A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF DAVID GARRICK, Eſq.
[xi]A SHORT ACCOUNT, &c.

DAVID GARRICK was born at Here⯑ford, about the month of February, 1716. His grandfather was a merchant of French ex⯑traction, as it is ſaid, who left his native country on the revocation of the edict of Nantz in the year 1685. This gentleman had two ſons and two daughters: one of the former became a wine-merchant at Liſbon; and the other, whoſe name was Peter, the father of the late Mr. Garrick, followed the military profeſſion, and had at the time of his death been advanced to a majority in the army. He mar⯑ried a daughter of Mr. Clough, one of the Vicars in Litchfield Cathedral, and happened to be quartered at the Angel-inn in Hereford, where his ſon David (who was baptized^* the [xii] 28th of February 1716) was born. Mr. Gar⯑rick, the father, afterwards ſettled at Litchfield, and reſided there ſeveral years. A ſhort time before his death he determined to ſell his com⯑miſſion, and for that purpoſe entered into a treaty with a gentleman who had agreed to give him 1100l. for it; but, unfortunately, before the ſale was completed he died, and left a numerous family in a great meaſure unprovided for.

His ſon David received the firſt part of his education at the free ſchool of Litchfield under Mr. Hunter, who had the honour of number⯑ing amongſt his ſcholars, Doctor Johnſon, Chief Juſtice Willes, Doctor Newton, Biſhop of Briſtol, and other men of eminence. Very early in life our Roſcius found a friend in Gil⯑bert Walmſley, Eſq regiſter of the eccle⯑ſiaſtical court there; a gentleman then unmar⯑ried and well advanced in years, whoſe partia⯑lity ſeemed to authoriſe ſome favourable expec⯑tations of a permanent proviſion; all which were deſtroyed by Mr. Walmſley's unexpect⯑edly taking a wife. He, however, recom⯑mended his young friend to Mr. Colſon, maſter of the academy at Rocheſter, in order to com⯑pleat his education; and accordingly, in the month of March, 1736, Mr. Garrick left [xiii] Litchfield, in company with Doctor Samuel Johnſon^*, who at the ſame time quitted his profeſſion of a ſchoolmaſter, and came to Lon⯑don, where he afterwards became one of the firſt ornaments of literature.

At the age of about eleven years, Mr. Gar⯑rick went over to Liſbon, and was received by his uncle with great kindneſs; but, that ſtrict⯑neſs of morals which a fond relation wiſhed to [xiv] ſee in his nephew not being obſerved at that place, to prevent his being corrupted, it was thought proper to ſend him back to England; his uncle ſtill preſerving a great regard for him, which he ſhewed at his death by leaving him a legacy of 1000l.

It appears from Mr. Walmſley's letters, that Mr. Garrick was intended for the profeſſion of the law; and accordingly, on the 9th day of March 1736^*, immediately on his arrival in London, he was entered of the ſociety of Lincoln's-Inn; but it is certain he never paid any attention to the ſtudy of that ſcience; and indeed it is within the memory of many yet liv⯑ing, that his employment for a ſhort time, in the interval between his leaving ſchool and his appearance on the ſtage, was of a nature very different from what he was firſt deſtined to, and what he afterwards purſued with ſo much repu⯑tation and ſucceſs. We are credibly informed that he followed the buſineſs of a wine-mer⯑chant ſomewhere in or near Durham-yard, be⯑ing induced thereto, it may be preſumed, by the encouragement and ſupport of his uncle.

