Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1861-07-06
No. 10.
Garrick AT Home.

When DIR. Carlyle was in London, he, with sew
eral others of his countrymen, was very hospita-
bly, entertained by Garrick at his residence at
Hampton. They had very gay time of it there
Garrick was so friendly to John Home that he
gave dinner to his friends and companions at his
house at Hampton, which he did but seldom. He
had told Us to bring golf clubs and balls that we
might play at that game on Molesly Hurst. We
accordingly set out in good time, six of US in q
landau. As We passed through Kensington, the
Coldstream regiment were changing guard, and on
seeing clubs, they gave us three cheers in hon.
or of diversion peculiar to Scotland so much does
the remembrance of ones native country dilate
the heart, when one has been sometime absent.
The same sentiment made us open our purses, and
give our countrymen wherewithal to drink the
" Land o. Cakes" Garrick met us by the way,
impatient he seemed to be for his company.
There were John Home. and Robertson, and We'd
derburn, and Robert and James Adam, and Colonel
David WeddeIburn, who was killed when COM
mander of the army in Bombay, in the year l773.
He was held by his companions to be in every re-
spect clever and able as his elder brother,
the chancellor, with much more gay, popular and
social temper Immediately after arrived, we
crossed the river to the golhng ground, which was
very good. None of the company could play but
John Home and myself, and Parson Black. from
Aberdeen, who, being chaplain to a regiment dur
ing some of the Duke of Cumberland's campaigns,
proper person to teach him the game of chess the
duke was such an apt scholar that he never lost
game after the first day and he reeompensed Black
for having beat him cruelty, by procuring tor
him the living Of Hampton, which is good one.
We returned and dined sumptuously. Mrs. Gar
rick, the only lady, now grown fat, though still
very lively, being woman OF uncommon good
sense, and now mistress of English, was in all re-
spects most agreeable company. She did not seem
at all to recognize me, which was no wonder, at
the end of twelve years, having thrown away my
bag-wig and sword, and appearing in my own gris-
ly hairs, and in parson' clothes nor was likely
to remind her of her former state. Garrick had
built handsome temple, with q statue Of Shak-
speare in it, in his lower garden, on the banks OF
the Thames, which was separated from the upper
one by high road, under which there was an arch
way which united the two gardens. Garrick, in
compliment to Home, had ordered the wine to be
carried to his temple, where we were to drink it
under the shade Of the canopy Of that statute to
which Home had addressed his pathetic verses on
the rejection of his play. The poet and the actor
were equally gay, and well pleased with each other,
on this occasion, with much respect on the one
hand and the total oblivion of animosity on the
other for vanity is passion that is easy to be en-
treated and untes freely with all the best affections
Having observed green mount in the garden, op-
posite the archway, said to our landlord, that,
while the servants were preparing the collation. in
the temple, | would surprise him with a stroke at
the golf, as should drive ball through his arch
way into the Thames once in three strokes. / had
measured the distance with my eye in walking about
the garden and, accordingly, at the second stroke
made the ball alight at the mouth of the gateway,
and roll down the green slope into the river This
was so dexterous that he was quite surprised, and
begged the club of me by which such feat had
been performed. We passed very agreeable after
noon, and it is hard to say which were happier,
the landlord and landlady, or the guests.