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was not the rigour of misfortune-the true soli- | tude of exile.

Bryan More has a clear conscience, and a blessed wife. His is the happy lot, even in the wilds of America!"

With these words, he returned slowly back to where he had left his pony, and mounting it, set out upon his long and lonely journey to Rathmore. As he went, he ruminated upon the events that had passed and the causes of them, and ere he arrived at the cottage, had made up

his mind to deliver over the keg of "sperrits," which he was to find under the hay in his stable, to the revenue officers, and for the future to make his preaching and practice subservient to the removal of that fatal delusion, which leads the Irish peasant in so many cases, and in that of smuggling in particular, to conceive it not only pardonable, but praiseworthy, to oppose the execution of such laws as may interfere with his prejudices or predilections.

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STATE AND PROSPECTS OF THE LEGITIMATE DRAMA IN CHINA.

A LETTER FROM THE MANAGER OF THE IMPERIAL THEATRE, AND CHINESE OPERA-HOUSE, PEKIN. (Reprinted from Ainsworth's Magazine for January, 1850.)

TO CHARLES W. BROOKS, ESQ.

DEAR SIR,-I take advantage of the close of the first season of the Imperial Theatre, to comply with your complimentary request made

I. T., AND G. O. H., PEKIN, 1 April, 1849. when I left England, to be informed of the State and Prospects of the Drama in China. When I add that this is about the only advan

tage which I have as yet derived from my management, you may think that I have already answered your inquiry.

racters of Bacchantes and Bacchanals lost nothing in their hands, whatever I may have lost out of them. If, therefore, as I was afterwards told was the case, the natives took us for some kind of religious procession, I must add, for the information of the conscientious (if any) of your acquaintance, that civil and religious liberty flourish in a most writing-masterly style under this benignant despotism.

Having reached Pekin, where interpreters are now as plentiful as blackberries, I lost no time in applying for a licence and patronage. I met, singular to relate, with the utmost courtesy from the magistrates, who, however, evinced a somewhat less singular want of comprehension of the objects of the applicant. You are aware that the Chinese themselves have a National Drama, but one the range of which is rather limitedthe following being an outline of the only plot ever attempted upon the celestial boards-it is meagre, you will say; but in England I have seen successful dramas with far less.

When the Cinque Ports of the Celestial Empire were thrown open, and a long score of equality was marked by the chalk of Albion upon the wall of China, it at once became the duty of each nation to ascertain which of its productions would bear transplanting to the soil of the other. It occurred to me, while forming one of a select and shivering party of eleven who were occupying the pit of Drury Lane Theatre during the performance of Hamlet, that it was possible the Legitimate Drama might be one of these plants. I considered that the mighty Vegetable had originally taken deep and wide root in this land; but that its very size and vigour had in fact impoverished the earth on which it grew, and that its present flagging and fading condition was owing, not to its own decay, but to the exhaustion of the nutritive matter of the soil. After much deliberation, I made up my mind that the experiment of planting a slip of our tree beneath the shelter of the slips of the Chinese theatre, was one to be risked, and I was fortified in my conviction by the thought, that in forcing "Cato," "Janc Shore," and the "Grecian Daughter," upon the natives of China, I could hardly be discountenanced by our own government which had contended so strenuously for the right of intro-ments. ducing opium.

You are aware that I succeeded Mr S. Daggerwood in the management, of the Dunstable Theatre, and that, consequently, I have had much experience in theatrical affairs. The miserable state of the wardrobe and of the treasury of that establishment was my reason for relinquishing its direction-I stopped only when I was reduced to the condition of Dogberry-"a man that hath two gowns and that hath had losses." I therefore found very slight difficulty in collecting a company sufficiently good to answer my purposes,-for in the empire of the Brother to the Sun and Cousin to the Moon, I did not expect to find much favour for the star system. I therefore engaged a small but useful set of artists; and though, were I to give you their names, you might be tempted to call them "barn actors, I did not consider that they would go against the grain in a country whose very soldiers are men of straw.

