedings of Betty Martin. On their arrival in England he made her his wife, and she soon became mis- tress of a company of comedians. She many years governed a most unruly and unsteady people with some credit ; and, perhaps, more advantage, to herself as a managjeress. Elrin2:ton beins; rather indolent, and Betty sharp and active, he acted well in resigning to her the entire sway of his theatrical sceptre. In their stage sovereignty she had the taking of towns, and supplying the cliasms of desertion, and other arduous vocations of theatrical concern. In this continuance of mana2:ement she led her dramatic troop to Buxton, where they K 4 136 MEMOIRS OF had several summer campaigns, to the great diversion of such polite company as generally visit that place. Their ill stars led them to Manches- ter at the beginning of the year 1754. In this town Elrington took a new- erected theatre of a Mr. Magawly, a famous short-hand writer. With some difiicuity Elrington obtained (from not the best tempered magistrate) a li- cense ; and there not having been a company in the town of the kind for a considerable time, and great advan- tages being expected from a theatre that mijT-ht be called resrular, when compared with those which had pre- ceded it ; Elrington and his busy lady lost no time to prepare and decorate the house for ooenins:. The guileful and penetrating Betty mistook for once her own interest. There having been an hospital erected CHARLES LEE LEWES. I37 by subscription, a little before their arrival in Manchester, she thought ap- propriating the first night to the bene- fit of this new foundation, would con- siderably recommend her to the pa- tronage of the town and its vicinity. With this hope she caused miOSt con- spicuous posting- bills to be stuck Up at the corners of the popular parts of the town, and every place of public resort, beside furnishing the most respectable private and public houses with hand- bills. Particular care was taken in these bills to remind the inhabitants of the company's generous and humane in- tention. But who can describe the amazement of this body theatrical, when they sav/, on the morning of re- hearsal, the liigh constable, follovvcd by his municipal subordinates, come upon their virgin stage, and carry the 138 MEMOIRS OF whole company before a quorum o( justices, then sitting in Market-street- lane ? Not being acquainted with their oftences, they were at first greatly alarmed ; but their suspence was soon ended by a surly justice asking them, " how they dared (after being granted the privilege of performing) to insult a numerous- body of respectable sub- scribers to the hospital, by offering to play for its benefit their vagabond performances ?" Elrington, as was his duty, very just- ly replied, " that they had been often applied to by the gentlemen, church- wardens, and overseers of the poor, in many corporate towns, to give a be- nefit play for the maintenance of the paupers in the several parishes ; and that, without the least intention of offence, they naturally thought" CHARLES LEE LEWES. l^g " You thought !" answered the jus- tice, interrupting him — " What, be- cause the parish officers of a beggarly borough or corporation were so con- temptibly mean as to soUcit and accept the favours of a parcel of vagrants, that the independent gentlemen,' tra- ders, and manufacturers of the flourish^ ing town of Manchester, were to be wheedled into generosity by such a scrossness of insolence ? But we must teach you the difference, honest friend • — Our indulgence must not encourage you to the repetition of a similar in- sult, or to call it by the softest name, of such an unpardonable presumption. — Hear, therefore, the fixed and final determination of this meeting. Some gentlemen conceiving you might not intend to insult them by your gratuit- ous performance, they have been so 140 MEMOIRS OF lenient as to resolve that you shall (having first discharged all debts that you may have contracted in our town) make an immediate retreat from our borders. Should any of you murmur, delay paying yov.r debts, or linger in our neighbourhood, Bridewell shall be your habitation. Go to some other place, where the inhabitants may be glad to receive the bounty of your unsolicited benefit. No reply ! our de- cree is unalterable." " Oh ! stay, your worshipful justice, stay !" exclaimed the almost frantic Betty, who had by this time pressed (unsent for) into the attending crowed. " Oh ! most worthy, worshipful, sirs! dear gentlemen, recall your cruel sen- tence. O hear the prayer of a poor wretched, undone woman, who is now kneehng before you. On my knees, CHARLES LEE LEWES. I4I and for my dear company, I beg you will soften the rigour and severity of your sentence." " Away with that worran !" exclaim- ed the inexorable justice. "Ah, sir! behold this moving posture! behold my falling tears ! I am certain your heart is not so flinty as not to feel for me ; would you but suffer it to at- tend to my extreme affliction — my pro- perty ! My property — mine and my chiidrens' present and future subsist- ence — all, all, depend upon this day's determination. Can you see my pangs — my agonizing pangs, and still con- tinue deaf, pityless, and inexorable. — And will you not extend some small alleviation of your hard sentence to a woman — *' Stecp'd In poverty to the very lips ?" " If I must rise unsuccessful, let me 142 MEMOIRS Of first, in this humble posture, add to my entreaties for your favour and forcfive- ness, my sincere and fervent prayers for your present prosperity and future happiness — " When Priam kneel'd, the great Achilles wept." *' You are an arrant impostor, wo- man," resuined he, " to prate so much about your poverty and wretchedness, while you arc garnished out with a gold-lac'd jacket and petticoat : such a sturdy beggar as you have proved your- self, should be sent to our Bridewell without further words.'* " Yes," said the artful Betty, " let me be instantly manacled, shackled, or closed up in such a brazen bull, as the infernal tyrant Phalaris used, as re- corded in Grecian story.'* She had no sooner said this, than she rose and tore a valuable wig froui CHARLES LEE LEWES. I43 lier bald pate, which had long before been despoiicd by a cruel disorder of its flaxen locks. Thus in a state of af- fected distraction she ran like a fury about the room. But this well-acted scene had no other effect on the inexorable justices, than to stimulate them to order that the company should leave the town in twenty-four hours from that instant. Poor Betty's heroic frenzy was, (to use her own pathetic phrase) , in this instance, *' all my eye.'* So great a disappointment almost ruined poor Elrington ; but having convened his company, he proposed a trip to Ireland, to which they all readily consented. The company accordingly marched to Liverpool, where they found a vessel ready to sail for Belfast. Having made their passage to this 144 MEMOIRS OF town, and represented to the inhabit- ants their cruel usage and disappoint- ment at Manchester, they had the sa- tisfaction of finding themselves received with the same kindness and humanity, as if they had been cast upon the shore by the calamity of a shipwreck. Al- though Mr. William Lewis, the father of the deputy-manager of Covcnt-gar- den Theatre, and Mr. James Love, (alias Dance), had visited Belfast three times in the space of two years, pre- ceding their landing, which was at the beginning of the winter 1754 ; yet the respectable gentlemen of that opulent town accommodated them with a spa- cious wine vault, and encouraged them in every other manner they possibly could during four months. The next place they went to was Lough, from whence they proceeded to CHARLES LEE LEWES. I45 the Maze races, where they terminat- ed their peregrination in Ireland j for the evil genii which were continually prompting Betty to adopt some pro- ject of her fertile mind, suggested to the company, that, if they would under- take a vovaGfe to Carmarthen, in South Wales, their fortunes would certainly be made. She was, moreover, secretly tempted to this voyage by one of , her company, who was a most restless and eccentric theatrical adventurer. Tliis o"entlcman is the well-known Alexander Fisher, who, I believe, is still living. He has been famous for leading several com- panies many wild, absurd, and extra- vagant journics, through France, Flan- ders, Denmark, and even into Russia. He stated to her, in the most alluring colours, the immense wealth of the place, the generous and boundless hos- VOI-. I. L 146 MEMOIRS OF pitality of its inhabitants, and the great plenty and cheapness of all kinds of provisions. This fiatteiing description of the Welch el dorado^ made a deep impres- sion on the covetous heart of Betty, and her husband had little rest until he consented to sail for this golden coast. They took shipping, and arrived at Carmarthen, where Mr. Elrington soon found he had brought a heavy company of useless performers; for the better part preferred a journey to Dub- lin to a sea voyage to a country where they were strangers. Tlie more sensible inhabitants of the place observed to Elrington, tliat the rich lace and embroidery of his stage- dresses, could not compensate for the bombast fustian, and ignorance of his intolerable company. " You are, we must all acknowledge, Mr. Elrington, CHARLES LEE LEWES. I47 yourself, a very sensible and well-bred man : It is, therefore, inexcusable in you, to attempt such an imposition upon our understandings, as if you really thought we were a herd of moun- taineers, as wild and uninformed as our mountain goats. But you have found yourself mistaken ; however, we are resolved not to resent, as it de- serves, such an insult. We have, there- fore, agreed to make you six good houses, and then to u-ish you better success in some other town, where the merits of your performers may be bet- ter suited to the taste and knowledge of the inhabitants.'* The generosity of the intention soft- ened the severity of the lecture in the mind of Elrinsfton. He had no sooner informed his companion of the kind promise, tlian the grateful creature be- L 2 3 4^ MEMOIRS OF gan to utter the most unmannerly in- vective against all ignorant pretenders to judgment of theatrical talents. " How should such stuttering, sput- tering creatures," exclaimed she, " with their barbarous Welch dialect, set them- selves up for theatrical censors ? But let these six nights be over, and then they shall hear their own from an Irishman, Shall we be thus harassed and driven about from pillar to post, and wasting our substance, and all through the cat- price of a parcel of hottentots,who can't for their souls speak one word of plain English ?" This threat, however, from the well-timed interference of Elring- toUjW^as never put in execution. These six nights proved so very pro- ductive, that they did not leave the principality before they had played in several towns of both the northern and CHARLES LEE LEWES. I49- southern counties. Among these they performed at Carnarvon, where El- rington, who had regularly correspond- ed with his mother, residing then in Dublin with a second husband, an Englishman, a dealer in horses, and of > great property, received a letter from his father-in-law. This proved an in- vitation to return, in order to marry an only daughter which the old gentle- man had by a former wife. In the let- ter he observed, that he was well ac- quainted with the connexion his son- in law had been seduced into ; but he hoped he had by this time had sufficient experience of his v/ife's disposition, to induce him to conform to the wishes of him and his dear mother, by resolv- ing to leave his present pursuits, and settle with a virtuous partner for life. - And to induce him the more to this ■ 150 MEMOIRS OF separation, he told him that the rever- sion of his rnother's jointure, with the immediate possession of a plentiful for- tune which he had, by the blessing of God, honestly acquired, awaited his ac- ceptance. Elrington was not long in deciding what was to determine either his fu- ture happiness or misery. He certainly had some kindness for Betty, and it was not without some reluctance, he determined to leave her. But fortune prevailed over his (not very deep root- ed j passion, by holding him a picture with a beautiful Lavinia inviting him with one hand, and the other pointing to houses, lands, tenements, and mo- ney-bags, as waiting for his possession. He therefore left his Betty, and sailed again for his native Hibernian shore. It is proper to observe, that Mr. El- rington had the prudence to preserve CHARLES LEE LEWES. I5I his morals and affections from being entirely corrupted. Before he separated from Betty Martin, he deposited in the care of a clergyman, at Carnarvon, one hundred pounds to be given to a na- tural son (his son is still living, and knov/n in many parts of the country by the appellation of Dancing Dicky), when he should arrive at age. As he was not in debt, and had an excel- lent stock of clothes and scenery, he I'udgcd Betty, with her worldly pru- dence, might support herself and son comfortably, without being obliged to disturb his repose by any future appli- cation for further assistance." Matters being thus arranged and set- tled in his mind, honest Dick, like JEneas, unknown t'o his m^te, made his escape, and took his departure for Dublin : h« had trusted none with his intention, but the above-mcntione<:l L 4 152 MEMOIRS or clergyman, and one Robert Longficid, a member of his community, and a fel- low collegian. When Betty missed her partner, al- though not suspecting the real cause, yet she foreboded evil. Three days and as many nights passed without any tid- ings of the runaway; but on the fourth, which was market-day, a farmer, who put up at the inn where she lodged, informed her that he saw her lord and master going, two days before, on board a little Irish sloop, from a small fort or creek that was in sight of his house. The united jarrings of ten thou- sand screech-owls could not have put her senses so much to torture as did the single innocent voice of the farmer. — She stamped, stormed, tore off her cap, and threw her wig in the fire — while she bellowed in hideous exclama- tions — " I am undone!— I am undone ! CHARLES LEE LEWaS. I 53 — Who had he with him, fellow ? — What sort of a hussey was she ? — Speak, thou devil in man's clothes !" The wild actions of this Tisiphone so terrified the farmer, that he could not answer her. Mad with rage and impatience, she seized the astonished peasant by the collar, and demanded most furiously a particular description of the woman who had stolen her law- ful husband. — " Was she black ? — was she fair ? — was she brown ? — Speak, thou dumb tormentor. — What! not a word, thou silent aggravator of mi- sery ?" " Tarn hur knuckles !" cried the far- mer, half choaked, " Let hur loose wo- mans — I seed no womans with him, not I — hur had, I to pelieve, enough of thee, Got's splutter hur nails 1" " Why thou clod-pate of a clod-hop- 154 per,' pudc MER ' cried she ; lOIRS OF " have womans you the said im- Look you. the Welsh farmer, " if you don't keep off hur tamn'd claws, h'ur shall lay hur wliip across hur shoulders. — Fine times inteet. Got pless us, when hur can't come to hur inn without peing assaultet by mad show-woman^ 1" At this moment came in Elrington's companion, Longfield, who, seeing the passionate trim of Betty, soon guessed the cause. Seeing Longfieid, she ran to him, and asked, " whether he knew of her Dick's elopement to Ireland with a trollop ?" " That he is gone," answered Long- field, " is certain ; but not with a wo- man, I assure you — he is gone to a wo- man." — " To a woman 1" exclaimed Betty CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1 55 with encreased rage — " Thou pander I — Who is she? — Charlotte Charke — ■ what the jade that had a sham quarrel with him at Denbigh, and left the company in a tifF? — So she went before him to Ireland, I suppose, instead of going, as she artfully pretended, to Exeter. But I'll follow the wretch. I have many rich friends in Dub- lin ; and although I have not been there for many years, I am sure I shall be well remembered by many. — — Aye, aye — you may sneer but honest Betty Martin 1 mean El- lington — will be spoken of there, as long as Christ Church will stand in Christ Church-yard. But I am low- spirited. Landlady, bring me a drop of your reviving cordial. I beg the farmer's pardon, I hope he will partake and be friends with me." Not hur, pelieve hur," answered (( 156 MEMOIR.'