1766.

Dr. Johnson himself had not for- on his knees in such a passion gotten those habits and ways of of morbid melancholy, beseechhis youth; and amazed Boswell, ing God to continue to him the some ten years later, by assert- use of his understanding, ing that Prior was a lady's book, and proclaiming such sins and that no lady was ashamed of which he supposed him- t. 38. to have it standing in her library.self guilty, that poor sober solid The Doctor could hardly have Thrale was fain to "lift up one taken part in the present luck-hand to shut his mouth," and less selection, however, for the worthy pair bore him off, by through all the summer and a sort of kindly force, to their autumn months of the year he hospitable home. With cheerhad withdrawn from his old fulness, health returned after haunts and friends, and taken re- some few months; he passed a fuge with the Thrales. The portion of the summer with them latter, happening to visit him in at Brighton;* and from that Johnson's-court one day at the time, says Murphy, Johnson beclose of spring, had found him came almost resident in the after a long interval of years and when family. "He went occasionally its contents were quite forgotten, she "to the club in Gerrard-street, found it altogether impossible to endure, "but his head-quarters were fixed at the age of fourscore, what at fifteenat Streatham." Goldsmith had she, like all the fashionable world of the time, had perused without an idea of im- rightly foreseen how ill things propriety. Scott has also recorded, on were going with him, when not the authority of his friend John Kemble, that there existed a distinct oral tradition even a new play could induce him of a conversation having passed between to attend the theatre.

a lady of high rank seated in a box in the

In his own attendance at the theatre, and Mr. Congreve the celebrated theatre he was just now more

dramatist who was placed at some dis

tance, which was so little fit for modern zealous than ever, and had doubtears, that a rake of common outward less "assisted" at some recent decency would hardly employ such memorable nights there. language in a brothel. Two years

before

66

When

the present date Horace Walpole printed, at Strawberry-hill, a small volume of It was here, or as Mrs. Thrale calls Poems by Lady Temple, of which some it, "at Brighthelmstone," that on the man are too grossly indelicate to be now re- who dipped people in the sea seeing Mr. produced. See Grenville Correspondence, "Johnson swim in the year 1766, 'Why II. 257. And as I have frequent occasion" sir,' says the dipper, 'you must have to exhibit Walpole in the course of this" been a stout-hearted gentleman forty volume as a critic of Goldsmith, let me "". years ago.'" Anecdotes, 113. Another here give a glimpse of him as the critic of compliment of this date he always reLady Temple. "To do real justice to membered with pride. I think, says Mrs. "these poems, they should be compared Thrale, no praise ever went so close to "with the first thoughts and sketches of his heart. It was when "Mr. Hamilton "other great poets. Mr. Addison, with in- "called out one day, upon Brighthelm"finite labour, accomplished a few fine" stone Downs, 'Why, Johnson rides as 'poems; but what does your ladyship "well, for aught I see, as the most il"think were his rough draughts?" Kisum"literate fellow in England.'" Ibid, teneatis? 206-7.

66

all the world went to see Rous-played, of which all the town was seau, for example, including the talking still; and which seems King and Queen; when their to have this year turned his majesties, though Garrick thoughts for the first time to the 1766. exhibited all his powers theatre, with serious intention to Et. 38. in Lusignan and Lord try his own fortune there. Chalkstone, looked more at the The Clandestine Marriage, the philosopher than at the player; great success of the year, and for and when poor Mrs. Garrick, the strength and variety of its who had exalted him on a seat in character deservedly so, had her box (rewarded for her pains been the joint work of Colman by his laughing at Lusignan and and Garrick; whose respective crying at Lord Chalkstone, not shares in its authorship have understanding a word of either), been much disputed,* but now held him back by the skirts of seem clear and ascertainable his coat all night, in continual enough. The idea of the comedy terror that "the recluse phi- originated with Colman, as he "losopher" would tumble over was looking at the first plate in the front of the box into the Hogarth's immortal series of pit, from his eager anxiety to Marriage à la Mode; but he admits show himself,*-Goldsmith could that it was Garrick who, on being hardly have stayed away. Nor taken into counsel, suggested that is he likely to have been absent important alteration of Hogarth's when the Drury-lane players "proud lord" into an amiable (with many of whom, especially old ruin of a fop, descending to Mr. and Mrs. Yates, he had now pin his noble decayed skirts to formed acquaintance) made the the frock of a tradesman's great rally for their rival fund; daughter, but still aspiring to the and in defiance of his outlawry, hopes and submitting to the toils Wilkes unexpectedly showed him- of conquest, which gave to the self in the theatre, more bent on stage its favourite Lord Ogleby. seeing Garrick's Kitely than keep-These leading ideas determined ing faith with the ministry, to on, rough hints for the construcwhom, through Burke, he had tion and conduct of the plot, of the day before promised to go which Colman's was made public back to Paris more secretly and by his son three-and-thirty years quickly than he had come to ago, and Garrick's did not see the London. ** Least of all could light till the other day,** were Goldsmith have been absent when the last new comedy was

216; and a note to the latter page. See *See Garrick Correspondence, 1. 210also Murphy's Life of Garrick, 11. 27-30; Peake's Memoirs of the Colman Family,

*Cradock's Memoirs, 1. 205. And see a very amusing passage in Hume's Pri-1. 159-73; and Colman's Posthumous Letvate Correspondence, 143-4.

