The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-09 00:00:00

STAGE SCRAP BOOK.

[From tire Somerset House Gazette, or Weekly Miscellany, lc.]
WOODWARD.
Mr. WOODWARD'S merit as nit actor was so
universally known, and. justly admired, as to render all euio-
giunis on that head unnecessary. He as educated at Mer-
chant Taylor's School, where he soon attracted the notice of the
masters, by the rapid progress he made in his studies. Sir
George Hay, as well as Dr. Townly have often been beard to
Jay, that he excited the surprise of every one, for he seemed to
learn by intuition.—He early showed an attachment to the
stage. And his father meeting with misfortunes, he was induced
to try the advantage of. the talents, with which nature had en-
dowed him, in the theatrical lit e, in preference to the church,
for which he was intended. As his figure was elegailt, it pro
cured him the admiration of some-of the gay frail ones, which oc-
casioned hint to spend several years in dissipation. This
was the more extraordinary, as he was naturally of a grave
turn of mind. He was, indeed, so much so, that to those
who were not intimate with him, it had the appearance of ill-
natured austerity. He had a strong understanding, improved
by cultivation. His knowledge was extensive without any al-
loy of pedantry ; but he never made an ostentatious display
of it. He was a moat entertaining companion, when he ap-
proved of his company, but reserved in the extreme when he did
not. He well knew the value of money ; but few were more
ready, when a proper occasion offered, to do a generous action..
He was a most principled man, and gave the following proof of
his being so. Mr. Lewis one day reproached him, at the theatre,
with his appearing at rehearsal in a coat a little out at the
elbows. This he imputed to pride, as he said he would not have
done so but from a consciousness of his opulence. When Mr.
Woodward repeated the circumstance to Mrs. Bellamy,
she enquired why he gave Mr. Lewis occasion for such a
remark by appearing in so worn a coat. To which he very
seriously and significantly replied, "-Madam, I cannot afford
,to tun in debt.' Whilst he was tinder age, he entered into an
engagement to pay his father's debts.; but notwithstanding he
might have availed himself of that circumstance, lie discharged
the whole of them, with great honour. lie set his brother up
in business twice, and was one of the best of sons to his mother;
with whom he resided till his unfortunate Irish expedition: To
enumerate his virtues, and to place them in the conspicuous
light they merit, lies not within our reach. His gravity, which
was frequently miscontrued into pride, was occasioned by a
bodily complaint he laboured under more than twenty years,
and which had not a blameable delicacy prevented his obtain-
ing chirurgical advice, there would have been the greatest pro.'
bability of his being restored to health : and he might have en-
joyed an equal longevity with his cotemporaries, .Macklin and
Yates. We might, indeed, most truly say with Hamlet. " Take
him for all in all,"—combining all his claims to respect" we
ne'er shall look upon his like again."
WOODWARD AND MR. ST. LEGER.

Mr. St. Leger used to say of himself, that being one night
in the front boxes, at Drury-lane Theatre, he remarked that
Woodward (having seen him in the Park, as he afterwards
di:scovered) had dressed a character he appeared in exactly in
the same suit he then had on. Just under him, in the pit, sat
a lion 4 (as he expressed himself) with a cauliflower wignn,
who, being amazed at the similitude, with all the• honest sim-
plicity of a citizen. looked first at the actor, and then at him,
with an expression of astonishment in his countenance, that dis-
pleased the travelled gentleman. St. Leger, thertfOre; without
any hesitation, told him, that if he turned his head round once
more, he would resent it in a manner that should not be very
pleasing to him. The gaping citizen, however, persisting, St.
Leger, with the same non eltalance he had just givers a spec'''.
men of in the affair with the dustman, snatched off hi
pompous wig, and flung it on the stage, saving aloud at the
same time, " I give that fellow you see there, ' 'pointing to
Woodward, " leave to take me off; but let me tell you, friend,
that no tallow-chandler or soap-boiler shall • divert himself
at my expence with impunity." Honest John Ball was much
grieved to see his best Sunday church-going wig treated with
so much indignity, and would have resented the affroat ; but
being informed that he had. mistaken his man, and that, in-
stead of the puppy he had supposed him from his dress to be,
his antagonist tvas the fighting St. Leger, he very quickly
coverecihis pate with his pocket-handkerchief to the inexpres-
sible entertainment of those around him ; and sitting. down,
waited very patiently till the cenclusion of the piece, for the re--
covery of his wig, which had thus suffered for its master's ini-
pertinence. As soon as the play was over, Mr. St. Leger went
behind the scenes, with the same unconcern, and taking the
actor who had personated him kindly by the hand, only said,
" Hah, Woodward I you have been very quick upon me to-
night."—The affair of the dustman, alluded to. above, is as
follows :—Mr. St. Leger crossing the street one day, returning
from the hustings at a contested election, dressed in a most ex-
traordinary fashion, viz. he had on a •white surtout, with a
crimson cape, a French waistcoat, hishair en papillate, a feather
in his hat, a coutean de chaise by his side, with a small cane
hanging to his button, and attended by two Italian greyhounds
as he was crossing, he espied a female friend at the window,
and called out to, her, " Bonne nonvelle, bonne nouvelle !" al-
luding to the termination of the polling. A scavenger's cart
being close by, the fellois left their employment to loOk at this
phenomenon when,' viewing him with great 'earnestness, one
of :them cried to the other, " Tom.! smoke Mr. ,Ited-hecls."
Mr: St. Leger, who possessed as much personal courage, with
proportional strength, as any man in England,' nn sooner heard
this insult, than stepping to the fellow, he caught him up, and
fairly chneked him into his own cart. flaying one this, he
Walked into the lady's house with a sang "raid that was not to-
be expected in the coolest mind after such an adventure.
* Lion, a cant phrase foe an oldfat citizen.