Wang and Fang are neighbours. Wang's son, Bang, is privately attached to Fang's daughter, Twang. Twang loves Bang. But Wang has destined Bang to become the husband of Loo, daughter to Pooh, an old friend of his; and Pooh has a son, Chew, whom he wished to marry to Twang. Chew and Bang are friends; but neither has disclosed to the other his matrimonial arrange

The scene on the stage discovers Bang scrambling over Fang's wall, regardless of cere mony and broken glass, to throw himself at the feet of Miss Twang. A short love scene is interrupted by the entrance of Fang, armed with a large bamboo, which he immediately lets fall on the head of the kneeling Bang. Now Chew, who has been out in search of adventures, hears the noise, and looking over the wall, sees his friend Bang being beaten. He comes to the rescue, and beats Fang. Pooh has missed his son Chew, and knowing his life-after-dark propensities, follows him with another bamboo. Finding Chew thrashing his intended father-inlaw, Pooh flogs him unmercifully. The roaring of all parties summons Wang, who, seeing his son Bang, instantly concludes that paternal correc tion is wanted in that quarter, and he produces a third bamboo, and bangs Bang. Everybody now thrashes everybody, when Miss Loo enters with the Magistrate. The Magistrate flogs every body_all_round, and reads some verses from Con-Fu-Zee, which I suppose are the Chinese translation of the Riot Act, for everybody departs to his or her dwelling. That the innocent are punished in this life as well as the guilty, seems to be the moral of this "Mystery of the Bamboo," so that after all it is only a plagiarism from Byron's Mystery of "Cane."

I pass over our voyage, which was as prosperous as if Ariel itself (with all deference to the Misses Horton and Rainforth, I cannot see that this corset-fitter to Mother Earth was a lady) had been the clerk of the weather, and hasten to report ourselves at Pekin. Finding our European dresses did not attract favourable notice from the inhabitants of the towns through You will see, my dear sir, that it was useless which we passed-indeed, we were occasionally to attempt to explain to these lovers of the "called on to receive a shower of fresh eggs, domestic drama what I wished to introduce. In the rotten ones being retained by the Chinese vain I repeated Mr Jerrold's definition of the as favourite delicacies-I caused the company Legitimate to them, and told them that it was to select various dresses from our theatrical the composition in which the interest depended wardrobe, and in these we made our way to on passion rather than on situation. I was told, the capital. I led the van (I do not mean that in reply, that all the interest in their own drama containing our properties), in the costume of was of that order for that the severity of Comus; and I feel it due to the ladies and the floggings administered depended upon the gentlemen of the company, to say that the cha-passion the floggers were in. I still strove to

explain, but I might as well have talked to a parliamentary committee. I described performers as declaiming without action—but nothing would remove their idea of sticks. And when I talked to them about the Esthetic in art, I might as well have called it the Asthmatic, for it seemed quite to take their breath away.

So, finding that we were only at cross-questions, and fearing that the answers might soon partake of the same character, I resolved on a bold stroke for a licence. I said that I would ask the presence of the authorities only at a single performance, and would then leave myself in their hands. They agreed to this, and I commenced my season forthwith. At first, I had greatly doubted whether I should not treat the Chinese to a play in English, and I reasoned from the success of the French, Italians, and Germans, in London, that Mungo's inquiryWhat signify me hear if me no understand?" was an absurd one. My actors and actresses, too, were urgent that I should take this course; but whether this advice arose from laziness or not I did not care-I immediately decided against taking it: for I may tell you, in and with confidence, that nobody is so ignorant of dramatic matters as a performer. I at once determined to open with an "occasional" drama, and with the tragedy of Macbeth," both in Chinese. I wrote the first myself; and while half a dozen translators were at work upon the two pieces, I worked night and day at my theatre.

An old temple, which I obtained on easy terms, was converted into a temple of the drama, and the energies of my carpenters and scenepainters soon rendered it a very elegant minor. I was soon ready to open, for actors can learn anything, and mine were speedily pretty well up in their parts. It is true they did not understand a word of what they recited, but I had too much conscience to announce that fact as one of the novelties. The authors (myself and Billy) suffered nothing by it-on the contrary, I suspect that the performers were now casionally right in their delivery.

