The North-Carolinian., 1856-08-09
M FLOWERS COLLECTION


Bnnn, the manager of Drury Lane Theatre,
having. ,nade bad bargain with the great
tragedian, was anxious to cancel it. lie there
fore resolved to provoke the irritable star INTO
Il breach of the agreement.
After reading it over and over again. to find
some loophole to escape, lie found there was
nothing to prevent his playing farce before
the tragedy, and that consequently he could
annoy Macrcady 10y making him perform in an
after-picce. He therefore coolly advertised
him to perform Hamlet after u petite comedy.
Macready saw through the artifce, and much
to the surprise and disappointment Of Bunnr
made no objection. Foed in this attempt to
irritate the theatrical autocrat into throwing
up his engagement, he read over the contract
once again. y hriliiant thought struck him.
| He saw that he not bound to perform
entire play of Shakespeare. He therefore
nonnce, Richard the Third and the panto-
mime. Macready went through the first four
acts of that magnificent play, rescryiny himself,
usual, from the grand fifth act.
He was sitting in his dressing room awaiting
the call boy, aud nursing his energies for the
closing scenes when he heard the bell tnkle.
To his astonishment the orchestra commenced
the overture to the pantomme. Calling one
of the attendants, he inquired what it meant.
He told that the pantomime was about to
begin. But" gaSped out Macready, ''the
fifth act of Richard the Third is not yet played"
"Oh." said the man, ''Mr Bum says there is
no time to play the fifth act tonight, and he
says you may go home, sir--hc only advertised
the first four acts of the tragedy" The rage
of Macready boiled over-but he swallowed it,
and putting off the tyrants habments, he
prepared TO leave the theatre.
Passing the door of the managers room, he
saw him chuckling to himself Oh the success Of
his dodge This more than the tragedian
could stand; he rushed at Bum, and prommelled
him that he confined to his bed for a
week. Bum consequently brought an action
and laid his damages at very large amount.
The attack apparently so unprovoked that
the actor made up his mind to pay swinging
sum.
The ingenuity Of Sergeant Talfourd however,
saved him; for in his defence he said: Gentle
men of the jury, you are all proud Of Shak-
speare; he is your favorite poet, and worthy of
such all enlightened jury. lie is confessedly
the greatest dramatst the world has ever seen.
We all know how he affects us-that we langh
at his wit, and weep at his pathos-what must
not his marvellous genius effect on man like
Mr. Macready, who devotes all his time to the
study of our great national poet? Poet, did 1
sav?-magica He waves his necromantic.
wand over US. and we are, as it were, the slaves
Of his will! This will naturally lead you to
eScuse the accident that has happened to Mr.
Bum, who insutcd the majesty of England's
greatest poet, by cutting off the fifth act of one
Of his immortal tragedies for common, vulgar
pantomimc!
'Gentlemen, Mr. Macready could more
help doing what he did, than can the thunder
clond which discharges its electric fluid at the
object that lies in its path. The cases are
parallel. Mr. Macready had worked himself
up to perform that mighty part-that triumph
of genius-the closing, of the mighty
tyrant of England the smothercr of the babes
the murderer of his kng-the destroyer of
his wife. Yes, gentlemen of the jury, Mr. Mac
ready, had concentrated within his bosom the
pent-up volcano of Richards soul, and unfortu
natcly happening to meet Mr. Bum, he dis
charged upon that unhappy gcntlcman's head
the fifth act OF Richard the Third, the results
of which more to be attributed to the i'm
mortal Shakspcre than to my client. Gentle
men, leave the case in your hands, convinced
that you will not punish my client, Mr. Mac
ready, whom l am happy to call my friend, for
this overpowering instance of the genius of our
immortal poet, Shakespeare"
The result is well known: Macready got off
with the moderate damages Of a hundred pounds
and costs.-Foretg" Alomthly 1NceAamic