In and About Drury Lane, and Other Papers Vol. 1 (of 2): Reprinted from the pages of the 'Temple Bar' MagazineDoran, Dr. (John)
General
In and About Drury Lane, and Other Papers Vol. 1 (of 2): Reprinted from the pages of the 'Temple Bar' Magazine
Doran, Dr. (John)
London (England) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Theater -- England -- London -- Anecdotes
the Play.’ The bill is now before us, and not a word in it refers to
the circumstance that it was the last night that Garrick would ever
act, and that he would take final leave after the play. All the world
was supposed to know it. The only intimation that something unusual
was on foot is contained in the words, ‘Ladies are desired to send
their servants a little after 5, to keep places, to prevent confusion.’
Garrick’s farewell speech is stereotyped in all dramatic memories. His
letter to Clutterbuck in the previous January is not so familiar. He
says, ‘I have at last slipt my theatrical shell, and shall be as fine
and free a gentleman as you should wish to see upon the South or North
Parade of Bath. I have sold my moiety of patent, &c., for 35,000_l._,
to Messrs. Dr. Ford, Ewart, Sheridan, and Linley.... I grow somewhat
older, though I never played better in all my life, and am resolved
not to remain upon the stage to be pitied instead of applauded!’
Garrick was sixty years of age when he left the stage. Young was five
years less. In his modest farewell speech, after the curtain had
descended on his Hamlet, he said, ‘It has been asked why I retire
from the stage while still in possession of whatever qualifications
I could ever pretend to unimpaired. I will give you my _motives_,
although I do not know you will accept them as _reasons_--but reason
and feeling are not always cater-cousins. I feel then the toil and
excitement of my calling weigh more heavily upon me than formerly; and,
if my qualifications are unimpaired, so I would have them remain in
your estimate.... I am loth to remain before my patrons until I have
nothing better to present them than tarnished metal.’ Among Young’s
after-enjoyments was that of music. We well remember his always early
presence in the front row of the pit at the old Opera House, and the
friendly greetings that used to be exchanged between him and Mori,
Nicholson, Linley, Dragonetti, and other great instrumentalists, as
they made their appearance in the orchestra.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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