MONTHLY MIRROR, FOR JUNE, 1810. 42 MEMOIRS OF MR. ALEXANDER RAE. Ir will be remembered that the subject of these memoirs made his entrée at the Haymarket theatre, some few seasons since, and the great promise he then evinced, (which was readily subscribed to by all who witnessed his performance of Octavian, Sir Edward Mortimer, Hamlet, Felix, in the Hunter of the Alps, &c.) has induced some to predict that the period is not far distant, when, as a metropolitan actor, he will be considered an ornament to the profession, which, we under. stand, he is indefatigable in pursuing. On the Mr. Rae was born in London in May, 1782. death of his father in 1787, he was placed under the care of the Rev. W. Lloyd, a profound scholar, and rigid disciplinarian, to whom he is indebted for a liberal education, and a well-re. gulated mind; under his venerable instructor he continued to pursue his studies with assiduity, until he attained his sixteenth year, when he entered the office of Mr. Campbell, of the Adelphi, London, an army and East-India agent, to whom his gentlemanly conduct and refined manners, so strongly recom. mended him, that he introduced him in the extensive cirole of his acquaintance. On Mr. Campbell's secession from public life, he handsomely offered to provide for Mr. Rae, by procuring for him an appointment in India; but this gentleman's irresistible passion for the drama, induced him to decline these offers, and with the advice of his friend, Mr. Cumberland, who furnished him with letters to Mr. Dimond, the manager of the Bath theatre, he visited that theatre in January, 1806. He was graciously received by Mr. Dimond, and immediately made his first appeal to the candour of criticism, in Hamlet. His delineation of this arduous character was marked throughaut with great taste, judgment, and fine feeling, and though labouring under the disadvantage of a first appearance before any audience, his performance was considered of uncommon promise, even by the most fastidious observers, who pronounced this cheering sentence-" Proceed, be attentive, and be eminent." He played Hamlet twice at Bath, and once at Bristol, and was most favourably received in Octavian, Charles Surface, Young Wilding, &c. His success induced Mr. Colman to engage him for the following season to succeed Mr. Elliston at the Haymarket, which theatre he opened on the ninth of June, in the character of Octavian, and was most flatteringly received. He repeated the part several times with increased success, and gave equal satisfaction in Sir Edward Mortimer, Frederick, in the Poor Gentleman, &c. Un. fortunately for him, the Finger Post, or Five Miles off, was produced, in which he consented to perform a part of no im. portance; as this piece had a run of upwards of thirty nights, Mr. Rae was prevented from appearing in more characters of consequence. On the close of the Haymarket, he was applied to by Messrs. Lewis and Knight to fill Mr. Young's situation at the Liverpool theatre, that gentleman having purchased a share of the Manchester theatre with Mr. Ward. At Liverpool he has remained ever since-now his fourth season-rapidly advancing in professional excellence-a confirmed favourite and highly esteemed in an extensive circle of the most respectable families.* During the Liverpool vacation he has visited Dublin and Scotland, and has been received with distinguished marks of attention and respect, highly admired professionally, and much esteemed for his private worth. S. * He has declined great offers from America, and has received overtures from the Lyceum. OBSERVATIONS OF GUY PATIN, AN EMINENT FRENCH PHYSICIAN OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. GASSENDI. My friend Gassendi was not one of the followers of Aristotle, He used often to say to me, in a joking way, "Aristotle has a nose made of wax, which we can turn any way we like with a finger and thumb.". Gassendi published the life of Tycho Brahe, The latter philosopher, in his treatise on the comet of 1574, (which dis appeared at the death of Charles IX. having blazed during the time of the massacre of St. Bartholomew,) declared, that, in consequence of this star, there should arise, towards the north, in Finland, a prince who should alarm Germany, and who should disappear in 1632; which circumstance precisely described Gustavus of Sweden. BEZA. The great Theodore Beza was etymologically a triumvir; that is, he was married three times. He died at Geneva, 1605. The following lines were written on his three marriages, by one Stephen Pasquier : Uxores ego tres vario sum tempore nactus, Cum juvenis, tum vir factus, et inde senex, In age, youth, and manhood, three wives have I try'd, And the third-for what reason? I wanted a nurse. |