The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-07-21

In this he mentions his proposed change
of occupation, promising that since lac
had been in business las awIne merchant
he had "run out four hundred pounds, and
found trade not increasing" He had
now begun to think of redeeming his tor
tune. "My mind (as you kno'o) has al
.caus been inclined to the stage nay, SO
stronglvso, that ailmy illness and lowness
of spirits was owing To my want of resolu.
ton TO tell YOU my thoughts when here.
Though | know you will be dis
pleased with me, yet hope when you
Shall find that l have the genius Of an
actor without the vices, you will think
less severe of me, and not be ashamed to
own me for brother
Next day, after the experiment had
twenty-five found himself, though nov
ice, fairl V acknowledged as master OF
his art, recognition which TO most 9th
ers comes only after weary years OF labor
and trouble, he simply tells his brother
"Lost njqht Iplayed Richard tie Third 10
the surprise Of every JodY; and as | shall
/ make very nearly $500 per anuum OF It,
/ and AS it really is what | dote upon, | am
resolved to pursue it.
Another letter, of later date, shows how
! the writers fortunes had advanced. 1t
SAYS, "The favor have met with from
the greatest men has made me far from
repenting Of my choice. am very Intl-
mate with Mr.. Glover, who will bring
out tragedy next winter on my account.
l have supp'd with the great Mr.. Murray,
counsellor afterwards Lord Mansfield !,
and shall with Mr.. Pope, by his introduce
ton. Supp'd with Mr.. Lttleton, the
/ Princes favoritc Prince Frederick, faith
! or of George III |, and met with the
highest civilitv and complaisancc; he told
me he never knew what acting WAS till |
| appeared, and said | was only born to act
what Shakespeare writ. ! believe
[ nobody, rs an actor, was ever more ca
ressed, and my character rs II private man
| makes EN- more DESTROYS of my company
/ - all this entire nous rs one brother TO
al oticr). am no. fixed for next year,
| but shall certainly be ut the other end of
the town. | am offered 800 guneNs and
clear benefit, or part of the manage
/ mcnt.
This last letter, dated April -, l7i2
/ six months. toa dav, after his successful
/ debut. shows how firmly the new mon
| arch of the stage wus establishing himself
/ on the throne. He was well treated by
/ Mr.Gitlard. manager of the Goodmans
/ Field Theatre, who soon allowed him Il
/ full moic.y of the profits. 1t was not un-
usual with him. after q long and difficult
part. TO appear also in II farce. Two OF
/ his own, The Lying Valet and lethc,
were repeatedly performed during the
first season. 1t was doubted whether he
was more at home in tragedy, comedy, or
farce and in the first season he played
comic characters rlghty-tuur times, APP
pearing but fifty times in repetition OF
half dozen tragic parts.
Gurrick's ambition was 10 $50 West.
In consequence OF his success i'll the city,
Drury Lane and Covcnt Garden theatres
were almost empty. In >ef-defensc, Gar
rick was engaged at Drury Lane, with u
salary Of $500 year, and other advanta-
yes. In the summer of ZAP, he fulfilled
AN engagement in Dublin, where he drew
such crowds that fever breaking out at
the time was called "Garrick fever In
April. la, he became an owner Of Dru-
nv Lane Theatre, paying $4,000 fora half
share. After that, he had $500 a ycnr for
acting. Eju0 for management benefit,
and an average "f four to five thousand
pounds Is hi, share of the years profits.
| With the exception uithe two years lIG3-
,i5l which he spent in foreign travel Gar
| rick was thirty-tOur years on the London
stage: his list of chaructcrs, "a summed up
/ when he quilted it, extended to the mum
Der of one hundred, and he was the orig
/ nal representative of thiriy-slX of these.
/ OfhiS original characters, twenty belong
4 ed to tragedy. In June, lT7G ut the aye
of sixty, he retired from the stage, and
sold his hnlf-ownership of Drurv Lane
/ Theatre to Richard Brnsley Sheridan,
then in the flush of youth and fame as
author of The Rivals, The Duenna, and
The School for Srcndal Garrick had
paid $4,000 for the property some twenty
! wears before, and sold it for t3O,OOu.
| Whatever he touched seemed to turn to
GOLD.
There comes time to most men when
/ they so,tlc down in marriage. For some
wears after the establishment OF his posi-
ton as ioint-lcsSec and chief manager of
Of Drurv Lane Theater, Garrick's rcln.
tious with Peg Wellington H. the lively
Irish actrc,. was taniliury callcd) were
more intimate than proper. She was
young. clever, popular, fascinating, and
beautiful; she cOnvcrsed well, sometimes
Witty; bat, to use the gentlest language,
| her un>tcadinc,s Of conduct WAS such that
she prrprtually was untnithiul to the ties
which connected her with Garrick. II
/ he could have had any reasonable hope
| Of the corrcctne,, of her future, he was
I willing to forget the notorious impr"pric-
{ tv of her past conduct, AID "make an
| honest woman OF her, So the saying WAS,
/ by marriage At last, but not without
Great pain, ne parted from her. The
union he contemplated would certainly
/ have done dccp'iuiury to his personal
position, for the lady'> career had been
! hagrautly notorious before and after sh"
| lived under his protection. He was dr>-
! tined for happier fate.
The separation from Wellington took
nlacr in i7l5, when Garrick was in his
thir.ieih year. About that time there APP
penred. n. star dancer on the lyrical
stage of London, Nienncse young lady,
named Eva Maria Vccgcl, professionally
known rs Signora Niolctti, whose grace,
beauty, and professional abonfon excited
| general admiration. Garrick, becoming
/ enurnored OF her. induced her to retire
from the stage, and they were married,
in June, l7i9. Garricl was then thirty
three years old, and besides providing Il
residence for his bride in southampton
Street, near his theatre, had handsome
villa at Hampton, on tho banks of the
Thames, exercising generous hospitality
to very large circle of friends, IN both
/ domicllrs. The union was extremely
/ wcl-aSsorted; for the lady had''somcthing
higher than affection and admiration for
| her spouse, whom she regarded almost as
. l.;,..,. ,,.biI, f'urri.l. may Ip