New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-10
MEMORIAL OF QUIN.
Sir Henry IrUing's address at Bath.

H. JOhn, esq.,, presiding, ana an ADDRESS was DE-
livered by Sir Henry Irving. The tablet is affixed
to the front wall of the house No Pierrepont-st.,
in which Qun lived from 1851 till 1868, and in which
he died, aged seventy-three. His body was buried
In Bath Abbey. and among the monuments In tnat
church there is a bust Of him.
William Winter, who visited Bath In 1888. de-
scrbes this CGray Days and Gold" page 7o), as
follows: "Quin's tablet was formerly to be FOUND
in the chancel but now II IS obscurely placed in
porch, the north of the building, on what
may be termed the outer wall of the sanctuary. IL
presents the face OF the great comedian carved IN
white marble and against q black slab. Be
meath is the date of his death, 'Ob. MDCCLANi.
A1tat LXXIII,' and his eptaph, written by David
Garrick. At the base dramatic emblems-the
mask and the dagger AS portrait this medallion
of oun bears intrinsic evidence of scrupulous hde
ity to nature, and certainly 1t is fine work or art
The head is dressed ii was in life. with the fuii
wig of the period. The features are delioately cut
and are indicative of beauty of counenance
impressive If not attractive. The mouth is espe-
cially hardsome-the upper lip being a perfect
Cupd's bow. The face Is serious. expressive. and
fraught with intellect and power This the last
great declaimer of the old school of acting dis
comfted, and almost obliterated. by Garrfck"
This is Garrick's epitaph on Quin:
That tongue which Sc; table
and Gnartn.d the public ear is heard no more no.
Which before the what shstsaPss5 s writ
At Friendships call to sucoour modest worth
Ws s s e bd RF
In however
To this complexion thou must como at last
Sir Henry Irving who was introduced by Mayor
John and welcomed with cordial and long continued
applause, unveiled the tablet and delivered the fol-
lowing address:
This monument. which I have the honor Of . un-
of Bath to one of the most famous players OF the
teen years after his retirement from the stage in
1851. For five and thirty years he had been an
his own against all competitors until the advent
35 pad d aS N VINO 5e9 m
When he retired he still in the vigor of his
have remained to contest the supremacy of Garrick
for some years more if he could have made his own
APP 5Ged in London d except to play for
I will whistle Falstaff for man. Falstaff
and it had made the first great success Of his
to p to Ro5 thai h The re his
character of Falstaff. young man., is quite another
ling part that any one can do. There is not
among you that has any idea of the part but my
man was permitted to make the attempt, and he
lost In other Shakespearian parts he not
ned for tragedy; Yet he played Addison's Cato
WIN IN much success and there is a tale which.
Gored, and that Quin acclaimed it all over again
rather fearful wildfowi. often more exactng when
they were pleased than when they were angry
UPON the stage and deliver general assault and
battery. On one occasion, when Rich attacked
by drunken nobleman. Quin saved his life by
then was full Of Stirring ring variety oun 'V was
man Of the readest wit and he is said 10 have en-
ence to keep them from riots when the play
ten the time. There are many anecdotes of ouin
and If they are not all authentic none dull He
George III and when that monarch delivered his
|
sgght the boy to fP9bb But But c3eTdg nt re-
BY George III to take snuff and ' excused himself
on the plea that it vas NOT for an actor TO dip
tPs ed. II you w take od pinch n said h, he !
said 1t would better: Become Your royal mouth
to say Obliged, What ,Quin, who taught the
that is an agreeable speculation Horace walpoIe
in Hamlet part he considered beneath him,
wS9d b ma5s no answer but Won't a TatGh
is always ridiculously. dressed. with a NOR
s9 Of reeG Po AND 9ny to sGk To a
in this respect the stage has made some progress
Ghosts. and they were all clad in complete, steel
and ran no more risk Of catching cold behind than
lived sixteen Vears and II was reported BY idle
tor Of fashion and public amusements But we may
picture him as a man who impressed himself on his
rather gru independence. relieved by much natural
Thomson poet. is a worthy Illustration Of that
quality. He found Thomson in prison for debt Of
bottle was going around he said with grim humor:
1T is time we should balance accounts The n
burly visitor, took him for another creditor Mr..
joying the scene and stretching it out with those
nauses for which he was noted the stase'Mr.
your works. cannot estimate-at less than-a hun
debt And then he put down the money and walked
9f 9n nE we Would rather dWe on that
than, his undogbted f9ndness for good 700 living,
considerabie figure in an age full Of considerable
ranked by this admirable monument among the
famous men who are associated with the annals OF
Bath
Bristol February IS. makes suitable comment in
these words, on occasion that must have been
very interesting and certainly is one that will pass
into dogmatic history:
aneea6Ss ceremonv at Bath yesterday Bath is
very rich in social dramatic and literary associa
existent memories OF the distinguished persons
should be suitably marked. Yesterday 1t was the
reeoenized and sir Henry irving appropriately
consented to unvetl the mural tablet denoting the
house in PierreDCnt-st. where Quin died after a
residence or about sixteen years But Quin was
not Somerset man, like Sir Henry Irving himself
The former was born in London Of Irish parents,
and he spent the greater part OF his stage life IN
the metropolis where by a lucky chance &c ne Was
to rank a first class histrion To those who
are familiar with the theatrical history Of the
eighteenth century, the name OF James Quin Will
suggest many reflections His star began to wane
between the two was accumulated. The superior
art of Garrick subsequently triumphed, and Qu!n
But he added nothing to the lustre OF the Bath
stage. which has a luminous literature all its own,
Nevertheless tho BathOnians have done well to
honor the memory of one who toward the end Of
his life practically became one of themselves. and
movements which were in the eighteenth century
81 aep mo Irvng himself was yesterday honored in
the social capital of the county The Mayor OF