To whatever cauſe it was owing, we are not informed; but his ſucceſs in buſineſs was not ſufficient to engage his continuance in it; and [xv] this want of ſucceſs might perhaps ariſe from his attention to a more pleaſing purſuit. He had at ſchool performed the part of Serjeant Kite with applauſe; and he was now prompted to employ the talents which he poſſeſſed for his immediate ſupport. Chetwood mentions, that his facetious good humour gained him entrance behind the ſcenes two or three years in Drury-lane, before he commenced actor, and it is certain that he produced there, his firſt drama called Lethe, in April, 1740, for Mr. Giffard's Benefit. Determining to try his for⯑tune on the ſtage, he went down to Ipſwich, under the name of Lyddel, and performed in a ſtrolling company there. The part in which he firſt appeared was that of Aboan^* in Oroo⯑noko; and the approbation he met with in this country excurſion encouraged him to purſue his plan in London. He, therefore, after being (as it is reported) rejected by the manager of Covent Garden, to whom he had offered his ſervice, engaged with Mr. Giffard, at the theatre in Goodman's Fields, in the year 1741. The character he then attempted was that of Richard the Third; and he performed it Octo⯑ber 19th, 1741, in a manner which fixed his re⯑putation [xvi] on that baſis upon which it ſtood, as the firſt actor of the times, during the reſt of his life. Two circumſtances were obſerved on his firſt night's performance; one, that, on his entrance on the ſtage, he was under ſo much embarraſſment, that for ſome time he was un⯑able to ſpeak: the other, that, having exerted himſelf with much vehemence in the firſt two acts, he became ſo hoarſe as to be almoſt inca⯑pable of finiſhing the character. This diffi⯑culty was obviated by a perſon behind the ſcenes recommending him to take the juice of a Seville orange, which he fortunately had in his pocket, and which enabled him to go through the re⯑mainder of the character with that degree of excellence which he always afterwards ſhewed in the performance of it, and which produced the applauſe which ever after uniformly at⯑tended him in it. The perſon to whom he owed this ſeaſonable relief was the late Mr. Dryden Leach, printer, who uſed often to tell the ſtory to his friends.

It was during this firſt year of his theatrical life that he produced the farce of The Lying Valet; a performance which has given plea⯑ſure to numberleſs ſpectators, even after the principal character ceaſed to be performed by [xvii] its author. At the end of the ſeaſon he went over to Ireland, and in that kingdom added both to his fortune and his fame. The next year (1742 to 1743) he performed at Drury Lane, and the year after (1743 to 1744) at the ſame theatre. At the beginning of this ſeaſon he was involved in a diſpute with Mr. Macklin, who had joined with him in oppoſing the op⯑preſſions of the managers. That gentleman complained that he was deſerted in the agree⯑ment made with the managers, and publiſhed a ſtate of his caſe, in a pamphlet, intituled, ‘"Mr. Macklin's reply to Mr. Garrick's an⯑ſwer. To which are prefixed, all the pa⯑pers which have publickly appeared in regard to this important diſpute."’ The next year (1744 to 1745) he continued at Drury Lane; but the ſucceeding ſeaſon (1745 to 1746) he went again to Dublin, and engaged with Mr. Sheridan as joint ſharer and adventurer in the theatre there. In May 1746, he returned to London, and performed in ſix plays at the end of that month at Covent Garden, by which, we are told, he added 300l. to a great ſum ac⯑quired in Ireland^*. He performed but one year more as an hired actor (1746 to 1747) which was at Covent Garden theatre, where he pro⯑duced Miſs in her Teens.

