the Third; and the most eminent judges of dramatic excellence in the great world, confirmed the decisions of his previous country audiences. In a short time, Drury-lane and Covent-garden theatres were almost deserted. It was unfashionable not to see Garrick, and as unfashionable not to admire him. He was universally acknowledged to be a rising prodigy on the stage; and alone, but in vain, did the interested part of his profession endeavour to depreciate his worth. Quin could not conceal his vexation: and being told of his unbounded success, he observed, "that Garrick's was a new religion; Whitfield was followed for a time, but people would soon return to church again." This being reported to the young actor, he wrote the following epigram:

1

Pope Quin, who damns all churches but his own,
Complains that heresy corrupts the town;
That Whitfield-Garrick has misled the age,
And taints the sound religion of the stage.

"Schism," he cries, "has tura'd the nation's brain;

But eyes will open, and to church again !"

Thou great Infallible, forbear to roar ;

Thy bulls and errors are rever'd no more.
When doctrines meet with general approbation,

It is not heresy, but reformation.

But if Garrick was a match for his jealous opponents at the pen, he found himself inferior in influence. Having been admitted to a half of the profits at Goodman'sfields, the patentees of the other theatres saw that they must subvert his empire to preserve their own. An act of parliament was obtained to confine dramatic exhibitions to Drury-lane and Covent-garden; and Garrick entered into an agreement with the manager of the former, on the salary of five hundred pounds a year.. He had previously made himself known as a dramatic writer, by his Lying Valet,' and Lethe: and now he began to obtain the appellation of the English Roscius;

and to be courted by the elegant, and patronized by the great

In consequence of his renown, Ireland expressed a desire to witness his powers; and having obtained very lucrative terms, he performed in Dublin during the summer of 1742 with such uncommon celebrity, and to such crowded houses, that an epidemical fever broke out, which went by the name of “Garrick's disorder." His reception in that hospitable country was the most flattering that any actor ever experienced, either before or since.

In the winter he resumed his station at Drury-lane, and was now irrevocably fixed in the theatrical profession. His name in a play-bill operated like a charm; he never appeared without attracting full houses: and his fame being now completely established, he continued for a long series of years the admiration of the public, and the idol of his friends; among whom he could enumerate the most distinguished in rank, consequence, and talents.

His services were found so essential to the support of the theatre. that in the year 1747 he became a joint patentee of Drury-lane. In this capacity he exerted himself to introduce order, decency, and decorum; and his own example co-operated to give success to his endtavours. He even rendered his profession more respectable than it had been before; not only by his superior accomplishments, but by his moral conduct.

In two years after he became a manager, he married mademoiselle Violette: a young lady of great personal beauty and elegant qualities, who proved a most affec tionate partner. He was now easy in his circumstances, happy in his connexions, admired wherever he was known, and biazoned by fame over Europe; and after e years of assiduous application he determined to visit continent, both with a view to the improvement of ealth, and the extension of his knowledge. Ac

cordingly in 1163 he set out on his travels; and was every where received with a respect due to his extraordinary talents as an actor, which he readily exhibited when properly requested. Indeed vanity seems to have been a predominant part of his character, and he received the incense of applause with as much rapture as if he had not been accustomed to enjoy it. His company was eagerly desired by the great and the learned in France and Italy; and to entertain them he would go through the whole circle of theatric exertions, with a rapidity unexampled, and an impressive force that nothing could resist. Without the least preparation, he could assume any character, and seize on any passion. He passed in an instant from the deepest tragedy to the extremes of comic levity, and agitated every spectator with the feeling which he meant to inspire.

He repeated the soliloquy from Macbeth before the duke of Parma; and had several friendly contests with the celebrated mademoiselle Clairon at Paris, for the entertainment of their mutual friends. But Garrick was not satisfied with the fame which he justly received for animated and correct expression of the passions from plays only; he convinced his friends, that even in dumb show he could melt the heart. Having been an eye-witness of an unhappy father in France, fondling his child at an open window, when it sprung from his arms, and was dashed to pieces in the street, he recited this affecting incident; and threw himself into the distracted attitude of the parent at the instant when his darling appeared irrecoverably lost, with such natural expression of unutterable woe, that he filled every breast with sympathetic horror, and drew forth a shower of tears. Even Clairon was so much affected and charmed, that when she had a little recovered, by an involuntary impulse of applause, she caught Garrick in her arms and kissed him.

After spending about a year and a half on the continent, our great Roscius returned to his native land; and having

derived much of his reputation from exhibiting the impassioned scenes of Shakspeare, in honour of that immortal author he projected a jubilee at Stratford, which drew together such a concourse of polite spectators as was scarcely ever known before. On this occasion, the first actor paid the homage of respect to the first dramatic writer that Britain ever produced.

In 1773 Garrick became sole manager of Drury-lane: but age now creeping on, and the gout and stone frequently afflicting him, he sold his share of the patent three years after, and bade a final adieu to the stage. The two or three weeks before he retired, he went through some of his principal characters with undiminished spirit, and confirmed the reputation he had gained. The last part which he performed was Felix, in the comedy of the Wonder. When the play was ended, he stepped forward under extreme emotion; and after a short struggle, addressed the audience in such pathetic terms as drew tears from every eye, as well as his own. "This," said he, “is to me a very awful moment: it is no less than parting for ever with those from whom I have received the greatest kindness and favours, and upon the spot where that kindness and those favours were enjoyed." Having concluded his parting harangue, in which every heart sympathized, he made a profound bow, the curtain dropped, and he retired amidst the regret and acclamations of the most brilliant audience that had ever been collected in an English theatre.

During the Christmas holidays of 1778, being on a visit with Mrs. Garrick at the country seat of earl Spencer, he was seized with a disorder, from which having partially recovered, he returned to his house in the Adelphi: but next day the attack returned, and the arts of medicine proving ineffectual to relieve him, a stupor came on, and increased till the moment of his dissolution; which hap pened four days after, without a groan. Many of the faculty attended him with affectionate assiduity.

A monument is erected to his memory in Westminsterabbey, under which is the following epitaph:

To paint fair Nature, by Divine command,
-Her magic pencil in his glowing hand,—
A Shakspeare rose :-then, to expand his fame
Wide o'er this "breathing world,” a Garrick came.
Though sunk in death the forms the poet drew,
The actor's genius bade them breathe anew;
Though, like the bard himself, in night they lay,
Immortal Garrick call'd them back to day;
And, till Eternity, with power sublime,
Shall mark the mortal hour of hoary Time;
Shakspeare and Garrick like twin stars shall shine,
And earth irradiate with a beam divine.

S. J. PRATT,

Considered as a dramatic writer, his fame is only subordinate. His compositions of every kind are rather the temporary effusions of an elegant playful mind, than finished productions. But universal excellence is not the lot of man. He reached the summit of excellence as an actor; and, what is more to his credit, he performed with respectability his part in private life. He was greedy of money and of praise; of the former, however, he made a charitable use, and the latter was justly due to his supereminent abilities. Courted and flattered as he was, he must have been somewhat more than man to be absolutely devoid of vanity. It has been said of Garrick, "that he was only natural on the stage ;" yet his private friends loved him well, and have paid many honourable testimonies to his social worth.

CAPTAIN JAMES COOK.

Born 1728.-Killed 1779.

From 1st George II., to 19th George III.

FOR the present reign was reserved the glory of car

rying the spirit of maritime enterprise to its utmost ex