The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-01 00:00:00

GARRICK AND MRS. SIDDONS.

" Richard Bi insley Sheridan said he thought his
Richard was fine, but terrible enough. God bless-me,'
said the great actress, Siddons, ' what could be more ter-
rible!' She then told how, at rehearsal, he had bade her,
as he drew Lady Anne from the sofa, follow him step by
step, so that he should keep his faco to the audience, as he
acted much with his eyes. During the performance she
was so overcome by the fearful expression of his face that
she forgot her instructions, but was recalled to herself by
a look of reproof which, she said, she should never think
of without terror."

Ono by one Garrick bore down his great rivals, Quin
Macklin, Barry, Sheridan, Mossop, Ryan, and a host of
others, some of whom had great physical advantages
over him; but though they had a fair share of public
estimation, Garrick was " King Davy." Of his rela-
tions with Peg Woffington, Mr. Fitzgerald tells us a good
deal, but it is not calculated to raise that actress much in
public esteem. It is clear that Garrick intended to marry,
since ho purchased a wedding ring and fitted it to her
finger. There was a spice of jealousy in the affair. Lord
Darnley was jealous of Garrick, and taxed her with having
met him. " I have not seen him for an age," she declared.
"You saw him this morning," answered the dobleinan,
who was well-informed. " And is not .that an age 2" she
retorted. So with Garrick. He, too, was jealous. "He
told her," writes Mr. Fitzgerald, "that he had lain tossing
all that night, thinking of this wretched marriage ; that it
was a foolish thing for both, who might do better in sepa-
rate lines ; and that, in short, he had worn the shirt of De-
janira. " Then throw it off at once, sir," sho said, in her
shrill, inharmonious voice ; " from this moment I have done
with you." The next morning she sent back all kis presents,
with a letter of dismissal. Ho did the same, with the excep-
tion of a pair of diamond buckles of some value. She waited
for a month thinking they had been forgotten, and then
wrote for them ; but Garrick begged ho might be allowed
to keep them "as a memorial of their old friendship, and
of many happy hours." Notwithstanding the clever
apology which follows, we think that the first and last
lady member of the Beefsteak Club had some reason to
be ashamed of her adorer. It was a fortunate thing for
Garrick that his desire to marry Woffington was marred ;
for his union with Violette, the Viennese dancer, was
happy._ He Consulted her on all matters of business ;
and to the day of his death there was never a shadow
between them. Mademoiselle Violette, the young Aus-
trian girl, travelled from Vienna to London in the dis-
guise of a page, in search of an engagement as a dancer.
She enjoyed a marvellous success in London, both at
the theatre and in society, and was, Mr. Fitzgerald
thinks, "a sort of Watteau beauty, with a small round
face." There was a rage about her. The Countesses
of Burlington and Talbot disputed for her company at
tea; Lady Carlisle was for ever asking her to supper,
and Walpole called her "the finest and most admired
dancer in the world." Garrick fell in love with her and
won her, and was probably happier than if he had main-
tained his engagement with the impetuous and egotistic
Peg Woffington. Garrick was born in 1716. His father,
who was a lieutenant of dragoons, was of Huguenot origin.
The family name was De la Garrigue. The Garrick family
at Lichfield was not rich, but the boy had many friends,
not the least of whom was Mr. Walmesley, the bishop's
registrar. He interested himself in the young fellow's
welfare, and it was by his assistance that Garrick came to
London. David's father had gone on service to Gibraltar,
leaving his wife almost heart-broken.
YOUNG DAVY'S LETTERS TO HIS FATHER.
"With every mail the exiled soldier's eyes wore glad-
dened with long, long letters from the affectionate David,
full of gay, amusing Lichfield news; full of genuine love
and filial warmth; and showing, too, not the uncon-
scious selfishness of the schoolboy, who cannot help
writing of himself and his concerns, but a careful selec-
tion of such matters only as would please and interest
the dear father he was addressing. Even the gayer por-
tious inspired by tho gaiety of a man, and every
thing is chosen with almost a laborious anxiety, and the
nicest tact, to cheer and amuse the lonely officer, who,
he knew, would have to wait months fur the next mail.
The father took care to put by this remarkable series,
well worthy indeed of being reserved, for they gave cer-
tain promise of a ripe wisedom, a true affection that would,
later, attach friends, of a wit and gaiety that would secure
useful acquaintances, and a tact and gravity that was sure
to win success in any profession. It is hard to give an idea
of these engaging letters, which are as wise as they are
affectionate, and have a shrewdness far removed from the
almost pedantic wisdom of common schoolboys, showing
also a quaintness that might bo looked for in the letters of
grown-up people. It was curious. certainly, that all these
gifts should have centred in David, mil that the six others
of the captain's family should have dispositions of the most
homely and home-spun description."
Samuel Johnson and David were friends. Johnson
was, however, some years the older of the two.
Together they saw plays at Lichfield, and it is noted
that even then Garrick had a keen critical faculty, while
Johnson, so far as the drama was concerned, had none.
Johnson and Garrick came to town together. Johnson
had set up a school at Lichfield, with Garrick as one of
his pupils, and the venture had failed. Mr. Walmesley,
anxious to get David on in the world, recommended him
to a Mr. Colson, of Rochester, with a view to the com-
pletion of his education before going to the bar. On the
morning of March 2, 1737, Garrick and Johnson sot out
together.

" TAKING OFF" THE PLAYERS.

e‘ On one morning a letter was brought in at Southamp-
ton-street, introducing a young man who wished to go on
aie stage. Garrick received him kindly, listened to his

declamation, which was poor enough, and comforted the
aspirant by telling him that his shyness was a very good
sign of success. This young fellow had hung about the
green-room at Covent Garden, and for all this shyness
was a pert, forward, impudent gamin, whose precocious
talents of mimicry had been overpraised by friends.
lie offered to 'take off' some of the well-
known actors to show the manager his gifts. Nay,
now,' said Mr. Garrick, 'in his peculiar mixture of hesita-
tion and repetition, which
__made, his ' talk' a

favourite subject of imitation, .' Nay, now, sir, you must
take care of this, for I used to call myself the first at this
business.' But the young fellow knew the manager's
weak place. He began, leading off with Foote. The like-
ness amused the manager immensely, and the performance
was repeated. ' Hey, now ! now—what—all,' went on
Mr. Garrick. ' How—really this—this—is—why, well,
well, well, do call on me on Monday, and you may depend
on my doing all I can for you.' This broken style of
speech was Mr. Garrick's characteristic when addressing
his inferiors, and was in fact his managerial manner, and
may have been found very useful in helping him to a sort
of vague generality, without committing him to any posi-
tive declaration. It was not a bad auxiliary for one who
was asked for so much, and had to refuse so much. On
the Monday the youth came again, and was welcomed
warmly. He was told that inquiries had been made about
his widowed mother, and that he was to be put on the
books at 30s. a week—a fortune indeed." The youth's
name was Tate Wilkinson, who afterwards became a very
celebrated manager in Yorkshire.