[xviii] The miſmanagement of the patentees of Drury-lane Theatre, after the deaths of Booth and Wilks, and the retirement of Cibber from the ſtage, had ruined every perſon concerned in it. At this period the ſucceſſors of Mr. Fleet⯑wood^* became involved in ſo many difficul⯑ties, [xix] that it was no longer poſſible for them to [xx] continue the conduct of a buſineſs to which they were ſtrangers, and which they were never likely to ſucceed in. In 1745 that gentleman had left the Theatre to his creditors to manage, after making the beſt terms he was able for him⯑ſelf. They conducted the buſineſs of it for two ſeaſons, when, unable to continue the ma⯑nagement any longer, the property of the pa⯑tent, houſe, and ſcenes, was offered to ſeveral perſons: but ſo apprehenſive was every on [...] become of the hazard of intermeddling with the theatre, that no purchaſer was for ſome time to be found. At this juncture the late Mr. Lacy ſtepped forward, and boldly ventured to engage for the purchaſe. Having the reputa⯑tion of a man of integrity, he ſoon found friends among the monied men to ſupport him in his undertaking; the ſucceſs of it, he prudently concluded, muſt depend in ſome meaſure on the abilities of the perſon with whom he ſhould connect himſelf in the ſcheme. Mr. Garrick's reputation, both as a man and an actor, na⯑turally led him to wiſh for his junction. A treaty was ſoon begun, and an agreement be⯑tween them afterwards took place. Appli⯑cation was made for a new patent; which was obtained, and both their names inſerted in it^*. [xxi] The ſeaſon which began in 1747 was the firſt of their management, and was opened with an admirable Prologue, written by Doctor John⯑ſon, and ſpoken by Mr. Garrick^*. From this time Drury Lane Theatre, which had been ſo fatal to many adventurers, became the ſource of wealth and independence to both partners, who jointly exerted their ſeveral abilities in the management of the undertaking, with a de⯑gree of harmony which did credit to their un⯑derſtandings, and with a ſhare of ſucceſs which in ſome meaſure muſt be aſcribed to that good correſpondence which ſubſiſted between them^†.

[xxii] After he had been a manager two years, and the diſſipation of youth had ſubſided, the charms of a lady, who then lived with the counteſs of Barlington as a companion, made a conqueſt of him. It is unneceſſary to add that this lady is at preſent his widow. She is, we are informed, by birth a German. Her parents lived at Vi⯑enna; and ſhe appeared on the ſtage there as a dancer. In the year 1746, ſhe came to En⯑gland, and performed one Seaſon at Drury Lane Theatre. She was then called Madame Eva Maria Violetti. The union between them took place on the 22d day of June, 1749; and we may add, that no marriage ever was attend⯑ed with more happineſs to both parties than this for near thirty years, during which time, it is on good authority aſſerted, they ſcarce paſſed a day ſeparate from each other.

The theatrical ſeaſon which commenced in the year 1750 was rendered remarkable by the [xxiii] ſpirit of rivalſhip which prevailed at both houſes. At the beginning of Mr. Garrick's manage⯑ment he had engaged Barry, Macklin, Pritchard, Woffington, Cibber, and Clive; and, with theſe excellent performers, it may be imagined the profits of the Houſe were very conſiderable. Soon after, Mr. Barry, who was under articles, refuſed to continue any longer at Drury Lane, and, when ſued for the breach of his contract eſcaped from the penalty by means no way re⯑dounding to his honour. Macklin and Mrs. Cibber likewiſe went over to Covent Garden; as did Mrs. Woffington, who is ſaid to have entertained expectations of being united in mar⯑riage with Mr. Garrick. With theſe deſerters, aided by the veteran Quin, Mr. Rich opened Covent Garden Theatre. Mr. Garrick, not intimidated by the ſtrength of the oppoſition, took the field on the 5th of September with an occaſional Prologue ſpoken by himſelf^*; which was anſwered by another delivered by Mr. Barry; and this again replied to by a very hu⯑mourous Epilogue, admirably repeated by Mrs. Clive^†. The play of Romeo and Juliet had lain dormant many years. This was now re⯑vived at both Houſes: at Drury Lane, with al⯑terations [xxiv] by Mr. Garrick, who performed the principal character; Mr. Woodward playing Mercutio; and Mrs. Bellamy, Juliet: againſt them at Covent-garden, were Mr. Barry and Mrs. Cibber in the principal characters, and Mr. Macklin in Mercutio. Both houſes began on the firſt of October; and continued to per⯑form it for twelve ſucceſſive nights; when Covent-garden gave up the contention; and its rival kept the field one night more, with the credit of holding out longer than its oppo⯑nent, though it is ſuppoſed neither ſide reaped much advantage from the ſpirit of perſeverance which had governed them both in this conteſt.