^ OF honest Taffy ; " nor would hur advise you to take the hquor inwartly, thy- self; for, as St. Paul sayeth, 'tis un- seemly and unpecoming in a woman to stand uncovered : hur wou'd recom- mend to you to rub your bare head with the strong spirit you have order- ed, look you." — " The farmer is very right, in my opinion," said Longfield ; " put some- thing on your head, and call a meeting of the company to consider what is most proper to be done in this exi- gency." " ril proceed immediately for Dub- lin,'' exclaimed the infuriate manage- ress, resolved to pursue her treacherous spouse, which she did, without a mo- ment's delay ; but judge of her sensa- tions and distracted behaviour, when she found that he was actually married to his mother's daughter-in-law. The CHARLES LEE LEWES. I 57 disconsolate, deserted fair one, exerted all the arts she was mistress of, to pro- mote an interview, but to no eflfect — the resolute Elrington sent her word, that he could not, consistently with his own reputation, or her safety, comply with her solicitation. He likewise hu- manely and generously supplied her with money to defray her expences back to Carnarvon : but the outrage- ous spirit of this fierce Amazon was not to be soothed. Finding, however, all her arts and entreaties fail to obtain access to him, she was compelled to re- linquish the inexorable Elrington, and resolved by the first opportunity to re- turn to Carnarvon, where she had left what was dearer to her than even her great favourite Elrington. This object nearest to her heart was her stage and other worldly property ! which she had acquired with as much meanness 158 MEMOIRS OF and baseness as she retained them with avarice. Betty had now to begin the world once more. Being deserted by Eh'ing- ton in the year 1760, when she was in her 44th year, she might, as many of her sex more moderate than herself would have done, have thought no more of ungrateful man. But her par- tiahty for mankind was not to be re- signed at what she conceived too early a period for such a species of self-de- nial. Fortunately for the v/idow, there happened to be what is frequently Call- ed a scalping party at a village near Carnarvon. Having dressed herself in her green and gold jacket, with a red feather in her hat, she. mounted an hired palfrey, and set off to recon- noitre this groupe of Thespians. En- quiring at the inn for the manager, CHARLES LEE LEWES. I59 she was informed there was none. — " What, no manager!" exclahned Betty with some surprize : " Weil, landlord," continued she, " perhaps the company- is directed by some discreet woman, whom, if you please, we will call a manageress, although that's in my mind downrisfht nonsense ! " A woman, my lady !" replied the landlord — " Oh I yes, my lady — there's three of that sort of cattle ; but they're of Httle worth, God knows." " Well, landlord, (continued Betty) could you send for one of the gentle- men of the party, that I may just speak to him ?" " Ah ! my lady," said the landlord, " God defend you, there is not a single gentleman in the whole kit of them." " Well, sir," returned the lady, " if they are not single, I suppose they afc married." l6o MEMOIRS OF Oh dear ! my lady ; you mistake," answered the host, " that there were no single men among them. But when you ask'd for a gentleman, ecod I was right in telling you there was not one among them — yes, I lie though — there's a young man, a painter, who works at a gentleman's house in our neighbour- hood, and who was formerly much given to playing handycraft tricks upon your cards, and your cups and balls, and such like tricks and fancies ; and so, because he's a genteel zort of a man, they gets him to play the fool with himself, and idle away his time with acting speeches among them ?" " Can I see the gentleman you talk of ?" asked Betty, with no little impa- tience. " Oh ! yes, my lady," he replied — " Aye, he's fit to be seen — but for the play men that don't work, Lord] Lord I" CHARI.ES LEE LEWES. l6l The painter being sent for, came di- rectly; for he was told that a great lady wanted to see him. Betty Martin being thus called my lady, and ladyship, assumed airs of im- portance ; she inquired with an air of dignity respecting the names and the property of the company with whom he associated. Finding from his satis- factory answers that they were in low circumstances, she resolved instantly to take advantage of their necessities. She engaged the whole troop ; and as the painter might be serviceable, she offered him a guinea a week, and a share for playing, painting, &c. &c. as she might find occasion. This unexpected proposal was by the young man immediately accepted ; and Betty having desired to see the forlorn troop, he ran and brought them to an interview with her ladyship. They had VOL. I. M l62 MEMOIRS OF no sooner been in her august presence, than their ears were most agreeably sa- luted with the sound of promise. Terms were immediately proposed by her, and accepted by the company, with this condition, that she would orrant them leave to perform that night the play of Theodosius, or the Force of Love, which was bespoken by a great Roman Catholic lady in the neighbourhood. This Betty most generously granted, but not without expressing, that it was her particular desire to see and hear the nerformance. The young painter, whose name was Workman, made a tender impression upon the too susceptible heart of his tender mistress, who, full of the vigour of fifty, wished to change once more her name. For this purpose, she se- lected him from the herd to dine with Iier thkt d;iy, to which honour he cor- CHARLES l.EE LEWES. I 63 dially agreed, being " nothing loth*' to be thus distinguished from the rest of the Thespian brethren. At this iete-a-teie very little passed but discourse on common concerns. At the proper time the lady manageress went to the play, of which she has fre- quently given the following droll and whimsical description. " Instead of one curtain in the front of the stage, they had two, wliich, at the ringing of the bell, were instantly drawn aside by two of the players, who stood behind them for the purpose. These curtains were hung or suspended from a cord nailed up at each side of the room, and by the rings she per- ceived they were a suit of bed curtains, which had been ingeniously contrived for this purpose. The high altar, as expressed in the play-bill, was composed of no other materials than a middlincr M 2 164 MEMOIRS OF sized deal box, with a smaller placed upon it.^ so as to raise this temporary- sacred edifice to a proper state of con- venience. This was to represent what the priests called the tabernacle. The largest was covered with a sheet from the ostler's bed, and the small one with a napkin, ranged in order, as be- coming as the nature of the decorations would admit. Six iron candlesticks, with halfpenny lights in each, were placed on the sacred pile. No kneeling Coilstantine was seen, as was promised in the theatrical bill of fare, nor bloody' cross, in conformity to the legend, appeared to the most Christian Em- peror, who is also said to have seen written underneath the cross in the sky — IN HOC SIGNO VINCES. Betty thought this omission was un- pardonable. Some of the words of the CHARLES LEE LEWES. 165 solemn hymn with which the tragedy- opens, provoked from the risible tem- perament of Betty a most unmannerly laugh, which caused her to be severely reprehended by the lady who had be- spoke the play. — She, good creature, mentioned something of ludere cum sacris ; and that grinning Betty, al- though in a laced jacket, ought to have been turned out of the place. The words which caused the untimely and indecent mirth were — *' The temple with new glory shines, " Adorn the altar witli the shrines, ** And purge the place from sin." " This passage so operated upon the wickedly witty Betty, that she could not, as she said, for the life of her, ' prevent the risible idea, which " wash- ing the shrines" raised in her mind, of washing the sheets. M 3 i66 MEMOIRS OF Li AtticuR, the high priest, and succes- sor to St. Chrysostom, had on a ragged shirt, which being tolerably clean, and v/orn over his coat, served the double purpose of entirely covering his own much soiled one, and serving also as a surplice and vestment. Leontine, the Athenian philosopher, was dressed in a shabby great coat, buttoned down to the very bottom, and that for more pressing reasons than even the high priest could offer for his tattered vest- ment ; but a tattered philosopher is not so out of character. As for Betty, she was better pleased to see tne humble Leontine in his long sur- tout, than to see him absurdly and fan- tastically dressed in a sable gown and a scholar*s cap, or square trencher, agreeably to the whim of modern decoration. Beside, the leathern belt CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1 67 round his waist, secured from the sioht of the audience the ruined state of his small clothes, wliich she had ob- served in the day-time, when he and his companions visited her at the inn. " After the necessary dialogue of the high priest and the sage Leontine,Vara- nes and Athenais entered, v^'^ho came to make love, and admire the beauties of the gorgeous temple. The youthful and innocent victim, Athenais, was repre- sented by a woman of at least fifty years old ; she had a face inflamed and ruddy as the rising sun. She was, however, tolerably dressed in a dark cotton gown, the property of the aood- natured chambermaid of the public' house, where this grand and favourite tragedy was represented. The cliaste modest vir2:in beino; a learned damsel, knew better than wilfully and impro- M 4 I 68 MEMOIRS OF perly to wear white satin shoes or pumps, as most of our modern he- roines of the buskin practise ; plain brown and leather shoes she was con- vinced were the best in which she could appear. Her train was a Scotch lawn apron, without stiffening ; and to com- plete her dress, she wore no veil : her native beauties required no disguise. " All the decoration of her head, and mahogany shoulders, was simply the grisly, or to speak more gallantly, the silver tinted ringlets, which