New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-14

GARRICK AND HIS FRENC
FRIENDS BY Frank A. Hedgcock.
Illustrated. Svo, PIP. 442 Dulfield d CO.
There are in existence various biog-
raphies of David Garrick. but to none
Of them may We look for a full and alb
solutely accurate account of his expe-
rences on the Continent and his rela-
tons with his French friends. Mr..
Hedgcocks volume -- an application
of a thesis which won for him the
Observation-Disclosures of the University of
Palis-fls the gap. 1t is welcome, even
If after the so-called scientific" fashion
of to-day-often the refuge Of billiards
IL includes too much that is trivial.
There IS such thing as not being per-
mitted TO see the forest for the trees.
Not all Of the letters hitherto unpub-
lished are Of interest. Some, however
of the material gathered in France has
value; and pleasantly told IS the story
OF the growth there, largely forwarded
by Garrick, of an appreciation Of Shake
speare. The preliminary biographical
chapters are worth reading, though they
duu Illllt u our hllOMltubt VI luc man
abilities and character.
The. author does not hold with the
biographers who have asserted that the
grandson of David Carrie. the French
Huguenot refugee, was of noble descent,
and he proves his case. The actor HIM
self made no claims to such descent. His
French blood was to one Of his profess
sion q sufficient inheritance, mingled as
it was with the Irish strain furnished
ly his mother. The Gallo sparkle was
in tho stream OF Garrick's genius. II
was perhaps as much recognition Of
that fact as we'll as admiration for his
acting that caused Parisians TO say after
his first visit to France. "Mr. Garrick
was made 10 live among us" The
longer they knew him the better they
liked him; they lamented that the Revo-
cation Of the Edict Of Nantes had put TO
flight that excellent bourgeois grand
papa. David Carrie, and made OF the
younger David an English actor instead
Of French one. Philosophers. actors,
paywrights. men Of letters all were
Nidi lllfht Gnu iil'iibSiiil'7 ullhiA'laDlt
were formed. One Of these new friends
was Pierre Patu. the young
writer who sang the praises OF the
Englishman To Voltaire and reproached
that great man for his expressions, so
false and so inconsiderate" about Shake
spearc. IL have but little doubt that
should bring him round to my way OF
thinking on this subject If / had time
to make n longer stay at Geneva" wrote
the youth to Garrick
There was Novcrre. the famous maitre
de ballet. who is remembered as adj
Great The King thought that NovcIre
made his dancing girls raise their
shoulders and their arms too much. "If
YOU remember" said he TO Novcrrc
"our principal dancing girl At Berlin
wasn't so" "That is why she was at
Berlin, sire" answered the Swiss. Ii was
Novcrrc whose appearance at Garrick's
Theatre in London, with his troupe,
caused for q fortnight so many riots
among those who hated the French that
the performances had to be stopped. a
later visit gave Noverre further oppor-
tunity for discomfort, and n silly COM
planning letter from Madame, his wife.
evoked an admirable response. hitherto
unpublished, from Garrick. The letter
Is model OF courtesy throughout, but
at the end the worried manager allows
himself n slap: Tho we honor the
Ladies as much In England as in
France, and l particularly have the
greatest Regard for you, yet Business
Of this Nature Is always transacted with
the Husband and by the Laws Of our
Country the Act and Deed OF the Wife
In such Cases pass for Nothing" No
verre. the originator OF pantomimic bal
let, telling a story in movement. was led
to create 1t. they say. by the sight Of
Garrick's vivid acting. which, as he pro-
claimed, enabled even those who did
not understand English to follow the
play. 1t was the marvelously effective
variation Of expression on Garrick's face
that fixed the ballet master in his de-
termination to do away forever with the
customary wearing Of masks by his
dancers.
OF Preville. one of the most brilliant
players OF the Coincide FRANCHISE, Gar
rick wrote Portrait" cleverly pre-
scnting a comedian OF notable gifts.
AprCpos of Preville's realistic acting Mr..
Hedgcock mentions an incident occur
ring during the actors performance OF
five different parts in Boursault's play.
10 Mercure Gallant" One or these
parts was that of a drunken soldier.
and as he reeled from his dressing room
to the stage he was intercepted by the
guard posted in the wings to keep order,