In the year 1754, on the 6th day of March, died Mr. Pelham, who had conducted the buſi⯑neſs of government for ſome years before with candour, ability, and integrity. He was ſin⯑cerely lamented both by prince and people; and on this occaſion Mr. Garrick diſplayed his poetic talents, in an ode which we are told ran through four editions in a few weeks. It is a performance which does credit to him, both as a man and a poet, and is the firſt in the preſent volumes.

The objectors to Mr. Garrick's manage⯑ment of the theatre had a long time complained [xxv] that he had conducted himſelf with too ſtrict an attention to oeconomy in the ornamental and decorative parts of theatrical exhibitions. They were perpetually throwing out inſinua⯑tions, that the manager, relying on his own powers, was determined to regulate the enter⯑tainments of the ſtage with an eye only to his own advantage, and without any regard to the ſatisfaction of the public. Theſe murmurs had continued ſome time, when at laſt Mr. Garrick determined to meet the wiſhes of his friends, and to ſilence the diſcontents of his enemies. For this purpoſe he applied to Mr. Denoyer, ſen. to recommend ſome perſon of genius to ſuperintend and contrive a ſplendid ſpectacle to be exhibited at Drury-lane. The perſon fixed upon for the purpoſe was Mr. Noverre, a Swiſs; who immediately received orders to engage the beſt troop of dancers that could be procured. Theſe he ſelected from the foreign theatres; and they conſiſted of Swiſs, Italians, Germans, and ſome French. The entertainment in which they were employed was ſoon afterwards produced. It was called The Chineſe Feſtival; and was, in the thea⯑trical phraſe, got up with great magnificence, and at a very conſiderable expence. The ex⯑pectations [xxvi] of the managers were however wholly diſappointed in the ſucceſs of the per⯑formance. Although but few of the French nation were employed in it, yet a report had been induſtriouſly ſpread, that not only French dancers had been ſent for over, but French dreſſes alſo, and even French carpenters and taylors. The nation was then on the eve of a war; and this afforded an opportunity for en⯑gaging the paſſions of thoſe who profeſſed themſelves Antigallicans. They accordingly formed aſſociations, to diſcourage the ſeveral performers, and ſuppreſs the obnoxious per⯑formance whenever it ſhould appear. At length, after having taken up more than eighteen months in preparing, it was brought before the publick, and received with all the virulence and oppoſition which might be expected from the violence and heat of the times. The firſt performance of it was on the 8th day of No⯑vember, 1755, and was honoured with the pre⯑ſence of his late Majeſty; yet, notwithſtand⯑ing that circumſtance, it did not even then eſcape ill treatment. On the ſecond, third, fourth, and fifth nights, the riots continued with increaſing ſtrength, though oppoſed each evening by ſeveral young men of faſhion, who [xxvii] had determined to ſupport the performance. On the ſixth evening the oppoſition acquired freſh vigour and increaſing numbers. They fruſtrated every attempt to proceed in the ex⯑hibition; and committed every exceſs which a mob, ſubject to no controul, is apt to indulge itſelf in. That evening was the laſt repreſen⯑tation. After receiving aſſurance that the piece ſhould be acted no more, the heroes who had ſignalized themſelves in this important bu⯑ſineſs proceeded to Mr. Garrick's houſe in Southampton-ſtreet, where they broke his windows, and did other damages. They then diſperſed; and the proprietors of the theatre were obliged to ſubmit to the loſs of more than four thouſand pounds.

It would be impoſſible to enumerate the ſe⯑veral ſmall pieces of poetry which Mr. Garrick uſed to throw out from time to time, as his lei⯑ſure permitted, to compliment his friends, or to celebrate public events. We ſhall, however, juſt mention here that in 1755 he wrote ſome verſes on Mr. Maſon's taking orders^*; and in 1757 he appears to have been one of the few who had taſte enough to reliſh the beauties of Mr. Gray's celebrated odes^†. In 1759 Dr. Hill [xxviii] wrote a pamphlet, intituled, "To David Gar⯑rick, Eſq the Petition of I, in behalf of her⯑ſelf and her ſiſters." The purport of it was to charge Mr. Garrick with miſpronouncing ſome words including the letter I, as furm for firm, vurtue for virtue, and others. The pam⯑phlet is now forgotten; but the Epigram, which Mr. Garrick wrote on the occaſion, deſerves to be preſerved, as one of the beſt in the En⯑gliſh language.