nature and time had conjointly exerted them'- selves to bestow upon her. ,"'The young Persian princCjVaranes, was the gallant painter, Mr. Workman. His Sunday clothes were fresh, tight, and becoming. They were, however, not of the Persian fashion ; but to remedy this defect, he gave them a fo- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1 69 reign air, by pinning a rose-coloured window-curtain on his left shoulder, and fastening the other extremity to his right hip. This contrivance, with a cocked- hat and feather, gave the blustering hero spirits, not only to make love, but to knock about with great fury the gods. " Theodosius, the soft headed and meek hearted emperor of the east, al- though he had kings from all nations of the conquered world continually flattering and offering their incense at the shrine of his royalty, was not so decorously dressed as his school-fellow Varanes, his coat and waistcoat not be- ing so fresh and entire. Lest any unseemly fractures should perchance be discovered in his breeches, he had with prudent caution covered them with a woman's scarlet cloak, which, tied 170 MEMOIRS OF round the waist, completely served him for lamburkeens. " In the front of the stage were eight lumps of clay at equal distances, per- forated with holes large enough to hold a candle of no greater dimension than their income could afford : the mag- nitude of these was equal in size to those which so uncommonly illuminat- ed the high altar." All the above passed the observation of Betty, without any other reprimand than what is mentioned. She was, however, in great apprehensions that she could not behave with moderation any longer, when she heard Varanes telling his fair mistress, that *' 'Tis strange, O Athenais ! wond'rous all, " Wonderful the altars, and wonderful the shrines." She has often confessed slie could CHARLES LEE LEWES. 171 not, by any means, restrain the laugh which the casual irony of the above lines, directed to the construction and embellishment of the high altar, prompt- ed. But in order to prevent a repeti- tion of rebuke, she affected a cough, in which she drowned the audible effects of her risibiUtv. In a word, neither the satyrical application of the speeches, nor the ridiculous appearance of the performers, disheartened Betty. She thought that she knew how to make them useful. As to the necessity of cloathing her new raised troop, she knew that she could dress them sump- tuously in the wardrobe left her by the generous Elrington. With this as- surance she returned to Carnarvon ; but before she left the village, she took care that her prepossessing blan- dishments should win the heart of 172 MEMOIRS OF the fortunate Mr. Workman. They were consequently married on the road. Arriving at Carnarvon, she assumed her accustomed and characteristical as- surance, and introduced Mr. Workman to her landlord and landlady, and all her acquaintances. The bells rung mer- rily, and the astonished company of players arriving some time after, par- took of the wedding-dinner, which the lovely and loving bride had ordered, to render the day as joyous as possible. This was the fifth time Betty had the pleasure of seeing the stocking thrown in celebration of her nuptials. The first was, when she joined hands with Mr. Grace, the second with Mr. Barnes, the third with the unfortu- nate Christopher Martin, the fourth with Elrington, and the fifth v/ith the CHARLES LEE LEWES. ^ ly^ jolly painter, who now shared her feli- citous endearments. Next day, the blooming bride evinced, that the con- nubial comforts had not entirely di- vested her of her attachment to mat- ters of more worldly nature. She wise- ly exerted herself to obtain the patron- age of the town for a play or two, in which she succeeded. She also aug- mented her company, and afterwards pursued the beaten road of matrimony with her new espoused mate, with va- rious success. Her fifth husband, however, did not live long to enjoy his happiness, a circumstance not imputed by his acquaintances to his excess of conju- cal feHcity. But others, more cha- ritable, considered, and with some pro- bability, that his premature death was occasioned by the deleterious quality of the white lead which he used in his 174 MEMOIRS or business of house-painting ; for, as the emoluments arising from stage ma- nagement did not always prove suffi- cient for his exigencies, he was obliged to follow, ratier too closely, his own unhealthy profession. Poor Betty, being now once more a widow, and the two sons she had by- Martin and Elrington being arrived at manhood, she had them both taught to play on the violin, which proved of considerable advantage to both herself and them, while she remained mistress of a company : this, however, did not long continue after the death of Work- man. Dancing Dicky arriving at a pro- per age, received the hundred pounds from the Welch parson, with whom it was left by his father. This bequest Betty had viewed many years with a jealous affection ; but all her arts and contrivances to obtain her wish could CHARLES LEE LEWES. I75 not prevail on the honest divine to be- tray his trust. Fortune having for a long period frowned upon her -.diemes, she resign- ed all present thoughts of management, and joined James Augustus Whiteley. Whiteley, however, understanding she was possessed of considerable stage property, was rather alarmed lest she misht, at a future time, prove his rival. Beinp- assured that her restless ambi- tion could ill endure subordination, lono-er than she was obliged by neces- sity, he resolved to deprive her of the only means she had of reinstating her- self on the Thespian throne. With a determined air he informed her, that, unless she parted with her scenery and theatrical wardrobe, she must part with him; this dictatorial mandate raised symptoms of passion, which, however, she prudently stifled, until an oppor- iy6 MEMOIRS OF tunlty offered more favourable for its effective indulgence ; she, therefore, de* sired he would grant her sufficient time to find a proper purchaser. But White- ley peremptorily ..old her, that the dis- posal of herself or them would admit of no excuse or delay ; and lest she should accuse him of cruelty, he offer- ed to buy instantly the greatest part of her property himself. Knowing the al- ternative, she disposed of the whole of her scenery, and many of her laced embroidered clothes, and her valuable shapes to this manager, for ready money> Eetty being now possessed of a little money, and still retaining an ardent love for mankind, she once more threw her eyes on a brisk young man, Mr. Richard Wilson, the late celebrated comedian, who happened at this criti- cal time to join the company. He vsras CHARLES LEE LEWES. I 77 a native of the ancient city af Durham, and being rather inexperienced in the arts of life, he was the uiorc proper ob- jecl for her arts. To cScct a preposses- bion in her favour, she began by at- tending most minutely to all his wants at the theatre, and lending him occa- sionally several stage ornaments, &c. &;c. These arts at first proved ineffec- tual, and had she not spread a net of more sohd texvare, she had never com- pleted her fond wishes. This lure was no other than an ele- gant tragedy waistcoat, which she I acl artfully spread on the coverlet of her dressing table, and invited her enamc- rato to feast his eyes with its splerdid and untarnished embroidery. Wilson was transported at the sight of the gaudy lure"; he gazed, he praised the curious workmanship, and by his eyes soon told her the longing desire he had VOL. I. N 178 MEMOIRS OF to be its master. Finding he was caught, she pursued her conquest by desiring most earnestly and tenderly that he would try it on. To please the lady, he most willingly complied. Thus dressed, he strutted, vapoured round the room, and surveyed himself in the pier glass which happened to be in the chamber ; his youthful pride was all on iire : but the gaudy vesture was not yet his own, and to take it oflf again was the difficulty. " To keep, or not to keep it," was the question which rather perplexed his feelings. After some he- sitation, he, however, ventured to ask * the enamoured widow if she would part with it ; for, as he thought it be- came him mightily, he preferred it to any waistcoat he had yet seen in the much boasted wardrobe of Whiteley, " Part with it, my dear young friend," said Betty, in one of her moijt CHARLES LEE LEWES. 1/9 soft and impassioned tones — " yes, and my v/hole store to one so deserving of a woman's favours as you are, my dear friend. We are both single, thank God ; and if you will consent to marry me immediately, m.y purse, my person, and my extremest means, lie all open to your occasions. Look into the con- tents of this chest. Whitsley was mis- taken, when he thought that his jea- lousy had compelled me to part with my whole wardrobe. Nay, do not pause ; as I have before told you, they arc all your own, upon the honourable condition of simply marrying me ; that's all.'