** Garr. Corr. 1. 272-3,

ters, 327-47.

**They were published from Gar

exchanged between the friends; in his letters somewhat scantily and from these it is manifest admits to have been Garrick's that, in addition to what Colman contributions,-namely, the first suggestion of Lord Ogleby, rick's MS. in the Observer newspaper; and, his opening levee scene, as they have not been otherwise pre- and the fifth act served, I subjoin some noteworthy extracts. The original draft of the characters was thus sketched: "Men. GARRICK

1766.

which Et. 38.

"N.B. In this scene the characters of the

"be told, with a hint of Garrick's flatter"ing servant, King.

"An old Beau, vain, &c; YATES-His Bro-fare depends upon keeping the secret. "ing it, and says that their future wel"ther; O'BRIEN-Their Nephew; KING"An old flattering Servant of Garrick's. two brothers, Garrick and Yates, should "Women CLIVE-Aunt of the Two Sisters; "BRIDE-Elder Sister; POPE-The youngest, 66 a fibbing, mischief-making girl; BRAD"SHAW-An old, flattering, toad-eater of "SCENE V. Garrick and King. "the Aunt's." The younger and elder "Garrick appears at his toilet preparsister afterwards changed characters, and "ing for the conquest of the day. His Miss Bride gave way to Mrs. Palmer in "servant and he, by their conversation, Fanny. Subjoined are the principal"are positive that all the females are in points of Garrick's outline.

66

"ACT I. SCENE I. Enter Bride and

O'Brien.

"love with Garrick, which he readily be"lieves and acts accordingly.

66

66

"ACT II. SCENE V. Bride and O'Brien. "Enter Bride and O'Brien (who are "She is very uneasy, and cannot bear secretly married), complaining how un-"this going on, her heart is too sus"happy she is, and how disagreeably "ceptible of tenderness and jealousy: "situated she is on account of their con- "and this must be a short, matrimonial "cealing the marriage. In this scene "conversation, in which a delicate heart "must be artfully set forth the situation"and mind must be shown; and, she re"and business of the dramatis persona. "solves to open her breast to Garrick, "The audience must learn that Mrs." and try to bring him over to forgive "Clive, the aunt, has two nieces, co- 'them. O'Brien consents, and leaves "heiresses, and one of them is to be "her upon seeing Garrick come smiling "married to O'Brien, the son of Garrick "along." (The continuation of this scene "and nephew to Yates. They are met at is given in my text.) "the aunt's, I suppose, to see which of the "ACT III. SCENE III. Clive and Garrick. young ladies will be most agreeable to "This will be a fine scene worked up, the young man. (Query-whether there with their mutual delicacies, not to (6 may not be a design to have a double match, the father with the aunt?) The "shock each other. The upshot of it is open their minds too abruptly, nor to youngest sister, Pope, and the aunt, fall to resolve to give consent, and de"in love with him, and all three pay "termine that Clive shall have O'Brien, "their court to Garrick on account of his "and Garrick Bride; and thus the "son, which he interprets as love to him"self. Yates, Garrick's brother, who their own inclinations at the expense 'scheme shall be settled, and indulge "lives in the country-a rough, laugh- "of all parties, when they go off, resolv"ing, hearty fellow-is come to approve "ing to convene all the persons con"of one of the young ladies for his "cerned directly. 66 'nephew, and to see this grand family "business settled. Bride declares her "distresses at seeing that her sister and "Pope come from behind some flower"aunt are in love with her husband, and "ing shrubs, where she has been listen"that his father takes their different at- "ing, and has overheard these precious "tentions to him for passion. She seems "persons laying their schemes and open"to think that nothing but an avowal of "ing their minds to each other, and see"their marriage will set all to rights; but "ing Yates come along she is resolved to "O'Brien gives reasons for still conceal-"make more mischief."

66

66

"SCENE IV. Pope.