From this period no event of importance oc⯑curs in the annals of Mr. Garrick's life until the year 1761. The buſineſs of the theatre went on without interruption; and he conti⯑nued to acquire both reputation and fortune. In that year, however, he found himſelf obliged to exert his poetical talents, in order to correct the impertinence of an inſignificant individual, a Mr. Fitzpatrick, who, without provocation, and in defiance of decency, carried on a weekly attack againſt him, in a paper called "The Craftſman." The original cauſe of the quar⯑rel, we are informed, was grounded on ſome illiberal reflexions which Mr. Fitzpatrick threw out againſt Mr. Garrick, and which the latter reſented with ſpirit and propriety, though a conſiderable time had elapſed before he was [xxix] provoked to take public notice of him. As Mr. Fitzpatrick's writings are now entirely forgotten, the revenge which Mr. Garrick took of him muſt, from that circumſtance alone, be involved in ſome obſcurity. Thoſe, however, who are unacquainted with either perſons or facts will receive pleaſure in reading Mr. Gar⯑rick's admirable ſatire publiſhed on this occa⯑ſion, intituled THE FRIBBLERIAD, a Poem, which had the honour of being highly com⯑mended by Churchill, who has alſo given a very ſevere correction to the ſame perſon.

However unequal Mr. Fitzpatrick was to the taſk of contending with Mr. Garrick in a literary warfare, yet the rancour which his de⯑feat had engendered pointed out a new mode of attack to diſtreſs his antagoniſt. It had been cuſtomary, on the repreſentation of a new per⯑formance, to refuſe admittance at any part of the evening, unleſs the whole price of the en⯑tertainment was paid. This had almoſt invari⯑ably been the rule; and it had hitherto been ſub⯑mitted to, as a reaſonable demand from the managers, to compenſate for the extraordinary expence which new dreſſes and ſcenes occaſi⯑oned. To gratify his reſentment, Mr. Fitz⯑patrick ſeized on this circumſtance as a ground to diſturb the peace of the theatre, and to in⯑volve [xxx] the managers in a conteſt with the pub⯑lick. For this purpoſe hand-bills were diſperſed about the coffee houſes in the neighbourhood of Drury-lane, recommending a peremptory de⯑mand to be made, and requiring an abſolute promiſe to be given that no more than half the uſual price ſhould be taken on any evening of performance after the third act, unleſs at the repreſentation of a new pantomime. A kind of aſſociation was entered into by ſeveral young men, to obtain a redreſs of this grievance, as it was called; and Mr. Fitzpatrick put himſelf at the head of it. The evening on which the attack was made happened to be when the The two Gentlemen of Verona was performed for the alterer's Benefit. The performance accord⯑ingly was interrupted, after ſeveral attempts to proceed in it; and the proprietors of the houſe, thinking the requiſition an unjuſt one, and the manner of making it improper to be acceded to, refuſed to ſubmit to it: in conſequence whereof no play was acted that night, and the audience received their money again at the doors, having firſt amuſed themſelves with do⯑ing all the miſchief they were able. By this trial, the malecontents had diſcovered their ſtrength, and determined to carry their point [xxxi] in humbling the pride of the manager. On the next performance, which was at the tragedy of Elvira, they collected their whole force, and again prevented the actors proceeding in the play. It was in vain that Mr. Garrick deſired to be heard in defence of the ancient cuſtoms of the theatre. The oppoſition inſiſted on a peremptory anſwer to their demand in the new regulation; which, after ſome time, the pro⯑prietors of the houſe were obliged to agree to; and once more peace was reſtored to the thea⯑tre after a conſiderable loſs had been ſuſtained, and obliged to be ſubmitted to^*.