* " 'Tis resolved," said her Orlando ; " let me have the money ; I'll fly upon the post horses of love for a li- cence, and by this kiss, I will make you my lawful wife ere noon to-mor- row." N 2 iSo MEMOIRS OF Through her eagerness to receive the kiss, and his aukwardness in giving it, her wig tumbled off — but he was so closely tete-d-iete, that he luckily did not perceive this accident of her falsf. TETE. He instantly left his intended, and with a becoming diligence performed his promise. To communicate this very important affair to Mr. and Mrs. White- ley\f as assigned to the impatient Dicky, tvho readily accepted of the commis- sion, which he executed so well as not Otily to receive their approbation, but also the consent of Whiteley to stand as the father, to give away the almost worn-out sinner, Miiltorum Nominum, alias Betty Six Names, to this thought- less, giddy boy. But it may be averred without presumption, that Mr. White- ley was not doomed to everlasting pu- CHARLES LEE LEWES. l8l nishmcnt for that crime, for he was never known to speak of this unequal, this truly unnatural match, without the most sincere symptoms of repentance. They were, however, next morning joined in the bands of matrimoriy. Strange as it may appear, when the honey moon had passed, the fondness of the bridegroom rather encreased than diminished. Thus loving and beloved, V/ilson passed away several months in Mr. Whiteley's company. But this all-observing and penetrat- ing manager, perceiving some suspi- cious symptoms of pious Betty's tam- pering with a discontented party in his company, he without ceremony dis- charged her and her husband. A ma- nager, whose name was Leister, being then at Leeds, and in great want of performers, induced the discharged N 3 lS2 MEMOIRS OF hero and heroine to proceed to the said town, where they had no sooner ar- rived, than they were most readily and chearfully engaged. Mrs. W, having been so long upon the stage,was conse- quently very well studied, and notwith- standing her age, performed in a to- lerable manner several capital parts in genteel comedy j her features being ra.iht\' petite preserved a juvenile appear- ance,which, aided by certain cosmetics, gave an eclat to her person, which she could not expect to have retained at her advanced period of life. At this time, 1767, there was in the Leeds' company a complete Captain Bobadil, who frequently amused not only his Thespian companions, but several companies of the townsmen, with stories of the sic2:es he had been at, of the battles he had bravely and CHARLES LEE LEWES. I 83 hardily fought. In all these accounts, he never failed making himself the hero of each marvellous tale. This self-conceit- ed and formidable braggadocia's name was M'Georcre. He had been some time with Mr. Foote, at the Haymar- ket, where he proved himself to be of no consequence, except in his own opi- nion. ?Ie was, indeed, one of those per- formers whom the late king of grief, Philip Lewis, of discontented memory, most wittily and aptly called, Foote's company of bladders, which he took particular pains to blow up for the sum- mer season to entertain his ancient guests. There are numbers living who remember the orators produced by Ari- stophanes in 1762, when he collecled a company who would have been reject- ed by old Noll, Carr, or his rival Lin- net. But some of that very corps hav- N 4 1S4. MEMOIRS OF ing appeared since that early period on tlie London stages, it is proper to dis- criminate between .the incorrigible, and those who hive been excellent in their several walks ; and as it is not meant here to hurt the feelings of any gentle- men who v/ere then but young upon the stage, and who are now in a man* ner unrivalled in their line of perform- ing, there will be related only another remark of the above cynical critic, Mr. Philip Lewis. This was his comparing Foote's groupe to a faggot. He ex^ plained the propriety of his simile by observing, that a iaggot contained only three or four good sticks, while the rest was composed of nothing but the mere Tubbish of brushwood; and, although with grief it may be observed, it is cer- tainly true, that many companies of the present time, exactly correspond with old Phil's simile. This mark, it should CHARLES LEE LEWES. 185 be uriderstood, is meant to be confined to the provincial troops of the drama, for such reflections cannot surely be applied to our well-paid, well-fed, and weil-cloathed pretorian bands, .whose head quarters are in the capital of the kingdom. Qui capit illc facit. But to return : the vapouring Boba- dil, M'-George, was called by all who knew him, the most noble The Mar- quis of Hatchet, which name he ob- tained from throwing that metaplio- rical tool further than most of his com- petitors in the art of lying, with an un- embarrassed countenance. This mo- dern Mendez Pinto possessed a beau- tiful scymitar,which, in the rural green- rooms, he would often kiss with the greatest extacy. These senseless salu- tations of the equally senseless blade, he accompanied with asseverations of the following import. l86 MEMOIRS OF " Ah ! my dear bit of s%vect-briur, many a time and oft have you saved mv Hfe when in the most imminent danger ; when you were in my com- pany, a whole host of foes, armed with shining spears, never wore the face of terror in your master's sight j get you into your sheath, my preserver from peril and danger. God be with the day, though it was a most bloody one, when I wrenched you out of the hand of the infidel captain of a Barbary cor- sair, who, with his infernal crew, board- ed the Leghorn ship in which I was a passenger, at the time we were saihng throusjh the Gut of Gibraltar. Oh ! that was a day, a day indeed, my boys — a day, that none of you could forget while you had an hour to live. I think I've deserved well of my country." " Well,'* says the sarcastical Betty CHARLES LEE LEWES. I 8/ Wilson, " I will say that for you, and of you, that you do throw the hatchet with the best grace of any man I ever knew.'* " The hatchet, madam 1" says Mrs. M'George, not a little affronted at see- ing her husband made the risible sport of the whole company, by the ironical sneer of such a woman as Mrs. W., " Do you think, ma'am, that Mr. M'George was telling a lie? Why, I have heard him tell the same story a hundred times, without varying or omittinGT a sinde circumstance of what lie has now related." " And so have I," said the manager with a sly grin, " if what I vouch can serve for a proof of his veracity.'* " Lord, ma'am !" said Betty, " you need not be so short with a body, the Marquis of flatchet may be as valiant »s the Marquis of Granby, God bless l88 MEMOIRS OF him, for aught that I know, or care. But 'tis no great proof of his bravery, to be always drawing his sword before a parcel of women, and continually boasting of liis feats and prowess." There was such a roguish pointing in Betty's delivery of the latter part of the above reply, that she set the whole green-room in a loud laughter, which so provoked the yet unmoved Mac George, that he strutted up to her with his right hand upon the hilt of his Damascan blade, and fiercely de- manded to know her meanino; for af- fronting him thus unprovoked ? "Were you a man, madam, you should not escape my just vengeance : but as you are what you are — damn me, madam, you are not worth my resentment.'* This bravado speech roused Betty's husband from the apathy with which he bore the blusterins; of M' George CHARLES LEE LBWES. I 89 and his wile j and h.iving first surveyed with eye severe, the doughty Marquis, he bravely challenged him to single combat, vi-ith what we;ipons he should think proper. " O, O!" says M'George, " are you for sport in my way then ? Give me your hand, my boy. Damme, you are not the voun^ buck I took you for — « To-morrow morning then, my lad o'wax, we'll meet, if you keep in the same mind, in the snug meadow at the bottom of Brigate. What say you, my stripUng, to taking a cool breakfist in the open air, with a hardy and ap- proved veteran r You'll be sure to meet old Clytus J ha ! my young Hcphes- tion ?"' " Yes, by Jupiter Ammon, will I,'* says Wilson. Now it is necessary my readers should know, that the pretty pistolian ' rpO MEMOIRS OF language of the noble Marquis was rightly construed by the stripling, as his antagonist contemptuously called him, to be the effusions of arrant cowardice. He, therefore, without the least fear for consequences, determined to meet him. The manager. Leister, with one Mor- gan, a step-son of the late Mr.Younger's, witli the noble Marquis of Hatchet, ad- journed from the theatre to the sign of the Woolpack, in the market-place, to fake some refreshment. Morgan, who was a mischievous fellow, and loved and practised fighting as much as the fa- mous Buckhorse, kept all the evening excitinsf the courat^e and resentment of the Marquis. " Meet him by all means," said Mor- gan, " I'll be your second, or your bottle-holder. What the devil — you^ who have mowed down in your lime CHARLES LEE LZWES. I9I SO many circumcised, and turban*d Turks !" " Why, my dear friend Morgan, "said this redoubted Mac, " I grant you, that you, Mrs. M' George, and I, have been cursedly run down by his vile wife ; but the poor easy lad was not much to blame, you know — the mortal sin of making her a widow would not sit so heavy on my conscience, as the continual re- proaches of having deprived his mother of a darling son ; for, I am well-in- formed, she loves him with the most tender affection." " Damn it," said Leister, " let him alone, Morgan — his heart is not in the right place. Throughout the whole of his excuses, he proves himself to be a coward in o-rain." " A coward I" answered Mac ; " let that be seen in the field to-morrow, wliether I or Wilson is the poltroon." 