The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor, Vol. I, No. 6, June 1810
History
The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor, Vol. I, No. 6, June 1810
Drama -- Periodicals; Theater -- Periodicals
Raised by his own talents and industry to great celebrity, and at a time
of life, when others have not ventured to cross the threshold of the
profession, honoured with the patronage of the first dramatic personage
living, it would be a miracle if he had not been rendered giddy by his
unexpected height. He had as yet had no experience to make him wise, no
sufferings to make him cautious. From his boyish days he was compelled,
by the necessity of his situation, to associate with persons of all
others the most likely to corrupt his morals, and continually exposed to
dangers which he was incapable of suspecting, and therefore could not
defeat. On the other hand every circumstance attending his condition had
a tendency to intoxicate his brain: the first dawn of manhood broke upon
him with the dazzling glare of a full and fervid prosperity, which no
modesty could prevent him from knowing to be the fruits of his own
extraordinary merit. Along with this, his personal endowments, which
were of themselves sufficient in private life to have filled the best
regulated young mind with vanity, were the continual subject of public
approbation--his face was remarkably handsome, he was tall, well
proportioned, and graceful. He had one of the finest voices in England,
and played well on several musical instruments. These not only
disqualified him for resisting, but increased the amount of the
temptations that surrounded him. Thus, while his personal
accomplishments fitted him for gaining the affections of the sex,
fortune made him a desirable prey for their cupidity. The breath of
flattery blew upon him in every direction, and inflamed his vanity and
self-love, while all the wiles and allurements which artful wantonness
could practise upon unsuspicious youth, were played off against his
heart; and thus his passions, which in all probability were
complexionally strong, became ungovernable. Coarse undisguised flattery
too often makes its way to the hearts of the wisest and the best--How
then could a poor youth like Hodgkinson be expected to refuse it, when
administered by beauty, and disguised by elegance and refinement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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