This ſeaſon was the laſt in which Mr. Gar⯑rick could be ſaid to have acted in the regular courſe of his profeſſion. From this time he de⯑clined performing any new characters; and, finding his health unſettled by the advice of his phyſician he determined to give himſelf ſome relaxation from care and fatigue. He there⯑fore made the arrangements neceſſary for carry⯑ing on the public entertainments during his ab⯑ſence; and on the 15th of September 1763, the day on which the Houſe opened, he left London, in order to make the tour of France, and Italy. To ſupply his place, he engaged [xxxii] the late Mr. Powell, who had received his in⯑ſtructions the preceding ſummer, and whoſe ſucceſs was equal to the abilities he poſſeſſed. To the honour of his employers, it may be added, that his abilities were not higher than the encouragement he received for the exertion of them. Although he was engaged for a term of years at a ſmall ſalary; yet he was, before the ſeaſon cloſed, generouſly allowed an ap⯑pointment equal to the firſt performer in the houſe. We are credibly informed, the pro⯑ſits that year exceeded even thoſe in which Mr. Garrick performed in the height of his repu⯑tation.

The interval from this period, until the month of April 1765, Mr. Garrick employed in travelling through the principal parts of Eu⯑rope; and was, at every place where he reſi⯑ded, and at moſt of the courts to which he was introduced, received in the moſt honoura⯑ble and cordial manner; by the great, as well as by men of letters; each vying with the other in ſhewing reſpect to the greateſt drama⯑tic character of the age. While he ſtayed at Paris, he amuſed himſelf with reading Fon⯑taine's Fables; which pleaſed him ſo much, that he was induced to attempt an imitation of [xxxiii] them. He accordingly wrote one, called The Sick Monkey; which he tranſmitted over to a friend, to be ready for publication immediately on his arrival. It accordingly made its ap⯑pearance in two or three days after, with the following motto: ‘"Thurſday afternoon Da⯑vid Garrick, Eſq arrived at his houſe in Southampton-ſtreet, Covent-garden. Public Advertiſer, April 27, 1765."’ And he had the pleaſure of hearing the ſentiments of his friends upon it; many of whom miſtook it for a ſatire upon him, and accordingly expreſſed themſelves in very warm terms on the occaſion.

Immediately on his arrival he reſumed the management of the theatre, and introduced ſome improvements which had been ſuggeſted by his obſervations on the conduct of the fo⯑reign ſtages. From the liſt of his works it will be ſeen that he had not been idle while abroad. He produced the next ſeaſon ſeveral new pieces, and in the beginning of 1766 the excellent comedy of The Clandeſtine Marriage, written in concert with Mr. Colman. He alſo, at the requeſt of his Majeſty, appeared again upon the ſtage; and on that occaſiou ſpoke^* a new prologue, replete with thoſe ſtrokes [xxxiv] of humour in which, in that ſpecies of compo⯑ſition, he manifeſted a ſuperiority over all his contemporaries.

In that year died Mr. Quin^* and Mrs. Cib⯑ber. Their deaths were very pathetically ta⯑ken notice of in the prologue to The Clandeſtine Marriage; and for the former Mr. Garrick wrote an epitaph, which was placed over his tomb in the cathedral church of Bath. Mr. Quin was the only performer of any reputation when Mr. Garrick firſt appeared on the ſtage, and he had likewiſe been one of his earlieſt op⯑poſers. For ſeveral years however before Mr. Quin's death great cordiality had ſubſiſted be⯑tween him and Mr. Garrick, at whoſe houſe at Hampton he ſpent ſome time a few months before his death, and there firſt diſcovered the ſymptoms of that diſorder which carried him to his grave.

