The Literary History of the Adelphi and Its NeighbourhoodBrereton, Austin
History
The Literary History of the Adelphi and Its Neighbourhood
Brereton, Austin
Adelphi (London, England) -- History; Literary landmarks -- England -- London; London (England) -- History
and surplices, singing all the way: then Sheridan, as chief mourner;
then the body (alas! whose body), with ten noblemen and gentlemen,
pall-bearers; hardly a dry eye--the very players, bred to the trade of
counterfeiting, shed genuine tears.
As soon as the body was let down, the bishop began the service, which
he read in a low, but solemn and devout manner. Such an awful stillness
reigned, that every word was audible. How I felt it! Judge if my heart
did not assent to the wish that the soul of our dear brother now
departed was in peace. And this is all of Garrick! Yet a very little
while, and he shall say to the worm, "Thou art my brother"; and to
corruption, "Thou art my mother and my sister." So passes away the
fashion of this world. The very night he was buried, the playhouses
were as full, and the Pantheon was as crowded, as if no such thing had
happened: nay, the very mourners of the day partook of the revelries of
the night--the same night too!
As soon as the crowd was dispersed, our friend came to us with an
invitation from the bishop's lady, to whom he had related our disaster,
to come into the deanery. We were carried into her dressing-room,
but being incapable of speech, she very kindly said she would not
interrupt such sorrow, and left us; but sent up wine, cakes, and all
manner of good things, which was really well-timed. I caught no cold,
notwithstanding all I went through.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 71: This was the Great Fire which destroyed nearly every
building of importance in the City, including one hundred and seven
churches and the Royal Exchange. The second Royal Exchange was opened
on September 28, 1669. The recorded visits of Pepys to the New Exchange
ended in April, 1669. Pepys was then busy with state affairs, and his
eyesight was failing. On the latter account he brought the Diary to a
close on May 31 of that year. Of course, he may have visited the New
Exchange after the last entry recorded in his Diary. Indeed, it is
probable that he did so. When we consider what enjoyment he derived
from his various meetings here, from his purchases of play-books and
silk stockings, and from his drinking of whey, the last words in his
Diary become doubly pathetic: "And thus ends all that I doubt I shall
ever be able to do with my own eyes in the keeping of my Journall, I
being not able to do it any longer, having done now so long as to undo
my eyes almost every time that I take a pen in my hand; and therefore,
whatever comes of it, I must forbear: and therefore resolve, from this
time forward, to have it kept by my people in long-hand, and must be
contented to set down no more than is fit for them and all the world to
know; or if there be anything, I must endeavour to keep a margin in my
book open, to add here and there a note in short-hand with my own hand,
and so I betake myself to that course, which is almost as much as to
see myself go into my grave: for which, and all the discomforts that
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