The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-09-26 00:00:00

THE BROUGH MEMORIAL.

SECOND AMATEUR PERFORMANCE, TaST

EVENING.

If Liverpool has reason to feel proud of having wit-
nessed the earliest literary efforts of the late Mr. R. B.
Brough; Liverpool has also reason to congratulate
itself on having contributed the materials for one of the
best amateur performances it was ever our lot to wit-
ness, in aid of the fund on behalf of his widow and
children. The late performance of the members of the
Liverpool Literary and Dramatic Society, and the Lon-
don Savage Club, proved such a decided success that
those who were unable to witness the splendid bur-
lesque of the " Forty Thieves" upon that occasion, and
many others who were desirous of seeing:the far-fatned lite-
rary members of the Savage Club, joined in the call for
a second performance. So Mr. Charles Millward, the able
director, appealed to the members of the Savage Club,
who at once yielded to his request, as they had to a
similar application from Manchester, and especially as
the members of the Liverpool Literary and Dramatic
Society were ready (as they always are) to come for-
ward in the cause of any well-deserved charity. The
performance commenced with Sheridan's unrivalled
comedy of the " School for Scandal," 'the characters
being represented by members of the Liverpool Literary
and Dramatic Society. We had the pleasure of wit-
nessing the society's performance of this splendid
comedy on a previous occasion, and we have much
pleasure in stating that the " School for Scandal," as
represented by them last evening, was one of the
greatest successes which that society ever achieved.
The Sir Peter Teazle of Mr. Robert Crompton was a
masterly performance,—in fact, superior to many
professionals of the present day. The Charles
Surface of Mr. R. B. Cummins received that
approbation which it so well deserved. As on former
occasions, this gentleman was eminently successful in
the part allotted to him, and at the end of the fourth
act he was loudly called for, to which he responded,
accompanied by Miss Laura Gray and Mr. Robert
Crompton. The character of Moses found an able
representative in Mr. George Meyrick, who looked and
acted the part in such a manner as to call forth the
repeated applause of the audience. The part of Trip,
by Mr. A. T. Haddock, was an excellent piece of acting;
the little he had to do was well done, and his make-up
was superlative. The character of Sir Oliver Surface was
rendered in a most efficient and praiseworthy manner by
Mr. F. Clarke. The part of Careless, by Mr. Nuttall, is
also deserving of mention. Sir Benjamin Backbite was
played by Mr. W. Crompton, and Snake by Mr. Mercier.
What shall we say of the Lady Teazle of Miss Laura
Gray ? We never saw this character more ably sustained
on any previous occasion. This beautiful and accom-
plished young lady certainly achieved a great triumph
in the performance of this difficult character. She was
magnificently dressed; and her splendid delineation of
Lady Teazle will long be remembered by all who
witnessed this admirable performance. The number
of high-class characters which this accomplished
young lady has undertaken during the year—the
only year of her performances in this town—and in
every instance with increased success, warrant our anti-
cipation that she will take a very high positioa in the
professiOn. Mrs. Candour, Lady Snecrwell, and Maria
were also performed by members of Mr. Copeland's
dramatic company.
After the performance of the " School for Scandal,"
the following address was effectively spoken by the
author, George Augustus Sala, Esq.:—
In triumph comes the Hero of the Day—.
Strong in the council, strong in the fray;
See lit his car the conqueror—not the slave;
See o'er his head the silken banners wave;
Hear the loud trumpet's clanging blast proclaim
The grandeur of his exploits and his name.
He comes ! He comes ! his brow with laurel crowned ;
Behind his chariot captive kings are bound.
The town his advent surges forth to greet,
Maidens strew flowers 'neath his horse's feet :
The rev'rend senator and holy,priest
Are proud to sit beneath him at the feast ;
The peasant leaves his plough, the dame her bower,
To hail with shouts the Caesar of the hour.
Yes; Fame and Fortune now are in his hands.
Who help'd to win them? Yonder strong limb'd bands,
The well bronz'd legions tramping slowly by,
Who march'd with him to conquer or tO die—
Some have return'd unconquered, now, to share
In ev,ey gift our gratitude can spare.
At such proud moments darts there through one head
One transient thought of one poor conscript, dead?
Of yonder pale fac'd well nigh beardless boy,
Whom nature seem'd to rear but to destroy?
He fought and bled. His valour help'd to swell
The glorious triumphs Cmsar bears so well.
Now his cold corpse in some dark trench is laid,
Or sleeps beneath some hedg'row's pitying shade.
Too weak to cope in conflicts rude and rough,
So thousands die, and so died Robert Brough.
He was our conscript : folaght the fight for years—
Fought it in sickness, poyerty, and tears;
Till heaven was pleas'd his spirit to release,
And hush those troubled waters into' peace—
To still that heart and sheath that dinted sword,
To break the bowl" and "loose the silver cord,"
He was our conscript : fearless in the strife,
And patient in that long disease—his life.
He drew the glaive for justice, honour, truth ;
He fell a vet'ran, though in years a youth.
He mov'd your mirth—nay, sometimes, too, your tears :
lip wore your harness, bore your shield for years.
Ills wit and fancy, brought him nought but bread.
Your soldiei• yet deserves a mite, though dead.
The conscript's widow weeps, his children mourn ;
'Tis yours to help the feeble, the forlorn.
Ile never sought a mean or base reward ;
Ile never erav'd the bounty of my lord.
We crave it now. For alms we humbly sue;
We hinge the knee, we bow the head, to you.
We ask your charity. Not for ourselves—
I He needs it not who sternly digs and delves. ,
But can those babies work? Can yon poor girl
Battle with life, its warfare and its whirl''
With few misgivings do we greet you here,
We are in Liverpool, and have no fear
As to the great result; for sorrow's tale
Hath ne'er in Liverpool been known to fail.
Ladies and gentles, we are in your hand,
Upon your pitying hearts we take our stand, ,
Grant us your sympathy, your voices too.
Bear with us kindly. Think that all we do
To Win your praise, to deprecate your blame,
Is humbly done In friendship's sacred name.