The year 1769 was remarkable for the cele⯑bration of a jubilee at Stratford upon Avon, the 6th, 7th, and 8th of September, in honour of Shakeſpeare; a ceremony which very much engaged the public attention. Although it was treated by ſome as a ſubject worthy only [xxxv] of ridicule, yet by others it was deemed a juſt compliment due to the great writer whoſe me⯑mory was intended to be honoured by it. The circumſtance which gave riſe to it happened ſome time before, and was as follows: A cler⯑gyman, into whoſe poſſeſſion the houſe once belonging to our great poet had come, found that a mulberry-tree, which grew in the garden, and which had been planted, according to tra⯑dition, by Shakeſpeare himſelf, overſhadowed his manſion, and made it damp. To remedy this inconvenience, he cauſed it to be cut down, to the great mortification of his neighbours, who were ſo enraged at him, that they ſoon rendered the place, out of revenge, too diſ⯑agreeable for him to remain in it. He there⯑fore was obliged to quit it; and the tree, be⯑ing purchaſed by a carpenter, was retailed, and cut out in various relicks of ſtand-diſhes, tea⯑cheſts, tobacco-ſtoppers, and other things; ſome of which were obtained by the corpora⯑tion of Stratford. The gentlemen belonging to this body ſoon after agreed to preſent Mr. Garrick with the freedom of their borough; and their ſteward communicated their inten⯑tions to him in a letter, from whence the fol⯑lowing extract is taken: ‘"The corporation of [xxxvi] Stratford, ever deſirous of expreſſing their gra⯑titude to all who do honour and juſtice to the memory of Shakeſpeare, and highly ſenſible that no perſon in any age hath excelled you therein, would think themſelves much honour'd if you would become one of their body. Tho' this borough doth not now ſend members to parliament, perhaps the inhabitants may not be leſs virtuous; and, to render the freedom of this place the more acceptable to you, the corporation propoſe to ſend it in a box made of that very mulberry tree planted by Shakeſ⯑peare's own hand. The ſtory of that valuable relick is too long to be here inſerted: but the gentleman who is ſo obliging as to convey this to you will acquaint you therewith; as alſo that the corporation would be happy in receiv⯑ing from your hands ſome ſtatue, buſt, or pic⯑ture of Shakeſpeare, to be placed within their new town-hall; they would be equally pleaſed to have ſome picture of yourſelf, that the me⯑mory of both may be perpetuated together in that place which gave him birth, and where he ſtill lives in the mind of every inhabitant."’

The honour propoſed in this letter to be con⯑ferred on Mr. Garrick was accepted by him; and the ſame compliment was paid to George [xxxvii] Keate, Eſq who had ſome time before pro⯑duced a poem, which contained an excellent eulogium on our admirable dramatick bard^*. In the month of May the perſons deputed by the corporation waited on Mr. Garrick, and preſented him with the freedom of their bo⯑rough, accompanied with the following letter:

The manner in which this entertainment was to have been performed, the diſappoint⯑ments it ſuſtained, and the ſeveral occurrences [xxxix] which took place at it, are all ſo recent in the memories of moſt of our readers, and were ſo accurately related at the time they happened^*, that we ſhall not recapitulate them here. It is ſufficient to obſerve, that accident deprived thoſe who were preſent of part of their enter⯑tainment; that all which was exhibited gave general ſatisfaction; and Mr. Garrick, who was a great ſum of money out of pocket by it, framed an entertainment, which was performed at Drury-lane Theatre 92 nights with great applauſe to very crouded audiences. The ode which was ſpoken by him at Stratford was alſo repeated at the ſame theatre, but not with much ſucceſs, being performed only ſeven times^†.