OC

On the opening night, I was honoured with a full and fashionable audience. Indeed, the crowd was so great, that I was forced to apply for the assistance of the Pekin police. This was willingly afforded, and a detachment of the T division, armed with long whips, stood in my vestibule, and lashed and slashed a generous public until it behaved with great decorum. The ceremony of paying at the door seemed to astonish the natives, and much confusion arose from their ignorance of the amount to be tendered. At last, with that liberality which I trust will ever characterize an English manager, I desired my officers not to stand upon terms, but to take all they could get. The result was most satisfactory to the treasury, and silver poured in copiously, I must add that four or five enthusiastic play-goers who forced their way in without paying at all were pursued by the officers, were brought out, and were immediately hanged in front of the theatre. I confess I had not contemplated this mode of suspending the free-list.

The Imperial Theatre was crammed, until you could not have squeezed an imperial, far less a

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pigtail, into any part of it. No orders were admitted, except those which, on the ratification of the treaty, were bestowed by your Queen upon the principal Mandarins, who wore them with much delight, eat, drank, and slept in them, and even, I believe, made them their companions of the bath. The press of the public induced me not to relax in favour of the public press, but this was a blunder. as you will hear. The boxes looked extremely well, but from the attitude in which their tenants leant forward, in their intense curiosity, they seemed resolvedas we used to say at school-not only to see with their eyes, but also to understand with their elbows.

A medley overture, consisting of repeated alternations of "God Save the Queen," and "God Preserve the Emperor," pleased the house, but when the curtain rose for my occasional piece, the delight was excessive.

All the pigtails suddenly stood on end with astonishment, till everybody seemed to have an usher of the black rod behind his seat. The little drama was a mere sketch of the happy events which led to the union of England and China. I began with a naval engagement, for I thought it would be prudent to imitate the Chinese, and sink the opium. A junk and a frigate were seen in action; and by way of propitiating the house, I made the Celestial soldiers perform prodigies of valour such as were never witnessed on their side in the real affray, and the victory was doubtful, when suddenly the fire ceased, the side of each vessel gave way, and Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, splendidly dressed, was disclosed, waving a palm branch from the English shipthe opening of the junk shewed the Celestial Emperor, who made signs of his royal willingness to accede to terms. Both sovereigns descended inclined planes, met in the centre of the stage, and joined hands, the crews of the vessels cheering tremendously, a brilliant rose-coloured light was kindled in the wings, the band played its loudest, and Peace and Glory, with enormous pig-tails, were seen waving the flags of both nations over the heads of their monarchs.

Nothing could be more triumphant-the house shrieked its approbation, and for myself, I could appreciate the feelings of Orpheus when the beasts encored his last set of Tiger quadrilles. But the Macbeth," the real experiment, was

to come.

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I had ventured on considerable liberties with the "middle-aged Scotch gentleman in difficulties." for I felt that each act beyond three in his part would be an act of folly on mine. I like a manager who adheres to the text of Shakspeare, but I did not think that my audience had ears for his sermons; so I shortened my work by compressing his play, and though, when I came to the music, I was certainly at a lock, I comforted myself for turning out the usual mob of pretty sorceresses by the reflection that no Chinese need now ask the question, I have so often heard in your London theatres, "Which is witch?"

"I played in Macbeth' last night," said some scrub of an actor to a friend of John Kemble. "You?-I was in the house, but I don't remem

ber seeing you." "No?-well, I wonder at that, I played rather an important character." "Indeed! may I ask what it was, for I really -" "Oh, yes; I played the English general -Kemble the Scotch one!"

effect (upon the Chinese) is, as I have said, good.

But my present season has been prematurely aided by a circumstance unprecedented in theatrical annals. As soon as my speculation was beginning to succeed, and my company thought could not do without them, they began to mutiny, and threaten to throw up their engagements unless they were allowed to do just as they pleased. I do not mean that this is the novelty; I am coming to that. I bore this as long as I could, and put up with the refusal of a character by one actor because it was too long, and by another because it was too short, and by a third because he had not been consulted while I was writing it, and by a fourth because it would oblige him to sup later than he liked. From the ladies, I had the same trouble on other points-Miss Myrtle would not play because Miss Harebell's part was too good, and Miss Harebell would not take Miss Myrtle's part at second hand. Mrs Woodbine would take nothing which she could not play in ringlets and a pink bonnet; and Mrs Spiderwort, who was very well made, would act nothing, not even Lady Macbeth, unless she might do it in a page's dress. I was on the verge of ruin, when a thought struck me, which I adopted. Every one of my mutinous ladies and gentlemen invariably threatened me with throwing up his or her engagement in case I did not yield the point in dispute. I took my measures for some days; and one morning I cast a new piece as I thought it ought to be cast. As I had foreseen, everybody was dissatisfied, all grumbled, and some refused their parts, point blank. On all sides I heard the threat to abandon me, and I laughed outright.