192 MEMOIRS OF Wilson at this time entered the room, and not havins: the least idea of meeting his antagonist, the Moor-kilkr, was surprized at seeing him, but not intimidated. Beins; armed with a 2;ood ashen plant, he defied the other's sci- mitar, which he perceived in the hand of Mac, but not out of its scabbard. Dick commenced the business, by ask- ing him, if he still was inclined to per- form the matin exercise he had pro- posed about two hours before ? " Why, as to that," said Mac, " I— I — was always a man of my word ; and if I said I wou'd do any thing two hours ago, it would be, I think, impos- sible for one who has studied two-and- twenty lengths iVom night to night, to forget any thing said or done so lately." " Come, come," says Wilson, " no evasion or equivocation ; will you meet me according to agreement ?'* CHARLES LEE LEWES. I 93 " Why, faith," says Mac, " if I said I would, to be sure I will." " Pohl damme," says fichtins: Mor- gan, " I see this will come to just no- thing at all. To convince us you are both in earnest, no more words, but look here (holding out a supple jack he had in his hand horizontally), let the best of you spit over this." But Wilson, not entirely compre- bending the meaning of the well-bred Morgan, spit in the face of the Mar- quis, instead of over the stick, which Morgan meant he should have done. This behaviour excited the immediate resentment of the fiery Morgan, who, with a blow in his chest, levelled poor Wilson upon the floor. Betty, who had followed her cara spQsa to the house, no sooner saw him lying on the floor, than she engaged with the rufiian, whom she considereil VOL. J. o 194 MEMOIRS OF to have murdered her husband. Like a fierce Amazon, as she always proved herself to be on such occasions, she fiew at Morgan with both hands open, and at the first assault, made an im- pression much resembling the ten of dia?nonds upon his face. Morgan being too manly to contend ingloriously v.'ith a woman, and that woman an old woman, only used his best means to disengage himself from a contest in which he should lose as much blood as credit. Betty being, however, at last greatly alarm- ed at the sight of so many purple currents, which she saw streaming in every direction down his disfigur- ed countenance, desisted from claw- ing any longer his visage. She con- tented herself with only fastening upon his hair, which she unmercifully tore by handfuls from his devoted head. CHARLES LEE LEWES. 195 Morgan kicked and swore, while the company were delighting them- selves with this scene of " precious mischief," as they termed it, They^ however, had the charity to release him from the fury of this wild woman. His favourite locks, which had ever been his peculiar care, to be thus toru from their " seat of propriety," gave him no little uneasiness ; but the unex«- pected revival of the prostrate Wilsoit obtaining him an entire respite from his complicated dangers, he began to solace* himself, as much as he possibly could^ with the prospect of future peace. Al- though he had been the first aggressor,. he was indebted to Wilson chiefly for his manly and generous interposition ia his favour, Betty, who had, during the engage- ment, confined herself to offensive war^, o 2 did not entirely escape from wound 'or contusion ; for, whether from design or accident, slic received a most scan- dalous black eye, and a sliglit wound upon the upper lip, which, on account of her acting that night, had been for- tunately shaved. This .was an operation she Vv'as obliged to suffer three times a week, in order to remove a few loose hairs that obtruded themselves upon her upper lip, and thus to avoid that monstrous indelicacy of wearing a beard, in such characters as Lady Town- ley, or Miranda, unless she had to join with the former the part of John . Moody, as the celebrated Mrs. Charke has been seen to perform. If the in- cumbrance of a beard is the least dis- grace to the appearance of a fine lady, nature might be blamed,* were not such a censure the greatest impiety. cSarles Lee lenveS. 19) It is here necessary to observe, that Betty owed considerable obligations to a pumice-stone, with which she very frequently rubbed the lower parts of her face. But what was to be done to conceal the disgraceful appearance of her. eyes. There was, fortunately for our Thalestris, in the room a young man belonging to Leister's company : his name was Wortley, who made some pretensions to the art of painting. Al- thouHi he had daubed the fronts of houses,. I never heard he had attempt- ed to paint the human face divine. He had humility enough to acknowledge, that he was neitlier an Apelles, a Ti- tian, or a Reynolds ; but as the lady was in distress, and chose to trust her- self to his skill, he was willing to try what he could do for her accommoda- tion. He therefore took a little pul- o I 198 TMEMOmS OF verized rose-pink, mixed neatly se- cwidum artem, with some whiting or common chalk, and covered the sable •disgrace with a tolerably natural flesh •colour. Having praised the skill and gratefully acknowleged the kindness of the artist, she was preparing to make her exit ; an incident as droll as unex- pected prevented her departure. It has been observed that M'Georcre, the most noble Marquis uf Hatchet, had by his ill-timed show of courage, pro- voked Mr. Wilson to challenge him, in consequence of some severe reflections on his youth, and some sly insinuation-s of his being afraid to encounter a man who had cut liis passage through so many formidable impediments. The Marquis had not the least serious inten- tion of breaking the peace. During •this tremendous storm, the Marquis was CHARLES lei: LEWES. I99 himself in the greatest agitation of fear and trembling. He was, however, so peaceably inclined, that wisely consider- ing the more he engaged in such a fra- cas, the more mischief would ensue ; he prudently av'oided the least inter- ference. 'I'hc first insult beino; criven, he ran about the room rubbing his eyes, and stamping as if in the most afilictive agony with the smarting of the salt rheum which the clownisli Wilson had discharged upon him. In fact he so well affected the appearance of severe suffer- ing, that the company thought nothing but the loss of his sisrht could occasion O such pitious emotion and distortion. Indeed Morgan had been impelled to S-ive the downfall blow to Dick, in con-. sequence of supposing the Marquis must have received some very material in- juTy,if not a total deprivation of sight, 4 20O MJilVIOIRS OF ■When the engagement became general, he took the opportunity of withdraw- ing himself from the scene of battle ; but seeing the bandage of black crape over Betty's eye, he rose from his lurk- ing place, which was under a large square dining-table, that stood against the wainscot of the room where the conflict happened Quitting his uneasy situation, he was instantly saluted with the vociferous shoutings of the company. " Here's the tremendous Matadore !" cried the sar,casticalTom Leister, "who slew so many Saracens. Twenty more — kill themj twenty more — kill them too — eh Mac! Why, damn it, Mac, you'll never be able to pcriorm your morning rehearsal in tl;e meadow with that rue- ful countenance. You see, Wilson, you can acquire do honour by vanquishing ■such, a fvliow as this, and if vou are not CHARLES LliE LEWES. 201 ambitious of being tiiought a bully or a braggard, let us hear no more of this contemptible business. We shall make ourselves the scorn and derision of the whole town, from which we shall be. driven with all the disgrace such beha- viour justly demands. Let me advise you, therefore, M'George, to go home ; get you to bed and sleep, you terrible Scandcrbeg. But according to appear- ances, I think, you will be troubled with dreams of dreadful nature." 