The management of a theatre is always at⯑tended with anxiety and vexation; the diffi⯑culty of ſatisfying the ſeveral candidates for theatrical fame is ſo great, that he who can preſerve the friendſhip of thoſe whoſe pieces he rejects, muſt be allowed to poſſeſs very extra⯑ordinary abilities. In the year 1772, it was [xl] Mr. Garrick's misfortune to be embroiled with a very iraſcible and troubleſome perſon, who claimed the repreſentation of one of his pieces at Drury-lane; and he inforced his demand in a manner that will ſtamp indelible diſgrace on his memory. He publiſhed a poem to intimi⯑date the manager, called Love in the Suds, con⯑taining inſinuations of the baſeſt kind, and which he afterwards denied having had any in⯑tentions to convey. As this writer is dead, thoſe reflections on his conduct which had he been living might have appeared here, and which the ſubject naturally ſuggeſts, ſhall be ſup⯑preſſed. It will be ſufficient to obſerve, that Mr. Garrick had recourſe to the court of King's Bench, to puniſh the infamous libeller of his reputation; and, notwithſtanding he had been a ſecond time inſulted by another pub⯑lication conceived with equal malignity, he was weak enough to ſtop the proſecution he had commenced, on his adverſary's ſigning an acknowledgment of his offence, which was printed in all the public papers. It cannot be denied but that the intereſts of ſociety demanded that ſo groſs an offender ſhould meet with pu⯑niſhment, and that no conceſſions ought to have been allowed to deprecate that ſtroke which the law would have inflicted on ſo heinous a crime.

[xli] From this time no event of importance hap⯑pened, until the reſolution which Mr. Garrick had begun to form of quitting the ſtage was, to the concern of every one, carried into exe⯑cution. In the beginning of the year 1776, he entered into an agreement with ſome of the preſent patentees, for the ſale of his intereſt in the theatre; but continued to act during the re⯑mainder of that ſeaſon. The laſt night of his performance was for the Theatrical Fund, on the 10th day of June in that year, when he repreſented the character of Don Felix in The Wonder. At the concluſion of the play he came forward, and addreſſed the audience in a ſhort ſpeech, wherein he ſaid, ‘"it had been uſual for perſons in his ſituation to addreſs the publick in an epilogue; and that he had ac⯑cordingly turned his thoughts that way, but found it as impoſſible to write, as it would be to ſpeak, a ſtudied compoſition; the jingle of rhyme and the language of fiction ill ſuiting his then feelings: that the moment in which he then ſpoke was an awful one to him: that he had received innumerable favours, and took his leave on the ſpot where thoſe favours were con⯑ferred."’ He then ſaid, ‘"that, whatever the events of his future life might be, he ſhould [xlii] ever remember thoſe favours with the higheſt ſatisfaction and deepeſt gratitude; and though he admitted the ſuperior ſkill and abilities of his ſucceſſors, he defied them to exert them⯑ſelves with more induſtry, zeal, and attention, than he had done."’ This ſpeech, which was delivered with all that emotion which the par⯑ticular ſituation of the ſpeaker rendered very intereſting and affecting, was received with the loudeſt burſts of applauſe; and he left the ſtage with the acclamations of a numerous and polite audience, who were unable to forbear expreſſing the deepeſt concern for the loſs of their favou⯑rite performer.

Mr. Garrick now retired to the enjoyment of his friends, the moſt reſpectable in the king⯑dom, and of a large fortune, acquired in the courſe of more than thirty years: but the ſtone, which he had been afflicted with ſome time, had already made ſuch inroads on his conſtitution, that he was unable to communi⯑cate or receive from his friends that pleaſure which his company afforded, except at times, and in a very partial manner. It is ſuppoſed that he injured his health by the application of quack medicines, and often experienced the moſt violent torments from the ſeverity of his [xliii] diſorder. At Chriſtmas 1778, he went to viſit Lord Spencer at Althorp in Northampton⯑ſhire, during the holidays. He there was taken ill; but recovered ſo far that he was removed to town, where growing worſe, he died in a few days afterwards, at his houſe in the Adel⯑phi, on the 20th day of January, 1779, at the age of 63 years; leaving behind him the cha⯑racter of a friendly, humane, charitable, and (notwithſtanding many idle reports, we may add) liberal man; one who felt for diſtreſs, and relieved it; a chearful companion, a pleaſ⯑ing writer, and the firſt actor of this or any other age.