"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 2 of 3)Doran, Dr. (John)
History
"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 2 of 3)
Doran, Dr. (John)
Actors -- Great Britain; Theater -- Great Britain -- History
Margaret and Garrick were very soon on very intimate terms. In
the summer of 1742, they were together in Dublin, and on their
return, according to a tradition of the stage, Garrick and Mrs.
Woffington, living together, alternately supplied the expenses
of the household, each being at the head of the latter during
a month. In Garrick's term the table is said to have been but
moderately furnished; whereas during the beautiful Margaret's month
there was a banquet and brilliant company daily; all the fashionable
men about town being delighted at an invitation from the Irish
actress. Johnson used to be among those visitors, and he noticed
the difference in the quality of the housekeeping, after his usual
fashion. "Is not this tea stronger than usual, madam? It's as red as
blood!"[72] It was Margaret's month, and the liberal lady smiled.
That Garrick ever entertained thoughts of marrying Margaret, I very
much doubt, despite the story, said to have been told by the lady to
Murphy, that he had gone so far as to buy the wedding-ring, and try
it on her finger. In the early part of the few years which elapsed
between Garrick's _début_ in London and his marriage with Eva Maria
Violetti, he lived in such affectionate intimacy with the charming
Irish actress, as to address to her the song beginning with
"Once more I'll tune the vocal shell,
To hills and dales my passion tell,
A flame which time can never quell,
Which burns for you, my Peggy!"[73]
Notwithstanding this homage, the lady's infidelities were so
numerous, that whatever may have been her wrath or disappointment,
she had no right to expect that of so inconstant a mistress of
_one_ home, Garrick was likely to make the wife of another. However
this may have been, it remains undeniable that Garrick preserved,
to his last days, a pair of silver buckles which once belonged to
that Peggy, who, from first to last, enthralled more hearts than
any actress since the days of Elizabeth Barry;--from those of young
fellows with the down just budding on their lips, to what was left of
those of old Owen Mac Swiney and older Colley Cibber, between which
two ancient danglers, people compared Margaret to Susanna between the
two Elders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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