and Garrick, Quin, Foote, and Palmer, will be handed down to posterity, not only as great actors, but also as distinguished wits. I knew Powell, Mossop, Macklin, Clive, Pritchard, and Woffington, and I have seen the great Barry. I saw him play Othello, in which he appeared to be inspired with all the ardour of his youth; but in a few years after, he was too old even for King Lear. In Mark Anthony, in Romeo, and, indeed, in any of the lovers of tragedy, Barry has never had an equal. His voice was so soft and musical, that he used to be called, silver-tongued Barry, or the melodious swan.

"The dignity and elegance of his figure gave him a great advantage over Garrick, whose rival he openly avowed himself. For twelve successive nights they both performed Romeo at the two different theatres. In all the love scenes, and particularly in the balcony scene, the critics gave the preference to Barry; but Garrick was declared to excel in the first act, in the scene with the friar, and in the concluding scene of the tragedy. Garrick subsequently challenged Barry in Othello; but without success, though several good judges admitted that he developed in the character beauties which had hitherto been unknown. His diminutive person was unfavourable to him, and it occasioned Quin to pass a fatal joke at his expense. Some of Hogarth's pictures, which present such. admirable traditions of manners and costume, shew that it was the fashion of the time for ladies of fashion to have in their service a little negro

boy dressed in a fantastic style. This little page used to be employed to carry his mistress's prayer-book to church, or to act the part of Ganymede at the tea-table. Quin and a party of actors were breakfasting one morning at Lady M-'s- How did you like Garrick in Othello last night?' inquired her ladyship. The little man played the part very well,' replied Quin, but he looked exceedingly like your little Pompey, who is now coming to hand me my tea.' Garrick was so afraid of being called little Pompey, that he abandoned Othello for Iago, a character in which he excited universal admiration. But Garrick was, after all, superior to Barry in most parts. A quatrain, which was written on their performance of King Lear, decides the question of their merits in that particular character:

The town has found two different ways

To praise the different Lears;

To Barry they give loud huzzas,

To Garrick only tears."

I recollected having read in some life of Garrick that that eminent actor frequently evinced a petty jealousy and irascibility of disposition. I mentioned this to the veteran performer whose remarks I have just quoted. He acknowledged the fault that had been imputed to his distinguished master, and added the following anecdote: -"Garrick advanced in years without losing any of his reputation; but he became more and more jealous of it, and constantly dreaded the occurrence of any accident which might in

terrupt or disconcert him when on the stage. From time immemorial, it was the custom for the musicians to leave the orchestra after the performance of the overture and the act symphonies, and to repair to the room assigned for their use, where they amused themselves by playing at draughts or chess, until the prompter's bell summoned them to return to their posts. It was not until the last year of his theatrical career, that Garrick found himself disturbed by the entrances and exits of the musicians, and they were consequently obliged to keep their places during the whole of the play. This regulation was particularly annoying to one of the violin performers named Cervetto, who had played in the orchestra for the space of forty years. He had seen Garrick so repeatedly in all his different characters, that he no longer felt any interest in his performance, and one evening, on the rising of the curtain, he laid down his bow and fell into a profound sleep. The play was Macbeth. You have, of course, seen your favourite Talma in the character, and you must know the powerful effect he produces when he exclaims :

'Arrête donc ce sang qui coule jusqu'à moi.' '

"The audience almost imagine they behold a stream of accusing blood flowing upon the murderer. Garrick excited a no less awful illusion in delivering the celebrated soliloquy :

'Is this a dagger that I see before me?'

"On the evening in question, the interest of the

audience was wound up to the highest pitch, and perfect silence prevailed through every part of the theatre, when suddenly a loud yawn was heard, and Macbeth, amidst his terrors, was saluted by a general burst of laughter.

"On retiring to the green-room, Garrick gave “On full vent to his indignation, and he ordered the offender to be conducted to his presence. Cervetto attempted to stammer out an excuse; but Garrick overwhelmed the unfortunate musician with reproaches. It is scarcely credible,' said he, 'that one who has been so long connected with the theatre, should have been guilty of such conduct. You have absolutely ruined me: you have destroyed the glory which I have laboured forty years to acquire. Who suborned you against me? Who are the authors of this conspiracy? Your sleep was merely pretended. Or was the performance so dull as to put you to sleep? length Cervetto found means to utter a few words in his own defence. 'I assure you, Sir,' said he, 'my sleep was not feigned; but so far from being produced by dulness, it was occasioned by my intense admiration of the performance. The energetic truth of your acting completely overwhelmed and absorbed my senses.

At

This anecdote was rendered exceedingly humourous by the manner in which I heard it told. The old actor by turns imitated the tragical rage of Garrick, and the grotesque apologies of Cervetto, which at length conciliated the good graces of Macbeth.

He related to us several other incidents in the life of Garrick, and concluded with a just tribute of praise to the memory of his great master.— "No actor," said he, "ever did, or perhaps ever will, possess such universal talent as Garrick. He may, indeed, have had rivals in some particular parts; but who could ever perform like him, on one and the same evening, such opposite charac ters as Archer and Lusignan, Bayes and Benedick, a Country Clown and Selim, Sir John Brute and the Guardian, Romeo and Lord Chalkstone, Hamlet and Sharp, King Lear and Fribble, King Richard and a Student, &c.? What versatility of genius he possessed, and what wonderful contrasts, and what perfection he presented in every character he sustained!

'We ne'er shall look upon his like again.""

I could almost imagine myself listening to an old amateur of the Theatre-Français, who had forgotten Talma and Lafont, to celebrate the apotheosis of Lekain.

LETTER XXXI.

TO MADAME GUIZot.

MACBETH is one of the dramas of Shakspeare which leave the deepest impression on the mind