'llie Marquis of Hatchet took his friend Morgan by the hand, and in a feeble, tremulous voice, thanked him for his kind and spirited interference in his favour, by chastising his insolent foe, at the time he was himself indeed so unfortunately incapable. This op- portunity for reti-cat, he most anxiously embraced, and ventured to his own 202 MEMOIRS Of apartment, even without an escort. His discreet wife received him with plea- sure ; for, although it is a just observa- tion, that women are naturally fond of bravery, yet the want of it in M'George did not diminish the affection of his Vvife. This predilection is not only common to the fair sex ; it is a general principle of nature. The brave are respected and ardmircd by both sexes ; nor is it any impeachment of the modesty or deli- cacy of the female character ; tlieir ten- derness of frame and constitution re- qruires protection, and it is therefore accordant with their necessities and feelings, to admire those on whom they can most depend. Being too frequently liable to such insults as the best regulated police cannot always pr-cvent, th«y must rely on the coi?. • ' / CHARLES LEE LLWES. EOJ rage of man, and this is an addi- tional reason for their admiration of bravery. The arm of man, neither formidable in nature or appearance, has frequently protected females from the purposed outrage of rufHans. But here it must be observed, that Mrs. M'GeorQ:e was not so different from her sex, as not to pay a proper deference to manly courage. She had beside many inducements to affection. She was his conjugal com- panion in her early youth, had borne him many firue children, and as to his ridiculous stvle of vain boasting abou-t fighting, she frequently derived the crreatest entertainment from the whim- sical pleasantry of his inventions. Fate determined that Betty and her spouse should part here. Mr. Wilson, --vliether provoked at the asperity of a 204 MEMOIRS OF certain lecture, left her at a very un- seasonable hour, without Q-ivinq; her the least notice of his intended route, and formed a resolution never to live with her more,which resolution he kept with Roman strictness. It appeared as if the fate of Betty to receive the merited punishment of her conduct to Martin, by the infidelity of her succeeding lovers. But, though deserted hke Dido, she had no incli- nation to imitate the example of that queen. Instead of burning herself she d nd her lover, and consoled her- self that she was not as yet too old to try again. The com.pany decreasing by death, and other vicissitudes, affected her more seriously. Having now no dear relative near to comfort her, she was left without anv other consolation than CHARLES LEE LEWES. 205 the remembrance of her vices and fol- lies., Having had occasion to mention the manager Linnet, it may be necessary to observe, that Burford, Woodstock, and the never-faiUng Abingdon, he called his own ; and, so greatly was he at- tached to these parts of his widely ex- tended domain, that he seldom failed visiting annually each of the above towns. Burford, at the time of the races, was certain of having him and his company, for here he was sure of raisino: larsre contributions at these times of periodical festivity. But Abingdon, being in the vicinity of the seat of the Muses, and out of the jurisdiction of the principal acting officer of the uni- versity, was, if possible, more lucrative to him than Burford. Here two or three reflections naturally present them- 206 MEiMOfRS OF selves on the subject of plays not being suffered at the universities. The chief magistrate of the university claims, by statuteand prescription, the right of pre- venting the exhibition or performance ©f any matter that may divert the minds of the scholars from their serious studies. This seems to have been one bad effect of the zeal of our first refor- mers, for such was the bigotry of these zealots, that, in performing this task, they swept away almost every vestige of chearfulness and instructive amuse- ment. Although a reformation might be wanted, yet it was surely not to be founded on a system of preventing man from alleviating the unavoidable cares and distresses of life by innocent di- version, or polishing his manners by elcQ-ant entertainments. But nothino: can check the course of those turbulent CHARLES LEE LEWES. lOJ passions, and the spirit of innovation, v,^hich usually, and indeed almost neces- sarily, animate a reformer. To spare the tree, whilst they lop the branches, is not the characteristic of a zealot. These fruits of our first reformers must excite regret even in the well- wishers of their system. But the pro- gress of reason purifies its new systems from the corrupting influence of the passions, and the first fervour becom- ins: extinct, wisdom and moderation succeed. The liberal and rational precepts of Christianity, were meant to inspire mankind with all the charms of hope, instead of depressing them with the gloomy reflection of being punished eternally for a temporary breach of mo- ral rectitude. He who told us himself, that his yoke was easy and his burthen 208 MEMOIRS GF light, should not be discredited by the practice of his disciples. ' But a more liberal and rational svs- 4 tern of reform beinc; established amonf^ uSjWe should have been more happy had not the infernal counsellors of a bigot princess, disgraced the name of religion by so wantonly sacrificing human na- ture on the pile of cruel and persecut- ing superstition. But the martyrs, Cranmer and Latimer, although accus- ed and convicted of heresy, were never known to inveigh against the harmdess tragedies and comedies that were per- formed in their time. Although they had neither the purity of sentiment or moral tendency of those of a later date, yet they were encouraged. Happily for England, the immortal Elizabeth succeeded to the throne, and instan- taneously wrested from these Van- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 2C9 dais the reforming rod, and with it drove them from the stage of religious contest. But it is a melancholy reflec- tion, that in consequence of old Harry's six bloody articles, and the frequent fires that were enkindled in Smithfield, and other parts of the kingdom, to roast men instead of cattle, numbers were driven from their native land to places where they received encourage- ment, and were allowed to exercise freely the use of their reason. The emancipated Cantons were chosen by many as the happy asylum from ty- ranny and persecution. But those who settled in Geneva imbibed such senti- ments of intolerance, as to cause them, on their return to their native country, to disseminate with too successful a zeal, their destructive opinions. Al- thous:h the matchless Elizabeth and her wise council, opposed ais much as pos- VOL, I. p 21G MEMOIRS OF sible their illusions, they could not check the poison from spreading ; but by the restraint of wholesome laws, they were prevented from subjecting us to that ruin which would have been inevitable, had these tenets been adopted without qualification or restriction. We should have experienced the same hapless fate, as that which attended a neighbouring nation, Scotland. For there, that sin- gle firebrand of discord, John Knox, of fanatic memory, at the head of a turbu- lent misled rabble, and aided and abet- ted by several noble malcontents, took the advantage of an unsettled reign, and under the pretext of eradicating the damnable doctrines of popery, had nearly extirpated Christianity it- self. Now murders and devastations stalked with i>;iant stride over that part of our island, and their zealous leader, presumed to assert, that he CHARLES LEE LEWES. 211 wielded the sword of the Lord and Gideo7i against idolatry. Blessed God ! how is thy holy name and authority prostituted, to serve the infamously in- terested purposes of artful and design- ing men ! But though these principles were the chief cause of stage perse- cution, yet even in this enlightened age of liberahty and refinement, wc find the immortal works of Shakespear excluded from a representation in our great and distinguished seminaries, ■ while the indecent productions of a Pretonius Arbiter, an Ovid, a Horace, and the dangerous doctrines of a Lu- cretius, are the classical studies of our young students at both the univer- sities. " O shame, where is thy blush !'* But thanks to a kind legislature, wiio having lately viewed with compassion- ate concern the indignities suffered by an actor, as a profession, have obiiterat- p 2 212 MUMOIRS OF ed the shameful stigma with uliich they were branded by fanatic church- men and haughty lawgivers. The following Anecdotes, however singular they may appear, are, notwith- standing, authentic ; they were com- municated to me by one on whose ve- racity I could depend, and who was thoroughly acquainted with the parties principally concerned, from their debut on the stage of life, but more parti- cularly on what in the modern phrase is called the hoards.