I thought as manager that I had a right to the Scotch general's part, and I took it, but II had better have kept in retirement as the English supernumerary. The official persons with whom I previously had been in treaty, no sooner recognised me in the bonnet and tartans of Macbeth, than they uttered screams of approbation, and insisted on shaking me by the hand. Resistance was useless, I was forced to comply, and presently the example became contagious, and every man in the house resolved to-by a similar salutation-shew his gratitude for the spectacle I had given them. In such Chinese as I could muster, I begged and besought them to be still: my Lady Macbeth came to my assistance, and uttered the words which she had been taught in the banquet scene, "Sit, gentlemen, I pray you sit," but in vain; those who could not reach me scrambled upon the stage to perform the salute, and in five minutes the whole theatre was a scene of confusion. The Chinese walked about the boards, peeped down my trap-doors, pulled about my actors and actresses, to see whether they were real, climbed into my slips, and worked the scenes with great energy, but not much understanding with each other, and, in short, I had once more to implore the aid of the police to extricate me from my dilemma. Again was this excellent force put into requisition, and by the aid of my friends of the T (and turn-out) division, an enthusiastic public was whipped out of the Imperial Theatre.

After this, licence was unnecessary, and night after night I had admirable houses. To avoid the scene of the opening evening, I caused a strong screen of wire-work to be drawn across the proscenium, and some of our most attractive stage effects were produced behind iron bars. But London has seen the same thing, and so has Amburgh.

I resolved on resigning Macbeth to another member of my company, and he appeared in it two or three times. But the play had little effect, except in the cauldron scene, in which the Chinese always supposed that the witches were making tea in a large copper, and wondered that they had not the civility to offer a cup to Macbeth. I fear when the child's head and shoulders popped up and down in the same vessel, it did not tend to explode the notion still entertained out here that the English are cannibals. The green branches which the army held before their faces, the Chinese took for fans, and were pleased with our affectionate care to "fan our soldiers cold." Why a branch about the size of one of their fans should conceal the person bearing it, these savages could not conceive, though our London managers could, until within the last three or four years. I believe it was Mr Macready who first discarded the ostrich's philosophical belief, that if he cannot see you, you cannot see him; but until other managers at home adopt his hint, it would look ostentatious to be reforming out here. Besides, the present

"Please yourselves, ladies and gentlemen," I said.

They were all astonished; but taking it for granted that I was at their mercy, and should be forced to engage them, every one of them formally resigned. No, one clever girl, who had always behaved extremely well-I may as well mention that I have married her for her good conduct (Mrs Screw sends you her best compliments)-was the exception.

"Then, ladies and gentlemen," said I, "the sooner you leave my theatre the better. I supposed it would come to this, and I have provided against it. It seems to me that as we are to play Chinese plays, the natives can speak their language nearly as well as you can; and as for acting, I won't remind you of the barns I took you from-but there are barns in this country too-and from them I have done myself the honour of selecting a new company. I have had them in training for some time; and their enter will immediately follow your exeunt. Do we part friends?"

They were thunderstruck, except that the bolt followed. I was inexorable to remonstrance, and I introduced my Chinese actors. They were received with the utmost applause; but, mark the sequel. In three days, as if there were something in the smell of the foot-lights which makes people self-conceited and rebellious, one of my Chinese company began to mutiny. "Oh," thought I, "we'll soon see whether we can't manage you." So I mentioned the circumstance

to a Mandarin, a particular patron of mine, and he promised to interfere.

He kept his word. My rebellious Chinese was actually on the stage when the spirit of mutiny arose within him, and he refused to utter another word. I called to him to go on, and he made some reply in his own language which I could not understand. In another moment four strong officers rushed upon the boards, seized the refractory actor, and binding him between two wooden planks which they had brought, they laid him down, and with a huge saw very coolly sawed him in halves in the face of our generous benefactors.