Mr. Leicester Buckingham shortly afterwards followed
in a lighter vein, and gave us the following as the pro-
logue to the " Forty Thieves :"
Two or three sentences, with your good leaves,
Ere you pass one upon the " Forty Thieves,"
Who in a winding-up act now propose
To bring this joint-stock business to a close.
The rumour runs---and each of us believes in it--
A joint-stock company with forty thieves in it,
Who may all act with more or less rascality,
Cannot lay claim to much oeginality;
And this deponent positively swears
That every one who has in our's ta'en shares,
Paid for them but in joke---and yet feels certain---
lie can't be called on---save before the curtain---
And afterelap he has no cause to dread ;
Our liability is limited.
Too limited, I fear youinay reply,
IR onr ability—without a lie.
No matter. In this desp'rate speeulatioa
We did not seek the "bauble reputation,"
Nor our own nests to feather do we aim ;
To succour others is our "little game ;"
And, should we find we've played it well to-night,
We can be but transported---with delight.
Atrocious punsters ! villanous jest breakers !
We laugh the dull old dictionary makers'
Abuse to scorn. Admit the fact, and mock it.
The men. who made these puns would pick your pocket, ,
And don't mind getting two months with hard labour.
Like this again, to lido a needy neighbour.
Boldly we say, Friends, countrymen, and lovers !
Lend us your hands. Though pledged to Gallic glovers,
You'll grant, we're sure, as patriotism bids, •-
Some small protection to poor English kids.
By you, we trove, sirs, will the hors be breeched ;
The ladies for the girls shall be beseeched.
Petticoat influence was always great,
And, judging by the petticoats of late,
We may presume, without being offensive,
Such influence was never more extensive .
Hear us, ve beauties, then, in box and stall,
Come with a hoop, stud kindly at our call,
From your vast superfluity let fall
Some drapery for those who've none at all.
Though, iron-bound, your garments may not yield,
our hearts by fashion never can be steeled,
And you can aid us, without impropriety,
In the wide circles of your sweet society.
Don't frown, for we are serious, we protest,
There's many a true word maybe spoke in jest :
We've double meanings, but uo double dealings,
And though We play on words, we don't on feelings.
The charity which smoothes misfortune's pillow
We hope will cover every peccadillo,
And save the thieves who shall, in crambo verses,
Cry " Open Sesame" to cram-full purses.
When we can screen one shorn lamb from sharp weather
Rang us, if we don't always hang together I ,
With regard to the burlesque of " The Forty
Thieves," it was much better represented upon this
occasion than the last. There were several changes in
the actors this time, but, as before, they were richly
racy in their respeetive parts. The burlesque was
enjoyed immensely, notwithstanding the excruciating
puns with which it abounds. The members Of the
Loudon Savage Club and the Liverpool Literary and
Dramatic Society are deserving of the greatest praise,
for so nobly comb* forward in aiding a cause which is
so well worthy of our support, namely, that of the
widow and children of the late R. B. Brough. We
have not been able to ascertain the amount of the
receipts.