1766.

he closes with such handsome "He resolves to have the girl, gallantry, the practised actor "and break the hearts of the rest had mapped out more clearly "of the female world." Powell than Colman, though he had to replace O'Brien, howmay not have written all, ever,* and King was substituted Et. 38. the other principal scenes for Garrick, before the play was in which his chosen character was acted; and out of the latter circoncerned. What he submitted cumstance arose a coolness befor the interview where the anti- tween the friends which will requated fop supposes Fanny to appear in this narrative. Colman have fallen in love with him, will thought Garrick's surrender of not only exhibit this, but here- Lord Ogleby a capricious forfeiafter help us to understand some ture of promise; but though an disagreements between himself exception to his previous withand Goldsmith. "Bride," he re- drawal from all new parts was at marks, putting the actor always first intended in this case, he exin place of the character, resolves ercised a sound discretion in to open her heart to Garrick, and changing that purpose. The new try to bring him over to forgive character was, in truth, little them. "O'Brien consents, and more than an enrichment of one "leaves her upon seeing Garrick of his own farces, assisted by a "come smiling along. Enter Gar-farce of his friend Townley's; "rick, he smiling, and taking and he could himself but have "every word from the girl as made Lord Ogleby an improved "love to himself. She hesitates; Lord Chalkstone. It was better "faulters; which confirms him left to an entirely new represen"more and more, till at last she tative, and King justified his "is obliged to go off abruptly, choice. Colman's sense of in"and dare not discover what she jury was, nevertheless, kept "intended, which is now de-carefully alive by goodnatured "monstration to Garrick, who is friends; and when Garrick, some “left alone, and may show him-time after the play's production, "self in all the glory of his cha- and while the town were still "racter in a soliloquy of vanity. crowding to see it, wrote in triumph to his coadjutor of the

* Colman's claim is indeed cautiously difficulties of the rival house

say,

and a new

worded. "In the conduct as well as "The ministry all to pieces! "dialogue of the fourth act, I think your "favourite Lord Ogleby has some obliga-"Pitt, they "tions to me," &c. Garr. Corr. 1. 210. From Naples, on the Christmas Eve of * A great loss; for Powell's fine gen1763, Garrick had written to Colman, tlemen, as Goldsmith had soon too much "What is become of your Terence? I "have not yet written a word of the "fourth or fifth acts of the Clandestine "Marriage; but I am thinking much about "it." Peake's Memoirs, 1. 93.

reason to know, were very poor, and the great Lewis told Mr. Boaden (Garrick Correspondence, 1. 170) that "O'Brien was "the only actor who seemed perfectly "genteel upon the stage."

1766.

Æt. 38.

"arrangement. Beard and Co. ture thus painted poor Oliver is "going positively to sell their still to be seen, as the great "patent for sixty thousand painter saw him, desperately at "pounds. 'Tis true; but, mum. work, bent resolutely over "We have not yet discovered it, but with a hand that "the purchasers. When I know, would be moving across "you shall know: there will be the paper more freely, if not so "the devil to do"),* he little many ruffles and rings adorned imagined what notions he was it. then infusing into Colman's busy Yet never was there so much discontented brain. need that nothing should impede The unexampled success of his pen. His accounts with Newtheir comedy had seemed in bery were growing more and truth as thoroughly to have re- more involved; an unpaid note conciled them, as it had unsettled for fifty pounds, which he had poor Goldsmith's thoughts, and given in settlement three years driven them, with a new hope, in ago, began to make threatening the direction of the stage. This reappearance; there had been was not unnatural. The reputa- payment of the dishonoured bill tion of his later writings, bring- lately referred to, but his last ing him into occasional better draft upon the not unfriendly but company, had tempted him to cautious bookseller, though for greater expenses while it failed only eleven guineas, had been to supply the means of keeping dishonoured; and ordinary modes pace with them.** He was of extrication seemed more difreadier than ever to work hard; ficult and distant than ever. but the other habits rendered What wonder then that there needfuller than ever, more than should have flashed upon him a all the labour they enabled him vision of hope from the theatre? to give. There was a hint of Anxiety and pain he knew there this, as I have already said, in would also be; but he was not Hogarth's portrait of him three indisposed to risk them. They years ago; *** but not until now is the satiric touch perceived to be fully applicable. In the pic

could never wholly obscure the brighter side. No longer might the playhouse be called the sole seat of wit; nor could it any more * See this and other letters of Gar- be said, as in Steele's days, to

rick in Colman's Posthumous Letters, 271-310.

**Speaking of Reynolds's note-books in this year Mr. Taylor tells us (Life, 1. 255), "There are engagements for din"ners with Goldsmith, to provide which "some of Newbery's scanty payments for "the Vicar" (there was only one) "may

"have melted."

*** See ante, 1. 228-9.

bear as important relation to the manners as the bank to the credit of the nation: but besides the tempting profits of an "au"thor's nights," which, with any reasonable success, could hardly average less than from three to