* * This is to be understood as meaning a thea- trical stage, where sometimes there is scarcely a single board or spar to tread upon ; frequently this stage is no other than the floor of a malt- house, barn^ or stable, where many who hold their heads on high in our royal theatres, " have done deeds to make heaven weep, and shock the faculties of eyes and ears." CHARLES LES LEWES. 213 MR. JOSEPH YOUNGER. The late Mr. Joseph Younger, of truly respectable memory, related to me the following humorous circum- stances, which happened to him at a place called Coot-hill, in the north of Ireland. The winter -season being finished at Crow-street, Dublin, in the year 1759, he ens:r^2:ed himself and his wife to go with a company of itinerants on a sum- mer excursion, until Barry and Wood- ward should open again the theatre in Dublin. Business proving very bad, and his little consequently decreasing very fast, he was afraid that what remained would be seized, according to a cruel cus- tom with the low Irish, of rushing into the apartments of their lodgers v/ho are in arrears, and taking what- P 3 214 MEMOIRS or ever they can find that is worthy their attention. Instances of this brutality presented * themselves frequently to the hurt sen- sibility of Younger. A thoughtless young fellow, named Beattie Stuart, who was in the com.pany, came one morning abruptly into his apartment, and exhibited so ludicrous, yet pitiable a sight, that the good-natured Youn- ger, for the moment felt himfelf, con- trary to his general disposition, more inclined to mirth than compassion.Who could forbear smiling to see a youn'g man who was, but the day before, de- cently dressed, enter his room almost in a state of nature, and complaining tliat his coat, waistcoat, and shoes had been removed, while he held the wrecks of his small clothes, which had been so ti?rn in the contest between him and CHARLES LEE LEWES. 215 his delicate landlady,that he had scarcely so much left to conceal his nakedness as would cover a halfpenny ball. Com- passion almost instantaneously resumed her empire in the breast of Younger, who, with as much haste as possible, immediately clothed the poor naked fellow with some of his own habili- ments. These clothes beina; consider- ably too large for him, caused him to make so ludicrous an appearance as to raise the derision of the inhabitants, who followed and hooted him as he passed to the house of the magistrate, to whom he repaired for immediate justice. It will, however, please the sympathising reader to be informed, that this poor persecuted devil had ample satisfaction for his M'rongs and the shame he suffered from his cruel hostess, by the magistrate perempto- rily ordering his clothes to be returned j 21 6 MEMOIRS OF and himself exonerated from the de- mand she had to claim for lodging, or to suffer the punishment of losing her licence, if she refused compliance. The indignant exciseman, in addition to the order of Coram Nobis, flew to her house, and with the assistance of Stuart, found a concealment of unentered whis- key, which they seized, and levied the fine with unpitying rigour. The sensible and humane Younger, being unhappy at his own situation, and equally so for the distresses to which he saw the company constantly exposed, communicated their distressed condi- tion to Mr. Coote, the late Lord Bel- lamont. The young gentleman was no sooner made acquainted with the cir- cumstance, than he humanely ordered a play to be performed the next evening. He also, with some difficulty, prevailed upon the celebrated Geminiani, who CHARLES LEE LEWES. 21 7 then resided with him as teacher of the vioHn, to accompany him to the rural theatre. Preparations being made to receive with due respect the worthy squire and his company, the house * was opened, and very speedily filled. But oh ! grief of griefs ! the company had no musicians with them, and some har- mony was indispensably necessary to prevent the impending wrath of the of- fended gods. After a long search in vain for any kind of scraper or bag- piper, their fears rather subsided on seeing a girl leading in a poor old blind man, with signs of a crowdy beneath his coat. He was immediately engaged, and placed on a stool behind the scenes. * This house was no other than a back stable, with a new laid malt-house floor : there was no raised sta^e, in conscauence of the place not af- fording room for such a convenience. 21 8 . MEMOIRS OF After thrumming his instrument to put it in tune, he drew from the strins-s such a series of discordant notes, as surely never before or since torment- ed the ears of mortals. All eyes were fixed on Geminiani, whose writh- ings of body and distortions of coun- tenance were better to be imaciined than described. The poor fidler being informed by some wags behind the scenes, that the greatest violin player in the world was in the pit w^ith Squire Coote, and that he was in -raptures with the excellence of his playing, so exerted his skill and powers, as to car.se the famed musician to start from his seat with the m^ost rueful countenance, and with feelings almost bordering on convulsive agony. The harsh grating sounds, torn and rasped from the vilest of instruments, he at first avoided by stopping his earsj CHARLES LEE LEWES. 21 9 but the encreased exertions of the crowder broke every barrier, and as- sailed his hearing with all the combi- nation of irritating discord. His tor- ment was so great that it became, in- tolerable, which caused him, with a pitiful aspect, to request that Mr. Coote would order the carriage to convey him from this cave of Cyclops. But the young squire was too much divert- ed with the enraged condition of his poor old tortured master, to comply with his request. The banquet was too mirthful to suffer him to end it by any retreat of Geminiani. Crowdero, considering the continual clapping of hands, the roars and shouts from every part of the house, as plau- dits paid to his merit, imagined his fortune was made, especially as he was informed that Mr. Coote was highly pleased with his playing : this v/as tr,ue 220 MEMOIRS OF information ; for he was in a constant succession of fits of laughter to see the distressed son of scientific melody in an agony so unbecoming his age and gra- vity, while he accused his remorseless pupil of the greatest cruelty. Gemi- niani was however at last relieved, by an accident which threatened fatal con- sequences. Mr. Coote's violent fits of laughter were so great, and so con- tinual, that he fell into a paroxysm of convulsion, which so alarmed his mo- ther, who sat near him, that she immediately commanded the son of Carolan * to desist, on pain of her weighty displeasure. The bell rang, the curtain drew up, and my friend Younger was seen seat- ed at a table in the character of Lord Townley, in the Journey to London. * The last and greatest of the Irish bards. CHARLES LEE LEWES, 221 — His soliloquy being finished, Lady Townley entered, when he should have said — •• Going out so soon this morning, madam ?" But an unforeseen impediment sup- pressed his utterance, and withheld his approach towards his lady ; the high heels of his stage shoes had made such an impression in the new made floor, and so tenacious was the clay of intruders, that although he extricated himself, he was obhged to leave his shoes fixed in the mire, until with might and main he compelled the earth to yield him up his property. In this state of confusion, he ran off the stage, muttering curses and invec- tives against all the sluts and slovens in the kingdom. The tranquilhty of the audience being thus broken again by this ridiculous accident, all attention 222 MEMOIRS OF to the performance was entirely sus- pended, for the enjoyment of this more whimsical scene of humour. Even Ge- mlniani forgot his own late ludicrous situation, and participated in the ge- neral mirth and jocund laugh. But what was equally pleasing was, the temper which Younger described him- self to be in, at the moment he had extricated himself from this disaster. He declared he could have kicked Lady Towniey out of the stable, horse- whipped his sister, the mild Lady Grace, and have pulled his friend Man- ly by the nose. Indeed, he was so ir- ritated at the casualty, that every cha- racteristic smile which appeared in the countenances of the audience, during the performance, seemed to him to be at his expence. However, to ease his chagrin, the Squire presented the com- pany with five guineas, and his veiicra- CHARLES LEE LEWES. 223 ble mother gave two ; which, added to the regulrr' prices paid at the door, cheered their hearts for that evening, and prompted the eccentric Beattie Stuart to write on the play-house-door next morning — we eat. :end of vol. :. T. Gillet, Printer, Crown-court, Fleet-street. / '^^ ^ •f Zl> This booK is DUE on the last date stamped below ~ i\j lOwi-4,'28 m UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000 028 029 7 UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA AT LOS AiSGELES LIBRARY