To worthier thoughts his mighty genius turn'd, Harangued, gave lectures, made each simple elf Almost as good a speaker as himself, 64 Whilst the whole town, mad with mistaken zeal, 65C Pandulf, in King John, and his coarse delineation of that character occasioned Quin to say that Macklin was like a cardinal who had originally been a parish clerk. 648 This gentleman, whom in a subsequent page we shall have to notice in his capacity of an actor, was a competitor of Macklin in teaching the noble science of elocution. The following is an extract from the advertisement he published, explanatory of his scheme: "Mr. Sheridan proposes to revive an entertainment which was held in the highest estimation amongst the ancients, but has been altogether neglected by the moderns; he means that of reciting select passages from some of our most celebrated writers. And that this species of entertainment may answer some purposes of use as well as amusement, he proposes also to read part of the Liturgy, and to deliver a serinon; with strictures upon the manner in which those acts of public worship are usually performed. He hopes likewise to intersperse such observations upon the English tongue, and the art of reading and reciting compositions, both in poetry and prose, as will induce persons of both sexes to turn their thoughts to those too much neglected subjects. In the close be will point out the means by which alone an accurate knowledge of the whole of our excellent language may be obtained, as well as the art of a just and graceful delivery. As it may be thought necessary to affix some name to this new species of amuse ment, he will venture to call it, An Attic Morning's Enter Who aim'd at wit, though levell'd in the dark, At Islington, all by the placid stream 656 Where City swains in lap of Dullness dream, Where, quiet as her strains their strains do flow, That all the patron by the bards may know, Secret as night, with Rolt's experienced aid, The plan of future operations laid, Projected schemes the summer months to cheer, tainment, from the place in which this rational and elegant amusement took its rise." 653 The new river, as it was named, before similar works were denominated canals, to be since superseded by railways. 657 Richard Rolt, a poor, low creature, by profession a hackney writer to an attorney, and afterwards a drudge to booksellers, as often as they would trust him with employment. He was supposed to be the author of the Anti Rosciad, and was at this time the chief director of the amusements at Sadler's Welis under Mr. Rosamon, the proprietor of that house. As a specimen of his integrity, he once went over to Ireland, where he published Dr. Akenside's Pleasures of Imagination as his own work, and under his own name. As an instance of his prudence, he engaged, in concert with Christopher Smart, in 1756, to write monthly a periodical pamphlet, called the "Universal Visitor," for one Gardner, a publisher, on the following very extraordinary conditions: Rolt and his coadjutor were to divide a third of the profits arising from its sale, they on their part entering into a bond to the following effect: "That they would engage in no intermediate undertaking whatever, and that their contract should remain in force for the term of ninety-nine years." Mr. Rolt was likewise employed with Smart, in some theatrical enterprise, at the little theatre in the Haymarket, and afterwards joined with Shuter in a scheme of the like nature, And spin out happy folly through the year. 664 But think not, though these dastard chiefs are fled, That Covent Garden troops shall want a head; Harlequin comes their chief!-See from afar The hero seated in fantastic car! Wedded to Novelty, his only arms 665 Are wooden swords, wands, talismans, and charms; which attracted Churchill's notice. Rolt was a short time acting manager of Sadler's Wells under Bowman, the proprietor, and died as he had lived, in extreme misery, in 1773. He was author of a History of the War of 1741, upon the publication of which Voltaire wrote to him the most fawning letters, styling him the first historian of the age. 668 Mr. John Rich had been the manager of Covent Garden and Lincoln's Inn Fields theatre, almost fifty years, under the patent granted by Charles the Second, in which he succeeded his father Christopher, and in 1761 he resigned the active part of the duty to his son-in-law Beard. Rich acquired the name of Lun, by his excellent performance of Harlequin; and we still are unable to boast of any man who approached to his excellence in that part. Mr. Garrick's action was not more perfectly adapted to his characters, than Mr. Rich's attitudes and movements to the varied employments of the wooden sword magician. The splendour of his pantomimes, and the agility of his performers drew as great crowds to his theatre as could be collected by all the efforts of the first actors of the time at Drury Lane, and enabled him, with an indifferent company of actors, to make a stand against the greatest performers of his time. Mr. Rich, in the year 1747, first introduced the pantomime. He was not only the inventor of that entertainment in England, but likewise the most perfect harlequin that ever appeared on the English stage Behind, for liberty a-thirst in vain, 671 Sense, helpless, captive, drags the galling chain; 676 Mr. Garrick, soon after the death of Rich, bore testimony to his dexterity in some pleasing lines in his prologue to Harlequin's Invasion, and at the same time conveyed a compliment.. ary apology for the innovation of giving harlequin a tongue. The education of Mr. Rich had been grossly neglected, for though his understanding was good, his language was vulgar and ungrammatical. From an habitual inattention, he had contracted a perverse custom of calling every body Mister. This appellation being on some occasion repeatedly addressed to Foote, the latter grew warm, and asked him the reason of his not calling him by his name-" Don't be angry," said Rich, "for I sometimes forget my own name." "That's extraordinary indeed," replied Foote, "I knew you could not write your own name, but I did not suppose you could forget it." In private life Mr. Rich was respectable, and among many foibles possessed some qualities which commanded the esteem of his friends; he had a long list of theatrical pensioners, and nis benevolence was usefully exerted in his own neighbourhood at Uxbridge. He died in December, 1761, aged seventyone, soon after he had completely triumphed over Drury Lane, by producing a coronation pageant and procession on the stage, which for splendour and taste far exceeded any that had ever before been witnessed, and particularly excelled that of his rival manager Garrick: it was exhibited to crowded houses for two successive months. 674 Milton's Paradise Lost, book ii. v. 628. 681 The Town, as usual, knew no reason why: 682 Certain French, Who, holding in disdain the German women, SHAK. HEN. V. 686 Catharine Clive, a celebrated comic actress, was the daughter of an Irish gentleman of the name of Raftor, and in 1732 married G. Clive, Esq., brother of the late Mr. Baron Clive. From a collision of tempers they soon separated, but calumny never attempted to aim the slightest arrow at her fame. A more extensive walk in comedy than that of Mrs. Clive cannot be imagined: the chambermaid, in every varied shape which art or nature could lend her; characters of caprice and affectation, from the high-bred lady Fanciful to the vulgar Mrs. Heidelberg; country girls, romps, hoydens, and dowdies, superannuated beauties, viragoes, and humourists. To a strong and melodious voice, with an ear for music, she added all the sprightly action requisite to a number of parts in ballad farces. Her mirth was so genuine, that whether it was restrained to the arch sneer, and the suppressed half laugh, widened to the broad grin, or extended to the downright honest burst of loud laughter, the audience was sure to accompany her; he must have been more or less than man who could be grave when Clive was disposed to be gay. No two women of high rank hated one another more unreservedly than those two mighty dames Mrs. Clive and Mrs. Woffington; the passions of each were as high and lofty as those of a |