My friend the Mandarin had procured an order from the Emperor for this operation, but with that carelessness in which one's best friends will indulge, he had never mentioned the circumstance to me; otherwise what a magnificent

house I should have had, if I had underlined the saw.

It is, as you know, not unusual to "halve the house," at the benefits which usually announce the termination of the season; but when one comes to halve the actors, that termination, which is a benefit to the audience only, must necessarily be hastened. My season has closed, and for the present I will only add, that

I remain, my dear Sir, yours very truly,
MASSINGER SCREW.

Feast of Lanterns, or Light Dinner Day. P.S.-What do you think of my bringing a Chinese Opera Company to London? Though they could not behave worse than the Italians, they would have the advantage of a language which nobody would understand. I wish you would mention it to Mr Bunn, or Mr Lumley.

MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH SHEPHERD MUNDEN, COMEDIAN.

BY HIS SON.

Os the 10th June, 1776, Mr Garrick retired from the stage, and quitted it, leaving no rival or successor; for no subsequent actor could embrace the vast sphere of his genius. He ran through the whole compass" of the drama, and was "master of all. Even Mrs Siddons. the miracle of our times, who was as fond of playing comedy as Mrs Jordan, another miracle, was of attempting tragedy, could not command the gift of universal dramatic talent:the comedy of the one was serious, and the pathos of the other insipid. When some one observed to Sheridan, that a tragedy of Cumberland's was not entertaining, "I am sure it is" said Sherry; for I laughed at it from beginning to end.

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It is difficult to estimate the powers which constitute an actor. Men of the highest attainments, of the most efficient physical powers, and agreeable persons, have totally failed. The instances are not rare where a performer, who approached so near the summit, that he seemed to touch it, was yet an inch beneath. Others have played effective parts with correctness and judgment, and met with but cold approbationthe mens divinior" was not in them. The applause was, in no few instances, reserved for the ignorant, the dissolute, and the idle.

part of Lord Ogleby has generally been attributed to Garrick.

Mr Garrick took his farewell of the stage in Don Felix, in Mrs Centlivre's play, "A Wonder! a woman keeps a secret;" thus confirming Sir Joshua Reynolds' impression, who, in delineating him at a loss to choose, between Tragedy and Comedy, turns his admiring glance towards Tragedy; but his attitude and smiling face seem to imply, "How can I tear myself from Comedy?" He delivered a farewell address, and took his leave, admired and regretted by all.

In summing up the general merits of this unrivaled actor, it is admitted on all hands that he carried his art to its highest pitch of perfection; whilst he conferred dignity on its professors by the propriety of his conduct, his literary abilities, and his familiar intimacy with noble and eminent men. Even the House of Commons, when it refused to enforce the standing order, which would have excluded him from the gallery during a debate, paid a high tribute to the merit of the greatest master of elocution. Most of his predecessors, excepting Betterton, who, from Colley Cibber's eloquent description, must have been a master of his art, were mere

None of these remarks apply to the three I believe George Colman, junior, denies this. distinguished performers referred to, especially However, it is certain that Garrick had a large not to Garrick. Truly characterized

"As an actor, confess'd without rival to shine; As a wit, if not first, in the very first line." We have spoken of the first; in the latter character, he replied to Goldsmith's Retaliation with force and neatness; and lashed his assailant, Dr Hill, in two, perhaps, the most poignant epigrams in our language. His epitaph on Sterne his prologues and epilogues, are masterpieces in their way. In conjunction with the elder Colman, he wrote the " Clandestine Marriage, the second best comedy of modern times. The

share in writing it. Mr Austin was present when Garrick read the play in the green-room: feeling fatigued, he handed the MS. to Mr King. Mr King read it in his usual tone, until, warming with the

subject, he imitated the voice and manner of an old country beau, the counterpart of the character, well known to himself and Mr Austin. Garrick

listened with evident delight, and when he took back the MS. said, "King, I intended that part for myself; but you shall play it. I cannot play it, after having heard you read it." King did play it, and in such a style as was never approached, until it was acted by Mr William Farren.

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