Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

prevails, till the place is illumined by a pale fire. The dead rise from their graves. The guard and people sink to the ground, terrified at the miracles. Jesus is pierced by Longinus.

Ninth. The taking down from the cross.

Persons:

Jesus, Mary Magdalen, Salome, Joseph of Arimathea,

people.

Tenth.-The grave of Jesus.

Eleventh. The ascension of Jesus, in two movements. Persons: Jesus, and his disciples: accompanied with double Greek fire. Jesus ascends in a cloud to Heaven.

N.B.-New decorations."

GARRICK, AND PREVILLE THE FRENCH
COMEDIAN.

THE last time that Garrick was at Paris, Preville invited him to his Villa. Preville was reckoned the most accomplished comedian of the French Theatre. Garrick being in a gay humour, proposed to travel in one of the hired coaches, that go to Versailles, on which road the Villa of Preville was situated. When they got in, he ordered the coachman to drive who answered he would do so when he go his compliment of four passengers. A droll whim seized Garrick, and he determined to give his brother player a specimen of his art.

on,

While the coachman, therefore, was attentively

upon

plying for passengers, Garrick slipped out of the door, went round the coach, and, by his wonderful command of countenance, palmed himself the coachman as another passenger ; this he did twice, and was admitted, each time, as a fresh passenger, to the astonishment and admiration of Preville. He whipped out a third time, and, addressing himself to the coachman, was answered in a surly tone," that he had already got his compliment ;" and he would have driven off without him, had not Preville called out, that as the stranger appeared to be a very little man, they would, to accommodate the gentleman, contrive to make room.

TOM D'URFEY.

THIS singular individual was a lively genius, and diverting companion, and a cheerful, honest, good-natured fellow. He was the delight of the best companies, from the beginning of Charles the Second's reign to the latter part of that of George the First. Tom shared the usual fate of those whose only merit is to contribute to merriment; and, towards the latter part of his life, he stood in need of assistance to prevent his passing the remainder of it in prison: to

speak in his own words, "After having written more Odes than Horace, and about four times as many Comedies as Terence, he found himself reduced to great difficulties by the importunities of a set of men, who, of late years, had furnished him with the accommodations of life, and would not, as we say, be paid with a song."

SUSANNAH CENTLIVRE.

THIS distinguished Dramatist discovered, at an early period, a propensity to poetry, and is said to have written a song before she had attained her seventh year. She was left an orphan at an early age, having had the misfortune to lose her father before she was ten years old, and her mother before she had completed her twelfth year,

Having been treated with a degree of harshness by those, to whose care she was committed after the death of her mother, she resolved, whilst very young, to quit the country, and proceed to London to seek her fortune. The circumstances of her life, at this period, are involved in much obscurity, and the particulars which are recorded seem somewhat romantic; it is said, that she attempted her journey to the capital alone, on foot,

and on her way thither was met by Anthony Hammond, Esq. father of the author of the Love Elegies this gentleman, who was then a member of the University of Cambridge, was struck with her youth and beauty, and offered to take her under his protection. Either her distress, inclination, or inexperience, induced her to comply with his proposal, and she accompanied him to Cambridge; where, having equipped her in boy's clothes, he introduced her to his college intimates as a relation, who was come down to see the University, and to pass some time with him. Under this disguise, an amorous intercourse was carried on between them for some months; but, at length, being probably apprehensive that the affair would become known in the University, he persuaded her to go to London, which she agreed to; and he generously presented her with a considerable sum of money, and recommended her, by letter, to a lady in town, with whom he was well acquainted; assuring her, at the same time, that he would speedily follow her; this promise appears, however, not to have been performed; yet, notwithstanding her unfavourable introduction into life, she was married, in her sixteenth year, to a nephew of Sir Stephen Fox,

who did not live more than a twelvemonth after their marriage: but she, possessing both wit and personal attractions, soon obtained the consolation of another husband, whose name was Carrol. He was an officer in the army, and was, unfortunately, killed in a duel, about a year and a half after their marriage; and she became, a second time, a widow.

It was at this period of her life that she presented herself before the public as a dramatic authoress, to which she was probably, in some degree, induced by the narrowness of her circumstances. Some of her earlier pieces were published under the name of Carrol. Her attachment to dramatic amusements was so great, that she not only distinguished herself as a writer for the Theatre, but, also, became a performer in it; though it is far from probable that she attained any great celebrity as an actress, as she appears never to have played at the Theatres of the Metropolis. In 1706, she acted the part of Alexander the Great, in Lee's tragedy of the "Rival Queens," at Windsor, where the Court then was; and, in this heroic character, she made so powerful an impression upon the heart of Mr. Joseph Centlivre, (yeoman of the mouth, or principal

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »