This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project
to make the world's books discoverable online.

It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject
to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books
are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover.

Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the
publisher to a library and finally to you.

Usage guidelines

Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the
public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to
prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.

We also ask that you:

+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for
personal, non-commercial purposes.

+ Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine
translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the
use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help.

+ Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find
additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it.

+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just
because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other
countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of
any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner
anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe.

About Google Book Search

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers
discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web

at |http : //books . google . com/

p

Mf

'^//^

.11

MEMOIRS

OF

THE LIFE

OF

CHARLES MACKLIN,ESQ.

PRINCIFALLY

COMPILED FROAfHIS OWN PAPERS AND MEMORANDUMS ;

WHICH CQNTAIN

HIS CRITICISMS

• . ON

AND CHARACTERS AND ANECDOTES

XETTERTON, BOOTH, WILKS, CIBBER, GARRICK, ^ARRT, MOSSOP, SHERIDA!^, FOOTE,
QUIN, AND MOST OF HJ8 CONTEMPORARIES ;

Toj^eiher -with fns

Valuable Obfervations on the Drama, on the Science of A6ling,

and on various othtfr Subjects :*

THE WHOLE FORMING

A COMPREHENSIVE BUT SUCCINCT

HISTORY OF THE STAGE;

Which includes a Period of One Hundred Years.

BY JAMES THOMAS KIRK,MAN,

OF THE HONOURABLE SOClET^ OF LINCOLN'S INN.

ALL TH^ world's A STAGE,

AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN MERELY PLAYERS ;
T^EY HAVE THEIR EXITS AND THEIR ENTRANCES,
AND ONE MAN IN HIS TIME PLAYS MANY PARTS^

HIS ACTS BEING SETEN AGES. Shakefpeapc.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

volTii.

LONDON I

PRINTED FOR LACKINGTON, ALLEN, AND CO. TEMPLE OF THE MUSES,
riNSBURY SaUARE.

1799.
CnmeD at Stationery' l^aK.

I V

^y^ '■

i/

^:3-:?

Of

tUnlc^J

CONTENTS

SECOND VOLUME^

CHAP. I

Mr. MACKLIN comes from Dublin to London
^-engages at Covent-Garden — brings out his True*
Born Irifhman, under a new title— its reception— Mr.
Macklin addrefles the audience^— an account of t^e
difputes between the patentees of CoventXSarden-^
the praife^wortby condudl of Mr. Hftnris<*«<-Mift
Macklin refufes to play Afpafia'^Mr. Colman^s bciia^
viour-.'^copy of a letter from Mn Macklin to Mr*
Colman — ^feveral curious extrads from Mr. Macklin's
papers, relating to Mifs Macklin, and to the con**
dud of Mr. Colman, as manager«-*rMr. Madelines
charader of his daughCer^—he withdraws himiHf
from Covent-^Gftrden theatre^Woes not play — Mrs.
Pritchard dics-^Mr. 0*Brien leaves the ftage-^
Mr. Macklin's opinio^ of him^Mrs. Cliv« retket
from the ftage-^er charafker*. Page I.

CHAP. II.

MR. MACKLIN does not play, except for his

daughter's behefk--4iis mother dies in the 99th year of

her age— 4ior charaAer— Mr. Powelt dies^his cha«
Voi..n. a

IT CeNTBNTS.

raAer— «Mr. Charles Holland dies — ^his cbaradeF-r
celebration of a jubilee, in honor of Shakefpeare — Mr.
lilacklin writes to T^WilkinfonrefpeftingLove-a
la-Mode—writes to his folicitor concerning the inva-
fion of his property-^defcribes the conftitution of a
ftroUing company — goes to Leicefter — ^writes a letter
to th^ mafter of a company of Itinerant comedians,
relative to Love-a-la-Mode — receives a latisfadory anr
fwcr— and returns to Lqndoq. P. 30.

CHAP. III.

MR. MACKLIN refolves to perform at Leeds and
Liverpool — ^goes to Dublin— plays at Capel-Street the-?
atrer^-becomes manager of Crow-Street theatre— lofes
a valuable library ofF the coaft of Ireland-rbrings out
l)is True-bprn Scotchman-r-Mifs Young plays Lady
Kodolpha with applaufe-^-Mr. Macklin writes to Tate
Wilkinfon refpe£Ung Lctve-a'-larMQdi^-tht. handfome
terms in which tl^e latter gentleman fpe^^s of Mr^
Macklin— Mi($ Leefon, a pupil of Mr. Macklin-Hie
goes to Cork and Limerick— returns to Dublin— copy
of a l^tcr from Mr. Macklin, to Gorges Edmond
Howard, refpeSing his opinion of Thi Siege e/Tamor.
P- ES-
CHAR ly.

MR. MACKLIN writes to Mr. Colman refpcft,
in^ an ^gagemcnt at Coyent-Gard^n thpatre— menn

CONTENTS- T

tion$ his intension of playing Richapd III. Macbeth,
and King Lear — is. invited, by Mr. Colman, to come ,
to London-^is engaged at Covent-Garden — ^Mr.
Macklin proves,' that the manager agreed that he
(hould a<9: Macbeth and Richard IIL-^Mr. Mackiin's
converfation with Mr; Smith — he performs Macbeth— r
particulars of the conteft between him and MelTrs.
Sparks and Reddifh— a confpiracy is formed to drive
Mr. Macklin from theftage — ^Mr. Macklin appears in
Shylock— a riot enfues— Mr. Macklin is difmiiTed from
the theatre — he goes to law with the confpirators-—
aflerts the rights and privileges of an a£lor in a Britifh
theatre— Mr. Macklin*s report of the arguments of
Mr. Wallace, Mr. Bearcroft, Mr. Serjeant Davy,
Mr. Mansfield, Mr. Norton, Mr. Buller, and Mr.
Dunning, and the opinion of Lord Mansfield, on
caufe (hewn why an information ihould not be exhi-
bited againft John Stephen James, Jofeph Clarke,
Efqrs. Ralph Aldus, Attorney at Law, William
Auguftus Miles, James Sparks, and Thomas Leigh,
for a riotous confpiracy to drive him for ever from
the ftage. P. 55.

CHAP. V.

MR. MACKLIN'S report of Mr. Dunning*s
fpeech, on the trial before Mr, Juftice Afton, and a
fpecialjury. P. 138.

Vol. II. b

vT CONtTNTS.

CHAP. VI.

MR* Justice ASTON rums up the whole of
the evidence-^thc jury find Clarke guilty of a riot
only, and find the reft of the defendants guilty of the
whole information. P. 179.

CHAP. VII.

MR. COWPER moves the King's Bench for
judgment on the canfpirators — ^Mr. Juftice Afton re-
ports the evidence upon the trial'-Mr. Howarth
(peaks on behalf of Miles — Mr. Cowper's fpeech, on
behalf of Thomas Leiglv— Mr. Mansfield^s ^ech, on
behalf of Clarke— Mr. Bearcroft's fpeech, on behalf of
James — ^Mr. Leigh's fpeech — Lord Mansfield's opi-
nion refpe£ting the right of perfons in a theatre — the
bufinefs is propofed to be referred to the mafter— Mr.
Dunning's fpeech on behalf of Mr. Macklin— the
confpirator^ refufe to go before the mafter — ^the court
threaten to commit the defeiidants-*the matter is pror
pofed to be referred to Mr. Colman-— he declines it —
the defendants are advifed tp go before the mafter-^
Mr. Macklin's remarkable fpeech — ^the bufinefs is fet*
tied— -Lord Mafisfield's panegyric on Mr. Macklin's
condudl. P. 217.

COWnWTS, Til

CHAP. VIU.

MR. MACKLIN enters into a new agreement
with Mr. Harris — ^re-appears at Covent-Garden the-
atre— receives great applaufe — ^performs Richard III.-«
a critique on his performance-^he declines playing
King Lear — ^Mr. Madelines criticifms on Mr. Gar«
rick's manner of admg King Lear and Othello-— his
remarkable charaAer of Garrick— the death of Mr.
Garrick-— is buried in Wcftminfter-Abbey. P. 256.

CHAP. IX. •

MR. MACKLIN performs but ieMoiih-be i»
ftruAs young performers^his opinion of Mr. Hen-»
derfon — ^Mr. Barry dies — his charadbr-— is buried in
Weftminftcr-Abbey— ilr. Macklin plays Sir J^bn
BruU-^-Yixs fuccefs—is inclined to vifit Leeds^ York^
and Edinburgh— his correfpondence with the country
managers-Jiis opinion of the Edinburgh audiencej
and of the Dublin audience — ^the Man of the World
is refufed by the licenfer — the comedy is afterwards
tolerated— Mr. Macklin's obfervations on the Lord
Chamberlain's duty^ and on the detention of his oopy
at the office of the Lord Chamberlain-uMr. Macklin's
account of the firft night of Cato — his defbription of
the Augufhn age of England — ^together with his ob-
fervations on the Man of the World — the ufe the mi-
tiiftry ought to make of the ftage. P. 271.
b 2

ilii i CONTEliTiS.

CHAP. X.

MR. COLMAN fells his (hare in Covent-Garden
theatre—one of the confpirators abfconds — ^an4 does
not pay Mr. Macklin his proportion of his cofts — Mr.
Macklin proceeds in the court of chancery againft
the patentees of Covent-Garden theatre — an account
of Mr. Macklin's chancery fuit — ^copies of two let-
ters written by Mr. Macklia— Mr. Kenyon's (now
LordKenyon)opiniononMacklin's cafe — Mr. Macklin
brings an aflion again(l the proprietors of Covent-Gar-
den theatre — obtains an award in his favour — and
makes a prefent of the award to Mr« Harris. P. zSg,

CHAP. XI.

MR. MACKLIN brings out his Man of the mdd
at Covent-Garden — the oppofition it meets with — its
fucc^fs — ^Mr. Macklin addrefles the audience — MifSs
]^^ck;Iin dies — het charaScr — ^her will. ?• 305.

CHAP. XIL

T£(£ Dublin m^f^ger engages Mr. Macklin at a
very high falary— Mr. Macklin prepares to fet out for
•Ireland— writes a lettfr to his banker in favour of
Mrs, Macklin— arrives in Dvblin-^lays Sir Jrchy
Jldat'Sareafin and Sir Pertinax Mac-Sycopbant with
unbounded. appUufer-Mrs. Egerton plays Lady Rt^

CONTENTS. Lt

ibi^ha — Mr. Macklin is careiTed by all ranges — ^his firft
illnefs upon the ftage — the great concern of the audi-
ence—Mr. George Dawfona£ts Mr. Macklin's part —
a defcription of Mr. Macklin's illnefs«— he returns to
London — re-appears in Sbylock at Covent-Garden
theatre — ^has a notion of writing an hiftory of the ihge
— his hints concerning it — ^performs Shylock — his me^
tnory fails him — ^his affe^ng addrefs to the audience —
he recovers, and goes through the part with great vi-
gour — ^He plays Sir Pertinax Mac-Sycophant — ^lofcs
his memory^^and addrefies the audience — he a£b Shy-
lock and SirArchy the fame night with wonderful abi-
lity — ^plays Sir Pertinax Mac«3ycophant in the lootb
year of his age-— attempts Shylock for bis benefit — ^is
taken ill— apologizes tp the audience— and takes his
final leave of the fbge. P, 316.

CHAP. ^III.

MR. MACKLIN flill frequents the play-houfe—
Mr. John Charles Macklin dies— his charader-^-^^xtpies
of letters written by Mr. Macklin to his fon at Fort
St. Qeorge, which contain a great deal of curious
matter. P. 328.
V

:CHAP. XIV.

CONTIl^UATION of Mr. Macklirfs letters to
J^h£m. P. 364.

C0HTBlfT8#

CHAP- XV-

MR. MACKLIN'S letters to his Ton continoed.
P. 376-

CHAP. XVI.

MR. MACKLIN'S letters to his fon concluded-**
his high charader of Mr. Haftings-— a ihort hiftory of
the life of Mr. Macklin's fon. P. 396.

CHAP. XVII.

MR« MACKLIN grows very infiroK^his Man of
the World and Love^a-la-Mode publifhed by fubi-
fcrtption— he obtains an annuity of aool. — copy of a
letter from Mrs. Jordan to Mr. Macklin-^er conduft
towards the father of the ftage-— Mr. Macklin reco-
vers his health to an aftoniihing degree— copy of a
fliort interlude, in which Mr. Macklin was to have
ipoken an addrefs, in honor (rf ,the marriage of their
Royal Highnelles the Prince and Princeft of Wales-^
reafons affigned why the interlude was not performed
P. 40$.

CHAP. XVIIL

MR. MACKLIN attends the tbc|atre on the firft
night that theRoyalFamily honor Covent-Garden with
their prefence, fubfequent to the marriage of their

CCHTEMfTS. 4

Eoyal Highnefles the Prince and Princefe of Wales-*
the notice taken of Mr. Macklin by her Royal High-
nefe the Princcfs of Wales--Mn Macklin grows very
infirm-^-a converfiitioa held with the old man in his
107A yeaT'.at relaties to his health^to the decayed
ftate o^bis memory--<*4nd to his opinion of Mr. Pal^
mer's Shylock— Mr. Macklin is indifpofed--his indit
pofition becomes alarming— Dr. Brocklefby is called
in— Mr. Macklin refufes to take any medicines—takes
very little fuftenance— his mental faculties return in
a moft aftoniibing manner — his calm refignation — ^his
behaviour on the approach of his diflblution — dies —
buried in Covent-Garden -cifcumflances relating to
his age, his burial, and his epitaph. P. 415.

CHAP, XIX,

VIEW of Mr. Macklin's general charaacr— his ex^
cellence as an aftor and an author— his humanity,
benevolence, and charity— Mr. Macklin's learning^.
his faults— his eminent patrons— the bounty of the

RightHonourableLordLwghborough— Mr.Macklin*$
converfation— the confidence rcpofed in him by perfons
of diflinaion— the fervices which he did to others— the
goodnefs of bis heart. P. 428.

CHAP. XX,

MR. MACKLIN'S extraordinary manner ofliv*.
ing-^rs. Macklin's great care of, and attention to
horhufband. P. 438, *

sii INTENTS*.

APPENDIX.

Lift of Mr. Macklin's dramatic works.-^Pagc 443^
Lift of charaders z&ed by Mr. Macldin. P. 445..
Mr, Macklin's Will. P.4SK

THE

LIFE

OP

CHARLES MACKLIN, ESQ.

Cliap. I.

IN the year 1 7 67, .Mr. Macklin came again
from Dublin to London, where he intended
to continue during the remainder of his life.
He immediately entered into an agreement
with the Managers ofCovent-Garden Theatre,
and on the 28 th of November brought out his
*^ True born Irijhmany^ under the new title of
" The Irijbfine Ladyr This was its firft re-
prefentation in London. It was caft in the
following manner.
Vol. n. B

% THB LIFE OF

Dramatis PERsoNi©.
Murrough O'Doghcrty, Mr. MackliK,

Count Mufhroom, Mr. Woodward,

Hamilton, , ,...., Mr. Dyer.

Fitzmongrel, Mr. Dunstall,

The Major, Mr. Morris.

Catty Farrcll, ,.—?—?—• Mrs, Pitt.

Lady Kinncgad, Mrs. Green.

Mrs. Jolly, Mrs. White.

Mrs. Gazette, Mifs Helme.

Lady Bab Frightful, ...,• Mrs. Evans.
Mrs. O'Doghcrty, ^. MifsMACKLiN,

We have already fpokcn pretty fully con^
ccrning the merits of this Piece, which is rather
too long, and calculated only for the meridian
of Dublin, where it was repeatedly performed
with great approbation; and where feveral local
witticifms, which it contains, particularly of ^
political nature, contributed gready to it3 fuc-
cefs. Here, however, it was fo univerfally
condemned, that Mr. Macklin, at the end
of the reprefentation, thou^t it neceffary tq
inake the following apology to the audience.

CHARLBS MACKLIN. J

*' Ladies and Gentlemeny
" I am very* fcnfiblc, that there arc fevcral
*' pafiages in this Piece which dcfcrvc to be
" reprobated, and I aflure you, that they fhall
^* never offend your ears again.'*

As foon as Mr^ Macklin had finifhed this
addrefs, the audience teftified their approbation
of his determination, by loud and reiterated
plaudits. The Farce was immediately with^
drawn, and has not been performed fince.

Several difputes having arifen between the
Patentees of Co vent-Garden Theatre, in the be-
ginning of this year, we fliall lay before our
readers the following impartial and concife
ftatement of fa(5bs, reipe&ing the nature of
thefe differences, and leave the public to decide
on thp merits of the controyerfy,

Mr. Harris, (the prcfcnt amiable and
worthy Patentee) and a Mr, Rutherford,
having formed a defign of purchafinjg the pa^
tent and property of Covent-Garden Theatre,
thought it expedient, upon farther confidcrv-

4 THE LIFE OF

tion, to invite fomc third pcrfon, erf" abilities
and experience in theatrical affain^ to join with
them in the purchafe. They cbeccfore invited
Mr. PowcU, This gentleman ftrongly urged
the expediency of taking Mr, Colman as
a fourth j to which MeiBrs. Harris and Ruther-
ford were at firft avcrfe, but afterwards, in
confideration of Mr. Colnun's taknts, as a
dramatic writer, and his known familiar ia**'
tercourfe with the ftage, they confentcd. By
articles between thefe parties^ dated March
3 ill 1767, McfTrs. Harris and Rutherford were
empowered to make the purchafc, on the
joint account of all fbur^ at fixty tboufand
pounds, to be advanced in equal proportions,
the parties to be not only jointly intcrefted,
but to be jointly and equally concerned in the
managemej^.

When, in purfuance of this agreement, the
contradt was niadc with Mr. Rich's executors,
<the parties met to fettle the form o£ articles
between them, but, to the great furprife of
Mefirs. Harris and Rutherford, Mr. Colman
propoied, that he himfeJyf ihould be invefted.

CHA&LE5 UACKLIK. ^

with die whole and fofe management of the
Theatre, and Mr. Powell confented to embark
fifteen dioufand pounds, in an undertaking,
with the conduft of which, even in the greateft
emergency, he was to have nothing to do.
Meflrs. Harris and Rutherford, though they
did not doubt Mr. Colmian's capacity or incli-
nation to conduft the Theatre to the beft advan-
tage, yet, it being impoffiblc for them to be
affured that no finifter accident might render
their interpofition neceflary to fecure their
property, they would not diveft themfelves of
the power of fuperintending it. It is alfo to be
obferved, that they had given Mr. Colman
repeatedly to underftand, that as they Ihould
engage in no other employment, they intended,
in conjunftibn with him, to make the manage-
ment of the Theatre their occupation and amufe-
ment. Being willing, however, to indulge
Mr. Colman *in his defire of appearing the
afting Manager, articles were at length exe-
cuted, in which it was agreed, that Mr. Col-
man fhould have, *' the power of engaging
** and difmiffing Performers 5 of receiving and
" rejecting new Pieces -, of cafting Plays i of

B3

L.^.

6 TKE LIFE OF

" appointing what exhibitions fliould be per-
" formed ; and of condufting all fuch things
" as are generally underftood to be compre-
" hended in the dramatic and theatrical pro-
" vince. But that he fliould, however, com-*
'* municate and Jubmit his conduit to Meffrs.
" Harris and Rutherford, and, in cafe they
" fliould fignify their difaffrobation thereof in
" writings the meafure fo difafprovedi fliould
^' not be carried into execution.'* . It was alfo, by
a fubfequent writing, mutually agreed be-
tween the parties, " that Mr. Powell fliould be
" employed as an Aftor, during feven years, at
" the falary of four hundred pounds per anoum,
" and a clear benefit, but that if any other Per-
" former fliould be engaged at a larger falary,
" then fuch addition fliould be made to the
** falary of Mr. Powell, as would exceed the
^ falary of fuch other Performer." Alfo, that
any of the parties producing a new play, farce,
or exhibition, or any alteration of an old play,
or farce, fliould be entitled- to the ufual emo-
luments, and that none of the parties fliould be
concerned in any other Theatre*

CHARLES MACKLINi J

On the firft of July the purchafe money was
pdid, and Mr. Powell having only perfonal fc-
curity to offer for the fum, he was, on this oc-
cafion, obliged to borrow^ Mr. Harris agreed
to giv^e the lender real fecurity of his own.

The principal articles of complaint exhibited
againft Mr. Colman, fubfcquent to thcii*
Agreements, are as follow :

Mr. Colman did not properly introduce all
the principal aftors to his brother Patentees ;
button their firft appearance at the Theatre, be-^
fore it opened, as they were advancing to
ipeak to. him, he being feated on the middle
of the Stage, he petulantly defired them to
withdraw, left they fhould interrupt the re-
hearfal, leaving them to mtroduce thcmfelves
to the company, and take their own feats where
they thought proper*

Though Mr. Colman had eng^d ta filb-
tnit his conduft to Meflrs. Harris and Ruther-
fotd, he foongrew imp^ti^nc even of the appear-
ance of controls and though, after much
B4

8 THE LIFI OF

cxpoftulation, he affentcd to a weekly meeting
for advifmg about the bufmefs of the Theatre,
it lafted only a few weeks, nor was it of any
efFcft while it did laft, as he neither would lay
opea his whole plan, to know the opinion of
his Colleagues, nor aft in conformity when he
did know it.

On the 29th of Oftober, he openly dif-
claimed their right to lay him under any re-
ftraint, and declared, in pofitive terms, that
he would never difclofe to them any of his fu-
ture intentions, but would be refponfible to the
Public only.

Though he did afterwards, under his hand,
engage to fubpiit his mcafures to Mr. Harris
arid Mr. Rutherford, and declared the fame in
the prefencc of feveral Performers, yet, on his
own authority, and without their knowledge or
.confcnt,' he engaged Mr^ and Mrs. Yates i Mr.
Yates at ten pounds a week, with a benefit, and
Mrs. Yates at five hundred pounds a fcafon,
with a benefit ; notwithftanding, in a confulta-
tion held a few days before on the fubjeft, it

CHARLSS MACKLIN. 9

had been unanimoufly declared by dl the Pro-
prietors, that, as the company then ftood, it
was impofllble, without breaking through the
cftabliftied rules of the Theatre, to avail them-
felves properly of the fervices of thofe excellent
adors.

Mr. Powell juftified this aftion of Mr. Col-
man, and did fo for this fubftantial reafon,
becaufe, in confequencc of Mrs. Yates's re-
ceiving -a falary of five hundred pounds a year,
he became entitled to an addition of one hundred
pounds a year to his falary.

Mr. Colman, having infertcd a few lines in
The Rebearfaly and intended an alteratipn of
King Leafy propofed to take between fixty and
feventy pounds out of the Treafurer's hands on
that account, and, not being oppofed, did take
out fuch fumj though, with refpeft to The
Rebearfaly what he did was no more than a
cuftpmary liberty taken with this Play in the
reprcfentation, for which Mr. Garrick never
made any charge j and with refpeft to King
Leaty the fervicc was not yet performed.

10 THE LIFE or

Some time afterwards, when he was required
by Meffrs* Harris and Rutherford to produce
the Piay, with the alterations, or repay the mo-
ney, he did not think proper to do either.

As Mr* Powell had readily acquicfced in
this meafure of Colman— -Colman, in return,
infifted that he fhould be allowed a benefit, to
indemnify him for not afting at Briftal the en-*
fuing fummer, though the parties had pre-
vioufly engaged not to be concerned in any
other Theatre.

Mr* Colman not only afted without the
concurrence of his fellow patentees, but againft
their exprefs remonftrances. The play of Cym^
beltne^ on account of fome perfonal altercation
with refpedt to cafting the parts, had, by mutual
confcnt, been fome time laid afide \ the duty of
the Patentees, however, requiring the exhibi-
tion of it for one night, Mr. Colman ordered
its repetition J this being difagreeable to Meflrs.
Harris and Rutherford, as tending to revive dif-
putes, they, firft by letter, requefted that the re-=
prefentation ofitlhould, for the prefent, be

cc

OhaiIles mackliK. it

poftponed, and this not having thedcfircd cffcfti
they fcnt the following notice*

"To George Colman, Efq.
« Sir,

We abfolutely difapprorie the performance
of Cymbelin^ at our Theatre, till farther confi-
" deration*
'' WeAiefdayi T. Harris.

" Dec. 30th 1767. L Rutherford.'*

To this prohibition was annexed the follow-
mg letter;

*^Sir,
y Our right to forbid the reprefentation of
" the above Play, we draw from the articles
" entered into between us, from your letter
" of the firft of November laft, which runa
"thus:—

" Any metifures againft which you Jhall jointly
" proteft in writingy Jhall not be carried into ex-^
" ecutian; arid from your folemn declaration to
" the fame purpofc the fuccceding day, in pre-

L

12 THE LIFE OF

** fence of Meflrs. Woodward, Smith, GiUbn>
*' &c. It is with the Icfs regret that we write
** in tWs abfolute manner, as our repeated de-
'^ fires, on this occafion, have failed to make
** the leaft impreflion. *

" We are. Sir, &c-

" T. Harris.

"L Rutherford/"

This letter was fent away at twelve o'clock at
noon; and, about an hour afterwards, Mr.
Harris and Mr, Rutherford received the fol-
lowing:

'' To T.Harris, Efq. and I. Rutherford, Efq.
" Gentlemen,

" I have received your mandate, and will
" print it, as ^ rcafon to the public for perform-
** ing no Play to-morrow.

" Dec. 30th, 1767. " Geo. Colmani"*

" Gendemen,
" Great part of our boxes being taken for
" the play of Cymhelincj great damage rauft
" accrue to t^ property, by your method of

CHARLES MACKLIN. IJ

^ proceedbg, and I muft appeal to my friends
^^ and the pi^lic for redxefs. I moil iincerely
^^ concur with Mr« Colman*s fentiments
<< above^ and fhall abide by his determination*
*' I am your humble Servant,

« W. Powell."

To prevent the Theatre from bemg (hut up,
Meflrs. Harris and Rutherford fenc the fol-
lowing notice to Mn Colman :

^^ To George Colman, Efq*
"Sir,
*' If you refufe to give diredions for a Play
** to-morrow night, we fhall: Whether they
f« will be obeyed, or not, is for future confidc-
*' ration. What you are pleafed to call our
*^ mtodate, can be no reafon for ihutting up the
** Theatre, as you have the whole circle of the
" Drama(Cymbelineexcepted) from whence to
"eka the Play. Whatever damages may
^* arife, we doubt not, will be at your peril, as
^ they can only enfue from your committing a

14 THE LIFE OP

** breach of the moil folemti and legal engage*
** ments. We arc your humble fervahts,

'^ Wcdncfday, *' T. Harris.

«^ Dec. 30, 1767, *' L Rutherford/*

Mr. Colman, though he abandoned the The--
atre on this occafion, left Mr. Powell to gi,vc
out the Play in difputc, which was accordingly
afted on the 31ft of December, in open defi-
ance of Mcffrs. Harris and Rutherford, and in
direft breach of the articles between the parties^

Meflrs. Harris and Rutherford now thought
it abfolutely neccflary to audit the accompts of
^hc Theatre, and inquire into the ftate of the
Wardrobes they therefore ordered the Trcafurer
to prepare his accompts, and defired Mrs.
Powell, by letter, to fend whatever was m her
pofleffion, to the Wardrobe- keeper's office.
Mr. Powell anfwercd, by letter,, that this requi^
fition could not be complied with, the unap-.
propriated cloaths of th^ Theatre having cveif
been kept out of the Houfe, under the care of
one of the Proprietors. This Mr. Harris an4
Mr, Rutherford infifted was alfo a breach of a^s

, CHARLES MACKLIN. X^

tides upon an unjuftifiable pretence; becaufc^
though it had been a'cuftonij with former Pror
prietors, to have the unappropriated cloath$
kept by one of them, yet Meffrs. Harris an4
Rutherford were not bound to follow their
example,

Meflrs, Harris and Rutherford having taken
CounfePs opinion on their cafe, the. purport of
which was, that a Court of Equity would com-
pel a Ipecific performance of their agreement,
and order Colman and Powell to make Meffrs*
Harris and Rutherford fatisfa£lion for the da-
mage they Ihould appear to have fuftainedfrom
the breach of it, fent fuch an opinion to Col-
plan and Powell, and, atthe f^me time, propofed
to leave all differences to the arbitration of four
gcndemen, . two to b? chofen on each fide,
which propofal Mr. Colman and Mr. Powell
evaded. After both parties had appealed to the
public, with regard to their condudt in thcf?
tranfaftions, the controverfy was removed int^
a Court of Equity,

l6 THI LI9K OF

The reader will perceive that Mr. Harrises
conduft, throughout the whole of thefc diffe-
rences, was honourable and manly, and it is per-
fcftly obvious, from the foregoing ftatcment of
fafts, that Colman and Powell attempted to
affume to themfelves the fole management and
direftion of the theatre, without confulting, in
the leaft degree, the opinion or wifhcs of the I

other proprietors.

Ever fince the property in and management i

of Covent-Garden Theatre has devolved to Mr.
Harris, we are extremely happy in having
the opportunity to obferve, that he has con- |

dudlcd himfelf, in that arduous fituation, with
Angular ability and profound integrity. No
man ever before produced more novelty and a
greater variety of entertainments.

His management ftands diftinguifhed by an
unexampled liberality in all his dealings with
aftors, authors, and tradefmen; by a rigid
punftuality in his payments, and by inde-
fatigable and unparalleled exertions in pro-
curing the beft poffible amufements for the pub-

CHARLES MACKLIN. I7

lie. The conftahtly brilliant and crowded au-
diences at his Theatre afford the moft indubitable
proof* of the admiration and approbation of the
commiinity; andhis overflowing Trcafuryfiir-
nifhes the fatisfadory teftimony, that his great
merit is> as it ought to be, amply rewarded,
and his unwearied endeavours crowned with
fuccefs.

The condu£t of Mn Colman, in 1768, to-
wards Mifs Macklin, who performed along
with her father at Covent-Garden, produced the
following Letter from Mr, Macklin. It re-
lates to Mifs Macklin's refufing to aft the
part of AJpafia in the Play of Cyrus y becaufe (he
had not fufficient rime allowed her to ftudy it;
for which Mr. Colman took the liberty of ani-
madverting on her behaviour.

" To George Colman, Efq*
" Sir,
" I have been informed, that, upon receipt of
." Mifs Macklin's Note, oaWednefday night,
*' you concluded that it was a Note of evafion,
VoL.n. . C

l8 tHE LIFE OF

'* and calculated to diftrefs you, and to obftrud
*' the bufincfs of Covcnt-Gardcn Theatre.

" And I am likewife informed, that, the next
«* dayy in a fpirit of high indignation, youpub-
^' ficly read her Note in Mr. Griffin's (the
*' bookfeller) fhop, in Catherine-Street, and at
" the fame time made this remarkable comment
" on it, — ' that it was evafive and jefuitical, and
*♦ calculated to injure the Play, and that I was
*^ privy to, and adviling.in the meafurfc.'

" The difagteements among the Proprietors
^ " of Covent-Gardcn have turned that Theatre
" into a den of faftion, and a forge of falfehood.
" I do not fuppofe that the Managers or A6tor^
" of St. Stephen's Chapel, in the moft fadious
" and corrupt Era> ever produced more (lander
*' and falfehood than the Theatre of Co vent-Gar-
" den has caufed during the Ihort period of your
" management ; or a more malignant ipmt, or
" a greater liar than the perfon who writes
" The Theatrical Monitory* as I hope, to provt
** in the courfe of this inquiry j and I muft add,
** that as far as pofitivc evidence, and unforced

<:haiiles mack£in« t^

^^ dcduftions lead to truth, Mr. Colman and
'^f Mri Powell, on this and many occafions rcla-*
** live to me, have been the forgers and propa^-
'* gators of much untruth*

*rBut the fpecial account of thcfc ingenious
." forgeries lhall> in proper time and place, bd
5* laid before the Public. At prefcnt. Sir, I
" mean to confine my inquiry only to a fcanda-»
" lous report relative to your conduct towards
" Mifs Macklin and me about Cjrus^

" I muft premife to youi Sir, that I do not
" think a juft man will ever fuggeft, that
" another perfon is a knave or a fcoundrcl upon
*^ flight or imagined circumftances, and with-
" out the cleareft evidence* Such a juft man
" I have hitherto believed you 50 be ; nor can
'^ I imagine, upon hearf^, that you have been
** guilty of infirtuating, or Ipteading falfe and
" mfamous reports, which might defame Miii
" Macklin's reptitation of mine* Upon thefc
" principles I have thought it incumbent upon
*' me to ipv^ you an opportunity of Mt/cwng

.10 THB LIFE OF

'^ your reputation from the following afTcrtions.
« lam told, upon your reading Nfifs Macklin^s
" Note to you, concerning her ftudying the Part
" of ' Afpafiay in * CyruSy that you obfenred,
" ' that the contents of it were calculated to m-
** jure you and the Play,' and ' that I was privy
•* to, and the advifer of the Note j' and 'thatyoti
- ''have circulated thefe judgments upon Mifi
<^ Macklin, her Note, and me, in various places.*
" Of the truth or falfehood of thefe reports yoU
*' muft be confcious^ and you muft know, like-
*^ wife, that, in juftice to yourfelf and the par-
** ties, it Is Incumbent on you to give an an-
^^ fwer to the charge, with which, I hope, you
^* Will favout" Mifs Macklin and me.

Die. ipi 1768. " I am Sir,

Tavijhck-Row, ^* Your very humble fervant,
Cwent'Garien. " Charles Macklin."

t

We have copied the following extrafts from
Mr. Macklin's papers* They all relate to the
circumftance of Mifs Macklin's refufing to aft
A^Mfi^y ^nd to the conduct of Mr. Colman as
^ Manager.

I

CHARLES MACKLIN. 21

" A variety of fcandalous reports have been
** propagated by Mr. Powell and his Sultana.
" I fliould not have troubled my fclf about the
'* Grand S^gnior's Seraglio^ had not his Sultana
*^ been very aftive indeed among the circle
^^ of her acquauntances; it is fuch proftitutes
*' who bring the Theatre into fuch difgrace,
** that the world will hardly believe that fe*
*^ male virtue can eidfi: within the walls of a
" Playhoufe,

" Mr.Colman^ — you, in the capacity of Ma-
" nager, may opprefs her, (Mifs Macklin) as
^* much as your vindiftivenefs pleafes, and
" deny her merit ; but I know of no power that
" can entitle you to dragoon the human facul-
" ties. You cannot command the memory of
" an Aftrefs; tyranny and ignorance n^ay at-
** tempt to do it, but they v/ill never fuccced.
" You may hate her, and may employ The^
" atrical Monitors to abufe and ftab her fair
V charafter in the dark ; and you may exercife
" a Manager's vengeance privately, and in va-
*' rious ways j but you have no kind of right
^^ to wound the moral charadler of an Aftrefs,

C3

ft£ THE LIFE OF

*' bccaufc flic cannot get a Part by heart is fbon
^^ as dcfpotifm commands.

" DeQ)Otirm has many marks, by which It
^* may be diftingnifticd. Ignorance is one, and
^^ is exemplified — in commanding that to be
** done which nature cannot perform. Cruelty
*' is ^nothermark— it puniflies for not perform-
^* ing what is not in the po^er of the perfon
*' commanded; but the ordinary mark is incx-
*' orablc and unremitting vengeance, direfted
*' againft innocence, for daring to cxpoftulatc^
" or to defend itfelf.

*^ Of all the crimes that injured innocence
<* can be guilty of againft the majefty of the-
" atrical Defpotifm, fclf-defcnce is the moft
*' atrocious, and is ever purfued by cruelty

" and injuftice^

«

'^ In the fhort reign of your deQjotic ma-
^* nagement, gentle Mr. Colman, 1 could enu^
" merate many inftances. You puniflied Mr,
^' Woodward in the penalty of five pounds^
f* only becaufe he would not walk acrofs th?

CHAHLES MACKLIN. 23

'^ ^ tage^ in a Pantomine> unlefs every other Aftor

*^ andAdrcfs in the Company did the fame; and,

*' becaufe he expoftulated, he was at once pro-

^ fcribcd as an enemy to the ftates and him you

*' h^vc followed ever fince with inexorable and

" vindidlive vengeance. Another inftance is^

" with refpeft to Mifs Macklin — ^I only re-i

^* queftcd it, a$ a favour, that flic mi^t not aft

" the Part of the Woman cftbe Town. 1 mean

« the Heroine of ^ The Oxonian in Town-;' and

^^ for this rcqueft— not an expoilulation, or re-

" fofal, for I told you, that Ihe certamly would

" aft it, if you infilVed on it, or thought the

" requeft unreafonable-— for this requeft, I fey,

*' which proceeded entirely from my delicacy,

*' in n6t wifliing her to appear in a charafter of

'* that caft, has flic been profcribed, and treated

'^ with every kind of flight and indignity, that

" concealed malice, lurking under your power,

" could contrive. For inftance, your conduA

^' towards her, with refpe6t to Portiay Lionel

** and Clarijfdy AJpafia^ &c. — and from my know-

*' ledge of your nature, I make no doubt but

r<« you will feize every opportunity to opprc£|

24 THE LIFE OF

" her, that accident may throw in your way,
" or that your unhappy difpofition can create.

*' Remember, Sir, that (he knows nothing
" of this Addrefs to you — {he is of a. fpirit
" that would rather pine in filcnce, than even
*^ open her lips to relieve her mind. No
^'matter; ihc muft fufFcri for I lay I know
** your nature — it is a jealous, an envious, a
" malicious nature— -but remember. Sir, that
*' you are yourfclf a father, and if your doings
*' arc vifitcd upon your children, they will be
*^ more miferablc and infamous than any of
** their Anccftors.

" It is Reputation alone that can fcafon
*' or give a relifh to liberty, property, or life
^Mtfelf; without it rcfleftion is a kind of
" mental torture ; even you. Sir, with all
*' your theatrical dominion, when you reflcft
" that you are difpofing of the property of
" your Partners, juft as your caprice and igno-
" ranee fuggeft, you muft have many heart-
^* breaking hours.

CHAKLBS MACKLIN. 25

<' I know that ypu have many cordials^ many

« comforters^ .who adminiftcr relief to you, by

" calumniating the reft of the Proprietors, for

" attempting to difpute your right to do what

" you pleafe with their property. Your un-

'' derlings aflford you ibme confolation^ by

** telling you, that Garrick is an envious de-

** figning knave ; that he is ignorant of the

** management of a Theatre, of tht Drama,

" and of Afting J that you are the Addison, the

" MoLiERS of the age J — and that you arc the

" ingenious y the learned George Colman^ the St*

** James's Chronicle, the Public Advertifer,

<« and every newfpaper can report. There is

^' not a Gentleman nor a man of honor thsLt eats

** at your table, or that has the run or freedom

** of your Theatre, nor a Theatrical Monitor

" but will fay the fame thing. Not a look or

** word can fall from an Ador or Adtrefs, but

** Smith or Benfley can interpret, and we know

" that they are very fsdthful to you in convey-

*' ing the interpretation.

" You have, befides, the hands of all the
" Aftors, to prove that you have a right, as

96 THE LIFE or

^ a Gentleman, as a -man of honor and mo*.
'^ rals, and as a Partner, to manage as you think
'^ fit the property of your Partners, I will en-
** gage, were you to raife the falary of Mr.
** Ben/ley^ Mr. and Mrs, Mattocks, Mr. Gib-r
^^Jon'9 Mr. Baker, Sec. aod to continue Mr.
" Powell's Sultana in her prefent fituadon, that
*' they would all fay, that you were the onfy
*' J^er/onJU to manage a Theatre.

^' Whatever filings my own temper may
" have, when they operate to the injury or oU
^^ fence of any in Society, I always am ready to
^' ipake fuch atonement as jufticc or honor fliall
^^ demand ; and could either juftice or honor
** have induced ojr compelled you to have been
'^ refponfible to their calls, I Ihould not; have
^^ troubled you with this Epiftlc*

'^ From her infancy, thro' her eourfe of life,
^' ipy chief attention and ftudy has been to give
** my daughter's mind that kindof ftrength, that
*' could, with fatfsfaftion and triumph, refill what
" might be called grc^t.or advantageous, if at-
^^ tended with ftianwj, andthde kind Qfapcom^

CHARLES MACKLIN. I7

^ pfifliments that might render her manners
^^ valuable to thofe who might know her; and,
(^ if not agreeable, at leaft inofienlive to all^

*' Mr. Beard and Mr. Garrick have known
^* her from her childhood. They have expe-
*' rienced her temper and condudt in her pro-
5' feffion. They know her private virtue, and
'^ are acquainted with her amiable nature, and
^' have always diftinguifhed her, in their go<*
*' vernment of ^ Theatre, from the diflatisfied,
^* the envious, the infolent Proftitute, who
" would fet a Theatre in ^ blaze, provided
" (he might reign the tragic fovereign of the
*' ruins — ^and thefc Gentlen^en, with pride and
'* gratitude, and to their own and Mifs Macklin's
*' honor I fay it, did ever diftinguifh her with
f^ that diftind mark of protedion and attention,
*' that b due to a woman of unexceptionabia
^^ condu6t in private and public life.

*^ This kind of proteftion and attention to
•* virtue, and to a propriety of conduft and
" temper, efpecially in the ladies, ought to be
'^ the diftinguilhing charaftcriftic of die Mana-.

li THE LIFE OF

" ger of a Theatre. It was fo m Mr. Wilks, to
" an amiable vanity, and it will not be the leaft
" illuftrious part of Mr. Garrick's, as it wa&
" diftinftly that of Mr. Beard's Management.

^^And on this occafion> I. cannot help cx-
" prefling publicly, what I have often done
^' privately, that the only paternal, fin I ever
" could accufc myfelf of, was the removing of
^^ Mifs Macklin from under the diredion and
*^ proteftion of Mr. Garrick ; but if repentance
" can buy out an offence, I am fure I (hall
*' never be puniflied for this, for my repentance
" foon commence!^, and fuch is my affeftion ,
*' for her, that it never will have an end, tho'
*^ time and contingencies may abate it.''

. The confequcncc of this milunderftanding
between Mr. Macklin and Mr. Colman was,
that the former withdrew himfelf from Covent-
Garden Theatre^ and did not, till fome years
after, return to it again.

. In the year 1768 many events took place,,
which proved highly diftrcfling to the Drama*

charlSs MackLin. i^

That excellent Aftrefs, Mrs. Pritchard, died in
the fifty-eighth year of her age j and Mr.
O'Brien left the Stage. This Gentleman, Mr.
Macklin has declared, was the only Aftor who
ever filled the Parts of Mf. fFilks in genteel
Comedy, with elegant deportment.

In the courfe of this year Mrs. Clivc alfo re-
tired from the Stage. This admirable Adtrcft
W2ls long the darling of the public. If ever
there was a true comic genius, Mrs. Clive was
one ; (he perhaps never was equalled, certainly
never excelled. We cannot defcribc her better
than by introducing the following lines from a
celebrated poet, which may, with great pro*
priety, be applied to her—

^ ^' Hafte tkee, nymph, and bring with thee
^' Jeft and yoochful Jollity ;
** Quips and Cranks, and wanton Wiles,
" Nods and Becks, and wreathed Smiles,
*'* Such as hang on Hebe's cheek,
** And lave to live in dimple fleek ;
*' Sport, tliat wrinkled Care derides,
" And Laughter, holding both his fides/'

$t THE LIFB OF

Cftap* It.

IN the Ycai- 1769 Mr. Macklin did not pc^
form upon any Stage> (except for his
daughter's benefit) but applied himfejf clofely
to ftudy. During the midft of his application,
he received the melancholy intelligence of his
mother's death* Mrs. Alice 0*MeaUy paid the
debt of nature in the 99th year of her age*
Of this lady we may truly fay — that * (he lived
reipeded, and lamented died/ She waajre^-
markable for her charitable donations, and the
poor, in that part of the country where flie re*-
fided, fuftained a very fevere lofs at her diflblu*
tion. In her perfon Mrs. O'Meally was rather
above the middle height j her features were re-
gular, and her manners engaging* She was
poflcffed of a moft excellent \inderftanding, and
great fenfibility. Her remains were followed
to the grave by a yttf numerous train of
mourners. She was buried at Cloncurry, with-
in two hundred yards of the place where fhc
rcfided for many, years.

i

CHARLES MACKLIK. ^t

Mr. William Powell, one of the Patentees of
Covent-Garden Theatre, died in the courfe of
this year. No Aftor, except Mr. Garrick,
ever made fo fliccefsfial an entre, nor ever gave
more univerfal fatisfadion. He was buried at
Briftol, with great funeral honors.

Mr. Charles Holland died alfo this year. He
was a Performer of confiderable talents, and
great attention ; and, if not originally excellent,
Was one of the heft cojMers of excellence. This
year was alfo remarkable for the celebration of
a Jubilee in honor of Shakfpeare, which lafted
three days, during which time entertainments
of Oratorios, Concerts, Pageants, Fireworks,
.&c. were prefentcd to a very brilliant and nu-
merous company, aflembled from all parts of
the Kingdom. Many perfons of the higheft
quality and rank, of both fexes, fome of the
moft celebrated beauties of the age, and men
diftinguilhed for their genius and love of the
elegant arts, thought thcmfclves happy to fill
the grand chorus of this high Feftival. There
was an Amphitheatre erefted at Stratford, upon
the plan of Ranelagh, decorated with varioui

31 THE LIFE OF

i

devices. In the Town-hall Shakfpcarc's moft
ftriking Charafters were fcen, and the old
Houfe, where the immortal Bard was born, was
covered with a curious emblematical traiifpa-
ttncyj the fubjedt was, the Sun ftruggling
through clouds to enlighten the World.

In the year 1770, Mr. Macklin having heard
that Mn Wilkinfon, the Patentee of the York
Theatre, had taken a liberty with his Property,
by adting his Farce of " Loive-^aAa-Modey^
fcnt him the following interdiftion.

'' To Tate Wilkinfon, Efq.
« Dear Sir,
^^ When propriety concurs with a requeft to
^' me, no man, I believ^, has more pleafure
" in aflenting to it; none more regret in re-
*^ fufing, when impropriety fays I ought to
*' diffent. No lover can be more jealous of the
** favours of his favourite, than I am of the
" ftolen pleafures of my Mufe's fevourite,
*' ' Love^a4a'Mode:

CHARLIES MACKLIN. 33

'^ You have invited me to York in the
" Whitfun-week ; I have told you that my fore-
*^ caft for next Winter has fo engaged my mind
" and time, that I could not, without the proba-
" bility of hurting my defign, detach cither
" from that purfuit -y yet I may perhaps, not-
*^ withftanding, take a trip to York in Whitfun-
" week, provided it Ihould fall in with your
" wiflies.

*^ I fay perhaps, for even now I cannot de-
" termine — Should I meet you there, it would
" not be prudent that Love-a-la-Mode ihould
" be afted before. But, whether I go or not,
" I will not confent to have it afted on the oc-
" cafion you niention, or any other, and there-
*' fore I am fure you will not permit it.— I am
" fenfible that feveral Companies aft it ; and
" the reafon why they have hitherto done
" it with impunity is, becaufe I was in Ireland:
" but now I am returned, and Ihall fettle here,
" depend upon it, I Ihall put the law againft
fc every offender of it, refpefting my property,
" in fuU force.

Vol. II. D

34 THE Litt or

<* I will tell you what in moft likelihood
" would induce me to York — your telling me
« what fom certain you would enfure me for
•' fo many nights : much or little, give me your
*^ thoughts On it/'

This Letter not producing the defired cffefl:,
and ibme ftrolling Companies ftill continuing to
aft his Farce of Love-a-la-Mode, Mr. Mack-
lin rcfolved to take more efFeftual meafures to
prevent thisinvafion of his literary property : he
accordingly wrote the following Letter to his
Solicitor on the fubjeft.

" Dear Sir,
** By the Paper cnclofcd (a Play-bill) in this
*' Letter, you will find that I muft again call
" the Law to my aid, in order to maintain my
^* preclufive right to the property of Love^-a-
*^ la- Mode. The offender is one Wiitley^ whofe
♦^ Chriftian name I know not. He is the Maf-
^* ter of a ftrolling Company, and generally
" ads at Manchefter, Derby, and Leiccfter ;
" fo that an acquaintance at any of thofe places
" might inform one of his Chriftian name.

CHARLES MACKtIN. 55

«' fhould it be neceffary to the filing of a fiill :
" or were I to write a Letter to hira> I fuppofc
" that would draw it from him.

*' The conftitution of thefe ftroUing Com-
** paniesis^thatoneman generally finds Cloaths
" and Scenes, for which he hd&fourjbares of the
" profits. Every Performer is a Sharer. The
" number of Performers about fixtecn of eigh-
" teen. The perfon who provides the Cloaths
" and Scenes is deemed the Mailer of the Com-
" pany, who makes all contracts for rents, &c.
" and is refponfibk for all expences and con-
" tingencies of every kmd, incidental to the
^* undertaking. This is the charaftef Whiiley
". ftands in. My opihion is, that a Bill fhould be
" filed againft him direftly, without giving any
•' notice of it beforehand. The meafure would
" be more alarming to him, and to others of the
" fame character in life, who have taken the fame
" liberty. I think the perfons who afted in
'^ the Farce ftiould be included in the Bill ;
" that would deter them, and the like of them,
** from foch invafiohs/or the future : — but then
*' you tuyft obferve that we know not th^

D2

^6 THE LIFE OF

" Chriftian Names of any of them. Were it
*' ncceffary, I could go down to Lciccfter in a
" day, and afcertain thefc and fomc other points
" that you might think indifpenfible. Pray take
" care not to lofe the P lay -hill i it was fent to me
" by an unknown hand. 1 fliould be glad to
" have your thoughts on thefe matters as fopn
*' as convenience permits j and when you come
'^ towards Covent-Garden, Ihould be obliged
" to you if you would call on me.

" I diredledacKent to you — a Mrs. Egcrton :
" I hope fhe has found you out.
May 1 8th, 1771. "I am,

James-Streety " Dear Sir, &c.

Covent-Garden. *' Charles Macklin."

In confequence of this Letter, Mr. Macklin
was advifed by his Solicitor to go to Leicefter,
to afcertain every particular relative to fTbitley's
performance of Love-a^la-Mode.

Mr. Macklin was the better enabled to com-
ply with this advice, becaiife he was not en-
gaged at either of the London thcatresr— He

CHARLES MACKXIN. 37

accordingly fct out for Leiceftery where he
fctdcd his bufinefs, as will appear by the ^fub-
fcqucnt Letters.

The firft Letter — ^No. L — was written by
Mr. Macklin, at Leiceftcr. It is dated May
%6\ky 177 J J and is addrcffcd to

*' Mr. William. Whitley, Matter of a Company

of Itinerant Comedians,
(No. I.)

'^ Sir,
*' As you are the perfon who prefidcs over
'^ and manages one of the itinerant Companies
" of Comedians, that have given me caufe of
" complaint, by their haying adted my Farce of
" Love-a-la^Modey I have taken the liberty of
*^ addreflingthis Letter to you. Sir, as their Di-
" re&or. Yet, as your whole Company, by
" your political conttitution, are generally equal
" Sharers with you in this undertaking as Come-
" dians, (except that you. Sir, like every other
" Prefident of a ftroUing Company, have four
^ ihares extraordinary of the profits allowed
^' you by the Community, for the ufe of th«

D3

38 THX LIFS OF

^^ Cloaths and Scenes with which you fiimifh
^^ them) and as they» as well as you^ are all ini^
*^ volved in the offence that I complain of, I
*' think it but juft, that you ihould communi-
'' catc this Letter to them, that they may
*' know what they arc to expe£t from my in-
*^ tended proceedings in defence of this pro-
" perty.

" You muft allow, Sir, that no Performance
" of any kind can be exhibited by your Com-
" pany, but by your direftion or permiflioni
^* the firfl time that Love-a4a-mode was afted
*' by them was for your Benefit j of this I ver-
*' bally complained to you behind your fcenes
^' here in Leicefter, on the night it was again
** afted, for the benefit of Mr. Owen and Mifs
*• Wheeler. And my reafon for fpeaking to
*' you about it was, to give you an opportunity
** of frankly confeifing your offence, and of
'^ offering an aflurance that you would not
*' commit the like again; but, inftead of fuch a
*^ mitigating behaviour, you anfwered me with
^' a kind of legal defence of what you had done,
*^ letting mc know * that you had been bred

CHA&tES MACKLIN. 39

" an aUorney; that you pcrfeftly knew what
" the law was in your condu£fc refpeding your
*^ aAix^ my Farce of Love-a-la-Mode, or any
" other Play by your Company ;* and, by way
" of legal reafoning, warmly urged, * that you
" were not the ohlyperfon that had afted Lovc-
" a-la-mode without my leave — for that one
^' Laurence Kennedy, one Heaton, MiUcr, and
" Wilkinfon of York, hadadtcdit many times i'
" and it was your opinion, ' that any man might
" aft it fafclyi' — and thus fortified by pre^
*' cedent, and many moral and legal arguments,
*' you feemed to ftand upon your defence, as
"if you were confident that your knowledge
" of the law would bear you and your company
" out in the tranfgreflion of the law, and the
" invafion of literary property. I cannot help
" obferving on one argument, on which you
" ifcem to have great legal dependance. You
" urge4> as a clear defence — ^ that the copy of
" Love-a^la^mode, by which your Company
"aded, was not the fame literally as mine;
*' for that yours differed from it in many Paf-
^^/ages.' So that, by this kind of reafoning,
D4

40 THE LIFE OF

"and jufticc — if you had ftolcn, or had re-
" ccivcd my horfe that had been ftolcn by ano-
" ther, and you then had lamed him, cut off
"one of his ears, and had daubed him with
" various colours that had difguifed him, you
" think you might cfFeftually plead that the
'^ horfe was not mine, as he was fo nicely and
*' artfully difguifed, fo lame, and fo very much
" altered for the worfe. What effeft this in-
'^ genious argument will have in a court of law
*' I fhall not pretend to fay; but this I will ob-
*^ ferve, refpefting the morality or prudence of
" it, that it puts me in mind of many men I
" have known heretofore, who have proved
" their own roguery, and ruined their fortunes
^^ and their charafters, by the vicious conceit,
** that they could be too cunning for the law; and
" who, if they had not been influenced by that
'^ over-weening ignorance, might have died
" with fair fortunes and unblemifhed charaftcrs.
" But, Sir, upon the whole, I find, by your
" own arguments, . that it is incumbent upon
" me to put a ftop to the proceedings of
" Kennedy^ Heaton^ Millery Wilkinjon^ and
^^ every other perfon, refpefting their afting

CHARLES MACKLIN. 4I

*' Love-a^la-Mode. I Ihall begin with you. Sir,
" and your whole Company s and fhall, as foon
" as I can, afterwards, profecute the other
" Pirates of Love-a-la-Mode.

^^ If I can firft get redrefs and future fafcty
*' without the interference of a court of law, I
*' Ihall not feek for it there j becaufe I know it
" would bear intolerably hard upon many, ^ho
"can but very ill afford it. All I defire is, a
'' proper acknowledgihent under the hands of
'* thofe who have tranfgrefled in this bulinefs,
" and a public affurance that they never will
" again invade my property,

*^ If they refufe this, I think no man can
" juilly complain, fhould I then call in the law
" to my aid, which I intend to do, in fo effcftual
** a manner, as to punifh every individual of a
^' Community of Aftors as often as they Ihall
" tranfgrefs the law, by their invaiion of nfy
" property, until I have convinced them that
" they cannot do it with impunity.
" Yours, Sir,

4% THE i:.IF£ OF

Mr. Macklin fcnt a Copy of this Letter tx>
hb Solicitor in Townj with the foUowii^ ad*
ditioii.

" N. B. There is a miftake in the Chriftian
^' name of Whitky^ I Ihould have wrote to
^* fames Whitley, for that is his Chriftian
« name/'

No. 2, is fFbitley's wifwer to this letter,

(No. a.) " To Mr, Charles Macklin,

" Lciceftcr, May a6, 177 1.
<^Sir,
*' If mifconccption had not hurried you into
'^ a labyrinth of error; if your judgment was
** not jaundiced by falfe, mean, wicked agents,
^' fuch as Connor zmiKinna, I think you could
*^ not rafhly rcfolve to heap any kind of cx-
*^ pence upon people totally innocent of intcn*-
*' tional tranfgreflion.

" if a man made invafion on my Wardrobe,
" and fold a coat of mine in Monmouth-Street, |

" and an harmlefs innocent man here bought it, J

CHARLES MACPCLIN. 43

** and paid honefUy for it-^I could not punifli
** him for the wearing of it; nor, in the judi-
«« cious eye, would it appear that he invaded
*^ my property ; nor could any law condenm
*' him for it: but this, and much more of ra**
*' tional inference that might ferve to convince,
** I Ihall wave, and acquiefce with your own
"propofition, as I would rather heal than
'irritate grievances: though indeed. Sir, I
'* am as well pcrfuaded I can exculpate myfelfi
*' as I am that the fun moves the earth, or the
*' foul of man i$ immortal.

*' I Ihall not recriminate— and, though I muft
" perceive the palpable poignancy of fome il-
" liberal and unjuft infinuations in your letter,
'* as I am confcious of my own integrity, I can-
" not make the application to myfelfi but re-
** ply, qui capit illefacit.

'* I know that reafon is the rock on which
" law is, or ought to be founded, and that un-
" erring guide tells me, that I have not invaded
*' either your literary property, or offended any
" part or parcel of the law, in looking on the

44 THE LIFB or

" exhibition, or by not preventing the per-
" formailce of your Farce. But, Sir, myna-
^^ ture and education foar above the commiffion
^^ of wrongs. I fhould fhuddcr at the fliadow
*' of an unprovoked injury j and, as I am im-
" patient of bearing infult, am ever cautious
^* of affronting : therefore, as a Gentleman,
^* born and bred above meannefs, I fhall make
" you this conceilion ; — that I will fubmit my
** conduft to the arbitration of any two fenfi-
** ble honeft men — and, in the interim^ to wipe
*^ away your anxiety, folemnly promife that,
"as it difturbs your peace, Love-a-la-Mode
" Ihall never be performed in my Company
<< without your concurrence.

" Sir, wefe I fingle in this conflid, I could
*^ fearlefs face every impending confequence 5
** but, as the debate is complicated, and you^^
** like a Gentleman, offered the alternative, I, as
^' a Gentleman, and the parent and proteftor of
" my people, do embrace the alternative, and
" fhall be proud to meet Mr. Macklin for the
" future as a friend.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 4;

« Confider, Sir, the noble mind is above
*' fccking for fcrvile fubmiffion, and the virtu-
*^ ous mind too exalted to make it. I am, widi
*'refpea. Sir,

" Your moft humble Servant,

" James TTbitleyr

This conceflion on the part of Whitley ter-
minated all the differences between the parties ;
and Mr. Macklin foon after returned to town,
well pleafed at what he had done.

Cfiap^ III.

UPON his arrival in London, Mr. Macklin
found that various propofals from dif-
ferent parts of the country, fuch as Leeds,
York, and Liverpool, and from the Managers
of the Dublin Theatres, awaited his determi-
nation. He accordingly refolved to perform a
certain number of nights, during the fummer
feafbn, at Leeds and Liverpool, and from thence
to proceed to Dublin once more.

4^ THE LIFE or

Having performed Sbylock, Sir Arcby^ Lave--
goldf &c. with his accuftomed ability at Leedi
and Liv4rpooly to very crowded houfes, Mn
Macklin fet fail for Ireland, where he arrived
on the I ith of NoYembcr 177 1 . His firft en-
gagement was at the litde Theatre in Capel«
Street, where he performed, with amazing
fuccefs, till the beginning of the year 1772,
when he, in conjundion with Mr. George
Dawfon, (the fucceffor of Mr, Barry) under-
took the Management of Crow-Street Theatre*
When Mr. Macklin left London, in 177 1, he
Clipped all his furniture, plate, pidturcs, and a
very choice and valuable library of books, worth
upwards of five thoufand pounds, on board a
Dublin trader, then lying in the River Thames;
but, unfortunately, this fhip was ftranded on the
Coaft of Ireland, off Arklowy and almoft the
whole of Mr. Macklin's property was \o&.
What he had to regret moft was the deftruftioft
of his books and manufcripts, the labotir of
many years clofeftudy and application. Itwasmxt
Mr. Macklin aloM that had to lament this lofe>
the Stage, and the whole of the dramatic world,
fufix^red very materially by the ftxipwrcckj

CHARLES MACKLIN. 47

the mercilcfs waves deftroycd his Treatifes on
the Sciifice of AStingy on the fForks of Shak-^
Jfearty on Comedy ^ Tragedy y and many other
Ibbjetfts, together with feveral manufcripts of
infinite value and importance to the Britilh
Theatre.

During Mr. Macklin's inan^ment of Crow-
Street, he got up his True-born Scotchnumy with
great care and attention, and inftrufted all the
Performers in their Parts, and efpecially Mifs
Young (late Mrs. Pope) who performed the
Charafter of Lady Rodolpbay very much to the
advancement of her own reputation, and en-
tirely to the approbation of her inftru£tor.

Mr. Macklin, being ftill apprchenfive that
Mr. Tate Wilkinfon intended to treat the pub-
lic with the reprefentation of Love-a-la^Mode,
wrote to him on diat head, and being after-
wards ailbred that Mr. Wilkinfon had no idea
of purloining *?/> Archy anymore, he fent him
the following Letter.

4$ THE tIFB OP

" To Tate Wilkinfon,
*' Dear Sir, Dublin, May 5th, 1772*

'* I am obliged to you for your kind Note and
«* Invitation, and am fatisfied Fully with your in*
** tegrity c6ncerning Love-a-la^Mode. Should
*^ you have a leifure hour at any time, and would
** call, I Ihall eftcem it as a favour. I would do
^* myfelf the pleafure to wait on you, but am
" confined by a particular application to a little
*^ Piece I am preparing for the Stage,
" I am. Sir, &c.

" Charles Macklin.

'* P» S. Can you dine with me to-day ? If
*' you can, fend me word, and come without
*' ceremony — and pick up a fecond, third, or
*• fourth perfon, and bring them with you —
*' but fend me word immediately — the hour
'^ four/'

In confequence of this invitation, Mr. Wil-
kinfon introduced Dr. Wallis, who was at that
time with him in Dublin, and another friend, to
Mr. Macklin, from whom (according to Mr.
Wilkinfon's account) they received an hearty

CHARLBS MACKLIN. 49

Welcome^ andipcnc a very enteitainbg, cheer-
ful, hitppyday.

Mr. Titc WiUcinfon, in his Memoirs, Vol*
^* P*^ 3S^ fpeaks thus of Mr. Macklin:

'^ Mr^ Macklin has often afted by me as a
" particuki* kind friend, and to him I am in
^' debt for many obligations of tender regard
" paid to my juvenile years, and linces and as
" I never made him any equal return, confefs
" myfclf his obliged and grateful debtor. Mr.
^' Macklin and I have often met in Dublin,
"fome times in the fawnc Theatre, fometimes
^* in our difFereiit Ihips of war, and, meet him
" where I would, I cannot but remeiiiber civi-
"lities, not only tp me, but to any friend I
" took in my hand to introduce to him/*

At this time, Mr. Macklin had under hi^
tuition the accomplilhed Mi/s Lee/on (the pre-
fcnt Mrs* Lewis) who accompanied tb^ Father
of the Stage to Limerick and Cork, where he
had engagements of an advantageous nature*

V W^L. n. E

50 THE LIFE OF

Upon Mr. Macklin's return to Dublin^ from
Cork, he entered into a correfpondcnce with
•Mr. Colman, rcfpefting^an engagement at Co-
Vent-Garden Theatre, which we fhall ftate
hereafter.

The .following Letter was written, at
this time, by Mr. Macklm,'to Gorges Ed-
tinond Howard, Efq. rcfpcfting * The Siege of
Tamor:

*' Bolton-Street, Feb. ift, 177J.
"Dear Sir,

" I Ihould have returned you my thanks for
^' your obliging prefent of the Tragedy of
^^ ^Tbe Siege of Tamor, before this time, but
^i th;at I deferred it till bufiiiefs would p«r-
" mit me to give it a fecond reading ; which I ,
*' have done, and for my time, have been repaid
" with a new and additional pleafure. In the
" choice of your fubjeft, you are, in my opi-
*^ nionx peculiarly happy; for fure, amongft the
*^ injfinity of viciffitudes that prove man's con-
" ftancy, the Patriot and the Father, the deareft
" relations in life (you. may except the Lov#if

CHARLES MACKLIN. ft

" you will) could not have falkn inro a greater
^^ dilemma, than that of being obliged to fur-
*^ render his religion, his country, and its libcfr-
*' ties, to the cruelty, of a Tyrant.

" Nor are you lefs happy in the intcrcfts,
^' manners, paflions, and the various irigre-
" dients that compofe your creation, the whole
" of which you have fuggefted, managed, and
** coloured, as it appears to my judgment,
" with an art fo true, and a genius fo ftrong, as
" to conceal that art in a fcmblance of intercft-
" ing pathetic nature.

" Your interefts and relations produce your
" manners, eharafterize your aftors, and give
" motion to your paflions, fome of which are
•" oppofitc,. fome tender, all different, and all
" fometimcs (as they fhould be) in -the ex-
" treme. Yet, to borrow an expreflion from
.*'your rival Shakfpeare, in the very torrent,
" temped of their fury,' you give them a tem-
" perance that direfts them from o'erftepping
" the modcfty of nature, making all blend and
** Work to intereft us in the event, fo as to roufe

E2

^'> "^^^

51 THE LlFE or

^^ and refine our paifions> and with furprife to
'' efie<St a cataftrophe unexpe&ed-^yet iiich as
*' humanity would wiihi all which ihew^ that
*' you arc not only mailer of your fubjcft^
'^ and of your art^ but of the human foul : for
" as you proceed, or, rather, as your Adtors
** work, they make us fear, love, hate, drcad^
'' in obedience to their own motions, and thus
<^ truly moralize the adion i teaching us, that
•^ we ought never to defpair, when virtue
*^ is the caufe and end of our endeavours,
^^ which is, or ought to be, the fole e|id of the
"Drama.

" To point out the beauties of this Tragedy,
*' would be to analize each fcene, which would
" greatly exceed the limits of this Letter : yet
" two or three I will ukc the liberty of obfcrv-
" ing upon.

^' Malfechlin's apoftrophe to his foni is of a
•* noble nature; fimpk, yet eloquent, and truly
'' pathetic -, and the illuflration of his condition,
" by the dcfpoiled oath, on the blafted heath,
" and by the patriotic pathosof liberty Ihcdding

CHARLBS MACKLIN. 53

^ team on the graves of bis fons^ miift be
" diftinguifhed by every mind, even the mean-
" eft, that has a fenfe of freedom, or a t6uch
" of tendemefs, — fo pljun and fo juft is the
*' fublimity,

'* MorarCs propofing to carry ofF Ernefthuy
^ marks his charafter well ; it is artfully lug-
** gcftcd to fap the virtue of a mind, prepared
** by the madnefs of difappointed love, for an
" expedient -, and Piele^s agreeing to it, warms
" the fable, and moralizes that part of it, by
'^ (hewing, that even the friend of the virtuous
'^ man is not to be trufted, when enflaved by
*^ any one paflion.

*' Your fcene of the Citizen is interefting,
'^ animated, grand ; and the meeting of Nialt
^'and Etnefiha^ is unexpected and agree-
'^ able ; the pathos of it a judicious dramatic
^* relief from the turbulency of Turgefius,
*'and the patriotic and paternal dillrcfs of
'' Malfecbtin.

54 THE tIFE OF

" Your touch of mufic, in the diftant
" Chapel, is a fceming trifk, but yet awful
" and Shakfpearian.

" The great fcene between the father and
" the daughter is beautiful, it arifes fo natu-
*' rally out of the fable j the fituation is maf-
" terly ; but had you hinted more clearly her
*' death, feparation from her father, or her
" fex's laft difgrace* (only hinted) I think it
*-' would have made her fituation and her fa- ,
*^ ther's clearer to her, and her apprchenfion
^^ more exquifite, which would have fent a
V ftroke of terror tp her heart, that muft have
*' been chiUingly felt by every reader.

" This is an hafty opinion, not to be relied
" on even by myfelf. You, no doubt, have
" thought deeper on the paffage ;^ and an Au-
" thor's intimacy and feelings have a right to
^^ prevail.

" Piele's confcientious frenzy is deep, in
** nature, equitable, acd inftruftive ; it is in

* This was accordingly done in the fecond ^dition.

CHAkLES MAGRLIN. 55

" itfelf a diftind morale which fhould he the
" indifpenfible quality of every Char^fter in
" the Drama, which you, Sir, have obferved,
" not only in your principal, but in each of your
*^ accefiary Charaftcrs.

" Upon the whole. Sir, you have not only
" left your Contemporaries behind in the tra-
" gic courfc, but I really think you have. fur*
^', paffed yourfelf in ' The Siege of Tamor:
"lam. Sir,

" Your very humble Servant
" G. E. Howard, Efq. " and Admirer,

" Charles Macklin/'

C&ap^ IV-

ON the aad of December, 1772* Mr.
Macklin wrote from Dublin to Mr. Col-
man in London, and offered his fcrvices at
Covent-Gardcn Theatre j and on the 24th of
January^ 177 3y Mr. Colman anfwcred Mr*
E4

56 THE LIFE Of

Mackfin's Letter, and concluded his EpiftU lA
the following inviting terms. — " Draw up
" your own plan, and fend it to mc, and I
'^ make no doubt of the matter being fettled to
" our mutual fatisfadion." On the 17th Feb-
ruary, 1773, Mr, Macklin, in conformity to
Mr. Colman's kind invitation and requeft, fent
him his plan, and kt the fame time informed
him .of the Parts that he intended to aft.
Amongft other things he told him, *' that he
^' had thought o( Richard III. Macbeth^ King
" Lear, and other Parts, fuch as would fuit
** his time of life, in new or revived Tragedies."
A variety of other Letters paffed between the
Parties, the purport of which being fatisfaftory
to Mr. Macklin, he inimcdiately came to Lon-
don, to perform at Covent-Garden Theatre in
purfuaiicc of the agreement between him and
Mr. Colman, the then Afting Manager. But,
as doubts afterwards arofe concerning the fVipu-
latiOn, that Mr. Macklin was to aft Macbethy
Richard IIL &c. and as the performance of the
former Charafter was produftive of very fe-
rious confequences to Mr. Macklin, we fhall
take the liberty of inferting the following' fhort

CHARLES MAOKLIN. 57

hifkory of the tranfaftion, which wc have co-*
pied from Mr. Macklin's Memorandum-book
now before us, and which will fully explain the
caoie of the difgraceful and riotous proceedings
that afterwards followed. It bears the follow-
ing title.

*^ Proofs that Mr, Colman agreed that Mr.
« MackUnJhould aSt Macbeth and Richard UI.

*' In the fpring of the year 1773, Mr. fFil-
*' liam Smithy Comedian, difagreed with Mr.
" George Colman, the Manager of Covent^.
" Garden Theatre, and gave notice, in form,
'' that he fhould not aft in his Theatre in the
** following feafon.

** In the couric of the faid ipring, Mr. Smith
^' aflbciated with Mrs. Tatesy and they jointly
" ufed their intereft to obtam a Licence to A£t
" Theatrical Pieces, at the Opera-houfe in the
^' Hay-Market four nights in the week; but
** they were refufed a Licence for that pijrpofe.

58 THE LIFE or

^^During the time that Mr. Smith was.abr
" fent from the Covent-Ga|-den Company^
" Mr. Macklin entered into an agreement with
" Mr. Colman^ and it was ftipulated that Mr.
*' Macklin fhould have a right to aft Macbeth
" and Richard HI.

" Mr. Smith being difappointed in his defign
" of ading at the QperaHoufe, wrqte a Letter,
*' fomc time in September, to Mr. Colman,
" offering to return to Covent-Gardenaga^n.

*' This Letter Mr. Colman (hewed to Mr.
" Macklin, who afked Colman what was to be
" done sihout Macl^eth and Richard HI. The
" anfwcr was, that Macklin fhould ad them.

" Mr. Colman then Ihewed Mr. MackHn a
" copy of the Anfwer he had written to Smith,
" the purport of which was, * that Mr. Col-
" man was ready to enter into an agreement
" with Mr. Smith, but obfervcd, that during
" his (Mr. Smith's) difengagement from Co-
" vent-Garden Theatre, other Aftors had been
" engaged by Colman to fupply the Place

CHAKLES MACKLIN. 59

*l#f Smith i and that, to fuch Aftors, Colman
<' had been obliged to affign fome of Smith's
** Parts ; as they would not on any terms agree
*^ without fuch aflignmentj and that, in cafe
" the Proprietors of Co vent-Garden Theatre
" ihould agree to re-engage the faid Smith, that
" he muft be fatisfied to take fuch Parts, as
" the faid Colman could with juftice allot him/

" Pending this agreement between Colman
*' and Smith, Mr. Macklin met Smith in the
*^ ftreet, when Smith afked Macklin concern-
*^ ing the particulars of his agreement with
" Colman, Upon this, Macklin communi-
" cated to him as many of the particulars of
"his agreement as he could then recoUcftj
" and, among the reft, informed him, that he
*' was to adt two of the Parts that Smith ufed
"to aft: viz. Macbeth and Richard III. Mr.
**JVIacklin alfo informed Mr. Smith, that it
*' was not a pleafing circumftance to perform
" the Parts of a fellow Aftor, but that it would
*' be very injurious to him to refign them to-
** tally, for that his having a right to aft them
** was his principal inducement to enter into an

60 THE LIFB OF

« agreement with Mr. Colman ; but, in onfer
** to accommodate Smith, Mr. Macklin ob-
*^ ferved, that if Smith returned to the Com-
** pany, he (Macklin) would aft Macbeth and
** Richard alternately with him, as Garrick,
*' Barry, and Holland had frequently done;
^* provided that Mr. Colman had no objeftion
** to this propofed mode of accommodation.
*' To this propofal Mr. Smith cheerfully agreed
^ -^-and Mr. Colman, previous to his finally
*^ agreeing with Smith, acquainted Smith that
'* he and Mr. Macklin were to aft Macbeth
** and Richard alternately, and to this propofi-
*' tion Mr. Smith aflcnted.

*' Matters being thus arranged, Mr. Smith
•* refolved to begin with afting LordHafibigSy
'^ in Jane Shore 5 but when he heard that Mr,
'' Macklin was to make his firft appearance in
•' Ricbardy he requefted Mr. Colman that he
^' might begin with Richard j of which requeft
^^ Mr. Colman informed Mr. Macklin, who
*' agreed thereto, but reminded Colman that
^' he fliould infill upon the agreement of playing
^* Richard and Macbeth alternately j where-

CHARLSS MAGKLIN. 6i

^^ upon Colman declared, that it was pn ^hat
*^ condition that Smith was permitted to play
" the Part q{ Richard.''

Wc proceed now to the relation of the parti-
culars of a violent conteft, that took place the
begbning of this feafon, with refpedt to Mr.
Macklin's performance of Macbeth. The
ground of complaint was changed after his fe-»
cond appearance ;n that Charafter i for his ene-
mies, inftead of purfuing their criticifms on his
manner of ading, attacked him with regard
to his condudt. This arofe from a fpeech
which Mr. Macklin made, wherein he afierted
that Mr. Sparks and Mr. Reddifh had hifled
him in the Gallery of Covent-Garden Theatre,
on the firft night of his appearance.

On the Monday following, two affidavits were
publilhed in the Newfpapers, the one was made
by Mr. Rcddilh, in which he folemnly declared
that he never hifled, nor fhewed any other mark
of public difapprobation ; and the other was
made by Mr. Sparks, and corroborated that of
Mr. Rcddilh. During the whole week the

62 THE LIFE Ot

Ncwfp^pcrs were filled with fquibs on both
fides, and, on the Saturday, Mr. Macklin ap-
peared, for the third time, in Macbeth.

Previous to the Play, he came on in his own
Charafter, with a Manufcript in his hand ; and,
after a violent uproar in the Theatre, was al-
lowed to read part of it, which contained the
proofs of his former affertion, relative to the
condudt of Meffrs* Sparks and Reddifh.

After this Mr. Macklin performed Macbeth
with great fpirit and judgment, notwithftand-
ing the cmbarraffmcnt he muft neceffarily have
felt, from what hadpafled, and met with un-
bounded applaufe.

Mortified 'at the great approbation that Mr.
Macklin received in this Charafter, and fearful,
if he was permitted to go on, that his wonderful
abilities in the tragic line would eclipfe feveral
other favourite Performers, his enemies formed
the diabolical defign of entering into a conlpi-
racy to drive him for ever from the Stage,, and,
confeqyently, deprive him of his livelihood.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 6j

Mr. Macklin, being apprifed of his dan-
ger, very wifely determined not to perfonii
Macbeth the next time of his appearance, but
to aft the Part of Shy lock, a Charafter in which
he confefTedly flood without a Competitor, and
his excellent afting of which could not afFeft the
reputation of any other Performer.

However, his incomparable merit in Shylock
did not proteft him from the private premedi-
tated malice of the Confpirators : — the die was
caft, and he was doomed to eternal banifliment
from thcBritifti Theatre. On the night of his
appearance in Shylock, his enemies arranged
themfelves in battle array in different parts of
the Houfe, and", as foon as the Curtain was
drawn up, a fignal was given for the riot to
commence. The Theatre appeared like a
Bear-garden — the Aftors were not permitted
to go on with the Play — the Confpirators
triumphed — and Mr. Macklin was difmiffed
the Stage, In this dilemma his good fenfe di-
refted him to refort to the laws of his Country
for redrcfs.

64 THE tlFE OP

In the year 1774 Mr. Macklm proceeded in
the Kino's Bench againft feveral of the Con-^
fpiratorsi and, to his immortal honor be it
recorded, afferted the rights and privileges of
an Ad:or in a Britifli Theatre*

We are extremely happy to have it in our
power to prefent the reader, ia the following
pages, with the. whole of the proceedings on
this important trial, which have nevir before
been publijhedi and which were taken in Ihort
hand hy\Mt. Gurney, exclufively for the Pro-
fecutor, corrcdtcd by Mr. Macklin himfelf^ and
revifed by the celebrated Mr. Dunning, who
was Mr. Macklin's Counfcl on the occafion. —
Mr. Macklin never a6tcd fo well as he did in
the King's Bench. He convifted the Con-
fpirators, and afterwards extended his mercy
towards them. But he did more than this 1 —
he has cftabliflied a Precedent, by which he has
(hicldcdall other Aftors from any fimilar out-
rage in future, and erected a monument to his
own fame niore durable than brafs. But wc
flxall refer the reader to the following pro-
ceedings.

6harles mackli^. 65

Trinity Term, 14 Geo. III. B. R-

Saturday, June ii^ 1774.

The Kino,

On the Profecution of Charles Macklin, Elq.

Againft
jfoHji Stephei* James, Esq^ and others.

The Rule Niji obtained in this Caufe was
tead and is as follows : yiz|

" Monday next a^ter five weeks from the
" Fcaft-day of Eafter, in the fourteenth year of
""' King George the Third*

Middlefex. '^ It is ordered. That the fifth
*' day of next Term be peremptorily further
" given to John Stephen James, Jofeph Clarke,
*^Efquires, Ralph Aldus, Gentleman, Wil^
'^^ liam Auguftus Miles, Thomas Leigh, and
•^^ James Sparks, ' to fhcw caufe why an Infor-
" mation Ihould not be exhibited againft them
" for certain confpiracies, riots^ and mifde-
" meanours, upon the undertaking of the faid
. " Defendants, that if fuch Information Ihould
^^ be granted, they will appc^ar thereto immc-

YohAh F

66 THX i:.iFB or

«^ diately ; and it is further ordered^ that all
" Affidavits on behalf of the faid Defendants
'^ be filed four days before the next Term.

*^ On the motion of Mr, Wallace,

" LordMansfield, Chief Juftice. Who fhews

caufc ?

" Mr. .Wallace. I fhew caufe for Aldus.

^ Mr. Bearcroft. I fhew caufe for James.

" Mr- S. Davy. I fhew caufe for Sparks.

" Mr. Mansfield. I fhew caufe for Clarke.

" Mr. Norton. I am for Miles,

" Mr. Buller. lam for Leigh.

" Mr. Dunning. Your Lordfhip is fully ap-
prifed of the charge, and rf the nature of the
anfwersi — here arc fix Defendants, and fix
Counfel.

dHARLES MACKLIN« 6*f

^* Lord Mansfield. I fee they defend as not
knowing each other^ and taking the Charge
feparately.

" Mr» Serjeant Davy* It is fo t — and it is
fworn, in the Affidavits, they never faw one
another, and were* as much ftrangcrs to one
another, as I am to them.

** Lord Mansfield. There is a charge againft
the man who brought the body into the Houfe;
kt him begin.

" Mr. Buller* That man Was in Ireland at
the time the Rule was granted, and is not come
back.

'* Lord Mansfield. Then he don't fhew
caufe : — have they ferved him in Ireland ?

*^^Mr. Dunning to Mr. Buller. ,You, upon
his behalf, then, enlarged the Rule againft him:
it was enlarged upon his behalf.

" Lord Mansfield* • That is enough*.
Fa

6i THB LIFE OF

" Mr. BuUcr. I nientioned there being a
probability of his coming home, and therefore
I enlarged the Rtile as to him ; otherwife it
would be impoffiblc for him to appear, he being
in Ireland long before the Rule obtained. It
'was a {lip : there is an Affidavit of his then being
in Ireland.

•' Lord Mansfield. Mr. Buller fays it was a
flip, if it was enlarged, as he had then an Affi-
davit diat Leigh was in Ireland at the time the
Rule was granted : What do you fay to that,
Mr. Dunning ?

" Mr. Dunning. My Lord, I am not fatis-
fied there was any fuch flip---I am not fatis-
ficd there was any fuch Affidavit. If your
Lordfliip obferves, the Rule was enlarged by
Mr. Wallace for three, he being Counfel now
for one ; alnd it was enlarged by Mr. Buller for
three, he being now likewife for one j at that
time there was no diftinftion made between
them i the Rule was to be enlarged for all.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 6^

^* Lord Mansfield to Mr. BuUer. You muft
bring an Affidavit of the fad, and make a Spe-
cial Cafe to have it argued, why this general Rule
Ihould not prevail againft Leigh among the reft ?

" Mr. BuUer. There is no Affidavit of fcr-
vice upon him;— -they could not ferve him.

*' Lord Mansfield, Then why did you en-
large the Rule ?

^' Mr Serjeant Davy. I had no Brief in the
bufinefs, at the time the Gentlemen refer to.
In the laft Term I had a Brief brought me, to
fhew caufe for Leigh and Sparks. I was. afto-
niflied to find, when I had read it quite through,
that there was nothing faid of Mr. Leigh, or on
his behalf, as there was an Affidavit by his wife
of his abfence. Upon looking into the Rule, and
finding it enlarged generally, I inquired, and did
not underftandany body was particularly Counfel
for Leigh, at the time the Ruk was enlarged.

" Mr. Davenport. Mr. Wallace enlarged
fhe Rule to this Term, for Miles, Clarke, and

yo THE LiFi or

Aldus i and Mr. BuUcr for Leigh, Sparks, an4
James,

^^ Lord Mansfield. It certainly was fo,

*' Mr. BuUer. We can prove it was a inif-»
take — a flip, • '

'* Mr. Dunning, • I apprehend it was no
mift?tke of Mr. BuUer's, but of the inftruftions
brought to him.

" Lord Mansfield, He muft have had in-
ftruftions to enlarge the Rule, as to thofe three,

^^ Mr. Punning. I heard Mr. Serjeant Davy
fay, jufl: now, that his Brief inftrudts him to de-.
fend Leigh and Sparks, .

^' Mr. Blake, I fent a letter to Mr. Leigh
to inform him of it i he has nbt returned me an
anfwer. I have an Affidavit of his being out of
the Kingdom, before the Rule was granted.

(t

Mr, Macklin, My Lord, that Leigh was

J

CHARLES MACKLIN. 71

inLoiKiofi when the Rule#was ferredcanbe
proved,

** Mr. Blake/ We will put the whole upon
that> Mr. Macklin> ifyoupleafe,

'^ Mr^ Punnbg. Mr. Macklin will be fo
good as to recolleft where we are. — Your Lord-
fhip fees what a fituatioit we ihould have been
in. We fhould have loft the vacation^ which
might have been employed m fcrving him—
the enlarging the Rule upon his behalf^ fub-
je£bs him to ftand^this day and (hew caufei
and if what has been already done is not to be
taken for fcrvice, he never will be ferved.

'^ Lord Mansfield. They don't deny it was
enlarged with regard to him> and meant to be'
enlarged upon his part. Mr. Buller fays^ can-
didly andfairly^ he thought Leigh would have
been over^ and that he got it enlarged upon
that fuppofition,

'* Mr. Serjeant Davy. Certainly I can Ihcw
no caufc for Leight

F4

7* THE LIFB OP

" Lord Mahsficld. Are yoxj all afraid of be«
ginning? Can't you agree who Ihall begin?

'^ Mr. Bearcroft. My Lord, . I am not afraid
to begin for Mr. James, the firft in the Rule--^
in point of form I ought to begin; in point of
fubftance, I ought to be the laft : for RJr. James
has very little to do in this bufinefe, in propor-^
tion with fome of the reft; but as he is brought
upon the Stage in this Character, by Mr. Mack-
lin, he muft perform his Part, and when the
Court come to fee his •behaviour, if they don't
dilmifs him with applaufe, tJiey will difmifs him
at Icaft without any ccnlure. In order to un-
derftand Mr. James's cafe, (fince Mr. Mack^
lin's Affidavits have not been read) it is nccef-
fary for me fhortly to ftatc what they contain
upon this charge, and it is material to attend to
the particular times, in which James is charged
to be aftive in this bufincfs. Mr. Macklin,
and his friend, Mr. KcvcnhuHcr Skinner, fay,
* that, upon the 13th of November laft, Mr.
James, together with Mr. Aldus, an Attorney at
Law, was very violent at the head of a party, in
the Two Shilling Gajlcry of Govcnt-Gardcn

I

CHARLES M^ACKLIN. 73

Theatre; that they and their party were the
chief perfons who made the difturbance;' arid
there is this particular charge againft James, ' that
he infilled that a Mr. Smith, one of the Aftors
of the faid Theatre, (hould perform the Part of
Macbeth, which was to have been exhibited
that evening.' Then Mr. Macklin and Mr.
Skinner fay, likewiie, * that, upon the i8th of
iaid November, Mr. James appeared again at
the faid Theatre, in concert with Mr. Aldus
and Mr. Miles, in eonfequence of a confpiracy
together, and that they made a violent riot j*
and it is exprcfsly charged that James, among
others, ' called upon Mr. Macklin to kneel down
upon the Stage, and aflc pardon.' Thefe arc
the Charges againft Mr. James, for whom I am
concerned, with fome general allegations to in-
flame ; and Mr. Macklin afferts, in his Affidavit,
that he believes the fole caufe ofhis difcharge fronx
the Theatre was occafioned !by> and owing to,
thefe riotous proceedings. I have an Affidavit of
Mr. James's, which, if lam not very much mifta-
ken, totall^^xculpates him from any thing of the .
fort, charged by the Information in this Caufe,
Though, perhaps, Mr. James was not fo per^

74 THE LIFE or

fe£Uy quiet) as be could now wifh he had hecn$
yet, your Lordfiiip will find, upon his Aflj-
davit, that he did nothing more than is done
every day, when an Auditor does not like an
Aftor. He tells you he was there, when Mr.
Macklin himfelf does not introduce him : he has
no rclu^ance in teUing how often he attended
the exhibition of Macbeth y and the whole of his
conduct while there. He tells your Lordfliip,
that he went there upon the 6th of faid No-
vember, when he is not charged with being
there: he fays, he went in company with his
wifej that may fatisfy your Lordlhip he meant
to be quiet; for, to procure quiet at home, he
took his wife with him, and went into the Two
Shilling Gallery; he did not mean to niake a
riot, having his wife with him; and it might
be well if every perfon*s wife was as quiet as
Mr. James's. But your Lordfhip will find
there was another ILady, a Lad;^ Machtb, who
was not fo quiet in this bufinefs ; for fhe thought
proper to aft in the Charafter her hufband was
^that night to perform — therefore flie was not
quite fo quiet — and her, hufband, inftead of
performing the Character of Macbeth^ chofe to

chari.es mAcklin, 75

exhibit a great part of his own Charaftcr, In-
ftead of going on with the Play, he produced a
vaft number of Newfpapers, with which he was
difpofcd to aft his Part in the Caufe, and ap-
pealing to them was his method of a&ing, till
Mr. Dunning took the Charafter from him,
who will aft much better for him, if he will
let him alone; — thus the Caufe was taken from
the Audience, which feemed to be an accufa-
tion thrown out againft Macklin, of faying, that
a Mr. Reddilh> had hiflcd him; it feems Mr.
Macklin appealed to the Newfpapers, and
charged Mr. Reddifh and Mr. Sparks with hav-
ing hiffed him. This charge Mr. Reddifh and
the other denied in the Public Papers, by Affi-
davits fwom before My Lord Mayor, or fomc
Juftice of the Peace. Mr. Macklin was angry
that he had thrown out a falfe charge, and in
order to exculpate himfelf, was prepared with
Papers, when he came upon the Stage, and was
going to tnter upon his exculpation, and that
produced the firft riot. Moft of the Audience
difapproved of Mr. Macklin's proceedings in
this bufinefs, and though it was his own ap-
peal to the public^ yet he did not chule that

76 THE LIFE OF

Mr. James and the others fliould fhew their
difapprobation by hifling, which is the ufual
manner upon fuch application; cither hiffing
or clapping : that was all that pafled upon the
6th of November; then, upon the 13th, the
time when it is charged, that Mr. James was
at the Theatre, the queftion then arofe, ^ whe-
ther Mr. Macklin had not been extremely
wrong in this falfc charge upon Mr. Reddilh
and others,' and it was the judgment of the
Houfe that he had, and Mr. James was, in truth,
oncofthofe judges who was of opinion it was im-
proper behaviour, and Mr. Macklin was called
upon for fome conceflions, for that he had been in
the wrong. Mr. James fays * he fat in the
Two Shilling Gallery, and that he, with the reft,
called out for a conceflion, for this bad behaviour
of Macklin, which he had no fooner done, than
a Lady, who fat fome little diftance from him,
ftarted up, and immediately ftruck Mr. James.*
This fignal, it feems, was to be given, toge-
ther with the expreflion the Lady made ufe ofy
^ this is one of the fcoundrels who ihifled,' or
to that efFeft ; upon which a Man ftarted up,
jwd fcconded the Lady, being clofc by her^

CHARLES MAOKLIN. 7^

and immediately ftruf k Mr. James i upon this a
fcuffle enfuedj and a third pcrfon arofe, and ftruck
Mr. James : this feems to be rather unfortunate
for Mr. James ; for^ if he did wrong, he was
very well punilhed upon the fpot, without
having the punifhnient of this Court : — they
tumbled him between two benches, and one or
two got upon hijrn and beat him. Your Lord-
Ihip may coiiceive the confequences might
have been very ferious to him. — He fays, * he
had a fuf^icion who this virago Lady, that be-
gun the bufinefs, was j he fuppofed her to be
a Relation of Mr. Macklin, and he defired a
friend of his, who appeared in the Gallery, to
follow this Lady home, to fee who fhe was;'
Jie found out the houfe fhe went to, which had
the name '^ Macklin'* upon the door. Every
one believes the Lady, who began this aflault
upon Mr. James, was Mrs. Macklin, wife of
Mr. Macklin, who makes this application.-—
The prefent queftion is, * Whether or no there
was a concerted defign and confpiracy between
thefe Parties to hurt Mr. Macklin?' This
would be a bad bufinefs indeed, and every per-
fon muft feel it fo. But Mr. James dcnjes the

7^ fttE LIF2 6f

charge in thefc terras : viz. * That he had hot
tlic leaft knowledge before of Mr. Aldus^ or
any of the reft> and abfolutcly denies that he
called upon Mr. Smith to perform in the Cha^
rafter o( Macbeth, inftead of Mr. Macklin, or
for any purpofe whatfoever.' And though
Mr. Macklin has been too hot and hafty in
charging Mr* James with making ulc of thefc
cxpreffions, they are material expreflions, per-
haps, and material to be denied, for they enter
into the very purpofe, fuppofed to^be a pre-
face to the proceedings of the reft of thefc
Perfons, by calling upon Mr* Smith to per-
form the Part of Macbeth : this he fvilly de-
nies. He is charged with hiding, hooting, and
abufing every Perfon near him ; but he puts a
negative upon this by his Affidavit, w:herein
he fhews the ufage he received from the hands
of Mrs. Macklin and her Friends, He fays,
* the next morning he waited upon Mr. Col-
man, the Afting Manager of the Playhoufe, to
procure an interview with Mr. Macklin, in
order to find out from whom he received thofe
blows; that he did not mean to profecute,-
with rcfpea to her, but would put up with the

CHAHLSS MACKLIM« . 79

blows he received from her/ Mr. Colman
took a great deal o£ pains to procure « meeting
between Macklin ajid James^ to have the mat^
ter explained ; but, your Lordfliip will find,
that was diligently avoided by Mr. Macklin,
though he had full notice. Now, fuppofing
for a moment, that Mr. James himfelf was at
all to blame, will your Lordlhip grant an In^
formation upon 'the application of this Mr.
Macklin, from whofe wife, and two of his
Friends (for thofe men niuft be taken for hi^
Friends) if Mr. James had behaved at all ill,
he received ample punifhment from their hands,
fuch as I have before reprefented i and when
Mr. Macklin refufed to meet him, or to affift
him in his inquiry after thefc Perfons, I
Ihould^fubmit, that would be a ground for re-
filling this Information to Mr. Macklin. The
Court requires, when an application is made to
them for an Information, for a riot or a breach
of the peace, or other bad behaviour, that
there fliould be nothing of the fort on the part
of the Perfbn who makes the application.
Another charge againfl Mr. James is, ' that he
roared out for Mr. Macklm to kneel down

t6 tHE LIFE OF

Upon his knees, and that he menaced Mr;
Macklin with his flick or cane -,' that is a mate-*
rial charge, and material to be denied j that is
denied in the fulleft manner in the world. He
abfolutely denies in words, that he roared out
to Mr. Macklin to down upon his knees, of
menaced Mr. Macklin with his ftick^ as charged
in the Affidavits — for Deponent pofitively fwears
he had no ftick.or cane whateVer with him that
evMing; that is material i the truth is no more
than this, they muft have taken fomc other
perfon to be him. Now, with refped: to tht
Confpiracy between thefe Parties, to do the
mifchiefi which is the material part, there is
the moft abfolutc and pofitive denial that can
be in any form of words. Mr. James fays, ' he
tiiras there upon the 1 8th of November -^ thit he
was a perfedt ftranger to Williatn Auguftus
Miles, James Sparks, Jofeph Clarke^ Ralph
Aldus, and Thomas Leigh, or any dt either of
thittiy to drive the faid Mr. Macklin from the
Stage, nor had any meeting with any perfon Or
perfons whatever for that purpofe, nor dcfircd
any perfon to expel the faid Macklin from the
Stage. All thift Deponent wanted was for him

CHARLES MACKLIN. 8l

to anfwer for his conduft relating to thofe
charges againft«Mr. Reddifli and Mr. Sparky,
and that was the whole of the bufinefs, and de-
nies that he was in any confpiracy, or knew of
any conlpiracy, againfl. Mr. Macklin. That
with refpedt to himfelf^ he has been fufficiently
ill ufed, and more than fufficiently puniflied at
the time; through the behaviour of the wife'
of Mr. Macklin j for if there was any caufe of
revenge, fhe and her two Affiftants fully re-
venged the caufe, while my Client was down
between the two benches; therefore, my Lord,
I conceive this is a fiill anfwer ta the charge,
and that your Lordlhip will not make the Rule
abfolute againft Mr. James.

" Mr. James's Affidavit read in Court.

" The Affidavit of John Stephen Jamca,
" Efq. fworn the a 8th May, 1774.

" Saith, That on the 6th of November laft, to
" the beft of Deponent's knowledge and belief,
" as to the time. Deponent went in company
" with his wife to Covent-Garden Theatre, to
" fee the Tragedy of Macteti, whtrein Mr.

Vol. II. G

8^ THi if Fs or

^^ Charks Macklin was to perfi^rtti the Part d
'' Macbeth^ being the third time of his ap-
^' pearing in that Charadter ; laith» they weit
^' in the Two Shilling Gallery^ and that before
<^ the beginning of the Play Mr. Macklia came
" on the Stage, with a large parcel of Papers
*' in his hands, which he began to read* the
^ purport of which was to prove, that Mr.
*^ Reddifh and Mr. Sparks had hififed him the
•' firft night of his performing f«d Part of
" Macbeth / faith, that on hearing feme
'< read, it appeared to Deponent, that there
« was no fufficient proof of either faid Reddifh
^' or Sparks hiflSng, neither did Deponent
•^^ think a mere relation fiifficaent to eontradi^
" the oaths of faid Reddifh and Sparks, which
" they had refpcftively made, denying that faid
" Reddifh had hifTed on the 23d Oftober, co-
*' pies whereof were inferted in the Newfpa-
^* pers, and Deponent did therefore dilapprovc
" of faid Macklin's behaviour, hf the common
^^ mode of hiffing) and feith, nothing more
^' particular pafTcd that evening, and the Play
*f wasi heard through, during the performanct

CHARLES WACKLIN. 8j

5* o{ which Deponent applauded or hiflcd, as
** he approved or difapproved.

" Saith, That on the 13th of fame Nov^m**
" ber. Deponent went to faid Theatre, to fee
" the Tragedy of Machtb^ being the fourth
^' time that Mr. Macklin performed faid Charac^
^' ter, and fat in the Two Shilliiig QaUery j faitb^
'^^ that a$ faid Macklin had not produced the
" pofitive proof of Reddilh and Sparks's hiding,
'^ as he pledged himfclf to the public to do, Dc-
** poneiit, as well as many others, called out for
*^ fuqh proof, or a conccffion ; and faith, that
'^ on his calling out for fuch proof or conceflTion^
" a wcxnan, fome little diftance frojn Deponent,
^^ ftarted up and ftf uck Deponent, and faid^
" ^ This is (Mie of the fcoundrcls who hiffed,'
" or ufed words to that effect ; on which a man,
*/^wh ♦ appeared to be fitting next her, inunc-
^' diately ftarted up, and alfo ftruck Deponent)
*^ who returned his blows, and continued fo to
"do, till his' companions took him away.

, " Saith^ That fome little rime after faid fray
*5 happened, but during the performance of th«
O2

94 • THE LIFE OF

" faid Play, as Deponent was endeavouring 16
*' find out faid man, who had ftruck him, a
^^ Gentleman, whom Deponent has not the
" leaft knowledge of, pointed out the man,
" who had ftruck him; and told Deponent, if
** he was looking for the man who had ftruck
*^ him, that was' him, or words to that effefl: ,-
" faith, upon his*, going up to the faid p'erfon
" who had fo ftruck him, another man imme-
" diately rofc up and, ft ruck Deponent, which
" Wow was followed by feveral others, from
*^ feveral perfons who were fitting near faid
*' man who had firft ftruck Deponent, and
" Deponent was knocked down between the
" two benches, and fome Perfon or Perfons
" ftamped on Deponent's breaft, and other
** parts of his body j and faith, if his Friends
*' who went with him, and fomc other Gentle-
" men, had hot interpofed, and prevented faid
*' perfons from continubg their ill ufage to
** him, the confequcnce would have proved
" very dangerous to Deponent.

*' Saith, That immediately after he had been
" fo relcafcd from the difagrceablc fituation ht

CHARLES MACKLIN. S5

** was in between the two Benches, he went
*^ into the Paflage of the faid Gallery, where
" he was addrelftd by a Gentleman, who in-
" formed him he was a Patentee of faid Theatre,
" (and whom Deponent believes, and has been
^^ fince informed, was Mr. Dagge) anddefired
" Deponent to give him his addrefs, which De-
*' ponent did, and then faid he had heard De-
" ponent had been ufed very ill, and pointed to
" a perfon, who, he faid, was the Conftable of
"the Theatre, and had orders from him to
" take out any perfon or pcrfons, whom De-
" ponent ,lhould fix on, who had ufed him ill.

" Saith, he then went into the Gallery with
** the Conftable, to fearch for the firft man who
" had ftruck Deponent, but could not find him j
" and, on his coming into the Gallery, with
** the Conftable, he obfcrved the woman who
'* had ftruck him rifmg from her feat, to go
" out ; and, as Peponent was following her>
'* with a view of finding out who ftie was, De-
" ponent met Mr. Lucas, of Charing Crofs,
*f,who was then coming into the Gallery, on
** which Deponent defired Mr. Lucas to watch

86 THE LIFE Qf

•* faid woman home, which he accordingly did,
•' and fiiid Lucas returned to faid Theatre in
" about twenty minutes, and informed Depo-
^' nent, that he had foDowed her into a houfe
^^ in James-Street, Covent-Garden, with the
^^ name of '^ Macklin** on the door, and there-
^' foreDeponent at that time verily believed, and
" doth now believe, that faid woman who
^^ ftruck Deponent firft, and whom faid Lucas
^^ followed to faid houfe, on the door of which
^' houfe was wrote *« Macklin^'^ to be Mrs.
** Macklin, wife of faid Charles Macklin.

^^ Saith> That being fo ill ufed in the Theatre,
*' he was obliged to quit fame during the time
^* the fifth Aft was performing ; denies being at
^^ the head of, or forming, any party or parties
*^ againft Mr. MackHn performing faid Cha-
*^ rafter of Macbeth^ (mi faid 13th November,
** and abfohitsely denies having at that time the
** kaft knowledge of Mr. Ralph Aldus; and
*• alfo denies that he called on Mr. Smith to
^* play faid Charafter of Machethy inftead of
** faid Macklin, or for any other purpofc
^^ whatfoever \ and alfo denies, that he hi&d.

CHAXLSS MACKtIN, S7

^ hooted^lor stbufed tho& who defired him to
*' be quiet,

*' Saith, That on the Monday morning fol-
^* lowing^ he waited on Mr. Colman, the Afting
" Manner of the faid Theatre, to rcqueft of him
^[ to ufe his influence to obtain an interview with
" Mr. Macklin, in order to prevail oo Mr;
" Macklin to ufe his utmoft endeavours to find
*' out the feveral perfbns who ufed Deponent
"ill the preceding ajghti that Mn Colman
^ fent his lenrant to faid Macklin> to obtain
" fuch btcrview, which fervant brought bach;
*' fpr anfwer that faid Macklin was not at home s
*« that faid Colman promifed Deponent to fpcak
" to Macklin, and to procure a meeting with
*^ him, and that he would give Deponent notice
'* of fuch meeting i that in the evening of fame
*• day he received a Note from Mr. Colman, in*
<' forming him, that foon after Deponent left
♦^ faid Colmah*s houfe, faid Macklin came, an4
^' refijfed to have any meeting or converfation
^' with Deponent on the fubjedtj^ in which faid
^' Note from Colman to Deponent, was inclofed
'* one from Macklin to Colman, informing feid
G4

tS THE LIFE OF

" Colman that faid Macklin refufed ta meet
" Deponent.

" Saith, That on or about the 17 th of faid
" November, Deponent did caufe to be infcrted
^* in the Morning Chronicle, a Letter, addrefled
" to faid Macklin, in the words following :
" (that is to fay)

<' ' Sir,
'* ' I call upon you thus publicly to declare
*^ your reafons for refufing to meet me at Mn
'* Colman's, or elfewhere ; as likewifc who
*^ the Gentlewoman is, who firft ftruck, and
" then fct a Ruffian to affaultme, on Saturday
*' evening laft, in the Gallery of Covcnt-Gar-
" den, fhe bemg afterwards watched into your
*' Houfe, in James-Street, Covent-Garden.
«' This I muft infift upon, as I intend then to
*' leave you to the flings of your own malevo-
^' lent heart, and the refentment of the much
** abufcd public.

*^ I am. Sir,
*' Your very humble Servant,

*^ J, S, James/

CHARLES MACKtlS. 89

** Saith, That faid Macklin took no kind of
" notice of faid Letter, either in a public or
^* private manner, and faith, that^ receiving no
*< anfwer from Mr. Macklin, he went to faid
** Theatre on the i8th of faid November, with
'^ two Gentlemen only, who had dined with him
*^ that day, at his Lodgings in Bridge-Street,
" and went into the Pit, with an intent to fee
** the Play of the Merchant of Venice^ in which
" Play faid Macklin was to perform the Part of
" Sbylocky and likewife publicly to repeat the
^' queftion to Macklin, whether he knew the
" woman or man who ftruck Deponent on
*^ 13 th November, in the Two Shilling Gallery,
« as aforeiaid ; but the confufion and noife on
" Macklin's appearance on the Stage, Dcpo-
*' nent prefumes, prevented faid Macklin from
" hearing laid queftion.

" Pofitively denies that he roared out to
'* Macklin to down on his knees, or that he
*' menaced faid Macklin with his ftick, for he
" had no ftick or cane> of any kind whatfoever,
" with him durmg that evening ; and faith, that
" on 1 8th November laft, he was a pcrfeft

90 THS LIFS OF

»^ ftraoger to Miks^ Sparks, Lcighj aay or
«* either of tbcms and never had any converfao-
^' lion with aU or any of them, or with Clarke
^* or Aldus, or cither of them, to drive fai4
^ Macklia off the Stage, nor did Deponent
^' enter into any combination, confpiracy, or
*♦ agreement, with any perfbn whomfoever, for
*^ that purpofc, nor did Deponent fay or expref$
*^ any defire to e^pel faid Macklin from the
*^ Stage J for all that Deponent wanted was an
<< anfwer to his queftion, and an apology for
<* faid Macklin's condud: towards the faid Red-i^
«^dilh and Sparks/*

" Mr, Dunning. The woman going into
the Houfe with the name of MaekHn over
the Door, is no proof, your Ix>rdfliip fees,
that Ihc was Mrs, Macklin; on the con^
trary, (he is found out to be another perfon,

" Mr, Murphy, It is a Lodging-houfe,
where there are fcveral Families*

" Mr, BuUer. My Lord, I am of Counfel
likewife on the part of Mr. James. The only

CHAHtBS'MACKtlN. 9I

pofitivc charge is, that on the i8th of Novem-
ber laft, he ftood up in the Pit, and with voci-
ferations called to Mr. Macklin to kneel down^
and menaced him with a ftick ; as to the reft,
refpefting the charge "upon the former day, it
only extends to belief : Mr. Macklin has fworn,
and upon his belief refers to another fad, which
really b not fo^ as in the Affidavit it appears
to be fwom, by another perfon's Affidavit^
that James infifted that Smith fhould take Mr,
Macklin's Part. Mr. Macklin's Affidavit doea
not &y that James was the man who caUed upon
Mr. Smith to a£t Mr. Macklin's Part ; and
there is no other exprefs charge, but that on the
iSth of November, againft James, which is,
his csdling out to Mr. Macklin to kneel down^
and the menacing him with a ftick or cane.-*-
All the rdi: of the Affidavit is nothing to Mr.
James: the greateft part of it is <»ily ietting
out Mr. Macklin's merit,

*• Mr. James appears, from the firft time, to
be infulted by people who can>e there, and tht
woman, who firft began the difturbance, wa«
traced to Mr, Macklin's houfcj he Iwi notice.

gi THE LIFE OF

and was called upon to give an account^ if he
knew who die perfons were who had ufed
James fo ill. But what was Mr. Macklin's
conduct : he refufes to meet him, and gives no
anfwer whatfoever, which was not an implicit
rcafon, that he did not know who they were.
If he did not know who they were, as I think
he muft know, he 'might have fo informed Mr.
James; but he had reafon to fufpc<5t who they
were, Mr, Macklin is faid to have firft ap-
pealed to the public; I fhould have thought his
difcretion would have diftated to him to abide
by their opinion, let it be what it would; but
with refpeft to his prefent application to a
Court of Juftice, he is not entitled to the Icaft
favour or countenance whatfoever; for he
brought his complaint, in the moft public and
fplemn manner he could, ag^nft two people in
the fame profeffion with himfelf, and which
complaint, if proved, muft have been attended
with all the fatal confequences, to thofe two
Gentlemen, that Mr. Macklin feems to appre-
hend nowi the complaint was made by him to
thie Audience ; they heard it with patience ; the
complaint they found was not true, but ap-

CHARLES MACKLIN. 93

pcared to be falfe; I don't know any more ge-
nerous condud: for any man to have adopted
upon this occafion, where there was a faMc
charge brought againft two men, which, as
public men, mull have been attended with
very injurious confequences to thofe Gentle-
men, if found true, than, where it was found
fidle, to exprels horror upon the occafion. It
appears, that all that Mr. James defired, was,
to have an account of thofe people who had
ufed him ill. James had Ihewn his own opi-
nion, which he had a right to maintain, and he
was juftificd in hilling to Ihcw his difapproba-
tion; for when this Motion was firft made, be-
fore it was furbilhed up with this ground of
conlpiracy, which has been fince added, at that
time the Court faid there was no ground for an
Information. Now they have foifted in the
ground of confpiracy, which they have not
made out. It is denied, in the moft pofitivc
terms, refpefting the ftick being held up in
the Pit; it is denied, in the moft pofitive terms,
that James knew any thing of the other De-
fendants; upon the contrary, he went as a
finglc mart; neither has he entered into any

p4 ^HE ttrt tyt^

tonfpinkcy or combination whtterer. Mn
Macklin might hare put an end to it> if ht
pleafed> even a^rhis having made his appeal
CO the public in the manner he didi ^en he
was called upon by Mn James^ he might have
anlwered him> by giving him an account of
diofe Perfons from whom he had fuffcred fo
rnuch^ When he was knocked down between
the benches, where he was lacked and ilamped
upon, whichmight have been attended with fatal
confcquences to his perfon j but when called
iipon,MrrMacklin refufes to give him any anfwer,
or meet him. Upon the whole, it appears
there is no kindof eonfpiracy in the conduct of
Mr. James, and therefore no ground for this
Information.

^ Lord Mansfield. Who is in fupport of
the Rule ?— Go on with them one by one.

" Mr. Wallace^ Will the Court give Judg-
ment one by one ?

** Mr. Dunning. Yes, and execute them one
by one. If your Lordihips pleafc to favour

CHAHLBS MACKtIK. 9|

me a few words upon this caie» ib f«r as the
Rule aflfeAs the pcrfon, for whom the two
Gendemen have been flicwing Caufe: youf
LonMhip will recoUeA what has been ftatjcd
from the Affidavits, containing that charge
which is fiipporDcd not by Mr. Macklm only,
but, in the material parts of it, by two or three
other people, Mu Macdonnel and his wife^
and Mr. Kevenhuller Skinner.

*' Mr» SuUer thought good to fuppole thefc
people did not fwear pofitively to the feft, or
at all to it, and that Macklin fpeaks to belief
oriiy of the fads that pafled on the 13th No-
vember laft. Your Lordfliip, by referring to
thofe Affidavits, will corrcft that mifinforma^
tion; for nothing can be more pofitive to the
fads fworn to by the Affidavits, of thofe peo-
ple, whofe information Mr. Macklin (peaks.
Of the fiifts fworn to upon the 13 th of Novem-
ber laft, Mn Macdonnel and his wife give this
accounts ^ that one of the perfons who fcemcd
to be at the head of thofe who oppofed Mack-
lin*s performing the Charafter of Machetb,
and ijpoke moft particularly, was one James,

$6 THE LIFI QF

as he called himfelf, whom they believed to be
John Stephen James, of Bridge-Street, Weft-
minfter, faid James fo publicly declaring i'
thefe Mr. BuUer thought good to reprefent to
your Lordfliip, as perfons fpeaking from in-
formation and' belief, and to fuppofe Mr.
Macklin fpoke from information and belief re-
fpeding the perfon ; it is charged to be James
by Macdonnel and his Wife, but their Affidavit
hardly wants pofitivenefs, in the manner of
making it, three people fwear pofitively, Mr.
Macklin making the fourth. Mr. Macklin
believes James to be the perfon from whom he
received that treatment, and the rcafon for
his believing it is, he has been fo informed by
thofe who now prove it concurring with his own
apprehenfions.

" The Court will now fay what is fit to be
done upon the truth of the Cafe, when the truth
is underftood ; Mr. BuUer thought good, a$
did Mr. Bear*croft, who went before him, to
fay Mr. Macklin, who gave certain provoca-
tions, which, by. their argument, they would
refer to him ; in confcquencc of which Mr^

' CHARLES MACI^LIN. 97

^.amts was entide<l to aft b the manner he did,
^d was not fo culpabk as the reft, he having
! FCGcived very ill treatment from the hands of a
I wopian, a«d fomc friends of Mr. Macklin. —
I If your Lordihip looks at the Affidavit of the
Gentleman, in his own exculpation, and of Mr.
Lucasy your Lordfhip will fee upon what
ground thefc people were warranted, in pre-
fuming that this woman was M's. Macklin.
The ground is this; by the dircftions of James ^
Lucas followed this woman to the houfe, upon
the door of which was the name of Macklin \
Mr. Macklin lives in that houfe, part of which
belong$^ to him, upon the door of which,
leading (p his apartments, is his name ; the
pther part of it is a fliop i in the houfe therp
are various lodgers, and to what part of the
houfe (he went, they have not thought proper
to tell; fhc might go to a lodger there, or
might be a lodger herfelf j or poflibly never
heard or knew any thing at all of Mr. Mdcklin,
otherwife than as being a lodger in the houfe ;
and difpofed to think Mr. Macklin was ill-
treated. But of this woman bt ing A^s. Mack^
Vou IL H

gi 'tut LIFE OP*

lifty there is no evidence, nor do they afFcft to
fay Ihe is in any way fo, as to induce your
Lordfliip to credit, that fuch is their belief.
Your Lordlhip will give me leave ta fay, that
this woman, fo faid to be Mrs. Macklitiy by
Mr. James y was not Mrs. Macklhty and it was
fo far from being poffiblc for Mr. James fo to
believe her, that he charged a woman of the
name of Macdonnel with being the woman who
had fo treated him i he, Mr. JameSy therefore,
fo far from being of that belief. Hands under
the predicament of having found out his mif-
take, if ever there was a time that he really
thought fo ; for this fame Mrs. Macdonnel i is
the fame perfon he fixed upon, as having given
him that ufage, and is ^ot Mrs. Mackliny but
Mrs. Macdonnel \ a perfon who has nothing to
do with it, but the fa6t of being a witnefs in,
this cafe; all the argument founded upon it will
be removed, by Ihe wing there is fuch a mifre-
prefentation. Then^ my Lord, it remains to
Ihew, that the charge is neither difputed nor
denied ; J take leave to fay fo-, notwithftanding
the Gentlemen have faid it is both difputed and
denied j thefc fafts, fuppbjing them to be true.

CHARLes MACKLIN. 99

Conftitute the ground of the charge againft this
pcrfon*

*^ Your Lordfhip will give mc leave to pre-*
fume that, of which there is undoubted evi-
dence, and which no pcrfon is prepared to
controvert, viz. with refpeft to the enlarging of
the Rule for Mr. Leigby Mr. Buller was not iH
advifed — it was not a flip upon the occafioii,
though the Gentleman fays fo — but he has it
from the Attorney, giving him inftruftions to
enlarge it, without which he would not have
enlarged it -, therefore it was no miftake of in-
.ftrudions, but the Gentleman adted agreeable
to the point of his inftruftions j the Attorney,
in my apprchenfion, perfeftly underftood what
he was about when he gave thofe inftruftions ;
I now underftand it, and if the Gentleman had
not advifed he ftiould be defended, they would
have given hinfi better inftruftions. Nobody
will doubt the charge when there is a proof of
a great number of people, fpeaking at a great
number of times and places about it j and Mr.
Leigh has been fcen togive orders, and to ap-
ply that force, and colledt it, which will deafly
Ha

loo T«E iiri or

be found to be the truth ,- atui when not denied
it muft be taken for granted ; and if thaft time
never comes of its being denied^ it appears in
proof, beyond a doqbt> that there exifted in
ibmebody a determined purpofe to drive thi&
Man from the Stagt -, and though the Gentle*
man chofe to fpeak of Mr. Macklin*s appre*
-henfions beiqg growdlefs, Mr. Macklin^nt xhlH
time, as well as^ the dme I ^m, now preffing hb
intx^refl: for the confideration t>f the Court, if
he was m a fituation to apprehend any thing,
muft apprehend he would be difcharged ; and
now diat he has been difcharged, if he is not
apprehcnfivc of being difchaiged, it is cert^
-^e is not yet reftored, and not under the ap-
prehenfion he fliall be reftored. With rcfpeft
to their own fafety, for which no imputation
&lls upon them, if the Managers of the The-
atre attend to fuch behaviour as this, it will for
ever prevent the reftitution and reftoration of
this Man, to what the people have driven him
from. That fome people are anfwerable for
that, I beg leave to prefume, in this bufincfs ;
how far thofe people arc acceffaiy to that de-
sign, and inftrumental in carrying it into exew-

CHARLES MACKLIN. lOI

Qon> and for the purpofe of obviating the fuf-
picion of coUufion and confpiracy, the circum-
ftances arc Angular enough. When I date Mr.
Macklin to be an Iriflunan, he will not be af-
fronted with me ; what thofe others are I can-
not learn ; I have not nmde any inquiry about
it ; but I find a little Iriih blood has found its
way into their veins, or thofe that advife or ap-
pear for them to-day : when the Rule was en-
larged, they appeared by two diftind: clafles of
Counfcl, each reprefenting three, and to-day
the Parties are fix, and have fix Counfel ; and
then they forget there fliands my friend, the
common Attorney to the whole fix.

" Mr. Blake. It is not fo ; I am not Attor-
ney for the fi»; I am Attorney for Mr. Leigb,
and Mr. James's friend defired me to do bu-
finefs for him,

« Mr. Dunning. I don't blame Mr. Blake
for fetting me right : on the contrary, I thank
him : then it feems there are fix perfons ap-
pearing by two Attorneys, and not one,
H3

I02 THE LIFE OF

" Mr. AJhe. I jm Attorney for feme of
the others.

*' Mr. "Dunning. Then I beg leave to ftand
again to reftify my miftakc ; we fhall grow ac^
curate, by degrees, no doubt: then there is
one Attorney for three Parties, reprefented by
three Counfel, and three Attorneys inftrufting
another Counfel to be for the three other Parties.
The correfted cafe then is this, three Attorr
neys employ one Counfel, upon the behalf of
three Parties, who choofe to be underftood
2^ Parties entirely unconnedted with each other ;
another Attorney employs three diftinft Coun-
fel, reprefenting three Parties, becaufe they
.choofe to (hew thofe three Parties totally un-
connected with each other \ therefore, as far as
refpeifts the point of conncftion, it is to be dif-
covered by the Evedentia ret of the cafe, whicji
your Lordlhip fees, with refpeft to Mr. Jamesy
the prefent fubje6t in confideration, is, that he
is underftood by his Counfel to have acquitted
himfelf altogether ; and they have gone parti-
cularly through the charge, in point of obfer-
yation, in order to con^radift it. Give mc

CHARLES MACKI.IN. lO^

l^avc to go through the parts of the anfwcr,
In the firft place, your Lordftiips are told that
this Gentleman went to the Theatre for tht
peaceable purpofe of feeing the Play; perhaps
if he had been fo very peaceable as my Learned
Friendj he would have had no oc^afion to have
taken his wife with him, to keep him in order |
I wifli with all my heart his wif(; could have
done fo the next time of hi^ going there ; but
J cannot tell whether it was that this Gentle-
man grew fo unruly that his wife chofe to keep
out of his way (it would have been well for the
reft of thefe Defendants if they had done fo
too) or whether it was for other purpofes 5
it fcems he returned to the Playhoufe j but
with what view ? Not out of curiofity, that
being fiilly fatisfied the firft night j for thcA
Mr. Jame^ was clearly of opinion that Macklin
was incompetent for performing the Charadter
oi Macbeth ; the Gentleman might haye fup-.
pofed himfelf invefted with authority to form a
judgment upon the merits of Mr. Macklin^ aa
^ Performer, and, in compa,ny with his wife,^
whofe criticifms concurring with his, Macklin* s
performance of the Charter was confidercd,

H4

rb4 '^^^ ^^^^ ^*

by thctti, as worth nobody's while to go and

fee.

'* It was odd, after he had pafrcd this judg-
ment, that he ftiould choofe, whenever Mr.
Macklin came on again, in that CharaSer, ta
go and fee him. This cafe is too ftrong, and
no pcrfon can give this iJentleman credit for
laying, he came on purpofc afterwards to fee
the Play j and when Mr. Macklin came upOa
the Stage, in different Characters, in the Play,
in Sbyloeky and, m the Entertjdhmeilt, in Vlr
Archy Macjarcajm^ I take leave tofiippofe the
Town agreed, that, in thcfc Chara^ers, Mr.
Macklin always had capital inerit j if there is
any merit in thofe Charafters themfelvcs,
they are underftood, by all the world, to have
been exhibited with all their advantages by
Mr. Macklin j however, if it was Mr. y^mes*s
ptirpofe to fliare in the pleafures, what drew
him to fee Maektin in the Charafters of Sbyhck
znd Sir Archy Macfarca/m ? — He was in fear,
as he thinks fit to tell us, before Mr. Macklin
began the Charaftcr, that they would not let
him go oh, bccaufe th^y wanted fotnithliig

CHAKLIS MA'CKLIN. i05

elfe ; tbby wanted an apology, and fomc ex-
planation, and God knows what ; and that*—
which I Ihsffl prcfcntly go more minutely into
the Inquiry of— that fotnething, • therefore, it
was, and not feeing him in Sir Archy and Shy*-
lack, which clearly drew Mr. James to fee him
inthofe Chara&crs, any more than when he
'*rcnt to fee him in Macbeth. Nobody cam
ftippofe, nor will Mr. James wifh to be under-
ftood, that feeing, applauding, or condemn-
ihg the Charafter, were among the objefts
that drew Mr. James's attention to the Play^
houfe. It feems, however, Mr. James , hav-^
ing fatisfied your Lordfhips thefe were not his
pwpofes, has left us no doubt what they were ;
for he has hfed the goodnefs to explain them.
He fays, the firft time, viz. the fixth of No-
vember, there was a talk about Reddijh. His
Affidavit ftates, ' that it appeared to this De-
*poneiit, that there was not fufficient proof of
either the feid Samuel Reddijh or James Sparks
hiffingi neither did this Deponent think a mere
relation fufficient to contradidt the oaths of
them, the faid Samuel Reddijh and James
Sparks i and this Deponent did therefore dif-

I06 THE LIFE or

gpprovc of Macklin's behaviour, by the com-»
mon mode of hiffing.' — What .other purpofe,
if any, brought' him there tha,t night ? Your
Lordlhip fees how foon he forgot — for it fcem§
he hiffcs the Aftor to prevent his going on;
and why ? Becaufe there was . not fufficient
proof to fatisfy this felf-created, felf-rcreftecj
Judge, He tiakes upon himfclf to aft upon a
charge he had nothing to do with ; he had no.
conneftion with either of the Parties; but he,
\n pure generofity, as Mr. Buller tells us^ wa?
inclined to take upon him to j udge of thofe merits^,
he fuppofed himfelf called upon to try, though
his proceedings, in faft, had po relation at aU
%o the merits of the performance. But Mr,
James was fo inattentive to the pleafure of the
Company there, as to think himfelf authorifc^
^o difturb what they might like.

" Lord Mansfield. I am yery well fatisfied
$s to Mr. James — you need not go any fur-
ther. I think what Mr. Buller alluded to, w^s
right; if the application went, therefore, in thp
way he meant it, to be fure, this Qourt would
not encourage complaints of the difapprpbatiot^

CHARLES MACKLIN. tOJ

5r approbation of afting upon a public Theatre
being (hewn in a manner in which every part of
the Auditory has a right to flicw it ; but \fy
from malice, ill-will, or refentment, a numbor
of people are ungenerous enough to take ad-
vantage of the fituation a poor Aftor is in,
being at their mercy upon the Stage, to de-
prive him of his bread, ^nd infult him, not
upon any offence arifing out of the Play, but
from malice and confpiracy againft the perfon
who is the Aftor^ to ftrip him of the means
of living, ths^t is a ftrong ground of aftion,
which may be brought by him. I rather
wilhcd he had — I hinted and recommended
him to bring an aftion, Befides the injury
done to him, it is moft indecent to the Public,
and a fhame to the Police of the Kingdom.
With regard to Mr. Jamesy he don't deny fome
of the principal parts of the charge, and, upon
his own Affidavit, he gives fufficient ground to
' fhcw, with what view, after the fixth of No-
vember, he went there, and with what prin-
ciple, and for what purpofe. As to the Affi-
davit of Macdonnel and his wife, he hardly
gives an anfwer to any part of it. It is th?

19% THB LIFB 6t

clcarcft, fulkft, and moft exprcfs charge, and
he hardly gives an anfwer to any part of that
Affidavit. It is very remarkable in that Affi-
davit, which he don't deny, Mrs. Macdonml
fwcars, throughout, he took her for Mrs.
^acklifti and challenged her with being Mrs^
Mackliuy and all along confidered her as Mrs.
Macilin. He was fo outrageous, fo violent,
and fo mad, that he challenged men and wo-
men. Thefe are ftrong words of this Affidavit,
which are not anfwered by him. But taking
it upon his own Affidavit, which is the faireft
wayi— He goes there upon the fixth of No-
vember; whether he went for amufement, or
other purpofes, he don't fay i but he goes on
the fixth of November ; he fays, * before the
beginning of the Play, Mr. Macklin came
upon the Stage with a parcel of Papers in his
hands, which he began to read, the purport
of which was, topro ve Mr. Reddijby a Performer
of Drury-I^^e, the firft night of his performing
thePartofM?f^^//&,hadhifled; anduponhearing
the fame read, it appeared to him, there was not
fufficicnt proof of either faid -R^^^//& or Sfarks
liiffingi ncitherdidhc this Deponent think amerc

CRARLES MACKi^IN. IO9

rclatianfufficifntto contradifi: the oaths of them>
the faid Reddijh and S parks y which they hAd
rcfpcftively made, whereby they denied it/
and he fays, *he therefore ihewed his difappro-
bation ofMackHn's behaviour, by the <:ommon
method of hifling,' and he fays ' he hiffed th^t
evening/ There it refts for that night. But
how coimes it, upon the thirteenth of Novena-
•ber, that he ^ame there ? With what view,
and in what company, does he come there ? —
Manifeftly for vengeance j not to fee the Play.
*Hc fays ' he went, it being the fourth time of
Mr. MackHn's performing the Charafter/ He
fays, * that as Macklin had not produced any
pofitive proof oi Reddijh and Sparks hifling, as
he had pledged himfelf to the Public to do, he,
this Deponent, as well as others, called forfudi
proof or conceflion ; and, upon that, a fquabble
happened with a woman, {Macdomers wife)
whom he Iwore to be moft outrageous.* As to
proofs and conceflTions, Macklin had nothing to
do with it J Macklin was wrong in faying any
thing about it ; and fluich more fo, after they
had made their Affidavits, to take notice of it.

tlCi THE LIFE OP

*' But he goes on purpofe, not to fee the Pliyt
but to call for proofs and conceifions. Who
was to take them ? was die Court ? or the
Pit ? or the Upper Gallery ? They had not
defined what the conceflions were to be, or to
Whom to be made. Then James is outrageous,
land makes all this work for want of proofs arid
conceflions, that he had no bufmefs to go to
the Playhoufe to alk for. Then he has made
a flip in one thing, which I am fure he was not
aware off — it is infifted there was no confpi-
racy: — to be fure rio confpiracy: — the other
perfons joined in the Rule have no acquaintance
with him : — but when he comes to give an ac-
count, he fays, ' if his friends, that went with
him, had not done fo and fo^ they ihould not
have been able to have got the better / there-
fore it appears that he went, with a body of
his friends,, to demand proofs and conceflions,
by vociferations and noife in the Houfe. After
this he wants to fpeak with Macklim I fup-
pofe Macklin took care not to meet him j — he
was afraid to fpeak to him, as he was fo
boifterous \ but to Mr. Colman he defires to be
excufcd giving him any fatisfaftion about this

CHAkLES NiACkLlN. Ill

Wom^ at all. In confequencc of this Mr.
James fends a challenge, and publiflies it in the
Ncwfpapers. He writes to him in this manner t

^' Sir, I call upon you thus publitly to declare
^' your reafons for refiifing to meet me at Mu
^* Colman^Sy or elfewhere, as likewife who the
*' Gentlewoman is, who firft ftruck, and then
" fet a Ruffian to aflault me, on Saturday evening
** laft, in the Gallery of Covent-Garden The-
" atre, fhe being afterwards watched into your
" houfe, in James-Street, Covent-Garden. —
'^ This I mull infift upon, as I intend then to
*^ leave you to the flings of your own malevo-
*^ lent heart, and the refentment of the much
^' injured Public.-'

" Then, for fear the Court Ihould not be able ,
to perceive it was a Challenge, James takea
care of this,- for he declares in his Affidavit that
Mr. Macklin did not dare to anfwer him, either
In a public or private manner.

" However, this is not a confpiracy. He
fays he iij not acquainted with the particukr

Ill THE tlFl^Of

pcrfons that might be there. There might be
(cores or hundreds concerned in it. Mr^
Macklin fingled out, as well as he could, thofe
he was able to give evidence of. James fays
he did not enter into a confpiracy to drive
Macklin for ever from the Stage : but ftill he
flioulcl give proofs or conceffions before he
aftcd again.

" Now, as to a confpiracy, it is notneccflary
to prove a parole, or written agreement, in
order to make a confpiracy j if pcrfons concur
in afts tjo do the fame thing, that is evidence
to be left to a Jury, whether it is or is not a
confpiracy. You all remember the cafe of
the Gboft. Several perfons were there con-
vifted of a confpiracy. I believed what they
themfelves fajd, when they moved the Court
for a new Trial, that they had not a parole
communication, much lefs a written agreement;
but they- all concurred in the fame impofition
upon the Public, by fitting up the Gbqfi'. I
faid, upon the Trial, if the Jury thought they all
concurred towards the fame end, and, upon any
bad or improper principles, took part in fct-

CHARLES MACKLIN« 1 1 J

ting up the Gbojly that it was not Acccffary
to prove cither a parole or written agreement
to do it i and upon the motion for a new Trial,
the Court was of that opinion* But what is this
cafe ? James denies he entered into a confpi-
racy to drive Macklin from the Stage. But
what did he want ? All he wanted was an anfwer
to his queftion, and an apology for Macklin' s
conduct towards Samuel Reddijh and James
Sparks. What had he to do with Samuel Red-
dijh or James Sparks ? Who made him the
.Champion of Reddijh and Sparks ? Yet he is
defirous it ihould appear that he was not ac«-
quaintcd with them, or they with him ; but
ftill he goes to get this apology, or anfwer, and
will not fufFcr the Play to go on, but infults
the Audience. Afting in this manner was very
malevolent to Mr. Macklin. With rcfpeft to
James i therefore, let the Rule be made ab-
folutc* — Go on with the next.

" Mr. Norton. I am for Mr. Milesj and Ihall
trouble your Lordfhip with fuch anfwcrs to the
charge againft him as occur to me*

Yql. U. 1

114 TH£ LIFE OF

*• I apprehend there is very little proof againlt
Mr. Miles. He is charged with being prcfcnt
in Covent-Garden Houfe upon the eighteenth
of November -, that he hiffed, was noify, and
outrageous, with a great number of other per-
fons, in the Pit, He is likewife charged with
having wrote fomething upon paper, and throw-
ing it out of the Pit upon the Stage.

" What the contents of the Paper were, is not
ftated J fo I prcfumc your Lordfhip will not
confidcr it to be fo ftated. Then, that he had a
conference with Mr. Woodward^ and after that
Woodward retired. I think that is the whole *
of the charge made upon Mr. Miles. He is not
charged with being prefent on the evening Afr.
Macklin afted Macbeth. I underftand there
was a ftrange difturbance upon the eighteenth of
Novembers but he is not charged with any
confpiracy, except what could be inferred from
exprefling his difapprobation at the time of
afting, by hiffing. No fufpicioh can properly
fall upon Miles : on his part I have ah Affidavit
by which he declares he went to the Houfe upon
the eighteenth of November, for the purpofc

of feeing Mr. Macklin a«ft the Part of Sbylock,
sand the Part of Sir Archy Mac/arcafmy in an
Entertainment j in which Parts I underftand he
has always acquitted himfelf with great applaufc.
He fays ' the Audience was very noiiy, at the
time of the drawing up of the Curtain, and he,
not approving altogether of Mr. Macklin's
conduft, 'joined, in fomc degree, with thenoifc
of the Houfe/ So far he admits s but fays * he
did it merely bccaufe he thought Mr. Macklin
ought, after what he faid, to make fome little
conceffion to the Public. — That he did not do
it with any view or intention of driving him
from his profeffion. — In fhort, that he was in
no combination, and had no malice againft
Macklin.' Thus it ftands upon Mr. Miles' s
Affidavit*

«' I apprehend, therefore, with deference to
your Lordfhips, from the whole of the cafe, ic
appears there was no malice, or intention oH
malice ; that Miles went there as a Spettator ^
that what he did was no more than exprefling
his difapprobation ofMacklin, as every perfon
in a Playhoufc generally docs, if they diflike %

la

Il6 THE LIFE OF

performance j that he confidercd himfclf as hav-
ing a right to do it, and if any confequence arofc
from it, by that behaviour, Mr. Macklin may
have his remedy by Adion. But I truft, in
fuch a cafe as this, your Lordfhip will never kt
an Information go againft him.

*' Lord Man^eld. Is the Letter fct out in

the Affidavit ?

. " Mr. Norton. No, my Lord, we fay no-
thing at all about it.

" Mr. Miks's Affidavit read.

" The Affidavit of miliam Jugufius MiUs,
" Gentleman, fworn the joth of May, 1774.

" Saith, That he went into the Pit of the
^f Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden, on the cigh-
" teenth of November laft, to fee the Play of
" The Merchant of Venice, and the Farce of
*' Love-a-la-Modey advertifed for that night y
" and that, on drawing up the Curtain, the
" Audience became very clamorous for the ap-

[

CHARLES MACRLIN. II7

" pcarancc of the Afting Manager, and inccf-
*' fantly called out for Mr. Colman to come on
" the Stage. Saith, that Mackliny habited ift
" the Charafter of Sbylock^ came on the Stage,
^^ in oppofition to the general fcnfc of the Au-
*' dience ; and, on being defired to go off, he
" peremptorily refufed, and, in th^ moft info-
" lent manner, advanced to the Orcheftra, and
** ftamped with his feet, and cof^tinued on the
'* Stage.

" Saith, Deponeijt then undcrftood the re-
^* fentment of the Audience againft faid Mack^
'^ lin was occafioned by his bringing charges
«< againft fome perfons, with whom Deponent
" is, and ever was, unacquainted, and which
*' Deponent underftood and thought appeared
^^ to be falfe and groundlefs j and for engaging
** fome perfons to interrupt the fcnfc of the in-
** dependent part of the Audience, on the night
«' of the thirteenth of November,

*«. Saith, That he was then informed that fe-
" vcral perfons were, by hired people, moft
^^ cruelly beat, and otherwifc iU treated, for

13

llS THE LIFE or

" giving their opinion on the merits of faid
" Macklitij in the Charafter of Macbeth ; and
" finding, by much the major part, if not the
" whole, of the Audience, on the night of
" the eighteenth of November laft, incenfed
** at the outrage offered by faid Macklm
" to the Public, and, infilling on fomc con-
" ceffion being made. Deponent did, as an in-
^* dividual, give his fcntiments to the fame pur-
" port, and without being connefted, or in the
*^ Icaft acquainted, either diredly or indircftly,
'* with any of the abufed Parties ; but merely
" from a conviftion that fomc apology was due
" from Macklin to the Audience, for the in-
" fult they had received, and the groundlefs
*' charge he had made on particular perfons.

" Saith, That he did not, by any words or
" figns, give any fignals to the Audience what-
*' foever, nor did he threaten or menace any of
*' the Aftors j and on his Oath faith, he was a
*'perfe6l ftr^ger to Leigby Sparks^ Jamesy
*' Aldusy and Clarkiy on the eighteenth of No-
** vember laft i and that he neither hired nor
'^ engaged, nor was concerned in hiring or en-*

CHARLES MACKLIN. 119

** gag^Ogj dirc<9;Iy or indircftly, any pcrfon or
** pcrfons to hifs the faid Macklin ; nor was De-
" ponent concerned or engj^ed in any combina-
•*rion, confpiracy, or a^reenicnt, with any
'* perfons whomfocvcr, to hifs, or otherwife
^^ moleft or interrupt the faid Macklin in his
" Performance on the Stage."

*^ Lord Mansfield. Miles does not deny the
chsurge j he does not deny his being acccflary to
driving Macklin from his bread,

" Mr. Murphy. It was .by Miles' s written
order that Macklin was difcharged.

^' Lord Mansfield. Upon the eighteenth of
November, Miles was at the Houfe i he t6ok
part in the quarrel j they all went on purpofc j
therefore let the Rule be abfolute, as to him«

/* Mr. Mansfield. I am for Mr. Clarke ^ fo
far as refpedls him, from the ftate of Macklin* s
Affidavit, the charge is, * that, upon the eigh-
teenth of November (the Affidavit not pre-
tending Clarke to be at Covent-Garden The-

14. ■

120 THI LIFE OF

atre upon any former occafion) he fat in »
Box, one ftory high, over the Stage 5 that when
he made his appearance, he was f^iuted with
the waving of fticks, and a noifc/ Then it is
charged, * that Clark€ made a flgnal to the au-
dience \ next * that there was a hiding and cry-
ing Off, off. That he gave fevcral fignals^
which, from their conftantly producing the
lame cfFed, Deponent Macklin apprehends
were preconcerted fignals, which Clarke fome*
times made with his hat, and fometimes with a
piece of wood he had in his hand, covered
with red cloth; with which he menaced M^f/t-
lifty and called upon him to kneel down and
afk pardon.' Now in that Mr. Macklin \s un- *
confirmed, and it is denied by Clarke.

" Next it is charged, « that he cried Off, offy
and that he beat the Scenes moft furioufiy with
the board; that he threw a Note upon the
Stage, and ordered the Actors to go off; that
he roared out ColmaHy Colmany and defired
him to come upon the Stage ; that Clarke ap-
peared to be one of thofe perfons to whom this
jriot and behaviour was imputable, ' This is the

CHARLES MACKLIN. I2<

whok of tht chai^ againft Mr. Clarkt.^^
Moiklin lumps him with the fcvcral other Per-
fonsj Leighj Miksy and the others j and fajr^^
^ he underftands it was a coml^^tion, by aU
thefe perlbns, for difcbarging him from the
Stage, whence he was afterwards difcharged :'
Mr. Clarice is a Gentleman of Surrjr, lives at
Moul/iyj and is a man of fortune: he gives this
anfwer j * that he never was at the Theatre
either of the four times when Mr. MackRn
aded Macbeth.* It might be owing to his mis-
fortune, his not feeing the Chara&er of Mac--
beth fhine in Mr. MackUn^ as no doubt it did,
if he had had the pleafure of feeing him adk in
that Chara&er, I dare lay it would have fo re-
commended Mr. Macklin to him, that he would
not have been induced to do as he did. He
went to fee Mr. Macklin in the two Charaders
iyfSbyhck and Sir Archy Macfarcafmi he de-
nies he is at all confcious of making any faluta-
tions to- the Audience, or that the Audience
made any return to them j he tells your Lord-
fhips, it is true, ' that he took up a piece of board
with a red cloth, which was in the box, and
diat he made as much noife as any body in tbe

laa THE LIFE or

Houfe i that he ftruck it againft tiie Scenes^ and
flgainft the fide of the wainfcot of the Box ;
that foon after the Curtain was drawn up, there
was a prodigious cry of Off ^ off\ that foon
after Mr. Macklin came upon the Stage in the
drefs of Shy lock ; that there was then fome talk
or difputc between Macklin and fome Gentle-
men in the Pit; that Macklin retired, and
came in his own proper drefs ; that there was
then a great cry of Offy off; that Macklin
was called out to, by a great number of the Au-
dience, to make good the charge againft Red^
dijh and Sparksy for fome offence againft the
people i' and Clarke tells your Lordfliip, * that
finding a majority of the Audience in this, he
did concur in faying Offy offy and hiffing, and
ftriking the board againft the Scenes and Box ;
finding a majority of the audience calling to
Macklin to fubmit arid beg pardon, he joined
with the reft. That he then fent a Note to Mr.
Colmany as Mr. Macklin ftates ; he threw the
Note upon the Stage, which was a Note to
Colmany to beg he would come upon the
Stage to make peace j to 4efire Macklin to
quiet the Audicncc,^ which he was told he might

CHARtES MACKLIN. 123

•if he would beg their pardon i he fays, ' Mr.
Calfnan did not come upon the Stage;' and
then Mr. Clarke teUs your Lordihips he went
away and left the Houfe. One of the Affidavits
ftatesj that he was upon the Stage afterwards,
and Mr. Colman came there ; but he denies
that, and fays he went to Drury-Lane direftly,

*' As to the preconccrtmgof fignals, he does,
in exprefs terms, fwcar, he never preconcerted
fignals with any perfon whomfoevcr. That
thofe Gentlemen, who were taking an a6tivc
part and lead in the bufinefs, flood in the Pit— »-
one was rcprefcnted as holding up a Paper,
Mr. Sparks J I believe, and one was threatening
with a ftick i they were taking different parts —
he fays * that he had no more to do with it, than
there being a noife of crying Off^ he did the fame,
and flruck the place with the board — that he not
only had no kind of preconcert with them at all,
but was a total flranger to them, and never fpoke
to any one of them in his life, nor to Mr.
Mackliriy upon any other fubjedt; the laft thing
he did,, before his going to Drury-Lane The-
atre, was, he met Milesy as he was going out.

124 THE LIFE OF

who (aidfomcthing tohini> but he docs not know
what he faid' — he denies having hadany connec*
tion with any perfon whomfoever— he admits
he certainly bore a part> he bifled> and knocked
the board he had in his hand, which he had
taken out of the Balcony, againft the Box, in
^hich he was : — he fays, < that he had no male-
volent defign againft Macklin ; that he wifhed
Macklin would come and beg pardon, with
which the people would be perfeftly fatisfied :*
'^— if the bufincfs of this Court is to confider,
whether a man hath a6tcd with perfcdt de-
cency upon thefe occafions, I could not acquit
Mr, Clarke, moft certainly; but Mr, Clarke
never conceived any degree of malice againft
Afr. Macklin at any time ; he had no alterca-
tion with Macklin ; he had no other conncftion
©r concern in the affray, than what he has
fttbmitted in his Affidavit, which, when your
Lordftiips have heard read, you will iihd no
ground to involve Mr.^ Clarke in this Infbrnia-
tion : if there is any, it muft be upon the
ground of confpiracy, on the part of Mr^
Clarke to do Macklin an injury .^

I

CHARLES MACKLI!f. 125

" Mr. Clarke's Affidavit read.

« The Affidavit of Jojepb Clarke^ Efquire.
" Sworn the 28 th of May, 1774-

*^ Saith, on November 18th, 1773, he went
'^ to the Theatre Royal Covent-Gardcn, to fee
*^ the Play of the Merchant of Venice j and the
*' Entertainment of Love^a^la^Mode^ and got
*' to faid Theatre before the Curtain was drawn
*^ up, and fat in the Box, one ftory high, over
" the Stage.

** Denies, that to his knowledge or belief,
^^ that, on making his appearance in faid
" Box, he was faluted with three cheers, with
" waving of hats, brandiftiing of fticks, or that
" he received any falutation whatfover, with
" acknowledgment and fatisfadtion, or returned
^^ any falutation made to him.

" Denies that, as the Curtain was drawing
" up, he made any lignal, with his hat, to the
'^Audience, or any thing clfe, to make an
" outrage of hiding or hooting, or to cry ' Off,
•' off. off:

• 1

126 THE LIFI or

*' Saith, that as foon as the Curtain drew tip,
" and two of the Performers of the Pky came on
" the Stage> a great many of the Audience in
" the Pit cried ' Of, off, off,' and the Players
*^ withdrew from ofFthe Stage, and thereupon
" Mr. Charles Macklin, in the drefs oi Shy lock,
** came on the Stage, when fome altercation
** or difpute arofe between the faid Macklin
** and fome Perfons in the Pit, when faid
*^ Macklin went off the Stage, and took off*
" the drefs of Shylock, and came on the Stage
"again, in his common drefs, when he was
*' called upon, by the majority of the Audience,
" as Deponent believes, to make good his
'* charge zgzindReddijfh and Sparks, and to clear
" up fome other matters which he was accufed
•* of; but Macklin, as Deponent verily be-
^* licves, defired farther time to make good his
" charge againft Reddijh and Sparks, and to
*^ clear up fuch other matters, of which he
"was accufed; that thereupon M^r/&//« was
•* called upon, by the Majority of the Au-
" dience, as Deponent believes, to make his
*^ fubmiflion to the whole Audience, by aflcing
" pardon; which faid Macklin refufed to do.

_^

CHARiES MACKtJN. IHJ

^^ and faid Macklin not making good his charge
" againft Reddijb and Sparks^ and not clearing
*' up ihc matters with which he was accufed,
^' and not making a fubmiffion to the Audience^
« as was required. Deponent did, as did the
" majority of the Audience, as Deponent be-
" licvcs, hifs, and cry ' Off, off, off:

^^ Admits he had a board, or falfe rail in his
" hand, covered with red, which was loofe on
'' the top of the Box, where he leant over,
*' which Deponent believes takes off, and puts
'' on, occafionally ; and admits he made a noiie
'^ with faid board, by ftriking it agsunft the
" Box and Scenes j but denies, to his know-
" ledge or belief, that he menaced or threatened
^' faid Macklin with the fame.

" Saith, That faid Macklin continued obfti-
'^ nate in not making a fubmiffion, and the
*' Audience beginning to be more violent than
" ever. Deponent wrote a Note to Mr. Colman,
" the Manager of faid Houfc, to defire he
** would come on the Stage, which Deponent
'^ thought would be the only way to' put an

1^^ tm LIFE Of

'^endto the difturbance; but faid Colmantc^
"fufed to Gome, and Deponent thereupon
" went to faid Colman in the Green Room,
" and defired he would appear on the Stage,
" and inform the Audience, that whilft laid
" Macklin lay under their difpleafure, that he
" fhould not appear again on the Stage, until
** he had made a proper fubmiflion to the
" Public, or ufed words to that efFeft; and the
*^ reafon of Deponent's fo doing, was, becaufe
** he apprehended it was raoft likely to put an
<* end to the difturbance*

" Saith, faid Colman ftill refufing to come
" on the Stage, Deponent immediately left
" faid Theatre, and went to the Theatre Royal
*' in Drury-Lane*

" Saith, he hath been informed^ and believes,
" that faid Colman did afterwards, that evening,
♦^ come pn faid Stage> and addrefs himfelf to
" the Audience; and faith, he never precon-
" certcd any fignals with William Augujlus
" Miles^ John Stephen JameSy Ralph Aldus,
" nomas Leigh and James Sparks, or any

CHARLSS KfAClCLIN. 129

♦^t)fthcm, to be given by hinii faid Jojeph
'* Clarke y on faid i8th of November, at th«
'* Theatre Tloyal Covent-Garden. But, on the
y contrary. Deponent faith, > he was, before
" 18th of faid November, and whilft the dif-
" turbance was making in faid Houfe, that
" evening, a total ftranger to faid Miles^ James^
" Aldus^ Leigh,, and. Sparks,, and never had
" any conveffation with them, or any or either*
"of them, touching faid Macklin, or any
" thing elfe, except that Deponent met faid
" Miles by accident that night, as he was go-
" ing behind the Scenes to the Green Room>
^' to Mr. Colman as aforefaid, who fpoke to
" Deponents but what he faid Deponent can't
« recoiled,

" Saith> He never preconcerted any fignals,
** to be given by him, faid 1 5th of November,
" at the Theatre Royal Covent-Garden, with
" any perfon or perfons whatfoever, and de-
" nies, to his knowledge or belief, he menaced
" faid Macklin, with faid board covered widx
^^red a$ aforefaid, and denies he made axxf

Vol- II. K

I JD THE LIf S Ot

^' fignals with it to make a cKfturbancCj b iatd
"Theatre, faid 1 8 th of November; butad*-
" mtts he had faid board in his hand, and ftruck
" it againft the Box and Scenes, and made ik
*^ noife with it.

^* Denies he called upon faid M&cklin to kneet
*^ down and alk pardonj but admits he cried
" Offj Qffy off^ which feemed to Deponent to
" be the general fenfe of the Audience theft
" prefent; and denies he did, in conjun&ion
"with Miles y James y Aldus y Leigh and Sparks,
" or any of them, or with any odier perfon,
"compel the Managers of faid Theatre to dif-
** charge faid MackHn from his employ, De-
" ponent having no fuch wifh, defire, or inten-*
" tion; but> verily believes, that if faid Mack^
" lin had made a proper fubmiffion to the Au*
" dience, the fame would have been accepted
" by the, majority thereof, which would have
" put wi end to die difturbaace.

" Denies that he ever entered into any com-
" bination, confpiracy, or agreqnent with laid
" Miksy James f Aldusy Leigh and S^rksy or

cHjCikhis MackLin. tjt

^ any of them, ot any other perfon againft Cxid
^^ Macklin, in order to difcharge him from
^* die Theatre, on faid i8th of November^ or
** any other time,

^' Salth, He had not any ill-will againft faid
^^MackliHy but was defirous, as he believes
** was the majority of the Audience then pre*
^' fent, thdt faid Macklin Ihould have made a
*^ proper fubmiffion to the Public, as well on
** account of faid Samuel Reddijh and James
*' Sparks, as on account of other matters, which
" he was accufed with.

" Saith, He was not at the faid Theatre the
*^ 23d or 30th of Oftober laft, nor the 6th or
^^ 13th of faid November, when faid Miuklm
*^ appeared hi the CharaApr of Macbitbi and
"denies he was in faid Phyhoufe on the 18th
<* of faid November, when Mr. Cdman cama
" on the Stage, Deponent having before that
" time left the faid Houfe/'

^^ Lord Mansfield. There is enou^ in
Qafki's AdmiiTion to be fure> he joim with
Ka

X

13^^ THE LIF£ OF

them moft outragcoufly; bccaufc Mackiin
did not make out the charge againft Reddijh
and Sparksy therefore the Rule muft be ab-^
folute^ as to him.

" Mr. Dunning. It would be a pity if the
Standard- bearer did not make one with the
troop, when he held the trophy; he lifted
up the flag^ which was the flag of death*

" Mr. Wallace. After hearing the Rules,
your Lordlhip hath laid down (though I con-
ceive, upon Mr. MacklMs appealing to the
Public, he had fubmitted to their fcntence)
I fhall not trouble the Court, on the Part of
Mr. Aldus } he went there upon this difpute
about Reddijh and Sparks ^ no doubt,, as well as
many more s and after Macklin^s appeal to the
Public, they thought to make him appear in
that more ridiculous, than in any Charader he
attempted to play.

" Lord Mansfield. They certainly did fo —
if they had only whipt him a little, and morti-
fied him, it would not have been fo much;

CHARLES MACKLIN. 133

but when It is carried fo far as to advife the
Managers to difcharge him, and take his bread
from him, it is then carried too far -, and I
would advife them, now the Rules are gone,
inftead of the vaft. cxpence it will be in going
on, to make a reafonable fatisfaftion and com-
pofition, and to let part of the money that
would go ariiongft you. Gentlemen, be applied
towards that fatisfadion, .

^* Mr. Serjeant Davy. I am for Sparks,

*' Mr. Davenport. Sparks is the man who *
went to the Antelope Alehoufe with Leigh to
get a party together,

*^ luord Mansfield to Mr. Serjeant Davy.
Are you for Sparks and Leigh ?

^^ Mr. Serjeant Davy. I am for Sparks,

" Lg;rd Mansfield. With regard to Sparks^
fuppofing him (I have not the particulars in my
mind, but fuppofuig him) to be charged as the

K3

r34 "THI LIFE Of

greatcft aggrcfibr, I think there fhould be n©
Rule againft him; MackHn was extremely
wrong to call in queftion^ in that public way,
the veracity of Sparks \ therefore 1 think the
Rule ihoiild not go as to him.

^ Mr. Dunning. -Your Lerdfhip wiH give
me leave to mention what the Charge is. It
goes precifcly to this point : SfarkSy in con^
currence with Leigby hires people to drive
Macklm away,

*^ Lord Mansfield. Suppofing it ever fo
ftrong, Mr. Macklm was in the wrong, with
regard to Reddijh and Sparks, in appealing ta
the Public j aiid a man who is in the wrong
fhould not come for the interpofition of this
Court, againft another perfon who is in die
wrong,

. ^ Mr, Murphy^ I will tell your Lordlbip how
that matter ftands, and then your Lordf^ip will
judge how far Mr. Macklin was wrong in re-^
gard to Sparks. ^ The fiuft is, that Mr. Mack^
lin was attacked the firft nightji and upon his

CHAlbLBS MACKLIN, IJJ

(itSk appearance ia Macbith. He had xM. been
uicd to that fort of behaviour during forty
years^ and was very much aftoniflied what could
occafion tt. Three perfons informed him (one
of whom hath now made an Affidavit) that
Sparks and Reddtjk were the people who occa*
fioned the tumul? m the Gallery the firft night.
Thenj^ upon the fubfequent Saturday, (it wa3
upon a Saturday he firft applied) Mr. Macklin^
finding all the NewlpaperSj^ day after day,
morning and evening, pouring out the moft vi-
rulent abufe upon him, calling Jiini murderer,
villain, and the moft opprobrious names of every
fort ^ and Paragraph?, defiring the public to
drive Rim fit)m the Stage, if he ever appeared
again i he went upon the Stage with a large
bundle of Papers, the Papers of a week, (as I
am informed-— J was not there, but I think it is
fo in the Affidavits) he faid he had been long
in their fervice, and^ there was his reward,
pointing to the bundle of Papers.of the whole
week, which he held m his hands, full of every
fcurrility that could be infcrted in Newfpapers,
poured out upon him, and Paragraphs defiring
^e Public to drive him from the Stage, and
K4

13^ TH2 LIFE or *

fubmittcd to their judgment, -whether they
would permit him to play the Characters that
night — that he had been informed Sparks and
Reddijh were the perfons who began the riot,
Mr. Macklin agreed with me, that Ncwfpaper
Paragraphs were odious, and it appeared to me
not to be' a defirable way for Afr, Macklin to
refute even Reddijh upon his Oath. He readily
concurred with me j and, as he could not get
people to prove it upon Oath, he was to pro-,
cure the Papers^ and re^ the proof on Sa-
turday,

•^ Lord Mansfield. How (hxed Mr. Macklin
attempt to prove a perjury upon Reddijh j he
charged Sparks ^d Reddijh in the Newfpapers
with having hifTed him,

*^ Mr, Dunning. I fancy your Lordfhip
miftakes the fa6b, atprefent, in favour of Mr,
Sparks i for the point about which thefe parties
dilputcd, was the unfatisfaftorincfs of the
proof infilled upon -, and the fadt to be decided
by this Angular Tribunal was, whether Mr,
Jieddijh had hiffcd ? Sparks adopts the ehargc^

CHARLSS MACKLIN. 137

as for as refpefted him ; ^ but/ fays he, ^ though
I did hifs, which I have a right to do, yet Red^
dijh^ being an After, .it is matter of imputation-
upon him 3 and I, as his Champion, will make
good the charge/ The point to be tried was,
whether they were truly or falfely charged ?.

'* Lord Mansfield. That don*t vary it 5 he
charges Sparks with hiffing, and brings the
proof upon the Stage, charging both him and
Reddijby and appeals in that way; that was
wrong, he fhould have applied to the Laws of
his Country ; and if he would not, he fliall not
come here for an extraordinary interpofition,—
I go upon the ground of Sparks being more
guilty than . any agaioft whom the Rules are
gone, that may be taken to the Grand Jury /
but with regard to' Leigh y the Rule muft be
piade abfolute, as it was enlarged forhim, and
the Rule muft b^ difcharged as to Sparks,

138 TKE UF« Of

ON the Hth of February, 1775, *^ c*"*
came on to be tried before Mr. Juftice
Afton and a Special Jury, when the foUowing
Speech was made by *

Mr. Dunning. — " Mayitpfcafe your Lord-
fliip, and you Gentlemen of the Jury — ^Tliis is a
Profecution which comes before you againft five
Gentlemen, of the names o( Leigh, Miles, Al--
dus, James, and Clarke, on a charge of haying
committed, what I truft you will confidcr as a^
very improper, a very unbecoming outrage
upon the perfon of the Profccutor, Mr. Mackr
fin i aggravated, and made ftill more improper,^
and more unbecoming, from the motives which
induced them to' commit it, and from the pro-r
feffed and declared purpofe of committing it*
The fccne of this tranfaftion wa§ the Public
Theatre of Covent-Garden. I need not teH
you who Mr. Macklin is, his profeflion and
fanip are known to all that hear me, Througlj

CHARLES ATACKtlN^ I39

the courfc of a long life, he has been conftantly
employed in the way of that Profeffion ; in that
PxofeflSon he has earned a comfortable fob-
fiftence, to the fatisfaftion of that Public who
were his patronizers, or his employers, and witK
the general applaufe of all his Auditors^

*^ Mr. Macklin, for fbme time precedii^
the diftufbance which occafions the prcfent
Profecution^ Iwl been employed in the way of
his Profeflk)n in Ireland. He W2^ drawn from
thence hiither by the profpcft of a more bene-
ficial employment. Here he had too long had
an experience of the indulgence and appro-
bation of the Public, to dcfpair of returning to
the fenrice of that Public with their ufual. ap-
probation. He came here upon the profpeft
of an engagement with the Covent-Garden
Managers i he was eiigaged upon the terms of
a falary of four hundred pounds a year, aBe-r
nefit annually, and a ftipulated compenfation
for new Farces, ¥^ich he was annually to pro^
duce ; and, in this fituation, and upon thefe
terms, it was, that he made hia re-appcarance
upon this Stage,

I40' THE LIFE OF

" The Managers knew too well the taftc of
the Public, and they had too much tafte of
their own, not to know, that Mr. Macklin,
in particular walks of his profeffion, was with-
out a Competitor ; that praife I truft nobody
will dilputc with him. Mr. Macklin, though
at an advanced period of life, had ftill fpirit
enough, and ftill fenfe enough, to feel himfelf
equal to other walks in that Profeffion, which
he had hitherto not attempted. He was in-
duced to think that, after he had been fome time
upon this Stzgc, he might appear to advantage,
to .his own credit, and to the emolument of his
employers, the Mang-gcrs. of that Playhoufe, in
the Charafter of Macbeth: — how far his ideas
upon that fubjeft were well founded, we arc
not permitted to learn j from expericrxce, how-,
ever, he refolved to attempt it, and if a fund
of great good fenfe, and of great and long ex-
perience, and if a perfeft knowledge of the
nature of the Charader, and the proper way of
exhibiting it to advantage, could warrant hisi
cxpeftation, that he jQiould be able to appear
in it with fuccefs j I truft that expeftation wiU
not be thought by you a roinajitic^ or ai^ idle

CHARLES MACKLIN. I4I

One. Whether he would have fuccceded in' it
or not, however, was to be tried. The Pub-
lic were to be his Judges. To thofe Judges he
appealed. By thofe Judges he was content to
be tried. He exhibited himfelf to the Public,
forthefirft time, on the twenty-third of
October j he had recently before this afted
in the two favourite Gharafters of Sbylocky in
the Merchant of Venice, and Sir Archy
Macfarcajmy in Ix)ve-a-la-Mode. Flufh
from the applaufe which he had earned, and
which he always earns in thofe Characters, he
fet about attem^pting this of Macbeth^ on the
23d of Odober. Probably, Gentlemen, Ltell
no great fccret to any body that hears me, when
I fay, that when a man thinks of ftepping out
mto a new Charafter, he is underftood to be
invading fomebody's provmce, and to be inter-
fering in fomebody's pretenfions \ it was not
therefore unnatural, as foon as Mr, Macklin's
intention to appear in this Charafter was an-
nounced to the Public, that the Newfpapcrs
fliould be filled, in the way Newfpapcrs ufually
are, with ridicule, abufe, and imputations of
various forts, tending to difcredit Mr. Mack^

142 THE LltZ Of

Xn's firft appearance, and to make it more d3>
agreeble than he had hoped it would have been
upon this night. He appeared again on the
^oth of the fame month, for upon his firft ap«.
pearance nodiing occurred, but that which
tiiiaally occurs upon the firil ni^t of all new
Performers, or all old Performers in new Cha-
rafters^ That fome approved, and fome dif-
approved ; and they exprcffed their approba-
tion and difapprobation in a way, that people
who go to hear Plays, have too much rcafon
to complain, that approbation and difapproba-
tion are expreffed in that place* On the thir-
iieth of October he appeared the fecond time ^
the Newfpapers fulminated as before with addi-
tional virulence, and tMre were appearances in
the Houfe of the firft gatherings of a Party,
for the purpofc of damning this Performer and
this Performance. Mr. Macklin fought it
right to adflrefs himfclf to the Audience, to ex-
prefs his apprehenfions of the treatment pre-^
paring for him, and to implore their protedlion
againft them* He was encouraged, from the
affurance of that protedion, and he went
through the Performance, and that day pafled

CHARLES miACfCLIN,, t4j

t^out aii)r other material occurrence* On the
Jixtb of NevmieTy he appeared for the third
time in Macbeth i it had happened, it feemsj
in the courlc of the preceding night, that a few
Gentlemen had thought fit to difltnguifh them-^
ielves by being very aftive in this difhirbance^
Thefc Gentlemen had been ohfcrved, wd they
had been named ; and they were, it fcems, a
Mr* Reddijby 2i Performer at the other Theatre,
and a Mr. Sparks^ who is the fon of a man
who was formerly a Performer at this Theatre i
and who was understood to be purfuing the
iame profeffion. It was thought^ that it very
Mtdc became men of their profefllon to take a
part> and ftill more to take the lead in the vo^
ciferation^ that is often pra&ifed upon thefc
occafion^ ; however, it might be thought, and
Iprefumewill be faid, as it has been in the
Newfp^crs, and I dare fay my Learned Friends
will be prepared to tell you. fo to-day, that it
is the birth-right of Englifhmcn to hifs and
ckp. It has never been thought yet, I believe,
that Performers, liable to the. fame treatment.
Were entitled to exercifc dieir liberty in the
fame mode i or at leaft, if they had feelings for

144 THE LITE OP

themfelvcs, they might have refrained {torn
fuch a praftice. But thefc Gentlemen thought
qtherwife on the fixth of November ; the
Newfpapcrs being ftill employed, and Afn
Macklin called upon to produce the proofs that
Reddijh and Sparks, had hiflcd, and he was told,
that if he did not, he fhould be expelled the
St^ge.

' *^ The produ(fbion of proofs before that; tu-
multuous judicature, tobefure, was Angularly
ridiculous j and Mr. Macklin muft have been
as ridiculous as thofe people who called upon
him for thofe proofs, if he had attempted it y
he thinking, that the people, which make the
moft noife, are the beft entitled to the appella-
tion of the Public, induced him in fome fenfe to
comply. The people, that had with fo much
vociferation, called for the proofs, continued
to vociferate, and would not permit any one to
hear thofe proofs. The intention was to keep
up a noife, and that would have been prevented,
if they had heard his proofs.

Charles MACKLiN. 145

*^ Gentlemen, the difturbance on this night
rofe very high, and two of the Gentlemen met
with fomething that they Gonfidered as a per-
fonal affront to themfelves j a Mr. Aldus and a
Mr^ James, two of the Parties againft whom
this Profecution is commenced, met, in different
parts of the Houfe, with fome infult and fomc
indignity ; this they naturally, with the difcre-
tion and the fagacity^ and with the cool delibe-
ration of judges, imjiuted to Mr. Macklin, he
being upon the Stage zt the time — he being
the objed of all this noife. He was fuppofed
to be concerned, either perfonally or acceffo-
rily,'or at leaft inftrumentally, in this infult
offered to thefe. Gentlemen. This was their '
idea, or, at leaft, their ftate of it. They take
the lead henceforward in the courfe of the bufi-
nefs, which remains for me to ftate to you. I
don't ftate to you the particulars of that bufi-
nefs J if thofe particulars are alluded to, or
brought into proof, for the purpofe of affording
a defence, or extenuatiofi of their condudt, they
will convince you, as thefe Gentlemen, have
been convinced long ago, I believe (if they are
capable of receiving conviftion) that they were

Vol. IL L

146 THE LIFE Of

by no means imputable to Mr. Macklin, that
the difordcrs of the night were of cowfe fuch
difordcrs, as are produced every night, when
people, who are inflammable, will of couric
grow inflamed. Altercations and manual deci-
fions of thofe difputes will naturally arife, and
it is not to be wondered at, therefore, that they
did arife. On the 13th of the fame month,
Mr. Macklin had the hardinefs to attempt, for
the fourth time, to re-appear in this fame cha-
rafter of Macbeth. There is an obftinacy in
the minds of men, arifing from a confcioufnefi
of being right, and from a confcioufnefs of be-
ing entitled to public approbation, that will not
permit them to apprehend that they fhall not
finally meet with that approbation. Mr. Mack-
lin, among the faults imputed to him, has to
anfwer for a great deal of that obftinacy; the
experience of all thofe former nights had not
been fufficient to deter him from trying his
hand once more in Macbeth ; he tried it, in truth,
to very little purpofcj for the Curtain was
hardly drawn up, before he was driven from
the Stage, with marks of outrage that will not
require a particular difcuflion from me, in this

charlss MAClCXI^r. 147

p^ of the Imfinejs ; for I am not yi^ Come to
die night of the particAiiar outrages, upon which
yoM are to give your judgment. It W4& necef-*
&y for me to ftatc thofe particulars, that you
niig^t be q>prized of that which occafioned
and produced, and of that which difplays and
difcovers, the motives of the Parties, who wiil
appear td you to have afterwards been coUefted
^and joined in it s for it will appear, that, befides
riicfe vagalbond Squires, who, from mere wan-
tonneis, and mere idknefs, run from place to
place, for the purpofe of laaaking difturbances
wherever they come— people who love noife,
and cannot live but in a noife — I. fay, befides
Gendemen of this defcription, you have her«
Gemlemen of another defcription. In the firft
place, here were the friends or the abettors of
Mfffieurs Reddifi and Sparks. In this lift, I
believe, the names of thefe Defendants ought
to hie daflfcd firft J fer I underftand, that Mr.
Thomas Leigb, who ftands foremoft in this la-
farmarion,, and who will Ipcedily a{^«ir to you
to be well entitled to that precedence, diough
in point .of pttrfcffion he afpires to no higher
ra«k iimx that of a Taylor^ is the brother ;in

L2

J48 THE Lift OF

law of Mr. Sparks, and is the pcrfon in whofe
houfe Reddijb lodges. — So connefted with
Reddijhy and fo forward to efpoufe the fuppofcd
quarrel of Reddijb i a quarrel in which Reddijb
had nothing to do, and who was very idle if he
did think fo, or if this Taylor was fo violent
and furious to adt without the prompting of
Reddijb. — It was this way that heigb was
prompted to take the part he did in this tranf-
aftion. Aldus and James, as I told you, for-
footh, had met with fome perfonal ill-treatment,
and were ftill more extravagant in fancying
that it proceeded from Mr. Macklin. They
had what they called a Caufe of their own to
try. I am at a lofs to comprehend what drew
Miles and Clarke into this party ; whether it is
their canncftion or their friendfhip with the
other Parties ; whether thefe Gentlemen are,
or not, in this Taylor's books> I do not know;
or whether they are the acquaintance oi Aldus
or James, I do not at all know. , I am unable.
Gentlemen, to affign any motives for them; you
will find out the motives if there arc any. But
thefe Gentlemen,thusdilpo(edto co-oper.ate,mct
together on the night of tKe 1 8th, which is the day

CHARLES MACICLIN. I49

immediately in queftion^ in Covent-Garden
Theatre. — Before this meeting, I am to tell you
that Leigh thought fit to coUeft a band of Gen-
tlemen of equal paflion, and equal promptitude
to a£t according to that warmth and paflion, or
to adopt his warmth and paflion — men of his
own defcription. You will learn, with rcfpcdt to
Leighy that he applied in perfon to fome people
of his own trade, to folicit their afliftance, re-
prefenting to them the purpofe for which he
wanted that afliftance; telling them that a
certain old Villain, of the name of Mackliny of
whom they knew nothing, and of whom he
knew as little, had given fomebody, whom he
did not know, fome affront ; and, for the pur-
pofe of revenging that fomebody, they were
defired to go to this Playhoufe. This Mr.
Leigh fucceeded very well in his firft efforts to
colledt a party. For this purpofe, he did what
prudent Generals generally do, he deputed a
man, of the name of Archer ^ to aft the part of
lieutenant-General, and he is fentto fome Ale-
honit—The Dog,, I think— to head a Party
there. Another man, with another name, in a
L3

15^ THE tirt 0f

fimikr officer, wa& fent to the Fhcenix Atebeufe^
to coifed aioother Paarty there, Gcmlemco, at
thcie Alekovsfcs Pasf ties weire coUetS^dv forty c^
fifty at one> and an equal number at anotsfaer.-^
There thcfc inferior officers dad that which was
very fit to be done, by way of jjftlodc to luch a
war : they diftributed the Ammionition, dealt
tf\it the P\jri and the Gin, to fit thew for the
work it might be thought necefiary afi:erwards
toem|>loythemin. Thiawas^notthoughtenocigh
— foch of the men as could read, were |^en a
paper to read ; fuch of them diat had eyesy and
could fee, were to take notice of a fignal wtuch
was to be exhibited ; fuch has had no eyes to fee,
and could only hear, were told that^trhiftfe would
be given, which they were to Kften for. The
Commanders having given theffc orders among
the very fpiritcd corps of Taylors, they were
told, that befides all this comfortable prepara-
tion, they fliould each of them have a Shilling
a piece, for the night's work ; and, after the work
Ihoiild be completed, and this old unknown
Villain, of the name of Macklin, IhouM' be
flriven to Etell, thefc men Ihould go ^o the
J^edford Arms and h^ve a fupper. This lyas

the prc|)aration on the part of Mr. Leigb^ which'
Ijehink I 0j«e nearly literally according to my
Inftriff^ons. I don't mean to exaggerate — I
don't feel myfelf at all able to exaggerate fuch
t tranfaAiqn^ Gentlemen, while the Com-*-
m^dpr in Chief, the Taylor, was takii^ thcfe
mcafures, it wqidd have ill become the reft of
this •Corps to be idle ; — Mr. JlduSy in the way
Off his prpfeflTion, for that Gentleman is an At-
torney, was employing his pen to ftir up this
commotion ; he is addrefling the Public by
Jljctten Mr. James y too, was able to write, and
he made the fame ufe of the fame inftrument.
Their Letters you will hear read to you ; it will
not b^ of much importance, poffibly, for me to
read them i however, I Vill read one or two of
theni,, if I can.- Mr. James ^ in the Morniqg
Chronicle of the 17 th of November, the day
before the day of batde, gave this notice of it :

" To Mr. Macklin.
^'Sir,
*' I, call upon you thus publicly to declare
** your rcafons for refufmg to meet me at Mr.
," CoUnan'sj or elfewherc.'*— I do not think it

L4

1^2 THE LIFE OF

ncceflkry to trouble you with a minute detsul of
all the nonfenfe that has pafled between thcfe
Parties, nor for the purpofe Air. Macklin was
defired to me'et at Mr. Colman's. I believe not
for the purpofe of fighting, but that it was
fomething equally as ridiculous, and he did not
chufe to do it. — *^ Or elfewhcre — '*

*' This is a Gentleman-like infinuation, that if
Mr. ColmarCs was not a proper place of meet-
ing, Afr. Macklin^ if he had a tafte for that fort
of fport, taight have met him in Hyde Park,
or any other place.-—** As, likewife, who the
** Gentlewoman is, who firft ftruek, and then
" fet a Ruffian to affault me, on Saturday even-
" ing laft, in the Gallery, of Covent-Gardcn
♦' Theatre ?'*

" Gentlemen, you fee from the word ** clfe-
where," that Mr. James is a man at all points
in the progrefs of the bulincfs. He is a man
that complains of ah infult from a woman ; this
Gentlewoman is called upon to be given up by
Mr. Macklin \ and the reafon of that is, be-»
caufc a woman was fcen to go into a houfe in

CHARLES MACKLIN. I53

Covent-Gardcn, He concludcs-^*^ This I muft
** infift upon, as I intend to leave you to the
'* ftings of your own malevolent heart, and the
*^ refcntment of the much abufed Public."—
Who this much abufed Public are, I have dated
to you : it is Mr. Leigb^ Mr. JameSy Mr. Al-
dus ^ Mr. Clarke^ and Mr. Miles \ together with
the additional Corps of Journeymen Taylors :
thefe are the much abufed Public, to whofe re-
fentment Mr. Macklin was to be turned over,

** Gentlemen, this Letter from James was on
the 17th, the day before the day of battle.—-
Now the day of battle itfelf was ufliered in with
a Letter from Mr. Aldus^ which I will likewife
read to you. Mr. Aldus addreflcs his Letter —

" To Mejfrs. Colmatiy Fijhery Harrisy Dagge,
" and Leakey Patentees of Covent-Garden
" Theatre.

" Gentlemen, I Ihould have been fatisfied
" with the determination I had taken, of pub-
" licly calling upon you and Mackliny the firft
*^ time he appeared on your Stage, had not a

154 THB LiFS or

«* Letter, figned Amicus^ in the Morning Poft
«* of this day, informed mc of your being well
^' ^prifed of the opinion of numbers reipeffcii^
•' Mr. Macklin's performance oi Macbeth j bui^
^' regardlefs of the favour of the Public, their
•' entertainment, arvi lives, you have dcfpifed
^^ admonition, and therefore ftand charged with
•' being acceffary to the meafures he took of
5* filling the Theatre, by circulating Orders to
^' Kuffians, for the purpofe of aflaulting and
'* robbing thofe who fhould dare to difapprove
*' his Performance.

*' I am one of thoie, who, by prcfuming to
•' difapprove, on Saturday evening laft, was
^^ moil infamoufly infulted„ and aflaulted by
" five or fix Ruffians, Mr. Macklin's friends,
'^ who were direded to make their attack by
" a woman in the Gallery." — It fcems this
terrible woman "has beat Aldus and James —
" With her affiftance, they beat and bruifed
*^ me, tore my hair-fhirt — '' As he has a
hair-ihirt, nothing but the fackcloth and alhes
are wsu^ted to bring him to his fenfcs.

CRAAtXt MACRjLIN. I55

*' Tore my hsar, fhirt^ and cloaths, and had
^ preyioofly robbed me of my money and
« handkerchief, and had I not fortunately cf-
^^ qaped, am confident my life had been in
*vdanger."

" Mr. Aldus reafcMis weD; you fee he was a
fittk in a paflion, I prefume^ when he fat down
to write, for he rejoices in that fertunntc
efcape, but for which he had been in danger.
^^ I therefore give you this public notice, that
** myfelf and friends, will punftually attend
*' your Houfe the firft time Mr. Macktin ap-
^' pears"—The offence Mr. Macklih had
given, was, his improper or dcfeftive per-
formance in the Charafter of Macbeth. Mr^
jSduSy you fee, warms as he goes on, or he
forgets that his appearance in the Chara&er of
Macbeth was that which created this afiault
and iiifult ; — that now he is come to a deter-
mination, that the firft time Mr. Macklin ap-
pears, 4n whatever Charafter it may be, that
he and his friends will attend the Theatre,—
" When I expc6k you will be prepared for the
*^ fummons to appear^ and not be out of tawni

r56 THE LIFE or

" and I Ihall cxpeft you to anfwcr me on this
*' fubjeft, and give me that fatisfa^iion for the
*' injury I have received, that a candid, inde-
" pendent Audience Ihall think me juftly cnti-
'' tied to,

" You fee. Gentlemen, the declared, often-
fible objeft of this threat are the Managers j
they are to be dragged forth to this Tribunal,
and the cdndidy independent Audience 2xt to judge
of their merits or demerits. What for ? why,
to judge of the fatisfaftion he was to receive. —
You will by and by learn upon what fttisfac-
tion he was difpofed to acquit thefe Managers.
Who this candid and independent Audiencevfcrc,
that were to form this impartial Tribunaly I
have already apprized you of i they are Jldus,
Clarke^ Leigby and a long et cetera from the
Suny the Bogy the MagpiCy the Pbaniocy and all
the Alchoufes about town, where Journeymen
Taylors are to be picked up for fuch fort of
Services. Thefe are the impartialy candid Au^
dienccy that are to try the merits of thefe Gen-
tlemen, who, by the bye, contrived to turn
this extraordinary Judicature againft a Pcrfoa

CHARLES MACKLIK. I57

who was.no party to th€ Caufe. On this i8th
of November, it remains for me to tell you,
that the Performance of the night was no
longer Macbeth — Whether Mr. Mackliu had or
had not acquitted himfclf well in that Charader,
which nobody but himfclf knew, nor himfelf
neither, I believe ; for, in fuch a fituation, it is
not rcafoniable to fuppofe that he had collec-
tion enouglv about him to be able to judge of
his own performance, Mr. Mackliny however,
left the cafe to be decided upon fome future
occafion, poffibly left it to be adjournedy?^^ dicy
and poffibly never meant again to refume it,
or poffibly might, if another candid Audience,
.inftead of thcfe Journeymen Taylors, (hould be
again coHeAed^ however, that be as it may,
the idea of performing Macbeth was abandoned;
and next morning ufhered in the defign of the
Managers to entertain the Public with the
Merchant of Venice and Love-a-la-Mode^ and
Mr. Macklin was to appear in the Character of
- Shy lock in the one, and of *S/> Arcby Mac/arc ajm
in the other; Parts which he admirably well
fupports; whenever they have been repreicnted
by him, they have been as admirably repre-

IjS f tt£ LI» Of

iemedbodiki the one and in die Other* Thoie
who go to the Hayhouie, for the f^dce of being
enterumed, are thofe wlio go there front the
good opinioo which all the world entertain of
both thefe Per^aiances> and from a wi(h to
fee both thefe Charafters afted widi advantage ;
diey were ofcourfe inrited^ and were prepared
to form the Audiencc> which were to be pre-
ient at this reprefentation of thefi^ two Pkjrs^
but> however, by the preiiminary drcum-
fiances which you have heard me ftate^ yxM
are apprized^ that it was not tl^ pleafure of
thefe high and mighty Powers, coUeiftedfrom sdl
theie garrats and cellars, that the Public ihould
fee Mr. Macklin in the Charafter of Sbyiock,
or Sir Archy Mac/arcafm j and the only Cha-
rafter in which Mr. Macklin in future was to
be fecn, was that of a Delinquent, or con-
demned Malefa£tor, at the Bar of the Public,
who were to be coflcftcd to be judges upon
him, and he was to be treated with the out-
rages you will hear prclcntly were diought
proper to be paflcd upon him.

CHARLBft MACKLiN* I59

ife j • ** Thtfc different fquadrons were difpofed

Jg f to the bcft advantage. The Journeymen Tay-

ie i iors^ who were to aft the Part of Gods, were

rf : ^ diftribuied in their proper region j thofe Gende-^
» ; men of a middle ftatc were placed in their proper

; I place; they were ftationcd in the Two Shilling

i i Galleiy: thofe Gentlemen ofa higher ftatbn^

pardcnlarly Mr. Leigh himfelf^ kd t&e iquadroii
in the Pit i Mr* Clarh's poft was in the Box
over the Stage. Mr. Aldus announced hb
entry in a very theatrical way, indeed, for he
came in through one of the doors in the Boxes,
and prefendy darted himfelf into the Pit.— *I
don't thmk Mr. Aldus' s figure qualifies ' him
well to a6k Ae Part of Harlequin ; however^
he attempted it, and iucceeded in it^ for th^c
are many things which men's vigour and cou«
rage enable them to achieve, which their pru-
dence would have prevented. — He leaped over
the Boxes into the Pit. — Now> Gentlemen, you
will fee how they were ftationed: — one of the
detachments in the Upper Gallery was com-
manded by LegrQvere^ who muft be, I fup-
pofc, a Swifsj ^ it was very fit that an army,
upon fuch an expedition, Ihould be com-

l60 THE LIFE OF

mandcd partly by a Swifs. The Commander
of thofc ftationed in the Two Shilling Gallery
was from a nearer Country— -Mr. Mac Farley
I Ihould fuppofe led the Squadron there 5
jildus was firft in the Box, then in the Pit|
Clarke was in a Box over the Stage; all
things were thus prepared for the Battle.—-
If I could defcribe the Managers, I would at-
tempt a little defcriptiqn of their fituation upon
this occafion. I conjecture, from the know-
ledge I have of fome of them, that they were
all, by this time, trembling alive in the Green
Room J for they forefaw, that whatever might
be the conqueft, or whoever might be the vic-
tors, they were fure to profit little, and they
were fure to be defeated, whoever might be
triumphant : they looked at their Chandeliers,
probably, wiftfully, forefeeing that they were
looking at them for the laft time 5 they looked
at their Benches, apprehending and fearing
that thofe Benches would foon come much
nearer in contaft , with them, than while they
remained in the fituation in which they placed
them. They kept off^ the important fignal
whigh was to commence hoftilitics. They

CHARLES MACKLIN. l6l

kept the Curtain down as long as they could,
but pcrfifting in the purpofe of keeping the
Curtain down, would equally have difobliged
every part of the Audience j and, after they
yielded to the invincible neceffity of the occa-
lion, and the Curtain arofe, then the battle be-
gan. Gentlemen, you undcrftand enough of the
Performance to know that Sbylock does not
make his appearance in the firft Scene. Other
Performers, who had offended nobody, nof
meant to offend any body, came forward to adt
their Parts j they were inftantly faluted with a
ftrong denunciation of this body of confpira-
tors, ^ that, if they would confult their own
fafcty, they had better get out of their reach.*
When this vengeance was announced, they
were not in a humour to flay i they hurried
away, and probably overturned fome of the
Managers in their efcape. That threat being
underftood to go to Mr. Mackliriy he, the De-
linquent, came forward with fuch feelings as I
leave to better defcription :— he came forward
with thofe feelings which others feel, at other
places, where they arc to perform for die kfl
time.
Vol. II. M

i62 tnt Lirs or

" Mr. Macklin, however, came forward-— and
he tried, by all the means that occurred to him
to be proper, to deprecate the vengeance to
himfelf, to excite their companion, and to call
for the protection of thofe that had called them-
felves, or had been called by Aldus^ ' the candid^
impartial Audience.* He put himfelf in all the
humiliating and fupplicating poftures he could i
he endeavoured to throw as much complacency
in his countenance as his features would per-
mit of He tried to make himfelf heard, but
he tried to flill lefs purpoie than I fometimes
try, when fpeaking in an Audience like the pre-
fent. No — hearing was not the bufmefs at
all : — Will foothing do ? Will looking as you
like do ? Why none of thefe things will do —
Well — What will do ? . * Why you old whor-
ing Rafcal, you fuperannuated Villain'— -and
abundance of epithets of that fort — ' you muft
go to Hell i if you will confcnt to go there, all
is well : peace will be reftorcd, provided you
will be the voluntary facrifice for that peace.'
Now Mr. Macklin has never yet held himfelf
forth to perform the Part of Thejeus^ or of going
to Hell i if that fliould ever be the cafe, it was
the <bufmefs of iuiother time — it wa« not the

CHARLES MACKLIN. 163

bufinefs pf the night. It was not the inten-
tion of Mr. Macklin to fubmit to the plea-
fure of this Public in that trifling particular.
Mr. Macklin retired, the clamour inpreafed —
Mr. Macklin advanced, the clamour incr?afed
ftill higher — Mr. Macklin all but kneeled ; I
do not know whether he did not go down upon
one knee : — this procured a momentary ap-
probation, but, as the other knee did not accom-
pany it, the uproar increafed. Mr. Macklin
ftill had courage enough to diftinguifh himfelf
from thofe Performers who had preceded him,
and retreated ; , but he was fpeedily told, that
this was not a bufinefs of words, that noife was
not all he had -to apprehend. This intimation
was given him by an apple, which hit him full
in the face. Gentlemen, you need not be told,
that when one apple begins to fly in this Place,
there arc a thoufand ready to fly, and the ftorm
began ;to be general. ■ It was tinie Mr. Mack*
lin fliould confult his fafety — he did as many
heroes before him have done — he thought run-
ning away was no bad policy, for then he might
live to fight another day; but if he ftaid, the
bufinefs would end there.

M2

164 THI LIFB Of

" Thofc Spcftatora that were difpofcdto fee,
remained for fomcthing to be fccn and h^arc^s
the clamour at length grew diftinft enough to
point out| to thofe within the founds what it was
that was expeded^ and infifted upon — the dif--
milHon of Mr. Macklin was called for : — the
Managers were called out in order to confent
to that difmiffion. The Managers, who had, I
believe, as little tafte for apples as Mr* Mack-
lini thought it ilill right to be fnug, but thought
it prudent ftill to acquiefce, and they called for
the afliftance of one of the Performers firft 1 he
painted a large board black, as a fignal of the
funeral occafion that produced it ; upon that
there were, in large legible white charafters,
thefe words exprefled " At tm£ command
"OF TM Public, Mr.Macklii^ is dis-
•^ CHARGED.'' One would have imagined
that this fhould have been enoi^h. No, even
diis was not enough; * for who knowiP who it is
that has painted this black board and the white
infcription upon it ?'— All this while, Macklin
might not poffibljr be difcharged. ' Let us,
while we are in the moment of viftory, fee that
that viftory be complete j that it be decifive 5

CHARLE9 MACKLIN. 165

don't leave it to chaqice, and for them to tcU
m, by and by, that we fhall have this battle tp
fight again/ The hclter-lkelter people, the
light horfc troops that came forward, they and
Macklin, the nK>rc formidable body, had b^en
routed, but ftill the Managers were Ikulking
and hiding themfelves. ' Let us make ufe of
our viftory with a deliberation, a coolnefs, and
circumfpcftion that becomes great officers,' as
I have defcribed them. They peremptorily
infiftied that the Managers Ihould come forth,
and they were not content with the affurances
that they had received, but they diftihguifhed
a very worthy friend of mine, Mr. Caiman^
and they infilled that he (hould come forth*
Mr. Colmariy with a relu6tance which I do not
wonder at, which in the fame fituation I Ihould
have felt ; Mr. Colman was dragged forwards,
and obliged to make his appearance. Some of
the Benches had began to be torn up ; one of
the Chandeliers had been attempted to be
broken; the mifchicf was inftantj the ruin was
bevitable. Nothing but an occafion fo prefix-
ing as that could have drawn my friend from
Mj

l66 THE LIFE OF

his hiding place ; that occafion did draw him j
out he came to receive the fentenceof thk
Public. He was the Principal of thofe Defen-
dants that Mr. Aldus had made fuch, by his
Declaration filed in the Morning Poft that
morning j he came to know what was their
pleafure relpefting him; it fcemed it was juft
that which Mr. Aldus hinted at in his letter
in the morning ; namely, that he was to give
that fatisfa6lion to Mr. Aldus y for the injury he
had received, that a candid^ independent Au-
dience fhould think him entitled to. This
candidy independent Audienceythought Mr. Aldus
entitled to that fatisfaftion, which confifted in
a perpetual difmiffion of Mr. Macklin. Mr.
Colmany finding that, this was the fenfe of this
impartial Tart of the Audience, as foon as he
was permitted to be heard, repeated that Mr.
Macklin was difmifled; that it was their objefl:
always to pleafe the Public, and their hap-
pinefs to conform to their pleafure, when
they knew what their pleafure was.

" I don't wonder that my little friend did not
diftinguijfh the Public from thefe People, who

CHARLES MACKLIN. 167

faifed this clamour — it was not a momciit for
nice diftinftions j becaufe^ if they had been dif-
tinguifliedj it would have produced fome per-
fonal outrage to himfelf^ and fome injury to his
property. He found himfelf unable to contend
with the ftreamj and Mr. Macklin was dif-
mifTed. This was the purpofc for which this
army was coUefted together} this purpofc
they completed; therefore, when this obje^
was accomplifhed, they are difmifled; the bu*
finefs was at an. end ; the Public went with--
out any entertainment for the night.

^' It may not be amifs. Gentlemen, for me
to tell you, that the way by which this pleafurc
of this Public was communicated to Mr. Col*
man (for ,the noife was too great to hear any
thii^) was by a Paper written by one of thefe
Defendants 5 it was handed about to the reft of
them, and approved of, importing, that the
Public expefted Mr. Macklin fhould be dif-
miffed the Theatre. I pafs over abundance of
minuter circumftances, which poflibly might
have afforded you fome entertainpient, if you
had not too much bufinefs to ^o here to admit

M4

i6t THi Ltrs dP

#f going farther than the occafion requires. I
fiiight have tdld you of two or three other Am-
hafiadors, diipatched by thefe high Powers
within, to the ftill higher Powers without, in
the number of whom, I perceive, is my old
Friend Woodwardy who was unfortunate in this
Embafly ; he was difmifled with the fame igno-
miny that attended thofe who had given the
oflFence. — Of the bufinefs of the day I have
given you the outlines. I muft fay a word or
two more upon what paf&d afterwards ; from
whence you will judge, if, upon thele circum-
ftances, you can have any doubt of the motives
of thefe parties^ and of the fhare they reipcc-
tively had in this outrage. On the aoth of this
fame mondi of November, the i8th being the
day of the tranfadtion, Mr. Miles, who is one
of the Gentlemen that I told you, at the outfet,
I was not perfc6Uy able to account for the
conduft of J— enabled the Public to account
for it, by this account of it himfelf, in a Letter
in the Morning Chronicle.

*' Sir, It is impoffible that I can defcend to
*^ a conteft with an anonymous Writer s yrt, in

CHARLES MACKLLIN. 16^

'^ juflice to Mr. Cdlman, I aflbre you, that no
*' mcflages paiSed between us that evening, nor
" any other, relative, in the leaft, to Mr. Mack^
<f lin : — your Correfpondent of this date, who
*' figns himfelf ' One of the Boxes y* is therefore
'^ guilty of an abfolute faUhood. As to the
'^ part I have taken againil: Mr. Macklinj I am
" ready to juftify it to him, or his aflbciates.
^ Theinfult offered to Mejfrs. Aldus zxA James
«< was a matter of ierious confequence to the
** Public, no lefs than a pofitive denial of a
^^ right hidierto held facred, till difputed by
^« Mr. Macklin:'

" Gentlemen, what that right is> Mr. Milefs
Counfel will, by and by, inform you, I do not
rightly underftand what that right is, for which
he avows himfelf a champion, Poflibly it may
be Mr. Macklin's miftake that he had a right
to be prcfcrved in his perlbn and property j
pofiibly A!^. Macklin naay be told, that Mr.
Miles has found out fome reafon why it is com-
petent to him to deprive him of both. He
proceeds — ^^ It became a queftion, and it was
<^ of importance to the Public to decide it: I

170 THE Liri OF

*' have a right to deKvcr my opinion in a Ri-
** tifh Theatre," — ^Is this the right then that
Mr. Macklin difputes — the right oi Mr. Miles
to deliver his opinion in a Theatre ? I don't
Jcnow in what ftage of this bufinefs Mr. Macklin
can be fuppofed to have controverted his right
to deliver his opinion in a Theatre. ** This
*' became a queftion, and it was of importance
«' to decide it/' The propriety of that decifion>
he declares himfelf determined to maintain
while he has life and vigour ; in this way, thefe
various Parties are connefted in this bufinefs,
and when it comes to be laid before you, from
the proofs more at large, it will, I truft, efta-
blifh at leaft the outlines of the cafe I have ftatcd
to you in the outfet^

^' Certainly I fhall better confult the intereffc
of my Client, by leaving this bufinefs in this
ftage of it, referving to myfelf the right Mr.
Milis contends for, of delivering my opinion
to the Public. — Gentlemen, I do not forefee
that there can be any attempt to defend either
of thefQ Parties, but upon a ground which was
ineffcftpally attempted in an earlier ftage of thia

CHARLE$ MACKLIN. 17I

bufincfs ; and that ground, for fear I Ihould not
have an opportunity to reply, I will'difcufs now,
before I fit down ; and that is, that though all
thcfc Parties, fcparately and individually, adted
culpably'^afted criminally, yet, the cafe is
fuch, that they are not to be combined toge-
ther, or to be affefted with the idea of a con-
piracy to hurt or prejudice Mr. Macklin; for
the injury to Mr. Macklin, as well as the out-
rage and offence to the Public, conftitutes that
criminality which is imputed to the Defendants.
Whether they are guilty of this outrage, and
being guilty of it, afted with a view to preju-
dice Mr. Macklitiy and to abufe the Public, will
be for your confideration ; but, in one Count,
they are charged with confederating to do this,
or, in plain Englifh, afting in concert. To
this part of the Charge then, I cxpedt the De-
fence will be dircfted. If this Ihould turn out
to be the Defence, I take leave, at the outfct,
to tell you, that though I don't prove all thefe
Squires met at thefe different Akhoufcs, or
pcrfonally converfed with thefe different Squa-.
drons— -though I don't prove any previous
meeting, which, if it exiftcd, it is not to b«

17^ 1*HS tlfM OF

proved by mc — ^Men, who come only fer pur^
pofcs which are not thofe imputed to Aem by
this Profccution, will come into the Houfe, and
be quiet there^ till fome occafion Ihall have
arifen at lead to call upon them to be other-
wife : the reverfe of that is the condutSi: of all
thefc Parties, Thefe Gentlemen^ when they
met in the different parts of this Theatre,
formed one body, fcattered and difperfed as
that body was, throughout the different re-
gions of that Theatre. . The Taylors above,
the Squires below, the Gentlemen in the mid-
dle, all united and formed one Phalanx ; though
they did not ftand foot to foot, and breaft. to
brcaft, they formed a body better difpoied for
executing the purpofe for which they were col-
Icfted. I truft that the evidence will be fqffi*-
cient to fatisfy you that they all came to this
place for one common purpofe. If the truth
had been * that they came there quietly, with-
out any premeditation or purpofe whatfoever,
yet, being there, if they abetted that purpofe>
as foon as it was difclofed,' that, I apprehend,
would be Sufficient to fix upon them the im-
putation of ading in concert in this bufinefs s

CHARLKS MACRLIK. I7J

but more than that the Cafe clearly proves, and
Evidence will eilablifli i for they came there
with purpofes hoftile to Mr. Mackljn : fome,
bccaufe they thought others had been aflfironted;
hmc becaufe they thought thcmfelves had been
affronted j two of thefe Gendemen without
any affignable reafon whatfoever, but an ima--
gination that here was fome queftion to be.
tried) fome caufc to be debated, fome tribunal
CO try the merit of that caufe. They were all
collected, and that for one common purpofe,
which was to procure, that which was prociu-ed,
the difmiifion of Mr. Macklin, and that that
difmiffion was to be perpetual*

" The confcquenccs of this outrage I need
ifct pardcularly ftate to you j every body knows,
that, from that moment to this, Mr. Macklin
is kept without employment, and, of courfe>
kept without bread (unlefs his former induftry
had fumifhed him with the means) to the end
of his life.— It is the pleafure of thefe Gentle-
men that it Ihould be eternal.— Then this is
the Cafe of the Profecutor, as far as an indivi-
dual is concerned in this Profecution, who

174 THE LiFi or

/ comes to folicit from" you that proteftion he
has in vain folicited clfcwherc — who comes to
appeal to the Laws of his Country, being fatis-
ficd that you will Hand between him and ruin ;
that you will, by finding thefe Gentlemen
guilty (in confequence of which, the Court
will do what they think proper for the pur-
pofe) leave them out, at lead, of the number
bf his a&ive enemies, and permit him to earn
that bread, that he has been accuftomed to earn,
and to afford that entertainment to the Public,
which the Public have been accuftomed to re-
ceive from him. The Public have a right to .
cxpeft it— he is ready to give it— -and nobody
oppofes him but the Gendemen who now
ctJme before you, to agitate and debate this
queftion ; and to call upon you, as fitting in
the place of this candid^ impartial Audience^ to
decide this matter of right. You will decide it,
and I am pcrfeftly aware how you will decide
it : you will decide that, which is the only
queftion here ; * whether an honcft man has a
right to get his bread by his profeffion, and
that it ought not to be permitted to the licen-
tious paffions of men, and, ftill more, the nui- .

CHARLES MACKLIN. IJ ^

levolent paffions of men, to prevent him ?'—
As I know it is your duty, I truft it .will be
your care, fo to difpofe of this fubjeft, as will
prevent a repetition of fimilar outrages. They
are difgraceful to the place, they are difgrace-
ful to the Public, and bring. upon the Na-
tion at large great imputations, and well-
founded ones, of national favagenefs and bar«*
barity. They have drawn upon us, in the
judgment of all difpalTionate writers upon the
fubjeft, a great deal of ill-founded imputation^
and extended, upon the People at large, a great
deal of philofophical difcuflioa upon occafioni
like the prefcnt. — It is for you to refcuc
the Nation from imputations which are
thrown upon it by fuch fcenes as this. It
is for you, as you regard your own per-
fonal entertainment, as you wifh your own
families fhould partake of the diverlions of the
Theatre, and the Public at large, it is for you
to proteft the Places where they arc exhibited,
and the Pcrfons employed in the exhibiting of
them. Gentlemen, thefe purpofes, all of them
coUefted, 1 am fure afford fuch a call as it is
impoflible that you fhould be deaf to ; for, if I

176 THB LIf 1 or

was to entertain a doubt about what would be
your conduft ; if the circumftances come out
in evidence as I have ftatcd them to you, I
I fliould think, that inftead of addrefling, as I
think I am, a candid and impartial Audience,
(thofe words are to be underftood in the fenfe
Mr. James and Mr. Aldus ufes them ; and to
be applied to thofe, who neither know the
meaning of the words, or, if they do, don't re-
gard the thing). — If it comes to be decided by
a Jury of another dejcriftion^ I am lure you
will pronounce the Defendants guilty of the
outrage, charged upon them by this indift-
ment, and, of courfe, the Court may interpofe
to do that which the occafion calls for. From
the firft to the laft — no purpofes of vengeance,
no purpofes of pecuniary advantages, no other
purpofes, than thofe, which I have mentioned,
ever aftuated the mind of Mr. Macklin, or the
minds of thofe by whofe advice he has pro-
ceeded. So feeling — he muft not be a man if
he did not feel, and not an Englifhman if he
did not expeft, that reparation which, in
juftice and propriety he has a right to expeft.
He has conformed himfclf to that advice.

GHARLB9 MACKLIN. . 177

•fmi when ygu luave done your duty^ by coxp-
▼ifting thefe P^ople^ k will ftill be com-
petent for them to re-eftabUlh Mr. Macklin
ia die fituation from which they have drag-
ged him I to indemnify him for the injury done
him ; and to enable him agun to retutn to a
£tuatioa to. get his bread* All thefe confider-
^oas will come to . he difcufifed eUewhere i in
the pi^eicnt moment^ it is only necefTary iov me
-to ftate thm much of it, from an s^prehenfion>
which I heHeve too well founded, that I ihall
have no other opportunity of ftddreffing you. ^
'Thoie ill-founded charges, with wluch the
^laintifT, I have no doubt, will be plentifully
be^Mittered, as if this was intended for pur-
pofeS of mifchie^ of extortion, or undue ad«
vantage : no fuch purpofes ever actuated any
part of thefe proceedings : It is under that im-
preflion that I ftand before you as the advocate
foe this proiecution. In the early ftages of this
bufmefs,, the Court, with unufual humanity,
tnterpofed between all thefe Parties, and re-
commended to one to accept, and to the other
to perform, what the juftice of the caib re-
Yoh.U. N

178 • TH£ LIFJE OF

quired -, which tbey^ thought proper to tehCc^
Mr. Aldus J with his bair-clotb about him, has
not yet added any of the proper concomitants
with it : the reft of the Gentlemen, without thi3
hair-clotb-^Mr. Miles determines, while life
and vigour remains, to fight it to the la(L
This is the laft ftage, I truft, in which it will
be permitted to him or any other perfon to ad
this outrage. Not only Mr. Macklin^ but his
'daughter, whofe merit every body acknow^
ledges, whofc Chara6ter, both on and oflFthc
Stage, every body sq^plauds, is a fufferer by
thefe outrages i for fhe is deprived of her cuf-
tomary advantage, by the afliftance of her Fa-
ther, in her annual Benefit. Yet, all this ill
ufage has not excited in his mind a wilh to
extend that ruin to thofe from whom it comes.

" Gentlemen, I have ftatcd to you what the
objeft of this profccution is : if that objed^bc
now or ever attained, the Profccution is at an
end ; for it will have procured its whole and
fole purpofe, I will no longer trouble your
patience. I will fit down while my friends, call
the witneflcs. When they have done that, I

J

CHARLES MACKLII^. . 179

will venture to prophefy, that you ydll hear
no Witneffes called on the Part of the Defen-
dants, to contradid: what thofe Witncflcs Ihall
depofc. I prophefy it, as knowing it is the
bcft method the Gentlemen can take for their
Clients; and, therefore, I give them credit for
mking it. If it fhould not be fb, it will be^^
permitted me to trouble you again. My def-
pair of being permitted to do that, will be my
apology for detaining you fo long."

€H9. VI. .

AFTER the whole of the Witneffes were
examined; the Evidence was fummed
up,. with great ability, by

Mr. Jl/STlCE AsTON,

" Gentlemen, this is an exceeding long trial,
and k is a matter of great moment to the Par-
tics ; therefore, I will not fum it up Ihortly,

l80 THE LIFE 6F

but ftatc the evidence as it was given, with
fome few obfervations of my own.

*' This is an Information againft the five
Defendants for making and raifing a riot, in
Covent-Garden Theatre, upon the i8th* of
February, i773> and confpiring to rub, in his
profcffion of a Player, Charles Macilin^ and
in this riot, on the 1 8th of November, pre-
venting him from performing the Charadtcr of
Shylocky in the Merchant of Venice^ and for
compelling Mr. Colmaiiy one of the Proprietors,
againft his will, to difcharge this Perfon from
his employment.

" To this Information the Defendants feve-
rally pleaded not guilty.

. " Gentlemen, in the firft place, you will ob-
ferve, five Gentlemen arc diftin&ly concerned for
the five Defendants J and there is not one 6f them
but what has concluded with an acknowledgment
that thefe Perfons, at kail, muit be convifted of
the riot, and they only want to get rid of the
chlirge of the con^iracy. Now, with regard
to the confpiracy, you will attend to the Evi-

CHARLES MACKLIN. igf

dcncc, and if you ftiould be of opinion, upon thi^
Evidence, that they all aded in concert to that-
one end of driving Macklin off the Stage, and
of his being prohibited for the future, asaPer-r
former J that the black board and white letters
was the fatisfa£tory fentenceto come upon Mr.
MackUuy m confequence of what they did there i
I think you will then have very little doubt
but that thefe Perfons did altogether confpire,
and aft in concert, to obtain this wiflied endr

** In the next place, I will juft mention as
it will occ¥r in the Evidence to you, for I will
ftate afterwaj^ the particular evidence that
affeds each perfon, that it is quite ridiculous
to fuppofe that the quarrel in^he Gallery, on
an antecedent night, between one or two of
thefe Gentlenicn and a Woman that he docs
not know, fhoiild be the occfifion and founda-
tion of making ufe of fuchr expreffions as are in
this Lctter.'r-I Ihall Ihortly read to you thefe
particular parts,

'^ It will appear plainly that was not the end
of iti and thoi^ thefe Letters come fubfe--

iSa THE LIFE or

qucnttothc 1 8 th of November, you will find
they are dated many days preceding ; and the
other, of the 20th, refeiring to a quarrel and
rcfcntment antecedent to it.

- " To prove this cafe, and to induce you to
believe that it is a confpiracy; to fhcw how the
Plaintiff has been injured, they called

" Mr. Garton, be is the Treafurer^ and as
Treqfurerj he was to receive the money, and •
pay the Salaries to the Performers. Mr. Col-
man, the Afting Manager, engages the Per-
formers, and appoints the Plays— the Witnejsy
<w Treafurer, always bad a lift of the Names 4)f
the Perfons tbat^played, and the Salaries. The
Witne fs fays that Macklin zvasin the Lift at 400I.
•for the feafon.

^* That on the i8th of November, the Mer^
€hant of Venice and Lqve-a-la- Mode were to
be exhibited; .that the Witne fs paid him what
was due to him before. The laft payment was
on the 20th of November, and that was
34I. 14s. which was to the i-jtb 4)fthat month.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 183

and th^thchsddire^okSyfrom Mr. Ctdman, to
pay him no farthei: ; fo that you fee he was
then difchargedj and you will obfcrve, here,
that if the quarrel was only to prohibit his aSling
Macbetby there was no fort o{ neceffity for all
this violence andf outrage when he was to adt
Sbylocky in the Merchant of Fenice, and to a&
another Charadter in Love-a-la^Mode. Then
Mr. Mackliny who is the fufierer upon this
occafion^ and who brings this Profecution, tells
yoUj he is by Profeflion an Ador» and has
been fo for fortyrthree years.

" That he was employed at this Salary ^ and
was to have icx)L for a new Farce. — He fays
he believes that might depend upon thefuccefs of
his Piece ; and he was alfo to have a Benefit ^ in
February 5 tj^at the value of the Benefit might
be 200I. or 230I. — Gentlemen, that is not the
queftion herci for you arie not to aflefs da-
mages, but to declare, whether you, in your
confciences; think the Defendants guilty — ^And
you are not to aflefs damages refpefting the Be-
nefit, that he takes in prefents from his friends

N4

184 THE LIFB G9

for Places. He fays hk played Sfykck upon
die 4/A <J«/ 15/* of Oftobcr, 1773, and playe4
Macbeth four times^ on the 23d and the jodi
of OAober> and the 6th and 1 3th of Novem*
ber, before his difixiiffion from the Thcatre>
which^ he fays^ affeded him ^try much, as hd
never met with a difgrace^ like it before. He
then gives you an account of what pafifi^d on
the 23d of Oftobcr; that, before he fpoke a
word, he was very much hifled. And he tells
you how he had been treated in the Papers on
the 30th of Oftober, and how Riddisji and
Sparks hifled him.

<* Gentlemen/ I would have you lay allihat
$ut oftht eajey and come immediately to the
l8di of November, which is tin time when
the particular outrage was c^mmitted^iJm^ i$
laid in this information.

" He lays, that foon after the 18th of No-
vember, when he was expelled, he waited upon
James J and aiked him what he had done to cx^ ^
cite fuch cruel treatment, as to deprive him of
his bread, James went through every attend-

CHAIti.ES MAOKLIN« 185

ance of lus at the Playhoufe> on the 6di of
November^ the 13th and i8tk, and iaid, ' that
b€ had written a Letter^ and infulted him with
feme warmth> and that he had treated hinr
with radenefsy ior not meeting him at Mr. Ce/-
man*si* to wMlch Mr. Macklin faid, ^ Tau^
who could miftake another woman for my wife,
and load her with the infamy oi ftrikingyoui
as you could do thatj I did not care to truft
you with a meeting at Mr. Colman's, left you
ifaould make a bad ufe of it/ Then he animadn
Tcited upon die power of a Gentleman in the
Theatre ; that it was of an extent to prohibit
any Performance or Performer, Mr, Macklin^
fudj ^he did not come to difpute the point of
Law with him, but defired he would with-
draw Ms Prohibition to the Managers, as it
would deprive him of his living, and he did nof
want to go to Laws but that, if he was cut off
from gaining a Jubfijfknce for his family, he
muft appeal to the Laws of his Country.'

*^ James J then, acknowledged the Letter that
has been rea^, which was injerted in the Morn^^
ing Cbronide^ dated November 17/ib, l^J3y

l86 THE LIF£ OF

That letter begins with mentioning his refuting
to meet him at Mr. Colman'Sy and fpeaks of
an afiault in Covent-Gardcn Theatre, by a Gen^-
tkwoman— it concludes thus: "I intend to
*^ leave you to the ftings of your own malcvo-
** fcnt heart, and the refentmifnt of the much
" abufed Public."

. ^* Now I ihould be glad to know, how anj^
fuarrel thsLt fhis man accidentally might, have
in the Gallery, with a woman, has any thing ai
all to do or relates to the Public. Therefore
this Letter, dated the 17th of November, is
Evidence to prove the conlpiracy '^ it fliews
there wzs/ometbing more in the mind of t\i\% nian,
whole Letter I have now read to you. There
is a complaint of a fuppofed injury received
from a woman, who had gone into Mr. Mack-
lin*s houfc. What has the Public to do with a
man having a flap on the face^ from a woman he
quarrelled with, who happened to be in the
Gallery ? Then, he fays 'he knows %duSy he
had a converfation with him, in which he ac-
knowledged himjelf to be the Author of the Let-
ter, on Thurfday the i8th November, 177 J/-—

CHARLES MACSLIX. 187

Gentlemen, this is along Letter : I fliall take
up only thefc two parts of it : It is dircfted to
the Patentees of Covent-Garden Theatre,—
" NotwitRftanding your being well apprized of
*^ the opinion of numbers refpefting MackUri's
." performances of Macbeth, but, rcgardlefi
'^ of the favour of the Public, their En-
*' tertainments, anc^ Lives, •you have de-
" fpifed admonition, and ftand charged with
" being acceflary to the meafures he took of
*' filling the Theatre, by circulating Orders to
*' Ruffians, for the purpo/e of ajfaulting and roih-
'^ hing thoje who fhould dare to difafprove his
." Performante.'' The letter concludes thus :
"I therefore give you this public notice— my-
^'felfand friends will pundtually attend your
** Houfe the firft time Mr. Macklin appears"
—not when he appears in that particular cha-
rafter — *^ when I expeft you will be prepared
'^ for the fummons to appear, and not be out
*' of Town i and I fliall exped you to anfwer me
" upon this fubjedk'*— And fo on. —

'^ It is fpoke of as a furprifing thing, that this
Gentleman, Mr. Aldus, fliould have, a league

l88 THE LIFE OF

with fuch a man as Leigh y a taylor ? Why
Leigby a taylor, capable of hiring people to do
what you have heard, is a very projpcr pcrfon
to be employed in fuch a buiinefs. *

*^ Then Mr. Macklin goes on to give you an
account of what paflcd upon the litbo/No^
vember. I have* pajfed oiksr the reft — for the
1 8 th is the time that is material tQ attend to.
He fays, ^ that before theCurtain was drawn up,
he heard a great acclamation among the Au^
diencey that he faw Aldus come out of the
front Box, into the Pit j and he was received
widi various kinds of applauje.^ " The next re-
markable incident is — * The Defendant Clarke
came into the Box, over the Stage Door, next
the Scenes. Ujpon his appearance there was
an applaufe of the fame fort as when Aldus ap-
peared. When the Curtain drew up, or rather
before, there was a Chorus of " No Play, no
Play — Offy off.*' This came chiefly from the
Pit. The ASorSy he faysf were quite ftlent :
it was in vain for them to attempt to /peak : but
they m^e a kind of Iham jE^r/, or Addrejsy
yfed upon thofe occafions i being unwilling to

CHARLES MACKLIK. I89

leave the Stage, till they vfttt forced ,' — then —
' the tumult ran very high. Mr. Colman faid to
him behind the Scenes, " go on ;" he expoftu-
latcd with him — ** What fignifies (fays Macklin)
my going on with this noife j I cannot be heard i
iufy if you infift upon it, I will.'* The moment
he appeared, if the uproar could be heightened,
jt was. As the fcenc continued, he faw jiUus in
the Pi// Jam^sm the Pit, in xht front Row j Miles
iathc front Row; JL^/fMnthcPit; and, hearing a
clamour behind him, he obfcrved Clarke in
a Box over the Stage Door ; and there were a
great many Apples thrown upon the Stage j
and, as he knew James, he Ifcooped down to
him, and f^d, " Sir, will you hear me ?" Now
what does James do upon this ? Why, upon
that application, he, with great rage, fays,
*' Off, offy off.*' And he and his companions
flourifhed their flicks at him, and pointed at
Mm, and reached at him over the Orchcftra,
for he ftooped down over, as far as he could,
and if he* had not made his retreat , he would
have htttifhuck by him' He fays, * he dejired
to know of James what they wanted ; James
fpokc in the lame rcfcntful manner,— *^ the wo-

190 / THE LIF£ or

" man — the woman — I want the woman." Now
were the whole Audience to be difturbed about
z quarrel between James and a woman ? What
has Macklin to do. with that ? Xhis woman.
they could eafily have known, if it was Mrs.
Macklin i a woman that has fhewn her face on
the ftage ; fo that is all a pretence beyond a
doubt : he kneeled down to get nearer y and faid>
' I cannot diftinguifh well what you Jay y but put
it on paper, and I will obey it, or give you an
anfwer i or words to that effedt. Upon this,
he applies to his aflbciates near him j a Gentle-
man, I think Chapman y fiirnifhed him with a
pencil and a card ; he thinks James Kd Chaf-^
man write, but whether he dtftated to him,
there was fuch a noife, it was impoflible for
him to tell. The card was given him, and is
lofty fo the contents of it are not known, except
when we come to Chapman^s evidence, who
mentions what was wrote upon it : in ' ihort, it
was that Macklin waf to ajk pardon. Upon
reading this card, Macklin afked him upon
what he founded his commands ? Now, here
again, there is nothing faid about the woman ;
no anfwer is given but '^ Offy offy down upon

CHARLES' MACKLIN. Ijl

yotir knees.'* You fee how abfurd this fort
of defence is: "down upon my knees, for what ?"
What, fuppofe it had been his wife that had
hit him a flap on tbeface^ was Macklin to go
upon his knees before all this oDmpany ? ' What
had they to do with it ? He fay^^ * I inftfted I
would not down upon my knees. The Peo-
ple called out M/i<r^//», Macklin i ipeak to the
Houfe i then, with his arms lifted up, in the
manner he dejcribed^ he applied to the GaHery j
but fliU the noiie continued : then he extended
bimfelfm the manner he Jhewed youy and ad-
drejfed himfe^ to Leigh and Aldus } the outrage
was then quite in the extreme, and thty want-
ed him to ajk pardon^ and kept up the clamour
ftill, Offy off',' then he tells you ^ he applied
to Miles y whofet in the firft or fecond row
next the Orcheftra : he ftarted up and menaced
him with his ftitky accompanied with every
mark oi anger y and faid, " You're a Villainy
you're a Rajcaly you're a Scoundrel \ offy off,"
then James called to him in fevere terms, " get
*' off, pull off your dre/sy your Shy lack's dre/s."

Ipft THE LIPS 6P

" He fays, ' in order to conciliate thefc (?«f-
tlemeny he went zaApuWdeffhis drefs^ and put
on bis owh clothes, and then returned ; that then
the outrage was great indeed. In that condi-
tion he remainec^fome time: but, being pelt-
ed and hit widi an ^ple in the face, which came
from fome body in the fecond row in the P«#,
Vfiioftooped^fttY they threw ity he took up the
apple 3ndjhewedit to the Audience.* tie (ays,
' ht knew the perfon who threw it ; that it was
not one of the Defendants/

" Now, Gentlemen, you will hear what Clarke
did* ' With a vwcc very diftinft, he called Offy
■offy fend in Colman ; that he had a rail of
the box upon which People lean, which he
broke off, in his hands, with which he beat the
fcenc violently ; that when he approached him
he faid Offy affy and menaced him widi
the rail, which was covered with a red doth ;
he attempted to be heard ag^, but, fearing
to incenfe him too much, he retreated/'

" The , next thmg he remembers was Qlarke
calling to Mr. Colman . to come on, and he
threw a piece of paper on the Stage, and called

to die A£tors about the Scenes to take it up^
One of them took it up, and carried it behind
the Scenes: what became pf it afterwards he
does not know<

^'ThenBENSLEY and Woodward camconi
and addrcfled the Audience, but what thcj faid
he could not tell, becaufc of the noifc. He faw
a Paper brought in by Woodward, from the
Pit 1 he faw that Paper in the hands of MiUs -,
one faid, he did not know whether the Paper
was flung back a^in^ From what others have
laid, it was handed to different people to look
ati Miles took out a pencil and wr9te upon
it i he faw the Paper handed about, firJl to-
wards James y then to Aldus ^ndLeigby towards
the middle of the Pit j then it came back to
Miles. They all feemed to read itj Miles
folded it up and threw it on the Stage, and
Woodward took it up and carried it in. Thei\
another Aftor brought this Black Board that
had the infcription in large white Chara&crs,
which fccms to be the fentence they had ob-
tained : — ^ yf/ fhe command of the PubHc, Mr.
Macklin is difcharged from the TheatreJ'

Vot. 11. O

194 '^^^ ^'^^ or

This was what they were to obtain— hot the
woman. This board, fo exhibited, was turned
to every part of the Houfe. Then there was
a murmur of applaufe $ that was what they
wanted ; but there was a clamour for Mr. Col-
man iliH. Two or three Gentlemen came from
the Boxes, and fsdd> 5 that the Audience was
in great ferment, and that great damage would
be done to the Theatre, if Mr. ColmM did ndt
go on/ Upon which, he went in, and faid,
' That ever fmcc he and his fellow Proprietors
had had the dommion in that Theatre, they had
made it their ftudy to pleafe the Public, and
obey their Commands, as they would upon the
prefent oceqfion/ Upon ibis there was a great
Applaufe \ — ^he then put the queftion — ^ Is it
your pleqfure Mr. Macklinjbould be diJchargedV
He, the Witnefs, fays, he heard a great many
Ayesy and he i^OM^tJome Noes. Then Mr.
Colman faid, * Mr. Macklin is difcbarged.*

'* Upon this there was* another applaufe. —
Mr. Colman told the Audience ^ he had no
oAer Play to fubftitute in its place but " She
Stoops to Conquer y'\ which they would not ac-

CHARLES MACKLIN. I95

cept ; and there feems to have been an end ojf
the bufincfs.

*« Then there is a Lc.tter read m the Morning
Chronicle of Itfovcmbcr aid, which he tells
you Miles avowed ; though it is in the Newf-
paper of the aid, the Letter is dated Novem-
ber loth. One of the Claufes runs thus — " jis
«^ to the part I have taken againft Mr. Macklin^
^* I am ready to juftify to him or his aflbciates.'*
NoWi Gentlemen, this is an avowal of all that was
done. " The infult offered to Mejfrs. Aldus
*' and James was a matter of ferious confe-
.*^ quence to the Public j no lefi than a poArivc
^^ denial of a right hitherto held facred till dif-
*• putcd by Macklin : it became a Queftion, and
^* it Was of importance to decide it. I have a
** right to deliver my opinion in a Britifh The*
** atre, and, while I have life and vigour, I will
** maintain that right**' You obfcrve. Gen-
demen, here is nothing of the affair of the quar-
rel in the Gallery— that is all a Pretence : the
Rigbty i fuppofe, he means, is of prohibiting
Performers or Performances, which is the lan-
guage he held with Ma4!klin, in a converfatioii
O2

196 TH£ LI^£ or

he entered into with him before the Profocii«
tion> in order to make up matters with them -,
fo that thefe three Letters are very ftrong evi-
dence againft thefe Ferfons^ of their having
fome* pre-concerted defign to prejudice the
Profecutor with fomebody, and if they would
join with fuch a man a$ Leigby who, beyond
.all doubt, as you will hear prefently, has been
confpiring to ruin this man, why they that aft
in concert with him will involve themfelves in
the fame crime, and muft take the confequencc
of it. And no fmall one does it feem to me, —
For, to have a Place, which is for the public
recreation and amufcment of all rational peo-
ple, turned into a fcene of riot and confulion^
is fhameful » and it is abfolutely a difgrace
diat it ihould be tolerated in this country. He
lays, then, * he was paid up by Garton to No-
vember.' He is crofs-examinedyandjaysy ^ thai
hi has not received awf Salary ^ nor has been per-
mined to flay fince the iZtb of November y but
has often Solicited it ',' and be gives you a very
f articular inftance ofity and it muft be known by
the Managers if it is truth or not% for he was re*
fufed by Mr. Colman to flay for his Daughter's

CHAHLliS MAGKLIN. IgJ

Benefit, though he fays he would have rifqued
every thing for it-, for he was told it woiddfre--
judia his Caufe > butyfaid he, " I cared not for
*' thaty I would have rifqued every thing to have
^^fervedmy chiW* Then he comes to a con-
verfarion with James and JlduSy two of the De-
fendants 5 he yf2^itdi M^OTi. Aldus y in order to
avoid a profecution, and requefted that he and
/the other people that he thought Delinquents,
would apply to Mr. Colman to have him rcin-
ttatfed. The anfwcr from Aldus was, * that
what he had done was confiftent with the li*
berty of an Englifliman in a Theatre, and, if he
thought himfelf aggrieved, the Courts of Juf^
tice were open to him,' — Upon this, Macklin
faid to him, * perhaps you are warm ; I will give
you fome time to refled: on the bufinefs, and
cool; for,, in my opinion, you have not done
what the law 'Will fupport you in.' To this he
faid, ^ no Managers would dare to engage him;
and if they did, the Public would neycr fufFcr
him to a6t after a Profecution:' — fo, in fhort, it
is fetting up fuch a jurifdiftion over one of thcfe
Xicenfcd Houfes, that it puts it out of the

03

I9t 'I'HE LIFE or

Managers' power to do ^atthey would i and
it deters people^ of any fort of decency, and
who pay regard to their perfons, from going,
to places of this fort> while fuch irregularities
and confufionare tolerated. — He left him, fay-
ing, ' he hoped he would refled upon it,' and
promifed that he would call upon him ag^ :
he did not care to- call upon him again, but
wrote him a letter. Then he comes to his
converfation with JameSy which was after the
1 8th of November, and near December: it
was at jAM£is's lodgings. They were alone
fome part of the time, and Ibmc. part of the
time Mrs. James Was with them. The con-
verfation was nearly fimilar to the converfa-'
tipn with the other Gentleman i but he adds
this particular — ' that James did infill upon a
right to prohibit Performances or Performers
in a Theatre i not any thing about the woman;
* that \( Macklin was aggrieved, he might take
his remedy, and that he would anfwer him at
any time' — ^and a difpute about the right o{
hiding was agitated fome time: — they were a
confiderable time together. Before this Pro-
fecution, he like wife fcnt to Leigh y the Taylor;

CHA&]LK$ MACKhlK. 299

buta$ thatwa$ anembafiy^ and he was not
there himfelf, he could ^ve no account of
that, — therefore I Hopped him.

'^ Upon another crofs-examipation, he fays>
' that there h^ been inveftiyes thrown oiifi
agaidt him before hi^firft Peiibrmance, but
nothing like what he met with a&er :^-he ha4.
he^d of KedMfli and Sparks having hifled hiqi
upon the 30th of OAober, and had charged
them with it in the Playhoufc. Two Affi-
davits had been in the Newfpapers, figned with
their Names, but he did not charge them with
perjury in the Paper \ but his anfwer was, that
he did not intend troubling the Audience with
apy proofs i but, if they dcnjanded them, they
ihouldhaye them;'-— that was whathe faid upon
the occafion. Now, this talking about the
affair of Sparics andRsooisH, as if this was
upon account of that quarrel, is all like the
talking about the quarrel with the woman in
&e Gallery; it has nothing to do with this:-^
here is a fettled, abfolute refolution to have
this man prohibited as a Performer, carried ii|
O4

ftOO THE LIFE OP

concert into execution, by a variety of people}
and therefore, their confpiracy, and their unit-
ing to obtain that^ is to be evidenced by the
afts they do at that one time, and by the whole
complexion of the cafe, as taken together that
nighty at the Playhoufc. * He was, he fays,
advifed) likewife, not t0 go upon the Stage on
the joth-^he aflccd Mr. Younger if he knew
where the Manager was ; he faid at home, he
believed, but he did not know; and he defired
him to go to the Manager, as he was afraid of
being infulted: — he faid the time was toofliort,
fo he did go upon the Stage.' This was upon
the 30th — we may pafs that over. — He fpoke
to his privilege of giving orders, — for what ?
not for pcrfons to hifs and abufc himfclf— if
any orders were given, they were to his friends
to goto the Theatre, either to oppofc, by
force, or to look (harp out who the people
were, that were infulting and ufing him ill.
As Mr. Dunning faid, I fhould have thought it
a very prudent thing; ^ I am attacked by thefc
people ; my bread is at ftake \ and do you, my
friend, fit in fuch a corner of the Houfe, and
you in another;' for as they ranged themfclye^

CHARLES MACKLIN. 20I

in different parts of the Houfc, to appear the
v<»ce of the whole Houfc, thefe people might
have had their eyes about them, to fee who the
people were that fo infiilted him,

** I do not fee that any thing arifes upon the
crofs^examination for ^ames, Miles, or Clarke,
that is material to the prefent cafe. Now,
about tracing after the woman':-— his name was
upon the door:— he is alked,whcther he pledged
himfelf to give proofs of Reddijh and Sparks
hifling him :— he gave die anfwcr that he did be-
fore: — he faid, ^ that their behaviour was very
unbecoming Aftors ; and, if he had time given
him, it would be proved :' — that was all he faid
as to that. As to Clarke, ^ he thinks, that he
^id not leave the Houfe till Mr. Colman came
on ; but, as to that, he will not fwear to it.* He
faw him in the Box, and faw him do thefe
things ; therefore, what time he left it is to-
taUy inimaterial. ' He met him behind the
Scenes afterwiirds, he thinks, but is not fure,
and did not know whether he was behind the
Scenes before Mr. Colman went on or no.* —
This is the evidence Mr. Macklin ha$ given.

a02 THB l«IFX OF

^' William Jowis iscallcdi who ttjik jpon,
^ that he was at the Antelope Alehoufe> inWhifir
Horfc Yard, Drury-Laoc, where he faw Leigk
upon the 17th November^ in the afternoon,
about four or five o'clock i and there were five
or fix more people there/ He fays, * he is an
hofier. Leigb aiked him| and the refl:» if they
would go to the Play the next night:, they
aiked upon what ternary for they could not af<t
ford it : he faid, he would treat them alii or a;^
many as would go : they were to meet at the
Bedford-Head Tavern, and there to inquire
(or X.eigh's room; and if this Witnefs could fend
fome friends in Uic City, he would pay for all
them like wife. Their bufinefs was to go and
fupport him, againfl Macklin, ^ I^b told
him the next mbrping,* — This n>an went into
the City, he s^cd fome friends, and gave them
diredions to call for a room and wine— they
had 3s. a piece given, them, at the Antelope, tp^
go into the Pit.

" As they were going tQ the Bedford-Head,
they met Leighy in Taviftock-Strcet, who faid
* he was going to the Antelope to bring fonjc

CHAALSS MACKtIN. aOJ

more Gcndcmcn/ They went to the Bedford*
Heady and met eight or ten there<<-*he did not
count theoij but fpeaks within compafs^-^then
Sparks produced a Paper he meant to read in
the Pit : they met another Gentleman going
down ftairs — they all went to the Playhoufc in
Co vent-Garden. Leigh faid he would pay him
next day, not having filver ; but he few him
give money to eight or ten, to pay for their ad-
miffioni and as Leigh went out, he feidhe would
pay the reckoning when he came again. The
converfetion with Leigh was, that Macklin had
offended Sparks^ Leigh's brother-in-law. When
they were in the Theatre, he cdled for Mack-
Jin feveral times, and behaved in a very riotous
manner, and bid Macklin go down upon his
knees. — This Witnefs few the Paper handed
from the Stage, and few it in feveral hands ;
fo that he confirms Macklin' s evidence, though
he does not know the hands into which it went,
but he few that Paper that was handed from the
Stage in feveral hands, and a Gentleman, that
they catted Mdusy came over the Boxes into
the Pit : that is not a very proper way I be-
lieve of coming into the Pit. He few a Paper

204 '^^^ ^''^ ^^

coming from a Gentleman, that waved a red
board up in the Box over the Stage, but he
did not know who ht was. Then he fays,

* Macilin defircd him to go to Leigh," to fee if
he would bring Macklin upon the Stage againj'
that Leigh faid, * if he would beg his brother-
in-law's pardon, he would endeavour to get
him upon the Stage again, not elfe : that, till
Macklin afked pardon of his brother, he fliould
not play upon an Englifh Stage again.* He
fays, * he does not keep a fhop now, and fays,
that Leigbizx in the Pit, upon the right-hand.'

*^ William Burke is the next witnefs. He fays,

* that between the hours of five and fcvcnin the
afternoon of the 17th of November, he was at
Mr. Renoe*s\io\xi^, in Great Suffolk Street:' he
fpeaks of a converfation that paflfcd with Renoi
and the Defendant Leigh.

*^ Leigh invited them to attend upon him to
Covent-Garden Playhoufe, to hifs, confute, and
crufh into the earth, a Villain and a Murderer^,
who had murdered a man about a wig, which
he explained to be Macklin ,- that thcfe peopk

CHARLES MACKI-IK* SIO^

faid they would oblige him upon any occafion
that was approvable> but would not go upon
iuch a bufinefs as that. Leigh faid they Ihould
be at no cxpence— he had got fcveral other
people^ that .he had prepared, that would be
.in the Pit ; that he had hired forty hardy fel-
lows, which they would have in the upper part
of the Houfe ; and, to complete his dcfign, he
further obfervcd, that he would prevent Mack^
lm*s performing upon any Stage in England.' — ^
The Witnefs fays, ' he is now a Gentleman's
Servant : he was out of place at the time he
fpeaks of, and lodged in Charlotte-Street ; and
he fays he has not fcen Leigh fince he wa^ at

" Mr. Renoe, the father, fays, ' that Leigh
^called upon him one night — he did not fee
Burke there then-— that Leigh alkcd his fon and
him to go to the Play ; that Macklin had af-
fronted his wife^ and fome young Gentleman j
that Leigh and his Company were to go and
hifs Macklin.' Now if they went only with an
intention to hifs, and carry that on further,
theyarcguilty of the whole that the Witqcft fay^-

^o6 THE LIFE or

I undcrftood it was to prcvcfit this man's per*
forming.' His fon, he fays, told him ^ Burke
was in the paffage/ What his fon told him is
not evidence : that is only to (hew you that It
is not an invention of Burke, but that he was
at that place. They faid, ' they would not go
to the Play upon any fuch purpofc as Leigh
propofed/

" Samul Conno was invited at the Antelope.
Leigh declared that he had a great antipathy
to Macklin ; he underftood that he was to go
to hifs him 5 he was to be paid three (hillings by
Leighy who had told the Company, that who-
ever chofe to go, it fhould not coft them an
halfpenny. Leigh invited his friends to meet
him upon the i8tii, at four in the afternoon.
Upon the 17th he gave a general invitation to
thfi Company $ he was one that was to go, but
he did not like it. Upon the 18th, in the af-
ternoon, he folicited the Company prefcnt
i^n to go to the Bedford<-Head. ' I did not
chufe to go to hifs a man that I did not know,
nor that ever injured me: — he was very pref-
&ng s !> did go with him, and he put three

CHARL£S MACKtIN. ^ 107

fliillings into riiy hand, to pay for my admif-
fion.* When he cAme to the Bedford-Head,
th<ry met the Gentlemen coming down ftairs*
Leigh^ faid to the Mafter of the Houfe, ' I will
pay the reckoning when I come back' — This
man was in the Pit- Leigb faid, in the Play-
houfe, and before he went to it, ' that Macklin
fhould go down upon his knees, and beg his
brother's pardon, or not perform/ When the
Cuftatn was drawn up, there was a general cry
• Q^ off" — calling for Macklin — there 1;^s a
prodigious confufion in the Houfe, fo that
Macklin could not be heard, nor any one elfe.
A Gentlenian, called Aldus, came through the
Boxes into the Pit, but the Witnefs does not
know him. He gives you the fame account of
the bl»:k board as the other Witnefs. He
fays, * it was entirely owing to Leigh and hk
friends, he wa^ fure it was, that this Play was
not permitted to go on.' He fays * he has known
Leigh muty years.' He fays ' he did hifs in the
Playhoufe, he thought it improper, and was
afliamed of it.'

208 ^ > THE tIFE Of

** Edward Timperon fays, ' Leigh a{>plied td
him on 1 8 th of November, to go to the Play, and
he would treat him* He refufcd, ^or he under-
ftood he was going to hifs Macklin. Leigh had
talked of it the night before, and the whole
Coinpany prefcnt knew it, that he would make
his promife good to Sparks^

" John Archer is the next Witnels. He is
Foreman to Leigh \ he was at the Apple-Tree^
inWhite-HorfeYard, DruryLanc. He went
to get ten or a dozen men to go to the Play
to hifs Macklin. Leigh paid for their going*
He got eight or nine, at a Beer-Cellar in
Suffolk-Street, and went with them to the Play.

" William Lomdon fays he was at the Beer-
Cellar, and had four pints of beer there. This
Witnefs was in the Gallery. Leigh gave them
a fhilling a piece. When Macklin appeared
upon the Stage, they were to hife him, or to
make him afk the Public's pardon, for Leigh
faid he fliould be there himfelf with more
Gentlemen, and there would be a fignal given
by a whittle. Accordingly, this man went with

CHARLES MACKLIir. 200

fcyen or eight more into the Upper Gallery j
he heard the whiftle, but who gave it he does
not know ; there was a great noife and diftur-
bance. He went with Archer^ Leigh's fore-
man I he faw a Gentleman have a bench in his
right hand, in the Box over the Stage, about
fix inches broad.

** Francis Legraviere was fent by Leigh to
get men to hifs Macklin. From the Phoenix
he brought four ; he invited all that chofe to
come ; and there were a great many in Suffolk-
Street, how many he cannot tell, but Archer .
wis there \ he went to the Upper Gallery in the
Playhoufe. Leigh paid the money for admif-
fion. He faid he did not want to bring them to
any hurt, only an affront had been given to his
Brother-in-law, and he wanted Macklin to aflc
his Brother's pardon ; if he did not do that, then
they were to hifs and make, a noife in the Upper
Gallery.

*' Kevenhuller Skinner fays ' he went to the Two

Shilling Gallery i he was about three or four
Vot. IL P

Benches from the bottom, upon the right fide j
he faw that part of the Bench covcltfd with
fcarlet cloth waved about, and a papef htoded
to the Pit, and thrown back, and he faw a pa-
per dropped from the Box, blit he . did not
know by whom.*

" Thefe circumftances are to confirm the
fafts that Macklin fpeaks to, that fuch thihgs
did pafs.

** Thomas EvanstdLys 'he was atthePky oHfte
1 8 th of November i he knows Afi/^i, he handed
the paper from the Stage to Miles j Miks fakl
that Macklin fhould be difcharged s that that w^^
what he had wrote upon it j but, to the beft of
his r^colle&ion, it was thrown upon the Stage
immediately after he wrote upon it. He faw
yames in the Pit, and faw Clarke in the Bo»
over the Stage ;.' then

Ralph Lodge is examined ; he was there, ami
faw Aldus come into the Pit over the Boxes
with fome applaufe j there was a general nOile
all the time of one kind or other ; Aldus hc^

fdfs was noify^ but not adive with bis fifts ; and
he faw a paper go through the hands of feversd
in the Pit 1 he fays he went co fee the entef--
tabment of the Play ; he expe£bed there wouid
be fomething of this fort^ and went out of cu^
riofity.

^^ Tifimas Evahs is called again i he fays ^ he faW
Macklin BddrcU himfelf to Jam^si what he laid
he could not tell* Miles was exceedingly vio-
lent i he leaped upon the bench behind him,
and prcffed hard^pon him. The Witne£s in-*
filled upon his fitting down^ and faid, ^^ diough
he had a quarrel with MackltUy he had no right
to incommode him ;" that he made an apology
and fat down ; that foon after he was up again/
He fays, ' the way he came to know him, was
by his being pointed at, and his name men-
ttioned when he came out/

<' Ift^arh Chapman fays ' he wrote a paper* at
Macklin's defire, to know what the Gentlemen
i«quefted of him, which paper was given uy
Mr, Mackiiny and he law it no more/
P«

1

112 THB LITZ OF

^^ Robert Benfley is an Aftor : he was dcfired
by Mr. Colman to go jupon the St^e to know
their demand \ he could only generally under^
ftand> (hat the requifition of the Pit was that
Macklin be difcharged \ he went back and told
Mr. Colman of it ; he and Macklin afked whofc
requeft it was ? he faid ' all the Pit — he could
not tell who— there was a great clamour^ that
clamour continued a great while ;' he was de-
fired to go again; he aiked ' whether the general
voice was that Mr. Macklin fhduld be dif-
charged ?— ;/5?r, V)hat the geti/sral requeft of tbe
Public was, tbe Managers would comply with.'
Then there was a loud cry for Mr. Colman ; he
faid he told them they might take his word, it
was Mr. Colman" s opinion. In the Box over the
Stage-door, he fays, he faw Clarke, and he was
very violent, calling * Colman, Colman, Colman,*
and threw down that Note to him, tbefubflance
ofwbicb was to dejire Mr. Colman to come upon
tbe Stage to 4:o^firm wbat tbis Witnefs /aid ; he
gave the Note to Mr. Colman i the Witnefa
fays he never came upon the Stage afterwards,
but there was an univerfal noife and clamour.

CHARLES MACKLIN. ^ij

*' Gentlemen,
" This is all the Evidence that has been
given upon this occafion j in going through it,
I have ftated many parts of it that refpeft each
particular Party.

*' As to Aldus i you fee he is proved to be
the Author of the Letters I have read to you :
he came out of the front Box into the Pit, and*
i(fas received with applaufc ; he was cUftin-
guifhed by Macklin in the Pit i he pointed to
him and Leigh ; there they were together ; they
wanted him to afk pardon, and kept the cla-
mour ' Offy offy off I — the paper was handed
in the Pit to Aldus and Leigby and came back
to Miles. Aldus faid, when Macklin went to
him, ' that he had done^ what was confiftent
with the liberty of an Englifliman in a The-
atre \ that he might go to law i and, if he did,
he Ihould never aft again upon an Englilh
Stage/ Aldus was very noify, though not
aftivc ; — that you fee is the Charge upon Aldus.

^* The next is Clarke / he was in the Box
upon the right hand fide i he was received with
P3

ai4* TUB LIFl OF

applaufe> as Jldus was j his voice wa$ cUfttnft }
he wa^ calling out, ' 0^ off^ CBlman^ CoUntmy
and beatii^ the Scene viokntly ; — when Mack-
lin lipproached^ he menaced hitn with a rail i-^
he called to Colman to come on^ and threw the
Papers upon the Stage j— that is Macklin^s
evidence. Then 7<^»^^ proved there was fuch a
inw waving a board> who threw a Paper upoa
the Sta^t Sikinner confirms it, that the Bench
covered 'mth Icarlet cloth was waved by ^ ma^
there, and the P^er was dropped. Bet^
(ays he was very violent, and threw down the
Note upon the $tage ;— fo that maJkes him a
Party.

^' The Letter of William Jams is likewift
proved, which is read to you, where he infifts
upon the power of a Gcndcman in a Theatre,
JWi?rM« applied to him, and ftid, 'Sir, wiU
you hear me ?' Upon which, in a great rage,
this man flouriihed his ftick at him, and (aid
^ Go off,' and called for ' the Woman, the wo-
man / and then Macklin faid, ' put \% on paper, .
and I will obey it, or anfwer you i' that the re-
queft was tp afk pardon ; that he a&ed hin^

CHARLES MACKXIN. 2X^

\ipoj$ what ht fouodcd his commw4 ;-«->'no
words, but * O/, ^/^pull off your drpi^i ypw
ShyiQcVs dppfe/ This man woald HQt kff^^
4ow?i p them^ and he was much in the rightt
Q£\t I ap^d hie faid, ^ you have no ng;ht to a& «

^^ }lcipe6tiQg il///^j, he mei«jC«4 ^\xh hfe
Hick, and ftartf d up fnom jdbe fiiA liow^ ac^
comfamed with emery mark of aii^r, and cdjed
out ' hoary VittsiQ* hoary Rafcal/ hoary Scouor
duel, Q^ <?jf/ fFfi94m$rd pccfiwtrd a Faf)ef
to the Pit, which Miles perufed, andvfhich was
handed to Jam^Sy Aldus ^ and Leigb^ and came
hAck tQ Miks I then Mflps fojided it up^ and
threw it on Ae Sitage» and JV^pdv^arS m>k it
vp, and 'Carried it away> Mto ayiowod ri*e
Letter, which he wrote. This is confirixied by
Evans j^ who fays Mile^ was violent— the Paper
wa^ iiandicd to AG&j--tye took it, and wrote
upon it, and threw it upon the Sta^ \ and Joms
fays it was haqded about, and he faw it in fe-^
yen^ ha^ds.

P4

ai6 THE LIFE OF

'* It is unncccflary to ftatc any more with re-
lation to Leighj bccaufc that is fo ftrong and
notorious. If you are of opinion that thcfe
people are guilty only of a Riot, which their
Counfel cannot help acknowledging, then you
will find them not guilty of the firft Count, but
of all the reft. But if, from the Evidence of
this violent and outrageous conduft, you are of
opinion, that they did all aft in confederacy
againft this man, to have him turned off* the
Stage, and thereby obtained this fentence-<-*if
you believe that, you will find them guilty of die
whole Information."

The Vcrdiftbfthe Jury was, that Clarke
was guilty of a Riot only— and they found the
reft of the Defendants guilty of the whole In-
fomuition.

This important bufineis is concluded m the
fttcceeding Chapter*

CHARLES MACRLIN. 21^

Cljap. viL

" TNtiib Kino's Bench.

« Tburfdayy May lUb, 1775.
** The King j^ainft JUigb, Aldus^ and others.

*^ Mr. Cowper. — My Lord, I move the
Court for Judgment in the Caule of the King
againft Thomas Leigh and others.

" Mr. Justice Aston made his Report of
the Evidence upon the Trial of the Caufe, after
which the proceedings were thefe :

*' Mr. Howarth. — My Lord, I was of Coun-
fel for Mr. Miles, at the time of the Trial, and
I have learned, fince Mr. Juftice Afton began his
Report, that Mr. Miles does not attend the
Court to^rj^ceive judgment \ he is a Purfcr of a
Ship, and is neceiTanly attending his duty at;
Chatham.

tit THE hjfx or

" L^rd Mansfield. — Call the others^ thatwc
may fee who does attend,

^ej are called over^

*' Lord Mansfield.'^'' 'They are all here except
Milesy then : does he appear by Counfel ?

** Mr. Hmartb. — .No, I have no Inftnic-
tions ; I juft learned the circumftancc tacc the
Kcport began.

" Mr^ Dunning.^"'-! hope he does not meaq
to give the Court the trouble of go yig through
^ whole ftory another day.

** Mr^ Howarth. — .1 dare fay he would have
attended here^ if he had known this was the

" Lord Mansfield. — They gave notice to his
^^gent, I fuppofc.

" Mr. Jufiice AJim.-r-'My firft Notice wa*
from the Defendants, to bring down the Re«

port, aiflfi there was no diftin&ion, but the X>^^
fendants-^

" Lord Mansfietdn — Who is wnccrnctJ for
the Defendants ? Arc they the lame Attomics ?

*^ A Gentleman^ — No, my Lord, different
Attornies.

^^ Mr. Cawper.'—Mr, Blah gave notice for
Leigh and Miles.

" Mr. jMfiice Afton. — There was no diftinc-»
tioa in (he notice.

^* Mr. Blake.— ^Oy there was not,

*' Mr. Juftice Afion. — I have ftated what wa*
charged againft every man diftin<3:ly pi(;ked out,
that I read to the Jury*

^' Mr. Cowper."-"! am, upon this occafionj^ of
Counfel for the Defendant Thomas Leigb^
At the time Mr. Dunning opened the circum^
ftances of this Caufe to the Jury, upon th^

^20 THE LIFE OP

trial of the Information, he ftatcd, and I am
fure he then thought as a faft, and what I
hope is now the fad, that the Information
was not profccuted with any vindiftive views,
but for the purpofe of doing juftice to Mr.
Mackliny and of putting him in that fort
of fituation, that he was in before j but if that
could not be done, that fome reparation might
be made to him for the injury he has fuftained.
Before I make any obfervations on the conduft
of Mr. Leigh y upon this occafion, I have to fay
for him, that he is extremely forry for what he
has done i he is extremely forry for the con-
fequences that have happened to Mr. Macklin ;
and that he will, to the utmoft of his power,
and the very ftretch of his circumftances, if the
Court think it proper to permit him to make
any amends, that he poflibly can, in any way
that he can, or in any way that Mr. Macklin can
require. — If that propofal is accepted, I hope it
may fave the Court the trouble of pafling
Judgment upon Mr. Leigh. If the Court fhall
think that a fatisfaftion to the Profecutor is a
proper thing to be donq upon this occafion,
'Mr. Leigh, though he i§ inclined, to the very

CHARLES MAGKLIN. 221

extent of his powcl-, to make that fatisfadion^
is in this awkward fituation; that he is unac-
quainted with the reft of the Defendants. No
fet of men were greater ftrangers to one ano-
ther, than thefe feveral Defendants are. It i&
moft certainly foj and the misfortune of Mr.
Leigh iSi that he does not know how to pbtain
the concurrence of the other Defendants with
regard to making Mr. Macklin fatisfaftion.
But, to the utmoft of his power, in any way
that the Court think proper, or in any way
that Mr. Macklin can be prevailed upon to
accept, Mr. Leigh is ready to make reparation*

" Mr. Mansfield. — I am of Counfel for
Mr. Clarke^ with regard to whom, your Lord-
fliip fees, that the Jury, in their fenfe of the
matter, ,made a diftinftion. Your Lordlhip '
fees what the conduft of Mr. Clarke was.
The Jury have exprefled their fenfe, that Mr.
Clarke did ftot aft in concert with any body
clfe — he came into the Box over the Stage-
door — there he made a noife— he took up a
piece of fomething that lay before him — a
loofe piece of board with red cloth, and threw

12a THX tIF£ Of

a Note upon the Stage> ud called out for Cot^
man, whom he was defirous of having upon
the Stage $ and Macklin f^d^ he fawhim after^
wards^ he thought^ behind the Scenes* He is
certainly guilty of having fo done^ when this
riot was going forward; btit he had no kind of
concert with any human creature, nor ever
dreamed of it ; he had never fpoken with any
of the men now appearing before your Lord-
fiiip. Being at the Theatre at the time, he
did as the Jury have faid he did— he certsdnly
behaved indecently and noifily, and did that
which a prudent man fhould not have ddne—
and if he had afked advice, whether he fhould
have concurred in it, when all the Houfe was
in that violent uproar^- he would have been
told he fhould not. He is pcrfeftly free from
that which is the great charge in this bufinefs.

^^'Lord Mansfield. "^AAc waa not in the pre-
concert-r-He fees a number of people aHjoin*^
ii^ upon one, and joins them to knock him
upon the head, without any preconcert— and
he beat the Box and Scene, wd csdled for Cd^

CHAHLES MACKLIM. llj

man, . and infifted upon Macklin's being dil^
^harged^ as ^ell as the reft.

" ikfK Mansfield. — There is nothing, as I
recoUea, faid about Clarke infifting tipon his
being difcharged.

*^ Mr. Dunning. — Clarke called out fli«:
Colman muft come forward and confirm what
had been faid.

** Mr. Mansfield.**^Thtrt was not a word
about difcharge.

" Lord Mansfield. — What was C^maH
wanted for, but to confirm what Benjley hdd
faid.

** Mr. JufticeAfion. — They wanted the de=-
finitive fentence againft Macklin, and for a
complaint about Macklin*s Wife.— Why (hould
ihat produce fuch a quarrel as this in the Play-
houfe ? Why Ihould MacHin's a6tmg Skyhtk
and Sif Arcby Macfartajmy which they all
agreed he performed very well, produce «

1

104 ^^^ ^'^^ o^

tiot? — Bccaufe he offended them in ading
Macbetbj they would not let him plav the Part
that he is confefledly very capable of.

'^ Mr. Mansfield. — I am only ftadng to your
Lordfliip what was the part that Clarke afted.
He was very far from having any idea of meet-
ing there, in concert, with people who were
to ruin Mr. Macklin. He is now ready to
fubmit to the Judgment of the Court.

'^ Mr. C(9A^.---I am of Counfelupon the lame
fide, I will only lubmit to your Lordfhip one
obfervation^ that he did not fpeak to any of
the Parties.

*' Lord Mansfield. — That is a good realbn for
the Jury*s not finding him in the Confpiracy,
but in executing all that the Confpirators came
there to execute

•* Mr. Bearcroft. — I am concerned for Mr.
James. I have an Affidavit in my hand now
to aim again at that which always has been
aimed at before the Trial, and before the Vcr-

r

CHARLES MACKLIN. I25

did, I mean to fey, that Mr. James has aK
ways been ready to do what Mr. Cowper, upon
the part o£Mn Leigh, wiflies fliould be done,
to ftretch to the utmoft of his power what he
can to make Mr. Macklin a fatisfadtion, and to
reftore him to the favour of the Public as far
as he can.*

''Any perfon, who has attended to this bu-
finefsj^ muft be extremely forry for what has
happened, and wifh it may be undone, as much
as. it can be undone, upon the part of Mn
James. — He is a perfon of a fmall fortune, and
with a large family. — A certain offer was made
to which he was a party.—

" Lord Mottsjield.—Ax "what time ?

«' Mr. Bearcroft. — Before the Vcrdid.

« Lord Mansfield.— At the Trial ?

" Mr. Bear croft. -T-Ycs, my Lord.

Vol. II. . CL

226 THE LIFE OF

" Lord Mansfield. — Was there any offer
made before ^y expence towards the Trial ?

^^ Mr. Bearcrofi. — I don*t know how that
was.

Lord Mansfield."'-Btc3i\j{Cj it occurs to me,
that, when the Rule was made abfolute, when
many of the fafts were difclofed, that came
out upon the Trial fo ftrongly, I did, in the
moft urgent manner, recommend to the De-
fendants, that they ihould make a fatisfaftion
to Mr. Macklin for the injury, the monftrous
injufticc that they had done him^ and that they
would rather add, to the fatisfaftion made to
him, the expences which the Trial would put
them all to, and avoid the expence of a Trial :
A|id I Ihould be glad to know, whether any
thing was done, in confequence of that : for here
they put both fides, to what jnighthave been,
perhaps, a third or fourth of the fatisfedion.

** Mr. Bear croft. —A will tell your Lordfhip
what I know of the matter. I cannot ftatc
particular fafts of particular offers s but long

CHARLES MACJCtlN. Q,2J

before the Trial, I fuggeftcd that fomc thing
of that fort was the fit thing to be done.
When I fo fuggeftcd it to the Solicitor con-
cerned for Mr. Janies^ he agreed with me en-
tirely about it ; but the anfwer that I received,
from time to time, was, ^ that there was no
talking to Mr. Macklin : he would not hearken
I to any propofition of that kind •/ and I verily

believe myfelf that was the rcafon a propofal
was not made.

" Mr. Leigh.-'A met him at the Tavern.
He brought Mr. Jones with him. I defired
Mr. Janes to go out of the room : for, what I
was going to fay to Mr. Macklin^ I did not.
chufe to have Witneffes to. * As I was in the
fcrapc, I faid, if I had brought thirty or
forty people to put him off the Stage, I was
ready to bring four hundred to put him on
again.' This was juft after the Rule was made
abfolute, after I returned from Ireland. He '
. then replied to me — ^ I know who is at the
bottom, and, if you give upthcim, I will do
it.* I faid — ^Sir, I know your meaning; it
is Mu Garrick you allude to s I never fpokc

11% THE LIFI OF

to him in my life. It was put in Letters in titc
Ncwlpaper that my wife was in company with
a party of whores, in the Gallery, to hifs you — '
and he pledged himfelf to the Public to prove
my brother-in-law perjured ; which exafperat-
cd me very much. Before I began this, I fent
my wife to Mr. Macklin, to tell him that the
confequences might be fatal to us aU ; and, if
he woukl iuffer me to wait upon him, I would
tellhimthereafonhow the infinuationcame. Mr^
Macklin fent an anfwer that he wouldnot fee Mrs.
Leigh, nor me, nor none of the family, for they
might all be d-««— d. That is all that I know.
I fmce that fent a Gentleman to him, rather
than I would be fent to prifon, or be rumed b
my bufinels, which I mufl be if I am confined,
and injured in my health. I fent him twoliun-
dred pounds. He faid it was not fufficicntj
and I am ready to make oath that it is fuffi-
cient for me, without ruining myfelf, and be-
coming a Bankrupt. Here is an Affidavit that
I piade in Court>^ that I never faw thefc Gen-
tlemen tin I faw them 4t the Playhpirfc.

CHARLES MACKLIN, 22^

^' Mr. Wallace. --^Ax. may be highly proper
for the parties to meet together, if a fatisfac-
tion is made> and to advance according to their
abilities; for though their guilt may be diffe-
rent, their abilities arc alfo very different, and
fome muft contribute much more than others
perhaps that are more guilty ^

^' Lord Mansfield. — ^They are all liable to be
lurc-^will you refer it to the Matter ? You con-
fider, in this cafe, that this is a confpiracy ab-
folutely to Vuin a man ; to take his bread from
him ; for he is difcharged. And I remember,
upon the motion, that he was under Articles
with Mr* Caiman^ and the other Managers, at
the rate of 4Q0L a year — then a benefit—of
what ?

** Mr. Murphy^ 230!.

*' Lord Mansfield. — Then he ha3 bcea
driven off the Stage two years 5 there is 1260I.
befides implied damages; and this, in the
fight of the Public, is a very heinous offence :
For^ as I took care to fay before y to be fun every

Q 3

tJO THE LIFE or

^OH that is at the Tlayhoujey has a right to tx-
frefs his approbation or dijapprohation instan-
taneously, according as he likes either the
aSlingy or Piece — that is a right due to the The^
atre—an unalterable right— -ihey muft have
that. — The gift of the crime here is y coming by
con/piracyy to ruin a particular man— to hijsj
if they were ever fo pleajed—let him do ever Jo
welly they were to knock him dozvn^ and bijs
him off the Stage. They did not come to approve
or diJapprovCy as the Jentiments of their mind
might bey but they came with a black defigny and
that is the moft ungenerous thing that can be.
What a terrible condition is an AStor upon the
Stage in with an Enemy y who makes part of the
Audience ! It is ungenerous to take the advan-
tage i and what makes the black part of the cafe
is — it is all done with a conjpiracy to ruin him :
and if the Court were tv imprijon and fine every
one of^themy Mr. Macklin may bring his affion
againft them, and I am/atisfied there is no Jury
that would not give confiderable damages ; but it
is better for both fides to refer them to the Maftery
and I fhall direSt him to make a liberal fatis-
faSfion.

CHARLES MACKtIN. 23 I

^^Mr. Dunmng.T-'-Mr. Mackliny from the
beginning, had but one objeft, and that was
very diftinftly ftated, and perfedtly underftood
by the Parties who wer.c intcrefted in it. When
we cjune here for confidcration,. whether the
Rule fhould or not be made abfolute— it not
only was thrown out from the Bar, but re-
commended from the Bench. The Court did
recommend, that the money which thefe Gen-
tlemen would Ipend, in the courfe of the de-
fence, would be much better given to the man
who had been injured.— It was true, and true to
that degree, that the very outfet of their offer,
which has been hinted at, at the time of the
Trial, fell Ihort of the a6tual expence that he
had incurred, inprofecuting it to that pitch : —
fo that now Mr. Macklin ftands in the predi-
cament of having totally loft two years profit,
which is very moderately eftimated at 6oo\* a
year; for, I believe, the fenfe that other people
entertained of his theatrical merit, would have
made his benefit more than he has ftated it to
be. And his eftimate is a very moderate one,
when he ftates the amount of his loffes to be
aftually 1200I. And the idea was, as Mr.
0.4

2J1 TH« LIFE or

Co%vper truly ftates it^ as expreflcd by me to
be the view of that proiecution—- it produced
nothing but that which I have now ftated^ — an
offer to .do much \t& than to reimburfe him the
expence that he had been at. From that mo-
ment to this^ I am yet to learn — if any thing
like an o&f has been made to il^. MackUMj^
except ibme intimation that has been given,
that one of thefe Gcndemen, Mr. Leigby per-
haps, was in a humour to do fomethii^ :— the
reft confidering themfelves as having nothing
to do for themfelves, or each other, Mr^
Macklin ftands in a very unfortunate fituation i
and fuch as will not only entide him to the pro-
tection of the Court, but recommend him to
the companion of every man of feeling, at his
advanced ftage of life. His condition, if thefe
Gendcmen perfift in their purpofe, is irre-
trievable ruin ; and they fay, as appears from
the report, that, whatever the Court may do,
yet the public are never to fuffer Mr. Macklin
to return to the Stage. If thefe Gentlenicn
will defy the Court to do what it c^ do, I dare
fay that the Court will do all they can do,

CHARLES MACKtIN. ajj

with propriety, in order toproteft Mr. Msck^
Hn from the confequences of this threat*

" In Mr. Mackiin's fituation, I am fure the
Court wiU z€t with peculiar compaffion and
lenity towards him, in promoting this Caufe to
be put an end to, in the way the Gentlemea
wiih. Upon the part of Mr^ MackUny he muft
wifh it, and fully wifh it. Mr. Mdnsfield*s
Client calls for Judgment of the Court, and
expe£ls it, and infiits upon it : it is neceflary
for me, therefore, in two words to ftate— —

'^ Lord Manifield. — Is th« Clarke's opi-
nion ?

^^ Mr. Mansfield, — Mr. Clarke was unwife
enough, when he was at the Theatre, to join
in the riot which happened there. It is matter
of aftonifhment to him, that that has been im-
puted to him, which has been imputed fince —
that he had formed a defign, with a number of
other people, to ruin Mr. Macklin ; a defign
he had no concern in, I ftate it, that his guilt

1

£34 *^HE LIFE OF

was this, which I cannot but blame him for,
that he did improperly join in the riot. .

*' Lord Mansfield."^-! don't alk you to go
over the obfervations again ; you ftated them
very fully, and I attended to them, as I always
do. What I afk you is, whether he delires to
go before the Mafter, or how ?

'' Mr. Mansfield.-— Mr. Clarke will have no
objeftion, I dare fay, to contribute towards a
fatisfaftion to Mr.-Mackliny after what has been
faid of the extent of Mr. Macklin's demands.
As to Mr. Clarke's jomngmth thefe people, and
going before the Matter,' I cannot tell what to
fay to that.

" Lord Mansfield. — The Court will dif-
tinguifh the cafe of thofe that will not go be-
fore the Mafter.

" I obferve that the Report is very long, and
accurate, and one remembers it the more par-
ticularly:— I think, when Clarke and Aldus
came in, there was a general applaufe given.

CHARLES MAC KLIN. 235

^ Mr. JuJiiceAftm. — I don't think the Jury
did wrong in what they did.

^' Lord Mansfield. — I think there is not
Evidence fufficient, of a previous concert, con-^
nefted with all the Papers :— notwithftanding
that, the offence that he was guilty of was a
very great one, and very injurious to Mr^
Mackltn.

*^ Mr. 'Dunning. — I was only fpeaking as to
the effcft of that diftinftion, as applied to Mr^
ClarkCy — why Mr. Clarke's cafe appears to mc
not to be diftinguifhablc to his advantage : —
They come under the imprcflionof fome rcfent-
ment, and conceiving that they had fome caufe
of quarrel, they did what is imputed to them.
Mr. Clarke came- there without any refent-
ment — had received no provocation from Mr.
Mackltn — had no quarrel with him — had never
feen him, as 1 know of, before ; but, upon the
moment that he faw mifchief going forward,
he chofe to diftinguifh himfelf, as the leader
of them, — and was recognized by the troops of
whom he was the leader.

5136 THE LIFE OF

*' It appears, from the Report, that he takes
. the rail from the Bench, and beats the Scenes,
and menaces Mr. Macklin with it ; that he was
not fatisficd with the affurance of Mr. Benjleyy
that Mr. Macklin fhould be difcharged, but he
infifted i»poa Mr. Colman's perfonal promife,
Mr. Clarke would be fatisficd with nothing lefe
than Mr. Colman's pledging his word and ho-.
nour, that all that the other people had faid,
fliould be done. The reft of the people, for
what I know, would have ' been fatisficd with
what Benjley had faid. * No,' fays Clarke y * I
will make up for my late attendance in this bu-
finefs. I, who am your leader, will have bet-
ter terms. We have now got the enemy at
our feet j you are content to leave him there j
. he is hunted down, and there he lies j but thi$
will not fatisfy me ; Mr. Cdman fhall come out,
and fhall promife that he fhall remain there/ I
confefs I fpeak from my feelings on the fubjecEt j
his fituation is fo far from being diftinguilhed
to his advantage, that I really think he appears,
to very great difadvantage. '

I

I

CHARLES MACRLIK* 237

^^ Mr. MansfeU.—lliSLVt no opportunity of
talking with Mr. Clarke here—it is. an hafty •
propofal. I find the demand is now madcj^
which will amount to about feventcen or eigh-
teen hundred pounds, as expreffed ; and it i«
iaid, that fome of the Perfons who arc to make
thiscomperifation, arc men of lowcircumftances*
Whether that is fo or not, I don't know. To
be fure, 1 cannot advifc him to rifle the pay-
ment of that;— but he will be willing to do
any thing. —

'* Lord Mansfield. — The only conlequence
is, that he will be committed*

'^ Mr. Mansfield.— I fhould hope not*

" Lord Mansfield: — Why ?

" Mr. Mansfield.-^-''Btc9,u(G it has not been
ufual for this Court to commit perfons, unlcli
for very atrocious crimes, where perfons arc
of any rank and condition.

238 THE LIFE OF

" Mr. Juftice' Afton. — It is a very unforfu-
nate thing for people of fuch rank and con-
dition to involve themfelves in fuch a fituation.

^^ Mr. Mansfield."— I don*t vindicate Mr.
Clarkcy but I know that there were five hun»
dred more in that condition in the Houfe.

• " Lord Mansfield.— I am clear they muft be.
committed. At the time that this Rule was
made abfolute, I felt for the Profecutor ; I felt
for the perfons accufed; and I am fure^ in the
ftrongcft: manner, I recommended to them to
give the Cofts of the Profecution into the fatis-.
faftion : and they had nothing more to do then,
than to have fuffered Judgment to go by de-
fault, or to have confeffed the Indiftmentj
and then it would have gone to the Mafter
ftripped of all the Cofts, that they have been
put to upon either fide. Nothing of that fort
has been done, but here is a vaft expence,
which will extremely load and add to the mo-
ney that is to be paid»

CHARLES MACKLIN. » 239

. *^ Mr. Cowper.'-At is -but juftice to Mr.
• Leigh y to inform your Lordfhip, that, at the
time the Rule was made abfolute, Mr. Leigh
never fhewed Caufe, nor appeared in Court.
He was in Ireland when the notice was ferved
at his houfe. Not many hours before the Trial
came on, Mr. Leigh exprefled ' to me his
wilhes that a compromife might be obtained.
He difclofed to me what the extent of his cir-
cumftances were.

'^ Lor J Mansfield.-'^'lt was in your own
power to ftop it — for you had no defence againft
it— you had nothing to do but to fufFcr Judg-
ment to go by default — you would have faved
the cxpence. Now here are m^y hundred
pounds in the expence of the Profecution :— in
fo far as the Jury have made a diftinftion, if it
goes to the Matter, I fhall give him a double
direftion: firft, a diredtion what fatisfaftion
fhould be paid by Mr. Clarke^ becaufc he, ac-
cording to the finding of the Jury, was not
involved in any circumftances, but by himfelf ;
and^next a direftion what fatisfaftion the others
Ihall make, for they are all confpirators jointly.

J14C> • 1*HB LIFE Of

It is a very heinous thing — it is not a trifling
offence, — it is a dilgrace to the country to have
a riot — money and entertainments given to
people to carry it into execution— ^neither does
it follow what the Mafter will give^ But the
Defendants don't know what they, are doing.
It is mercy for them to go before the Mafter,
for the Profecutor may, to-morrow morning,
bring his Aftion againft them all, and they will
have damages to pay.

" Mr. j8i?jrfro//.— ^DoesyourLordfhipmean,
that the Mafter Ihould confider what each per-
fon Ihall pay m proportion* I have no objec-
tion for Mr. James*

'*^ Lord Mansfield. — I don't know how the
Mafter may diftinguifh — I don't know them,
therefore I fay it without prejudice — fuppofe
there be any one of them that is worth nothmg
— becaufe, fuppofe you brought an action they
would all be liable. —

'^ Mr. Mansfield. — They muft be coQiie^4
and joined together.

CHARLES MAck^IN. ^ 24I

" Ldrd ManffieU.^-'Thcy are convidcd of
a Confpiracy ; they all joined in the Riot — I
dare fay this is an immenfe long Information —
a vaft many Counts — the very parchment, and
fees, and writing, ^^uft come to a great deal.

'' Mr. Dunning. — Mr. Macklin will very
willingly fubmit his pretenfions to the decifion
of the Matter, or to what anyreafonable man
Ihall think, in the jufticc of the cafe, he Ihall
be entitled to.

^^ Lord Mansfield. — I^ inftcad of the Matter,
>yoU' will agree between you upon any pcrfon
for a RcfereCj I fhull like that jutt as well.

^' Mr, Dunning. — I don't believe there can
be a better Referee than the Matter.

'^ Lord Mansfield.^-At is a very ferious
Caufe — every one of them had better go before
the Matter.

" Mr. Leigh.-' -1 am afraid, my Lord^ that
nope of us arc able to pay an heavy fines we
Vol. n. R

t4^ THE LIFE Of

would, rather be committed than ruin our*
felvcs,

" Lord Mansfield. — But you will do both— r
you may depend upon it, that it is always a
favour to the Defendant to let it go before the
Matter; for the Court often refufe t6 let it go
before the Mailer.

*' Mr. Wallace.--^ t muft bring the other
Defendant that is in the country. —

" Lord Mansfield.'-h-Yt^y certainly, he muft
be brought up to Judgment. They don*t
know, that if the Court is to give a fine, that
then the Profecutor can only have a third of it
towards fatisfaftion ; and if the Court think it
fuch a cafe as cries aloud for a fatisfaftion, why
they muft enlarge the fine, to make the third
the more. So it is a favour to them; it is only
affifting them, by deduAing from the fine. It
does not follow that the Mafter is to give his
demands, though he is turned out oT this Salary.
Under all the circumftanccs of the cafe, the

CHARLES MACKllN. Id.^

Mafter will decree lefs or more. He is bound
by no rules in this cafe. It is one of the moft
liberal difcufllons that can be.

^' Mr. Leigh . — Mr. Macklin has loft but
800I.

" Lord Mansfield. — That the Matter will
take into his confideration.

" Lord Mansfield to Mr. Colman. — Thefe
Gentlemenj that are before us^ upon this occa-
fion, call thcmfehres the Public, and decide it
for the Public ; now, as we have the PubHc
here, perhaps

"Mr. Colman. — Thank God, I have nothing
to do with it.

" Lord Mansfield. — Perhaps you are tired
of it.

" Mr. Leigh. — I am no way conneAed with
the Gcndemen.

#44 ^^^ ^^'' ^'

" Lord Man^€ld.-*At will be m very good
hands with the Mailer. .

'^ Mr. Leigh. — It has been almoft a thoufand
(KMinds but* <>f it\y pocket.

" Mr, Bearcroft. With regard to my

Client^ I will leave his cafe to Mr. Colman.

" Lord Mansfield. — Then you have got into
it, Mr. Colfnan.

'* Mr. Cohnan. — I beg to decline it.

" Mr. James. — I hope your Locdlhip does
not involve me in the guilt of Mr. Leigh y who
hired people to go intx> the Houfe.

*' Lord Mansfield.-— T\it Matter will pro-
portion it, according to his difcretion, guided
by the feveral parts you took in the injury.
The Matter may charge you all jointly if he
pkafes, or, if he fees a ground for it, he may
feparate you:— except Mr. Clarke, he ftands fc-
parated by the Verdi<a, whether to his advan-

CHARLES MACKLIIf. 2^f

tage or not I will not fay. To be fure it is
fitter for the Matter j and, if cither party w^nti
to make ufe of Mr, Colman's judgment in it, he
may, to be fure, be aflced queftions.

^' If they would lay their heads together, and
make a liberal oi&r, perhaps it would be better
for both parties to avoid all litigation before
the Mafter.

^^ Mr. Blake.— Thty don't know the extent
of his wiflies.

" Lord Mansfield.— 1 do not fay that he
(kould have a fatis&dion according to his Sa-
lary, and the value of his Benefits j but, in tht
firft place, he fhould have his Cofts, for I con*
demn the Defendants very much for not hav-
ing done what I pr<^oled.

*^ Ammeyfor Mr. Clarke. -^-ht the time of
the Trial there was an ofier of 500I. macic himif
he then flood off, and faid he would hav«
1700I. , They had better receive the Judgment
of the Court.

24^ THE LlTt OF

^' Lord Mansfield. —InAttA they had better
not, for it docs not follow that he will get it-
The Cofts of the profecution muft amount to a
great deal of money. Mr. BarloWy what may
it have coft Mr. Macklin ?

*^ Mr. Barlow. — The Cofts of the Profecu-
tion will come to three or four hundred pounds.

'^ Mr. Jufiice Jfton. — You don't confider
that thcfe Papers have. not been read, which
are an exceeding great aggravation of this
crime.

*' Lord Matisfield.-'-l remember the Papers
upon the motion. The Court heard it with
great attention.

" Mr. Leigh. — He attacked mc in the Pa-
pers : he.faid, in the Newfpapers, that my wife
was in company with a parcel of whores. I
have fufFered enough, and have been at a great
dealof expence.

CHARLBS MACICI.IN. ^47

'^ L$rd MoMsJiild. — The Papers arc an im-
menle aggravation. When they go before the
Mailer^ Clarke will be feplarated from all the
charge of the Papers .J from the premeditated
confpiracy. I fliall leave it as to Clarke fepa*
rate with the Mafter : with regard to the
others^ to join or feparate them as he ihall think
proper.

" Mr. Jujiice Wtlles. — Perhaps Clarke might
offer feparately fuch a fum of money as might
be accepted on his pa^'t^ and leave the reft to
go before the Mafter.

" LQrd Mansfield.— You nauft bring up
Miles immediately, cither to give judgment
upon him, or make him a party. Give them
fiirthcr time, at prefent, for the Judgment of
the Court,

*^ Mr. Dunning.—'Wc will give them leav<:
to make ufe of any power they have to^t
Miles.

R4

248 ^H£ LIFE Of

« Lord Mansfidd. — Bring him up hcie to-
morrow, or Saturday, or any day as foon as
you can.

" Attorney for Miles. — My Lord, Afr. Miles
authorized me to fay, that he was willing t6
hare it referred, and, as far as he is concerned,
to make that fatisfadtion which Ihall be thought
to be juft and right.

♦' Lord Mansfield. — Therefore refer it to the
Maiber, to fee what fatisfa£tion fhall be made
by the Defendant Clarke, and what fatisfa&ion
ihall be made to the Profecutor by the other
Defendants ; in which the Matter will judge
with all equity and latitude, under all the cir-
cumftances, and apportion between them, or
not apportion»between them, according as he
ihall think right j and he is neither bound to
give the demand that Mr. Macklin has made,
or not give it ; nor is he bound by any ilridt
rule.

*' Mr. Blake. — Mr. Leigh is in Court, he
inuft judge for himfelf.

CHAltLBS MACKLIN. I49

^^>Lvrd M^nsfield.r-'-l advifc him to confent;

*^ Mr. Macklin. — My Lord, I fliall always
be happy in obeying any advice that comes
from this Court, but there is one circumftance
that I thiiik demands an explanation. What-
ever falls from the tongue of an Advocate is
cafily transferred to the Report, and the credu-
lity of the Public. A Gentleman has thrown
out that I want revenge. My Lord, I have no
fuch idea. I never had. If this matter had
been fubmitted to me, they would have found
me a far different kind of man. • Not a man of
revenge. In every Stage of this bufinefs, my
I^rd, from the firft to the laft, I have felt a
refentment, but I have always felt a compaffion,
even for the people I was profecuting.

*' I foficited them, my Lord, in every me-
thod that was in my power— with aU humanity,
and even with a meannefs of fpirit, my Lord—
and now I am told that I want revenge.

** My Lord, it has been {aid too, by the Ad-
vocate, that he has Affidavits : this is an im-

S50 TH£ I.IFE OF

pucatioiij my Lord^ an inuendo^ tmwarrantaUe
in a liberal mind.

*' My Lord3 if he talks of Affidavits^ Ihayc
Affidavits of a tremendous nature : — not Affi-
davits> but Witneffes, to Ihew that this Caufe
has not yet been bottomed. But, my Lord^ I
do not rife to contend^ or for revenge. , L
never profecuted for vengeance j I defpife tbt
idea. Let them here, in the cu-cumftances
that they ftand m, produce mc byt an ordinary
fafety*

*' I profecuted from the firft law of nature,
Jelf 'defence — and 2i public example. My Lord>
I have a feeling and refentment too, but I have
compaffion. My Lord, I defy them to make
mc an offer, liberal in an ordinary degree, that
I would not accept of, without troubling the
Mafter. I have only my expences in viewer-
Befides, my daughter has fuffi^red to the amount
of 2501, I have now propofals from Scotland;
I have propofals from Ireland; Lcoiild get
money here ; but, if I am fent before the Maf-
ter, I ipuft lofe all that opportunity, and more

CHAltLSS MACKLIN. I5I

money than will, perhaps, arifc from the in-
terview with the Mailer : therefore, with hum«-
ble fubmiffion to the Court — it is difficult to
fpeak, circumftanced as I am, without imper-
tinence^ — ^without digreffion.— I am aware that
no man, but he that has travelled in the paths
of this Court, knows what to fay in it cor-
reftly : — but, in contradidion to the Learned
Gentleman now in my eye, who fays that I
want revenge, and to Ihcw that he is ignorant
of my difpofition in this point, let any man of
honor be appointed immediately : I will abide
by every thing that he fuggefts of juftice, I
want no revenge. And, my Lord, I hayc
fomething further to fay : this man before
your Lordlhip, this TaytoTy within thefe few
days, has dared to tell me, before many Wit-
• neiles — relponfible Tradcfmcn, in Covcnt-
Garden, with an infolcnce unbecoming his fitu-
ation or charadter— * u4&, aby ah! you will
* fend me to gaol then — it may he againft the
^ law to bijs^ but it is not againft the law to
' laugh J for, depend upon it, when you play
f Tr^cdy, you will have a very merry Audi-
' tnct—Ahy aby ab J*

2S2 TH£ LfFB OF

^^ I aflure your LoixUhipj that this man^
jbougb be is but a Ti^Ury has a very fi>arp
tongue, and a very quick mind.

** My Lord, were I to utter his Em Mots
upon me, and my circumftances, you would
laugh heartily indeed :— *but of him I (hall Tay
no more.

'* The advice that fell from the Court, when
the Rule was made abfolute, though direded
to the Defendants, made a very deep impreffion
on my mind. I felt the humanity, I felt the
awfulnefs of that advice ; and, from that mo-
ment, I folicited, with all the anxiety in my
power, to bring /hem to a compofition.— •
Money was not my objeSt tben—tt is not my ob-
je5l now.

^' My Lord, 1 have Gentlemen in Court to
prove that I laid a plan of genefal acconuno-
dation, and I will reveal it now.

[Mr. Macklin here addreffed himfclf to the
Defendants.]

CHARLES MACKLIN. %§$

^^ * Pay me my cxpcnccs— -you have injured
tue as a man s make fome compenfation to the
Managers of the Theatre ; make fome com-
penfation to my daughter, whofe Benefit is
depending.'

*^ My Lord, thus I projected it, as a means
of general rea>nciliation :-^with thefe Gentle-
men I would have contrived it^ and I ftated it
to my Advocate. I fuggeiled it to the De-
fendants, that the propofal might come from
them, and that, confequently, they might ob-
tdn a general popularity. ,

" But how is this compenfation to be made ?
What was the mode I fuggefted i It is this —

^^ ^ Let them take one hundred pound's worth
of Tickets for Mi/s Macklin's benefit — (he has
loft 250L : — Let them take one hundred pounds
worth of Tickets for Mr. Macklin ; and let
them take one hundred pounds worth of Tickets,
upon fome night that he plays, as a kind of
compenfation to the Managers.' This wa^ of no
advantage to me — I can fill my Houfe without

154 ^HS LIFE or

It ', but I meant to give them the populaiitr
gf doing a juftice to the man they had injttred;
and ofconvincii^ the Public that they would
never do the like agdn> and that they were in
amity, and not in enmity, with me. — My Lord>
I have nothing more to fay.

" Lord Mansfield.-— -Thtn I think you have
(fcne yourfclf great credit, and great honor>
by what you have now faid ; and I think your
€i(fndu6t is wife, too ; and I think it will fup-
port you, with the Public, againft any man
that (hall at(ack you. I think it highly be-
coming upon your part \ for now what he pro-
pofes is, to give up all this litigaiimy only to
be paid bis coftsy which, in a double fenie, he
ought to be paid. I iky a double fenfey becaufe
the profccution was well founded ; and parti-
cularly, becaufe the Defendants would not flop
it, when it was recommended to them, — and
a. fmall fatisfaclion, in this way, to his daughter
for her Benefit. I think fomc fingle perfon l\as
ajpcady offered more for his own flxare.

CHARLES MACRLIN. a^^

«' Mr.Macklin, you have done yourfelf great
credit by it ; and the Public^ I am iatisfied,
efpecially in this Country, love gcnerofity.
You will do more good by this, in the eyes of
the Public, than if you had received all the
money that you had a right to receive,

** I think you have afted bandfomily^boneftly^
honorably J and done yourfelf great fefvice by
it. t think it is a mod generous conduft.—- «
Mr. Blake, you will be able to fettle it,

''Mr.Macklin. — KMefrs. Clarke, Aldus ^A
James will meet me : — I will not meetthe Tay-
lor, for itis impoffible to confine his tongue.—

" Lord Mansfield. — Mr. Macklin, fee whc^
thcr I cannot make peace between you. Now,
fuppofe he undertakes to be bound by a Rule
of Court, to ftand committed if he ever fo much
as, by look or word, puts you in a paflion.

*' The propofal, then, is to pay him his Cofts,
and to take 300I. worth of Tickets, in the way
that he has mentioned. — Let it be fo.

a^6 THB tIFE OF

'^ Mr. Mdcklin, the Houfc will receive fo
much benefit from it^ perhaps they will paqr
you the arrears.

" Mr. Macklin. — My Lord^ I never did
quarrel with a Manager for money yet : I never
made a bargsdn with a man ; whatever they offer
me^ I take.

'^ Lord Man^ld.-^^Tou have tnH wiibgraa
applaufe to day :»^'-jrou never a5ed better J*

Cftap* viii.

DURING the whole courle of this remark-
able Trial, the King's Bench was
crowded beyond all former example, and Mr.
Mackfin obtamed wonderful applaufe. His
lenity towards the unfortunate Conlpirators
did him the higheft honor, and procured. for
him that proud encomium paid him by .Lord

CHARLES MACKLIN. 2^7

Mansfield. Peace being n6w concluded, Mr.
Macklin entered into a new agreement with Mr.
Harris, in the fpring of the year 1775, ^^^> ^^^
wards the beginning of the enfuing feafon, made
his Re-appearance at Covcnt-Garden, for the
benefit of his daughter, in Sbylock and Sir Archy
Macfarcafm. The reception he met with, on
this occafion, was extremely gratifying to his
feelings, and elated him fo much, that he turned
his mind once more to Tragedy, and, on Tuef-
day the 1 2th November, performed Richard
III. to a very crowded Audience.— The fol-
lowing critique upon hi? I^erformance appeared
the fuccceding day in Mr. Woodfall's. News-
paper.

ti

Mr. Macklin was lafi: night received, in
" the character of Richard^ with that generous
" warmth of applaufe, which a veteran of the
" Stage, endeavouring to plcafe, (though in a
" ftylc of ading tkc Public have not been much
" accuftomed to fee him attempt) ought ever to
" experience.
Vol. II. S

258 THB LIFE or

" We have often fpokc of Mr. Macklin's
*' judgment, even where we found ourfelves
*' obliged to call his execution in queftion.
" He, laft night, in the three firft a6ts, exerted
" himfelf with a degree of fuccefs, much fu-
" perior to that which attended him formerly,
"in performing. the fame charafter. In the
*« two laft — but we have no occafion to enter
" upon a tafk fo invidious ,and unwckoine as
** thatof ftarting inquiries after defefts, which
" perhaps are afcribable to nature only.

" Suffice it that we declare, that Mr. f^lack-
^' lin's vigour was unabated till the end of the
*' Tragedy i and, confidering that he did not,
'* till within the three laft years, very fre-
^' qucntly ftep forward as a Tragedian, his Re-
" prefentation of Ricbardy yefterday evening,
" was a wonderful performance."

Mr. Macklin intended to have aded King
Lear after Richard III. but not receiving the
applaufe that he expefted, in the perfonifica-
tion of the latter Charafter, he relinquiflied
kis intention.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 2^^

We fliall lay before the Reader the following
ciiticifms on Mr. Garrick's manner of ading
King Lear and Othello^ which were written bjr
Mr. Macklin about this time.

^^ Garrick's Lear and Othello.

" Why did he fall aflecp in Lear? Is the
" aft ncceflary in the Play ? What is the in-
^^ tent ? It is not conducive to forward the
" Fable. It does iiot produce any incident,
" fpecch, fentiment, pafllon, or refleftion.-—
" It does not mark or de velope any part of the
*' Character. It is one of Shakfpcare's weak
" redundancies, pardonable in him, who wrote
'^ in a barbarous age, as to the Drama, but
^^ mod unpardonable in an Ador in thefe times.

'^ Suppofe an Author fhoukl bring a Tra-
" gedy to Mr. Garrick, in which the capital
^' Character, through madnefs or fatigue of paf-
^' fion, even to the exhaufting of all ftrength or
" ability to quit the fcenc, is tmit to fall afleep
" upon the Stage — ^wouldMr, Garrick approve
" of it ? Why, really, to fpcak my mind ho-
S 2

l6o THE LIFE OF

I

" neftly of that Gentleman's judgment, I am
'^ inclined to bcKcvc he would — for, by the
^^ fpecimens that he ha3 given in his adting ;
*' his ftrange manner of dying and griping the
'^ carpet j his writhing, ftraining, and agoniz-
*' ing; (all of which he has introduced into the
" profeffion of afting) there is no new-fangled
^^ conceit, of that nature, that I do not think
" him capable of countenancing i butlam fure,
" that thofe who know what nature in the
'* Drama is, would condemn it as a paltry, pe-
*' /// impropriety : but the truth is, he be-
*^ haved in this trick, (for a mere trick it is
" in acting) as he did when he played Of hello ^
*' firft. When he was ftudying that Part, he
" confidered that Quin was a large, corpulent
*^ man ; and that he himfelf was a diminutive,
<' mean figure for the Moor i therefore, he
** knew that Quin could not fall fuddenly on
*' the ground> as it were in a fit, without
*' greatly hurting himfelf, and, perhaps, raif-
" ing laughter in the Audience 5 but that he,
" with his infignificant perfon, could do it
"without the rifque of either;, and, therefore,
" introduced that fhamcful fcene of the Epi-

CHARLES MACRLIN. 261

^^ Icpfy in the 4th Aft, which, inftcad of being
'^ applauded, ought to have been exploded
^^ with indignation and contempt for his im-
^* pudence — in the firft place, in ofierbg foch
^' an abfurd paflage to a thinking and fuppofed
"judicious Public; and, in the next place,
" for reftoring a paflage, which, in the records
*' of the Theatre, had never been adbed j and
" which, on and ofF the Stage; muft be looked
" upon as an excrefcence of the worft fort, of
** the great genius that produced it. The
" fame trick he played in this fleeping excref-
" cence of King Lear — he knew that Barry,
'^ on account of his fize, could not be carried
" off the Stage with the fame eafe that he could,
* and therefore introduced it,"

About this time, alfo, Mr. Macklin wrote
the following Character of Mr. Garrick, which
we have tranfcribed, verbatim et literatim from
the original paper.

" Garrick's Character.

" His tyc was dark, but not charafteriftical
^* of any paflion, but the fierce and the lively t

S3

1

262 ^ THY I*IF£ Of

*' To friendfhip with man^ or lore and friend-
*^ (hip with woman, he never was dtfpofed ;
'^ for love of himielf always forbid it. Envy
«^ was his torment— ever dreading merit in the
'^ loweft of his brethren, and pining at the ap-
^' plaufe and fortune that their labours pro-
^^ cured thiem.

^' He had a nam>w, contracted mind, bounded
** on one fide by Su/picUn, by Envy on the
*' other, by Avarice in the front, and by pale
^' Fear in the rear, with^^in the centre. Out
*' of theie limits he never expatiated or tranf-
'* curred, unlcfs Fear and Oftentation exerted
" their fundions conjointly.

" He never could enjoy the convivial fclici-
" tics of focictyi efpecially with thofc pcrfon§
" who were moft capable of tailing, contribut-
*' ing, and adminiftcring the unrefcrycd, unde-
** figning, free inquiries of improved ingenious
*^ minds. He had read and heard that the
'' more refined and thinking minds, of all ages,
" had a particular pleafure in the mental inter-
^* courfe of the ingenious few. Of this cuftom

CHARLES MACKLIK. a6j

*^ he was rcfohred to avail himiclf— but it was
" juft as an hypocrite avwls himfclf crf'religion,
*' by oftentation and impofture — for he herded
" conftantly with Wits, and was, in letters, a
'' profeffed Tartuff to all.

" He had a hackneyed kind of metaphorical,
" theatrical, tinfellcd phrafeology, made out
^^ of tags and ends, quotations and imitations of
" our Engliih poets; and, indeed, from the
** Greek and Latin authors, as often as his me-
" mory fcrved him with the fcraps and mottos
" it had quaintly picked up; for he knew no
" book of antiquity, nor, indeed, of modern
" note. Prior y la Fontam^ Swift's Poetry, and
*' a few more of that kind excepted ; thefe
" he conftantly imitated^ plundered, difguifed,
" and frittered in occafional prologues, epi-
<' logucs, and complimentary poems upon
** parrots, lap-dogs, monkies, birds, growing
" wits, patrons, and ladies. But what he
*^ moft excelled in, was, in writing epigrams
" and Ihort poems in praife of himfelf and his
** produdtions, and in defamation of a rival
*^ Aftor, or of any of thofe poor people of the
S 4

1

264 THE LIFE or

" Stage, whom he wifhed to be unpopular.
'^ With fuch fhreds and patches he conilantly
*« fed the daily papers, the reviews, and maga^
" zines. — Each of his aflbciate Wits had a pe-
*' culiar quaintnefs of phrafc and greeting -,
^' fuch as—-' My /prig of Parnajfus^ ht me
'* pour my incenje V

" He laboured for private eftccm, but al-
" ways in vain ! Fear> envy, and avarice were
*' feen even in deeds that appeared convivial,
" benevolent, and liberal ! He was a maker of
" profeflions, but a flave to intercft ! He was
^* honoured as an Aftor, hated as a Man, and
** defpifed as an Author ! He ever made friend-
" fhip a footftool to his intcreft and ambition.
*' The two men that he was moft obliged to, he
^* ^ways hated and feared. He ruined the one,
•* and planned the deftrudion of the other ! He
" could have no lading intimacy with any body.
** He was totally void of any kind of addrcfs to
" men or women, in any rank or circumftanceof
*' life, that the judicious, and thofe who h»i
^* thought on that art, called genteel or well-.
*' bred.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 265

^* His art in afting confifted in inccffandy
*' pawing and hawling the Charafters about,
*^ with whom he was concerned in the fcene —
'* and when he did not paw or hawl the Cha-
'^ rader, he ftalked between them and the Au-
*^ dience ; and that generally when they were
*^ fpeaking the moft important and interefting
*' paffage in the Scene — which demanded, in
*^ propriety, a ftrid attention. When he
" fpoke hitnfelf, he pulled about the Cha-
" rafter he fpoke to, and fqueezed his hat,
" hung forward, and flood almoft upon one
" foot, with no part of the other to the ground
" but the toe of it.

*^ His whole aftion, when he made love in
" Tragedy or in Comedy-r-when he was fami-
" liar with his friend — when he was in anger,
" forrow, rage — confifted in fqueezing his hat,
*' thumping his brcaft, ftrutting up and down
" the Stage, and pawing the Charafters that he
" afted with.

'^ In private life, had this man been inter-
«^ dift^d the ufc of mimicry, of fimulation, and

}66 THB LIFE OF

*' dtflimulation^ he would have appeared^ i^at
** in reality he was, a fuperficial, itifignificant
*' msm. But with the help of thole arts, he
•* was entertaining, and appeared fagacious,
" learned, good-natured, modeft, and friendly
^* to thofe who had no dealings with him— but
** to thofe who had, he was known to the very
** heart j for his attachment to intcrcft in deal-
** ings made him as obvious, as if Nature had
** made a window to his heart.

*' Our aftions are the only true teftimonies
^' of our probity. Our intimates, and thofe
** with whom we chufe to retire and live in
*' private with, fomifli the beft proofs of the
" ftrength or weaknefs, richnefs or poverty of
" th? mind,

y The paltry aftions of this man are well
" known : his intimates I need not defcribc.
•• The tree is known by its fruit.

*^ An ancient philofopher, fpeakmg of Envy,
" charadlerizes it very finely, by faying, it is of
** that perverfe, unfociable, felfifh nature^

CHAHLIS MACKLIN^ fl67

f^ thal^ were it abfolutc, it would rather
** forego the indifpcnfiblc influence of the fun,
*^ than participate the bktffmg with mankind,
** This defcription of Envy may feem to fomc
*^ men to be ex^gerated and hyperbolical ;
*^ but thofe who have obferved this paffion in
^^ its extremes, in the commerce of the world,
*^ or, as Milton h^ charaftcrized it in his Par^-
" dife Lofi, will find it to be naturally juft^
" A llronger inftance of it3 influence fure never
*^ was known, than in the perfon we have now
*' under confideration i For, not fatisfied with
^^ endeavouring to delVroy the fame of every
" contemporary Aftor, he attacked even that of
^* the Aftrefles, and fuccccdcd. ffor was the
" traducement of the living fame of male and
<* female^ of every age and rank upon the
<^ Suge, fufficient to gorge the maw of Envy :
♦' it flew to the dead ! and infidioufly broke
" open the hallowed tombs of Better ton,
" Booth, Wilks^ and other honoured fpiritS;,
^VNature's favourite children, who had been
" foftered and perfefted by Art, Applaufe, ancj
" Time, — and, when living, whom Envy's felf
*^ allowed to be Nature's darling fons, and Art's

268 THE LIFB OF

" pcrfcft pupils': yet, thcfc very ipirits would
" he flyly bring upon the carpet j mimic,
" though he never faw them; tell anecdotes of
" them, and traduce their immortal fame, by
" ftigmatizing them as mannerifts, arid deno-
** minating them as perfons who fpoke in reci-
" tative. Thus would he ferve them up to
^* ignorant people, who believed and won-
" dcred; and to dependants and flatterers, who
" retailed the libellous anecdotes, inveftives,
^^ and quaint conceits, and concluded that the
<* art was never known but by the narrator,
*' who, with an apparent modefty, and a con-
" cealed impudence, made himfclf the hero of
" the hiftorical criticifm.

*' His mind was bufied upon the external
*' and partial looks, tones, gaits, and motions of
^^ individuals in their ordinary habits. Of the
^^ paflTions, their degrees and kinds, and of their
*' influence upon the organs, and their impref-
** fions upon the body, he knew but little, very
*' little indeed ! His mind and knowledge were,
<'Uke his body, little, pert, acute, quick,

CHARLES MaCICLIN. i6^

" weak, eaiily fliocked and worn down, fub-
" tie, plaufible.

'* By this external partial imitation of indivi-
*' duals, he continually exercifed his mind and
'• body. This wretched buffoonery comprized
" his knowledge, his humour, his learning,
" convcrfation, wifdom, virtue, elegance, breed-
" ing, and his companionable qualities. His
*' mimicry, both off the Stage, and on it,
" ferved him, inftead of figure, grace, charac-
'* ter, manners, and of a perfeft imitation of
** general nature, as it paffes through human
" life, in every charaftcr, age, rank and ftatiop.

*' He introduced fleep into Ltar : fhcwed
" how the body dreamt in Richard. He alfo
*' introduced fleep into Sir John Brute i and, for
" many minutes, to the extravagant fatisfadtion
** of the Audience, cut the faces of an ideot, ^
'^ lunatic, a ftupor : fb expert was he in all the
" trick of the face, which the good people ac^
" knowledged as an imitation of a drunken man
" falling afleep.

ft7^ TrtE hlVt Of

^^ Whcnevicr a Manager fctg up his otm
" power, taftc, or avarice, againft the power,
" judgment, or entertainment of the People, he
*' forfeits every right to their favot ; nay he
" merits their contempt and refentment. Gar-
" rick never obliged the Public in any one arti-
" cle during the time of his Management > on
" the contrary, he took every ftcp by which he
*^ could ere£t himfclf into a tyrant^ to crufti the
** fpirit and genius of merit both in Aftors and
'' Authors i to corrupt the public taftc ; to fill
" his own coffers j and to make his own judg-
" ment the ftandard of every fpccies of drama-
" tic merit.

" His wit always wanted ftrcngth, his de-
*' fcriptions humour, his manner pleaiantry,
" his conduct integrity, his difpofition good
, " nature, and his deportment decency."

Mr. Garriek died on the aoth of January,
.1779, of a palfey in the kidnies. He was
buried in the moft magnificent manner in Wtft-
minfter-Abbey.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 27!

C^ap* IX.

DURING the feafonof 1776, Mr. Mack-
lin performed but feldom. His love for
ckamatic compofition incrcafcd every day, and
he preferred his Study to the Theatre. He
was ever ready to give his advice to young
Performers, and heftowed a great deal of pains
and time in the inftruftion of his Pupils, of
whom he feldom had lefs than two or three.
Thefe he not only entertained in his own houfe,
box furniftied them with every neceflary* they
wanted, and even fupplied them with money.
He did all this without any pecuniary retribu-
tion ; and, as foon as he thought them qualiBed
for making their appearance on the Stage, he
procured them an* engagement. The friends
of the late celebrated Mr. Henderfon requeftcd •
Mr. Macklin to hear him rehcarfe, point
out his errors, and advife the heft method for
improving his recitation. The Stage Neftor
complied with the requeft, and faid to a friend
of Mr. Hendcrfon~" Sir, the young Gentle-
" man has genius, but the jSrft thing lie does

lyi TUJL LIFE 0?

^* muft be to unlearn all that he has already
^^ learned I until he does that, he cannot
^^ learn to be a Player." Mr. Henderson
puriued his advice, and fucceeded.

On the loth of January, i777> Mr, Barry
died. For fome confiderable time before his
diffolution, he was affliftcd with violent fits of
the gout, and his conftitution was very much
impaired by his very irregular mode of life»—
Mr. Barry was unqueftionably one of the moft
pleafing tragic AAors that ever trod the En-
glifh Stage. He owed a great deal of his fame
CO the admirable inftruftions of Mr. Mackiin,
who devoted a great deal of his time to the im-
provement of his favourite pupil. In the He-
ro and the Lover, Mr. Barry was inimitable :
he was dignified in the one^ and impaffioned in
the other. We have often heard Mr. Macklin
declare, that Mr. Barry was far fuperior to Mr.
Garrick in King Lear^ and Golley Gibber prefer-
red his Othello to the Performancesof Bettcrtori,
and Booth : indeed, every word that he fpoke in
this wonderful Charafter, feemed to come from
the heart. In Jaffier^ Cafialiv^ Rome^j FeraneSf

CHARLES MACKLJl^. 2J2

Pbocias, and Oreftesy he flood without a com-
pietitor J and, in Alexander the Greats he gave
new vigour to the wild flights of the mad hero*
On his female auditors he made a very great im-
preffion, by the foft melody of his love com-
plaints, and the noble ardour of his courtftiip*
In point of figure, he was undoubtedly the mod
majeftic Aftor ever ittn on the Britilh Stage.
He was tall without awkwardncfs, and hand-
fomiC without effeminacy, w^th a voice both
powerful and harmonious. Although deficient
in literature, he was pofTcfrcd of an irrefifliblc
power of perfuafion. He was very fond of
giving magnificent entertainments, and always
lived beyond his income i a fault too common
among the gentlemen of his profeffion. He was
celebrated for telling Irifh ftories with infinite
humour. He was buried yi Wcflminfler Abbey.

During this period, Mr. Macklin, as we
have already mentioned, performed but fel-
dom: in May, 1778, he played the charafter
of Sir John BrutCy in the " Provoked Wifey''
and, in his perfonification of this Perfonage,
renckred the Part more of a BrutCy than that of

Vol. n. T

474 THE LIFE Of

a GentlemaUj which certainly was the author't
idea. He, however, had to encounter the ill-
nature of many enemies, who inftantly to<^
the alarm, upon his appearance in this new Cha-
rafter, and did all in their power to depreciate
his performance ; but his excellent manner of
afting fet all their efforts at defiance, and tbeit
cenjure'w2& his great eft praife.

In the Summer of 1779, Mr^ Macklin being
inclined, to vifit Leedsy Tork^ and Ediniurgbg
entered into a correfpondence with the different
Managers refpefting an agreement to perform
certam Charaftcrs at the above places, for a
certain number of nights^ — The following are
extraffcs from Letters written by Mr^ Macklin
on the occafioi.

" To Tate Wakinfon, Efq,— York.

*' Leedsy I am told, has too much methodifin
" to be pleafed with the pafTions of a Shylock^
" or a Ricbardj though m imitation only.

" If it may be made worthy of your interclt
^y to fee me upon yow Stage, at the races> I

feMARLES MACKLINi ^75

^^ Ihall, about that time, be in London> and at
^' leifurc to attend you. I fay worth your while^
** fgr that ought to be your firft policy, in
*^ agreements with fuch Irirds of paifage as we
** Londoners are/'

Another Extraft.— To the famci

^^ You higgle and higgle too much about an
" agreement with mCi and talk of thirds and
*^ halves of Houfes, as Jews (Shy locks) do in
^^ 'Ghange-AUey, about fourths^ eighths, and
^^ fixtcenths. I know nothing of thirds or
"halves of Houfes, nor of charges of Houfcs,
*^ nor half charges : you know them all, and
^^ the receipts, as far as. experience can infonn j
•^^ and you can likewife judge how far you want
" my affiftance^ and how far my adting can
^^ aflift and profit you> much better than I can
*^ judge } therefore,- you can fay what yoi;r
" receipts, or market, and your intereft can af-
*^ ford to give me for the fervice you expeft :
" let me know that : I will give you an anfwer ;
*' and if your fum (for it mufl be a fum> and
^* not any thmg upon chance) be worth my

T2

fji THE LIFE OF

" while, I will attend you ; if it be not worth
«* my trouble, the treaty ends at once.

" The bufinefs I propofe to do with you at
'* York is, Macbeth^ Richard, Merchant of
*^ Fenicsy Love-a-U-Mode, JVfj/^,' and perhaps
" Othello. I fay perhaps : fo that you fee the
" whole point refts now upon your telling me
" what certainty your intereft will give my
« labour."

Another ExtraSi. •

" I wifh you would, in legible charafters, and
" pl^n, clear. Common fenfe,kt me know upon
'' what terms I may play with you at Edinburgh.
*' I Ihall have a new Farce or two, and a new
*' Comedy, with the London ftamp of appro-
" bation. or difapprobation upon them, to offer
\^ to the Edinburgh Audience, before whom
*' I have, iincerely, the warmcft inclination to
"appear: iox, Jans compliment, I think that
" the pureft, that is, the mod correct Audience,
'^ now of the Empire. Dublin, perhaps, from
' ^"^ national partiality, or fair candour, may be

CHARLES MACICLIII. 277

" on a par with them, for the body of the Law
'^ there, as at Edinburgh, is the bulk of the
'* Audience : and iurely that is the moft fcn-
*^ fible part of an Audience, if hot of the Na*
^^ tion.

*' Bad Houfes at both Theatres ; — Henderfon
'* has not had half aHoufe yet — all the American
" fFar — did I not fay fo it would be ?

*' The Lord Chamberlain has refufed to li^
*^ cence a Comedy of mine, being feafoned too
'^ highly reipefting venality, and the other
" I have withdrawn, or rather fufpcndcd, for a
** private rcafon."

This corrcfpondence between Mr. Macklin
and the Country Managers being unfatisfaftory,
on account of the terms propofed by the latter,
the treaty terminated at once, and Mr. Macklin
relinquifhed his ideaof vifiting Edinburgh.

The Comedy that Mr. Macklin alludes to,
in hi§ Letter, as being refufed by the Licencer,
was Tbf Man of the Worlds which, after fpm«

T3

a'ji THE LIFE 07

obje6bionable paflages were expunged, by tkt
Author^ was tolerated.

We have copied the following particuiarsj,

refpefting this fubjedt, from Mr. Macklin'5
papers.

^^ Tie Lord Chamberlain's Duty.

^^ The bufinefs of the Stage is to correft vicci^
Vand laugh at folly ; and the Lord Chambcrr
f ^ lain has a right to prohibit j but fuch prohi-
^^ bition is not to arife from caprice, or enmityji
^^dr partiality. What he prohibits muft be
^' offenfive to virtue, morality, decency, or the
^^ Laws of the Land.

^* This piece is in fupport of virtvie, morality,
" decency, and the Laws of the Land: it fatirizes
^Vboth public and private venality, and repro-
^' bates inorcfinate paffions and tyrannical conr
^' du£t in a parent.

^* The Lord Chamberlain, when called upon^^
f' ought in jufticc to point out the pafiages th^t

■j

GHARLBS MACKLIN, 279

^f arc offcnfivc to Government or to indivi-
^' dualsj or fociety at large. No man, m a pul>-
^^ lie truft, fhould exercife his authority to the
^^ injury of another, or to the privadon of any
^^ public right,.

" To feek the truth, to leparate right from
*^ wrong, to determine according to found
^* judgment, equity, andjufticc, is the duty of
f' a Chamberlaiiij and the eiid of his truft.

** My Copy being detained^ I afked the Dc*
" puty why ? or by what right he deprived mc
^' of my Copy ? For fome time he would not
" afllgn any reafon. I told him, that I fhould
" refort to the Laws of my Country for redrefs i
^^ upon which he replied, that I fiwld but ex^
^' pofe myjelfy and that th^y^ kept the C$py hy the
*' ^f^g^ of the Office.

*' I told him, that I knew the Stage before
*' that law exifted ; that it could not be by
^' cxiftom ; that it was the firft time I had ever
^' heard of an Author being deprived of his
f * Copy 5 and that I fhould not fubmit to it, ,

T4

!

l8o THE LIFE OF

*^ I alfo informed the Lord Chamberlain
*^ that I had afted the Comedy in Ireland j that
^^ they were as careful there as here about any
" thing that afFefted Government j that the
*^ Lords Lieutenants, who had fcen it, laughed
" heartily at ic, and deemed the fatirc general^
'* pleafant, and juft.

" Some little creatures in office, to make
*' their court to Lords Lieutenants, pronounced
" it ofienfive to Government j but their Maf-
'' ters faw it again and again, and all the
^' emotions they fhewed were laughter and
'^ applaufe,

*^ Let us fee what happened with refpeft to
*\ CatOy for, like, my Play, great efforts were
*' made to prejudice the people againft it

" The firft Night of Cato.

" During ihe rehearfal of the piece, the
'* whole kingdom was in motion about the con-
" fequence of it, and pregnant with expefta-
^^ tions of various kinds. The cry was, that

CHARLES MACKLIN. iSl

** the Tories would not be able to pa6 along the
♦* ftrcets in fafcty, after it was afted, the people
<^ would be To incenied at the ingratitude and
** injuftice of the Miniftry, for difgracing tl*e
'^ G£NERAL,whohad,for fomanyyears, beaten
f^ the enemies of Great Britain, and raifed her
^^ to the higheft pitch of glory,

" The Public were fet in motion. The
** Whigs, inflamed with refentment, and fwcU-
^^ ing with exultation at the thoughts of the
^* Play, and the Tories, lowered by this cafyal
" unpopularity, and a confcious felf-difgrace,
^' all met at the Theatre on the firft night of
'^ CatQ.

" I have converfed with Authors^ Politicians,
"Courtiers, Critics, Aftors, and the Thea-
" trical Managers, viz. Booths fVilks^ a,nd C/^-
" bery refpeding this affair, and they all de-
" clafed, that, on the firft night of Cato's being
" adbed, there was the moft awful and brilliant
" Audience that had ever graced a Theatre, hot
^^ that of Rome excepted.

2Sa THE LIFE OF

** Eviery circumftancc that could tonzt the
^' ipiitt> command the attentum, or awaket^
•* the paflions of party criticifin, wsjs rcfonccj
^' to on this important night*

^' TIus was the Av^uft^ Age of England —
^* almoft every man of felhionthcn went through
' ^' the courfes of a Collegiate Education ; tjicy
•* were all well verfed in polite literature. —
*' Their drcfs, external manners ^d deport-
•* menty had a formality, which, when in thd
^* extreme, ftiflfened the figure, formalized its
^' motions into the appearance of a folcmn cox-
?' comb, and influenced even the fpcech into a
^* ridiculous meafured flownefs of utterance.
^V Their whole manner was cautious, circumi-
^* fpeft, guarded by civility, and a conftant
^* attention to accommodate, in whatever pub-
^* lie or private aficmbly they met in. At ^
•^ that> time, commerce had not difFufed i»
** wealth, and purfe -proud rudenefs amongft
♦' the vulgar, induftrious, illiterate plebeians;^
^' as at preftnt. A Theatre then was not
♦* difturbed with criticifms that rofe into ty-
f^ ranny and eternal prohibition. Refenc-

i
J

CHARLES MACRtlN. 2|j

^' mcnt was fhcwn by the firft night'^ Audi-
^^ cnccj and the Play was left to diat jpart of th*
*^ Public, who IhoiUd fugcced them, to judg?
^^ for themfclye^.

f ^ But to return. All the foreign Ambafla-
*' dors were grouped together in the Theatre.
" The Whigs and the Tories were arranged
*' on different fides, men and women. The
^' Play written by a Whig Author. The Pro-
" logue by a Papift (Mr. Pope) and a profcffed
'^ friend to the Tories, and the Epilogue by a
^' Whig Phyficianj^ yiz. Dr. Garth.

*^ The Curtain is up. Enter Wilks^ a warm
^' Whig, of high fpirit, and the beft Prologue
^^ fpeaker, for addrefs^ pathos, point, and ipi^
^' rit, that ever trod the Eii^lifh Stage. Whigt
*\ and Tories greet him in plaudits and accla*-
^' mations, which they repeat to him, and-to
^* the Author of the Prologue, at the iclofe of
^' every fentiment.

^^ From this account, you will not wonder,
t^ that a deep folenm attention of the Audience

284 !^HE tIF£ OF

" to the Play was the moft memorable pheno-
'^ mcnon of the night.

" For, though the theatre was crowded with
*' perfons the moft poliftied, and with the great
" vulgar and the fmall, and though all were
** inflamed with party fpirit, yet fuch is the
** wonder, as many have informed me, that not
*' an infult, an interruption, an indecency, nor
" the leaft noife occurred, during the whole
'^ night, except when energizing rapture, to
" relieve the mind, burft forth in plaudits and
** peals of acclamations, at the glorious ftrug-
" gles of expiring liberty, fo admirably painted
*^ in that Drama,

*' The Play being over, the Tories joined in
*^ applauding the Author to the (kies ; but the
'* Whigs, not contented with the common
" mode of joy, rcfolved to create fomcthing
*^ new, that would look like a triumph. Their
" fcheme of triumph was this -, four of them
*' put five guineas apiece into a purfc, and
" went round the boxes to every Whig, and
^f colle^cd a large fum. They then went

CHARLEI MACKLIK* ^S $

*^ into tht green-room, and there, in the name
*' of all the Whigs of the Britifli Empire, gave
" Mr* Booth, who played the pArt of CafOy the
*' purfe, for having declaimed fo glorioufly in
'' the caufe of expiring liberty*

" This whim made a great noilfe in the world.
" The coUeftion was magnified into a great
" fum J and it did the Whigs great fervice
** with the mobi who followed their coaches
*^ the next day, and hallood them wherever
*' they met them.

*< The Tories were not pleafed at their friends,
.** the mob, forfaking them thus, and therefore
" refolvcd, in their turn, to fteal a march upon
*' the Whigs. Accordingly, the next day,
** they took as many of the Boxes of the The-
•*' atre as they could monopolize, -and filled
" them with their own friends, and, all through
^' the Play, out-hallood and out-applauded tlie
*'' Whigs by many degrees -, and, after the Play,
" St. John, and fome more of the Tories, c(d-
" lefted a purfe of guineas, that was thfee tinfues
*' as valuable as that of the Whigs, went to

ni^ TrtB LIFE OP

^^ Booth, brought^ him upon the iStftgCi dnd
*^ there gave him the purfe, in the name of all
" his Majcfty's loyal fu.bje6ts, for having dc-
*^ claimed fo well againft a perpetual Di6kator.
** This manoeuvre produced the defired effeft;
*' it brought the mob back to the Tories, and
^' fixed the ftigma of a perpetual Diftator on
" the Duke of MarlBofough, till the accefiion
** of the Hoiife of Hanover j when the Duke
•* returned from his voluntary exile, and> as it
** were, made his triumphal public entry from
*^ London-Bridge, through the City, to St*
*' James's;

" What was the con^quence of this danger^
" ous^ Playi fo much dreaded by Lord Oxford^
^' and fome more of the Minifters ? — ^Why^ all
^^ the rage of the Whigs, a^inft the Tories and
" the Minifters, was fWaUowed up and loft fot
" the remainder of the winter, in crriticifms
^ upon the merits and demerits of the Playi
** and in th<i univerfal converfation concerning
" which party, the Whigs or the Tories, felt
^^ the g'reateft fmart from the virtuous doftrine
^* of the Play^ Each party claimed a viftor/i

6HARLES MACKLIK. &8^

** and the whole Public felt a virtuous fenfation
*^ from the pathetic reprefcntation of the eflcn-
** tial charafteriftics of their matchlefs con-
*' ftitution.

^^ Such are the natural tfft&^ of a Thcattei
*' in free dates, at critical moments ; and fuch
" is the ufe that Minifters may, and ought to
*' make of a Theatre at certain conjundtures*

** It ought to be the fccrcti the feemingly
*' cafual - inftrument that Government ought
** to friz?, at particular periods, unknown to
*' the people. It is dangerous to give the peo*
*^ pie an occafion to think, that fatire or ridi-
** Gide is Ikut out from the Theatre, in every
** vice or folly rcfpedting the Minifters, and
** Gpcn to every mode of attack upon ^thd
*' friends of liberty, or thofe who are called foi

*^ Now, with regard, to my Comedy (Thcs
*' Man of the World) is it not juft and falu-
^f tary that the fubtilty, pride, infolence,
*' cunning, and the thorough-paced villany
** of a backbiting Scotchmai fhouid be rkli-

28S ^ THE LIFE tW

" culcd ? What a wretched ftate the Comic
'* Mufe and the Stage would be reduced to,
" were the prohibition of laughing at the cor-
" ruption and other vices of the age to prevail !

" It would be the higheft abfurdity for a
" Lord Chamberlain to fay to an author—
" ^ You mull not inculcate> m any of your
*' Plays, that corruption is to be laughed at, or
" petitioned againft, for the one is a libel, and
" the other is trcafon !*

" Now, my play very ftrongly recommends
" the higheft veneration for the Conftitution
" of Great Britain ; it inculcates the love- of li-
*' berty, and hatred of oppreflion j it fatirizes
** the abufe of the law ; it reprobates a corrupt,
^'/tyrannical, over-reaching, fawning, iocing
*^ Scotchman, and extols the liberal, virtuous,
*^ independent, honeft, confcientious conduft
*' of hisfon.

" It is a nice manoeuvre j and it befits a Mi*
" nifter, in this Country, to know how to gain
" the people, and how tp divert and baffle x

CHARLES MACKLIN. 2^

** charge that may be brought ^gsdnft him. —
*' Violence will never do, nor downright, Ihecr,
^' obvious abufe, nor grave argument always.
" Gj/i^^/ ridicule is the weapon ; conjtanf ndicvlc
'* lofes its effect : to hU the mark is the ar^ —
" one rifle-barrel fljot is worth twenty from an
^^ ordinary piecey in the hands of an ordinary
" mark/man.**

C(>ap* X.

THE Reader will recoiled, that, in the fpring
of the year 1775, ^ ^^ \i2iyt before
ftated, M r. Macklin entered into a new agree-
ment with Mr. Harris, the manager of Covent-
Garden theatre (of which Mr. Colman had,
before that time, fold his fhare) without preju-
dice to his claims for the time, which was two
years, that he had not been permitted to per-
form. Mr. Macklin afted under this new
agreement, and four of the five conviftcd con-

VOL. II. U

990 ^ THE Lift or

(pirat3ors paid their Ihane of h» coAs, md ptN
formed the concEtioa of taking tickets, except
as to the lOoL worth to be taken for the benefit
of the managers, which die btter waved. But
one of the confpirators (Wiltiam Auguftm
Miles) having abfconded, and not paid his
proportion of Mn Macklin'^ cofts, he was
confiderably out of pocket m refpeflt of his
cofts on the information 1 nor was the ftipula-
tion as to tickef taking of any pecuniary ad-
vantage to him or his daughter, for they were
always aflured of crowded houfes on their be*
nefit nights, which circumftancc Mr. Macklin
ftated to the court, at the time he made his
propofal of accommodation to the convifted
dtfendants* •

Mr. Macklin being advijfed that he was en-
titled from the managers to his weekly falary,
and to a compenfation for his two benefits,
during the two feafons of his agreement, which
he had not been permitted to play in; and be-
ing advifed, that that agreement, refling as it
did^ upon letters and other documents, which
had never been reduced into technical fornix

[,

CHARLES MACKLIN. ,29!

It was proper to bring a bill in equity for the
difcovcry of the agreement.

. In purfuance of this advice, Mr. Macklinj
on the 17th May, 17763 filed a bill in Chan-
cery againft Mr. Colman and the othet- mana-
gers of Covent-Garden theatre, ftating the
letters' and other documents relative to the
agreement, and feveral other circumftances
before mentioned, and praying a difcovery
thereof

In November, 1776, the defendant Col-
man put in his anfwer, admitting the letters of
treaty, and his having direfted his attorney to
prepare a draught of fuch agreement, as be-
fore mentioned, aad containing feveral ftipula-
tions, to foitie of which Mr* Macklin, on fuch
draft being fent to him, for his approbation, pb-
jeded J and fetting forth that Mr. Colitian, being

- Unwilling to enter mto any debate with Mr*
Macklin, on his faid feveral objeftions, therefore

- delivered the draft to his attorney^ together with
Mr. Macklin*s laft propofalsi anddefired him td
prepare a draft of articles as near to Mr. Mack*

Ua

a9.ft THf LITE Of

lin's propofals as could be confiftcnt with the
intcreft of the proprietors, and the ufual forms
of the theatre ; that the fame might be fent
to Mr. Macklin, and that, foon afterwards,
Mr. Macklin began to play without any meet-
ing having been brought about finally to con-
clude the faid agreement.

Mr. Colman concluded, in this anfwcr, that
the riots in the theatre made Mr. Macklin's
difcharge neceflary for the fake of peace. In
his anfwcr, he feemed much to rely upon a
letter, which. he had got into his cuftody, from
Mr. Macklin to his daughter, in anfwer to a re-
queft jFrom her to him to play for her benefit,
as expreflive of his (Mr. Macklin) own opi-
nion, that his difmiffion from, and reftoration
to the theatre, did not depend on the will of the
nianagers, but on the pleafure of the riotous
party. — The following is a copy of the letter,
which is above alluded to. —

^^ My Dear, March 14th 1774.

*' I could not anfwer your requeft fooncr

" about your benefit. I have felt more pain

CHARLES MACKLIN* 2^2

** for you on that pointj than from all the lofles
" and vexations bcfides that have arifen to us
*^ from the malice of my pcrfccutors. My
'^counfel being out of town, my anxiety
*^ for your intereft, my eager inclination to
** play for your benefit, and the fear of giving
^' my enemies an advantage by a falfe ftep,
" perplex me greatly. I think I need not
" make ufe of any argument to convince you,
** or thofe who know that your welfare has

" ever had a place in my heart ^Youhavc a

" right to it by nature, which right you have
'* eftabliftied by a much dearer tie, in my opi-
" nion, that of an irreproachable and amiable
" conduft, which never has coft me a pang, or
" even an apprehenfion. From hence, you
^^ muft feel, that I do my own peace a fevcre
" violence, when I deny myfelf the fatisfadion
*^ of contributing to your emolument. But fo
" it is, if I play at your benefit, I fhaU, as I
" am mformed, be infulted again by my ene-
" mies, and my kindnefs to you will be turned
" into an argument againft me in my purfuit of
" jufticc.

%^ THE klFZ Of

*' Under thefc apprchcnfions, my dear, !
^' cannot, as matters ftand at prefent, attempt
*^ to aflift you at your benefit. The K)fs of
" my not playing will no doubt be confidcra-
<' bk — near 200I, — a great fum in a pdayer^s
^* revenue. But confider what a difgrace k
*' would be to you> to have a difturbance ^t
^^ your benefit. Confider how it would dif-
*' trefs your friends, and thofe who regard you,
** and the whole audience, my perfecutors
*^ excepted : and let me a<[ki, that I would notj^
** on your account, contribute to. fuch a dif-
'* turbance, for any fum that a theatre would
*^ afibrd. I was in hopes that thole who
*^ have injured me would j^ before this time,
^^ have feen the inhumanity of .their conduft,
** have repented, and have taken fuch mea-
^* fures as would have extenuated the odium of
^^ their unparalleled, unprovoked, and cruel
^< outrage — ^fuch a ftep would, in my opinioii,
** have been pleafing to the public : and what
'* men, guilty of fuch an enormity, owe to their
^^ own reputation t — butfo far are fome of then^
" from fuch a humane meafure, that, with
" menace and defiance, they have told me, that
^^ I Ihall be purfued with greater refcntment

CHARLES MACRXIN. 2^

«* than bcfort, for my having dared to meudon
*^ foitic of their nailwes in a court of jofticc f
*• jttirf, in lupport of thi* ffcfencmcnt, they plead
«* the power of the law kfelf,^ which> they fey,
^ entitles them, at aijy time, to hifs and cx-
^ plode, fo as to drive whomfoever fbey
" pieafe from; the fts^ by the law of cvStoat.
'' This is a point that I Ihall not diipute with
'* them: aK I can do is, to keep it out of thtiv
** power, till it is fettled by thofe who have
*' a right to ac^uft thofe matters* In the mean
^* time, I advife yoy to writt to Mr. Colma»;
*' let him know how you arc circumftanced,
" or efnclofe my letter, and fend it to him; that
^ will inform him thoroughly of your fituation
^ and mine. Requeft hinsi to defer your night
" to the Tjth of Aprily by which time,, ibme-^
*^ thiDig may happen* to be determined,, that
^^ may give a &vourable turn to my affairs, fo
" as to ejnaMe mc to pky for you, which' will
^^ be a greates fatis&Aion to me, than either
" my tongue or pen cap exprefs%

*^ I am, my dear,
'^ Mod aSe&ionately youf«,
« To m& Macklm. '' Cbarhsr Macklms''

496 . THB LIFB OF

Mr. Colman alfo ftated> in his anfwer^ that
Mr* Macklin had contributed (o his difmiflion
by paragraphs and efiays fent by him to the
newfpapers; though the rioters did not at-
tempt to prove or fet up any fuch fpedes of
vindication or extenuation ; and that^ as upon
the judgment, on the information, it was pro-
pofcd to him to receive a fatisfa<5lion
for his lofs, which he had thought proper to
moderate, he ought not to feek any f&dsf^dion
from the defendants, the managers. The an-
fwers of the other defendants were nearly to
the fame purpofe.

On the ^th of May, 1777, the managers
filed a bill againft Mr. Macklin, ftating
the feveral matters infified upon in the lail
mentioned anfwers, and praymg an injundbion
to reflrain Mr. Macklin from bringing any ac-
tion at law; which bill he anfwered, and, in his
anfwer, admitted the letter of the 14th of
March, 17741 but denied, that, when he wrote
fuch letter, he knew, or believed, that the
pubKq Would not have permitted him to play j
nor that the faid letter, in Mr. Macklin's ap-

CHARL£S MACKLIN^ 1^7

prchcnfion, cxprcflfedany thing of the kind; but
Mr. Macklin faid, that two of the rioters had
given out, as he was informed and believed,
that they would hifs him, if he performed S.t
his' daughter's benefit, becaufe he had pre-
fumed, to proceed at law againfl: them -, and that,
although Mr. Macklin was deiirous ofadtingfor
his daughter's benefit, yet he was particularly
defirous that no difturbance fliould happen at-
it, and therefore, ^nd not from any apprc-
henfion that the public would not permit him
to aft, he wrote the faid letter, in hopes that
Mn Colman, on feeing the fame, would have
poftponed his daughter's benefit onto the 27th
of April, 1774, by which time he hoped that
his difference with the rioters would have been
fettled.

In Hilary Term, 1778, Mr. Macklin filed
an amended bill againfi: the managers, ftating,
amor^ other things, that Mr. Macklin and
his daughter, foon after the 14th of March,
1774, made feveral applications for his being
permitted to a& for her benefit, and informed .
the minagers that the very men, who had been

ag$ TKS LiFi or

atigiy at Mr. Macklin's going to kw (meaning
the information in the court- of King's Bench)
had fent feveral meflagcs to him^ expreffi^e of
tlftir defire to fee him agsmi upon the ftage, and
that they and th^ir friends would applaud hin».
In coniequence of whkh, Mr. Macklin wrote
ta Mr. Coknan the following kttcr.

« Sir,
" About three weeks ago, I deiired Mife
•* Macklin to inform you, that the few peopjc
*^ who had declared their refeniment agasnft
*' me,^ for my having laid the injuries, that
" they had done me before tlie ccMsrt of King's
^ Bench, had repented of that declaration^
^^ and had dropped all refeniment od that and
"every other account rcfpefting me; that
^' they wilhed to fee me re-inftated in my pro-
^^ feffion ; that they would attend my appear-
*^ ance on the ffage, with aH their friends, to
*' applaud me ; and now. Sir, by their deftre,
** I aflure you of the truth of that information
^ given to you by Mifs Macklin, refpe^ing
•*^ thofe people; and farther, that they continue
^* in the feme amicable difpofition: aod. Sir,

f

CHARLBS MACKXI^, ' ft99

** as far as I have been able to coUcft the fcnfe
*^ of the public upon my cafe, there is but one
«' opinion about it, which is, that I have been
■^^ cruelly treated, and that they are ready to
" (hew that opmion by applauding me, when-
^* ever I return to the ftage.

" Upon the whole. Sir, it appears to me,
*' and to all who know the ftate of my being
" driven from the ftage, — and the opinion of
*' the public upon it is, that you have been,
" and are now, the only impediment to my rc-
^* turning to my profeiSon, and the fingle per«
*^ fon that prevents me from^ playing for Mifs
<• Macklin's benefit — as the other proprietors
^^ have no objection to either. — Confider, Sir,
^^ the advantage that would arife to youj and
. " to the other proprietors, by my being rein-
" ftated for tke remainder of the feafon; — Firft,
« by your allowing me to take a benefit, you
^ would be relieved from my claim upon yo«^
" for that article of my agreement : the lofs of
" which I rate » aool. and, by my playmg a
*' few nights, for the proprietors, probably,
^' the profits would amount to as much as

300 TH£ LIFE OF

^* would difchnrge my demand for the rc-
'' mainder of my falary, which is now due,
'^ and for that which will be due to me at the
" end of the feafon : about which profits, if
" you have a doubt, I here promife to accept
" of whatever profit ihall arife from my adting
" between this and the clofc of the feafon, as
" a fill! fatisfaftion for the remainder of my fa-
^' lary this year. And fure. Sir, you muft
" think this a rcafonable propofal, as you can-
" not exhibit any plays this feafon, or enter-
" tainments, that can produce a profit equal to
" my demand, which will be above 300I. By
" this meafure, you will fall into the fentiments
" and wifhcs of all who think that the de-
" priving me of my livelihood was an outrage-
** ous and unwarrantable proceeding; you will
" quiet the minds of that part of the public,
" that have been difturbed by this outrage ;
** and, inftead of injuring Mifs Macklin, by
" your refufing, you will do her jufticc by
" permitting me to play for her benefit.

. "I am, Sir,
« To G. Colman, Efq. '' Charles MackHn.'*

CHARLES MACRLIN. JOI

Mr. Macklin, alfo, by his .amended bill,
charged, that, notwithftanding his candid offer,
contained in the above letter, Mr. Colman
rcfufed to permit him to appear on the ftage,
not only during the ren^ainder of that feafor^
but alfo for the whole afting feafon of the year

i774v-

In Eailer Term, 1779, the mahagers filed
a long amended bill, which fecmed to have
been filed merely for thepurpofe of delay, as
it chiefly infifled upon a difcovcry from Mn
Macklin, of fome publications in the ncwfpa-
pers, written by him, which they reprcfented
to be of an inflammatory nature, and to, have
contribyted to the riots in the theatre, . but
which publications Mr. Macklin had admitted
in his former anfwer to their bill. This laft
bill of the managers alfo prayed an injundlion
againft Mr, .Macklin's bringing any adtion at
law.

Mr. Macklin finding himfelf, after a period
of nes^r five years in the court of Chancery, and
at an expcncc of near aool. in a .ftatc of litiga-

3Ci THI Ll'Ti of

tion and confufion^ without having advanced
towards his objeft, became delirous of being
well advifcd> both upon the merits of his cafcj
at law^ or in equity^ and the prudential fteps
to be taken by him in the then ftage of the
pleadings in Chancery* He aecordmgly di-
fefted his folicitor to draw up a cafe for the
opinion of counfcl> (the chief circumftances of.
•which we have juft now ftated) and the fol-
lowing queries were fubmitted to the confidera-
rion of Mr. Kenyon, (now the excellent Chief
Juftice of the King's Bench) who gave the fob-
fequent opinion^

Queftion ift» — " You will pleafe to advife^
" whether, under the whole of the circum*
** ftances above ftated, Mr. ' Macklrn has a
^' right to recover againft the managers, not*
" withftanding they contend that the agrce-
^* ment was never finally fettled i that they
** were obliged to difmifs him, to reftorc
" peace to the .theatre ; that he has ha4
** compcnfation b the King*s Bench, and the
" other defences fct up by them in the abov^
*' proceedings inCbancery,and what is thepropet

CHA&LSS MACKLtH» jOJ

^'f mode for Mr. Macklin to adopt for fuch re*
** covery, cither in law or equity***

Lord Kenym's Opinurn^

« I have repeatedly perufed this cafe with^
*< attention, and I am of opinion, that Mr*.
*^ Macklin has a right to recover the annual
^^ payment ftipulated by the managers to be
** paid to him- His proper courfe of proceed*
" ing, as it appears to me, is by A&ion at
'^^ law. The defences fet up only prove that
" the managers have been fufierers by the vio-
*' lence of the rioters 5 but I do not think they
^< can be applied as legal or equitable defences
" againft Mr, Macklin's demand.*'

Queftion 2d, — " You will pleafc to advi&
" Mr. Macklin on the proper ftcps to difea-
^^ tangle himfclf from the pleadingsinChancery,
^' in any event, cither of the merits of the cafe
" being clear as againft the managers, or doubt-
" ful, or on their fide, and to advifc him
" generaUy upon this cafe/'

J04 THE LIFE OF

Lord Kenyon's Opinion.

^* I think Mr. Macklin had bcft abandon the
*' equity caufe, and try his fortune at law,
*' where I think the cafe will be in his favour.
" However, as much expcrtce has been in-
** curred in the equity caufe, and very much
'^ time wafted, I fhould be glad if forae other
** ftep was taken, before the courfe of pro-
" ceedings Ihallbe altered in the manner I
« advife."

LmcolnVinn, June 6, 178 1.

In purfuance of this advice, Mr. Macklin
brought an adtion againft the proprietors of
Covent-Gardcn theatre, to recover the amount
of his arrears. The caufe being referred to
arbitration, Mr. Macklin obtained an award in
his favour for 500L

Mr. Macklin, having wafted a great deal of
his time, and expended a great deal of his pro-
perty, in the recovery of this fum, and being
defirous of convincing the public that his love
of juftice, and not any pecuniary compenfation,
was his only obje£t, as foon as the caufe was

CHARLES MACKtlV. 305

decided in his favour, took Mr. Harris (the
prefent worthy patentee of Covent-Gardcn)
by the hand, and made him a prefent of the
500L requeuing, at the fame time, that all their
pdl differences might be buried in eternal ob-
livion. Thus ended Mr. Macklin's law fuit>
and thus were the public convinced of the ge-
nerous qualities of his mind, and of the good-
nefs of his natural difpofition.

Cfjap* XI.

BEING now difengaged from all litigation
whatever, Mr. Macklin beftowed his
whole attention on his comedy of the Man of
the Worldy which he had rehearfed under his
. own immediate «are and infpeftion, and which
was performed (for the firft time on the En*
glifh ftage) at Covent-Garden, on the loth
of May, 1781, to a very brilliant and crowded
audience.

Vol. n. X

306 THE Lit! Of

The very long and laborious part of Sir
Pertinax Mac^Sycopbant, was fupporced by
Mr. Macklin with a fpirit and vigour that
aftonilhed every body; and the chara£ber of
Lady Rodolpba was inimitably well perform-
ed by the late Mrs. Pope.

During the firft night of its reprefentation,
feveral perfons, from motives of jealoufy and
enmity^ did all in their power to interrupt the
performance i which the author perceiving,
came forward* and addreiled the audience to the
following effeft:

" Ladies and Gentlemen,

" I ftand here in a predicament fomewhat
** unufual: as an author and an a6tor. If it be
" but in compliment to the feelings of the for-
*' mer, I entreat, that, as the latter, I may be
'* heard before I am condemned."

This fenfible and well-timed addrefs, pro-
duced the defired cffeft i all party oppofiti<m

CHARLES MACKllN. 307

Wa^ completely overcome, and the comedy
was received with unbounded applaufe.

Indeed, the Man of the Worldy for boldnels
of fatire, ftrength of humour, and originality of
charafter, may be compared to any dramatic
piece, that has been written within thefe laft
fifty years, and ranks fuperior tomoftofthc
modern comedies.

However, the feafon being far advanced,
the play 'was performed only a few nights, but
was rcprefented very often the enfuing feafon,
to great houfes.

In the fummer of 1781, Mr* Macklin fuf*-
tamed a very heavy lofs by the death of his
daughter, who had retired from the ftage a
few years before*

She died at Brompton, on the 3d. of July,
in the 48th year of her age. For fome years
before her death, Mifs Macklin enjoyed but a
very indifferent ftate of health. She went of-

X2

2CA THE LIFE Ol

ten into breecho^ and> by buckling her gar«
ter too tightly, a large fwclling took place in
her knee, which, from motives of delicacy,
flie would not fuffer to be examined, till it had
tncreafed to an alarming fize. This fleihy ex-»
crefcence was, however, cut off, and Mifi
Macklin underwent the operation with great
£rmnefsi but fhe never after regained her
former ftrcngth. Though contented in her
fituation, and never under the neceflity or in-
clination of rambling, her life is riffued with
fome very extraordinary circumftances, unufual
in the life of an adrefs.

Her qualifications producing her a very
confiderable falary, with a very genteel ac-
quamtance, fhe humbly fat herfelf do>Vh to the
quiet enjoyment of them, without huntmg af-
ter new gratifications. She was unfaihionable
enough, too, to be religious 5 and, in confe-
quence, to contraft a nunAer of out-of-the-
way notions, for which fee had often eScpcn
rienced the ridicule of the Green-Rqom. She
went to her devotion oftener dian flie wem to
rehcarfali Penurious in her pleafures, though

CHARLE9 MAGKI.IN: 3^9

benevolent to diftrcfs, and confidering the
ftagc metely *' as it holds the mirror up to
Nature," her pradtice was a conftant example
of her theory. There was another ftill more
extraordinary trait in her charafter than all
this: — though ihe had been upon the ftage for
fcveral years, and, on her entrance, confidered
as one of the fineil and moft accompUfhed wo-
men in England — though befet with folicitation^
and cxpofed to the force of bad ei^mple, fiif-
picion had never once lit upcm her fame, and
the diffipated world were reduced to the nc-
ceffity of afcribing her celibacy to a coldnejs of
conftitution. Her charaftcr as an aftrefs flood
in 'a no lefs favourable point of view. Endued
with fo many acquired rcquifites, Nature had
not been backward in lending her afliftance, and
Ihe ihone a particular favourite both of ThaJia
and Melpomene.

The following is^ a copy of Mifs Madelines
will.

" In the name of God, Amen. — This is the
•* laft will and tcftament of me, Mary Macklin,
X3

3IO THE LIFE OF

<* fpinftcr, late of Grcat-Quecn -Street, Lin-
" coin's Inn Fields, but now rcfiding at Bromp-
*' ton, in the county of Middlefcx.

" I defirc to be decently interred, in the
*' parifli of Hampton, in the county of Mid-
^' dlefcx, at the difcretion of my executrix and
*' executor, herein after named. And I give
*' and bequeath unto Sarah Savill Jenkins,
'* of Great-Queen-Strect aforefaid, otherwife
** called Sarah Savill, and to John Rittfon, of
*^ the fix clerk's office, Chancery-Lane, in the
'^ faid county of Middlefex, Gentleman, and
'^ to their executors and adminiftrators, the
^'^ fum of two thoufand pounds, bank annuities,
** now lately reduced, three per cents, and
" are now (landing in my name, in truft, in
" the firft place, to fell and difpofe of fo much
" thereof as may be neccflary to pay and dif-
*' charge all my juft dcbts^ funeral expences,
** and the charges of proving this my will; and
*' alfo to difcharge the Jegacy of fifty pounds,
*^ herein after mentioned, (and alfb any other
' ** legacies, which I may think proper to give, .
♦^ by any codicil;| or other writings, figned by

CHARLES MACKX.IN. 3II

^* mc) and after payment ofmy debts, funeral
" expences, and the faid legacy, v and fuch fur-
** ther legacies as I may hereafter direft ; then,
*^ upon further truft, out of the dividend, in-
*' tereft, and produce of the ftock, which fhall
*^ be remaining unfold, dfter fuch payments as
*' aforefaid, as the fame fhall become due, and
** fhall be received, to pay unto my old and
^* faithful fervant, Jane Drewe, who has, from
" my infancy, lived with, and now lives with
'' me, for and during the time of her natural
" life, the clear yearly fum of thirty-five pounds
" of lawful money of Great-Brit^j and to be
" payable to her, during her life, by half-yearly
^^ payments, the firfl payment to be made at
" the end of fix calendar months after my de-
" ceafe, and after payment of the faid annuity,
*' then to pay the refiduc and remainder of the
" intereft and dividend, of or which fhall be
" received from the faid remaining ftock, or
" bank annuities, reduced, after a deduftion of
" the faid thirty-five pounds annuity, into and
" for the proper ufe and benefit ofmy father,
" Charles Macklin, during the time of his na-
^^ tural life -, and, m cafe my faid father, Charles
X 4 ^

312 THB LIFE Of

**\Macklin^ Ihall furvivc the faid Jane Drcwc,
" then upon truft, after the death of the faid
" Jane Drewe, to pay the whole mtercit of^he
" faid remaining ftock of bank annuities, after
" the deduftions aforefaid, unto my faid father,
*' Charles Macklin, during his natural life -, but
'^ in cafe my faid father, Charles Macklin, fhail
** happen to die in the life time of the faid Jane
" Drewe, then I dircdt my truftees, my execu-
" trix and executor, to fet apart and appropri-
^^ ate fo much of the faid bank annuities as will
" be fufikient to anfwer the growing payments
" of the faid annuity, of thirty-five pound* a
" year, unto the faid Jane Drewe, for her life,
*' as aforefaid ; and after fetting apart the fame,
*' then to transfer the fum of two hundred
" pounds of the faid ftock, or bank annuities,
*' after the deduftions aforefaid, unto my friend,
*' Anna Maria Haines, of Great-Ruffel-Street,
** in the parilh of St. Paul, Covent-Garden, in
*f the County of Middlefex, fpinfter, to whom
" I do hereby give the fame, and alfo to tranf-
" fer unto my friend, Mary Blittenberg, of
*' Oxeridon^-Strcet, to and for her own ufe, this *
^' like fum of two hundred pounds ftock^ otbtjr

CHARLES MACKLIN. JIJ

*^ part of the faid bank annuities, to whom I
** do hereby give and bequeath the fame, and
«* the refiduc of the faid ftock, which ftiall not
*^ be fo fct apart to anfwer the faid annuity,
" and alfo the dock which fhall be fo fct apart
" to anfwer the faid annuity, from and after the
« ddath of the faid Jane Drewe, I give and bc-
^* queath unto the faid Sarah Savill Jenkins,
" othcrwife called Sarah Savill, to and for her
** own fole and proper ufe and benefit : And in
^' cafe my faid father ftiail furvive the faid Jane
" Drewe, then I will and dired that ^ faid
" fums of two hundred pounds, an^ twq. hun-
" dred pounds, ilock, fhall be transferred to
^' the faid Anna Maria Haines and Mary BUt-
** tenberg, immediately after his death, and all
^* the refidue of the faid flock I give, immedi- ^
" atcly after his death, to the faid Sarah SaviH
*' Jenkins, othcrwife called Sarah Savill, (ot
" her own proper ufe and benefit. I give and
*^ bequeath unto the faid Jane Drewe, in cafe
" fhc fhall be living with me at the time
^^ of my death, the further fum of fifty
*^ pounds, of lawful money of Great Britain,
" over and above the faid annuity of thirty-five

314 THE LIFE OF

** pounds bcforcgiven to her, and which legacy
" of" fifty pounds, I will and direft Ihall be
** paid to her, by my executrix and executor,
" within one month after my deccafe, out of
*' the faid two thoufand pounds bank annuities.
** Alfo I give and bequeath unto the faid Jane
" Drcwe,^ in cafe ftie Ihall be living with me at
*' my deceafe, the ufe of all my kitchen furni-
*' ture and linen, together with the yellow bed
*' fhe lately flept in, in Great-Queen-Street,
." and alfo the furniture belonging to that apart-
** mcnt, in which fuch bed is, for and during
^* the term of her natural life, and after her de-
'^ ceafe, I give and bequeath the fame unto
*« Sufannah PufF, of the parilh of Saint Mar-
" tin in the Fields, Alfo I give and bequeath
*' unto the faid Jane Drewe, all my wearing
'^ apparel, and alfo my common filver tea-
" fpoons and tea- tongs j alfo I give and be^
" qucath unto th^ faid Mifs Anna Maria Haines,
" my filver-plated cofFee-pot, and to Mrs.
" Waflibourne, of Edmonton, in the county
" of Middlefex, my filver-plated inkftand.
" AH the refl: and refidue of my eftate, of what
" nature, kind, or quality foever, not herein

CHARLES MACKLIN. 315

** or hereby before difpofed of, I give and be-
*^ queath unto the faid Sarah Savill Jenkins,
5^ otherwife called Sarah Savillj to and for her
" own fole proper ufe and benefit, and I hereby
*' nominate and appoint the faid Sarah Sayill
** Jenkins, otherwife called Sarah Savill, and
*' John Rittfon, executrix and executor of this
*^my wiD, which I declare to be my laft will,
*' hereby revoking all former and other wills,
*' by me at any time heretofore made. In
*' witnefs whereof, I have hereunto let my
" hand and feal, and alfo to a duplicate of the
'^ fame tenor and date, this twenty-feventh day
*' of May, in the year of our Lord one thoufand
^' fcven hundred and eighty-one.

^' Mary Macklin.'*

" Signed, fcaled, publifhed, and declared, by
*' the above-named teftator, as and for her lall
" will and teftament, in the prefence of us, who,
" in her prefence, and at her requefti have
*^ hereunto fubfcribed our names, as witnefles,,
^^ the name ' Sufannah,' in the thirty-fixth line^
** being wrote on an erafure,

*' James Jones.
" Henry Roffcr/'

3l6 TH£ LITE OF

Ci)ap. XIL

IN the beginning of the year 17S5, Mr*
Daly, the Dublin manager, came from
Ireland to engage performers for the Smock-
alley theatre. To fecure Mr. Macklm was his
principal objeft, and he accordingly made him
very advantageous propofals ; but Mr. Mack*
Im, not chufing to play with the Dublin ma-
nager, the enfuing after feaibn, on fhares, de-
clined the offer of Mr. Daly on that point,
obferving, at the fame time, that he had no ob-
jeftion to perform at his theatre for a certain
fum, viz. fifcy pounds per night, and a clear
benefit. This was a very^ confiderable falary,
but Mr, Daly, being determined to procure fo
valuable an adtor as Mr. Macklin, at any ex-
pence,> acceded to' the propofition of the latter^
and the bargain was concluded,

I MrJ Macjtlin now made preparations to fct
put for Ireland, and, for fear any accident Ihould

CHARLBS MACKXIN. 317

fae£d him, which might naturally be cxpefted
at his then very advanced ftage of life, fettled
all his worldly Concerns previous to his de-
parture.

Among other things, Mr. Macklin wrote
the following letter to his banker, which
breatheg the tendercft affcftion for, and beftows
the highefl: pofTible encomium upon, his wife
(the prefcnt Mrs, Macklin) than whom wc
know not a more amiable, a more worthy, or
a more dcferving woman. But the letter will
(peak for itfelf.

" Dear Sir, April 14, 1785.

^' Whatever property I have in this life, I
** have, by will, bequeathed to my wife, Eliza*
*' beth Macklin, and, were it as great as any
** fubjeft, in this /ealm enjoys, her affeftion,
'' order, fobriety, and good morals, as a wife, a
** mother, and a friend and neighbour, fhc
•*' would dcfcrve it. Therefore I hope, that
*^ you M^, on my deceafe, pay her whatever
'^^ balance you may have in my fevour. I wilh

3l8 THE tIPt OF

** you well in health, and prolpcrity in yotif
** dealings, and am,

" Dear Sir,
" Your obedient humble Servant^
'' To T. Coutts, Efq. " Charles Macklin:*
"Banker, Strand/*

Mr. Macklin arrived in Dublin in the month
of May, and foon after performed Sbylock and
Sir Arcby Macfarcajmy to an uncommonly
crowded audience* His next performance was
Sir Pertinax Mac*Sycopbanty in the Man of the
IForldi and he fupported this very long and
laborious part, with a chaflenefs, a fpirit, and
a vigour that aftonifbed every body* Mrs*
Egerton was the Lady Rodolpbay and fhe fuf-
tained this Angular charafter with infinite
ability.

Never was anaftor more carefled or refpeAed
in Dublin than Mr. Macklin* He was vi-
fited daily by perfons of the firft rank, and
conftantly dined at the tables of the moft emi-
nent and diftinguifhed charafters. In ftiort,
he was the wonder and admiration of the fifter

CHARLES MACKLIK. JIJJ

kingdom, Mr. Macklin's faculties continued
undiminilhed, in a moft furprifing manner, to
a very protfadted period of life. He per*
formed feveral nights, this feafon, at Smock-
alley theatre, with uncomm6n ability, and
gained wonderful applaufe. He topk a benefit
on the 22nd of Auguft, and was advertifed for
Sir Pertinaxy in the Man of the Worlds and Sir
Arcbyy in Love-a-la-Mode. This was an ar*
duous undertaking, for a man at his time of
life, Mr. Macklin was refolved, however, to
attempt it. As foon as the doors of the play*
houfe were opened, the theatre was filled ia
every part, and his Excellency the Lord Lieu-
tenant, and feveral members of the court>
graced the ftage and other boxes. Mr. Mack-
lin went through thefirft aft with great Ipirit,
but was taken fuddenly ill in the middle of the
fccond, and was obliged to be aflifted off the
ftage. The audience being informed that
Mr. Macklin was fo much indifpofcd, that
he could not appear again on the ftage that
night, very politely accepted pf Mr. Georgi
Dawjon as his fubftitute, and the entertain-
ment of the evening palled off without any fur-

jaO THE Lift QW

thcr interruptionr The concern and anxfcty
nianifeftcd by the audience, on the occafion of
Mr. Macklin's illnefs, reflcfted the higheft
credit on their humanity, and afforded no
fmall tcftimony of the cftimation in which
the father of the ftage ftood. This was the
firft time that the memory of Mr, Mack-
lin began to betray fymptoms of decay ' and
imbecility. When he was drefling at the
dieatre, on his benefit night, he was feized
with a kind of lhivering> which lafted feveral
minutes. He alfo complained of a pain in the
head, and, when he firft went on the ftage, he
declared ,thac his fight was fo much afFe6i:edi
and dazzled, as it were> that he could fcarcely
diftinguiih the people in the pit. In a few
moments he recovered himfelf, and went thro*
the firft act tolerably well j but fhe fhivering
fit returning again, he felt a total incapacity to
proceed with his part. In a few days, how-
ever, he recovered, and appeared in public, to
the no fmall joy and fatisfadion of his numer-
ous friends and admirers*

. CHARLES MA.CKLIN. ^21

Mr. Macklin having reaped a very profit-
able harvcft in Dublin, returned to London in
the month of iSeptember, and foon after made
his appearance at Covcnt-Garden theatre, in the
charafter of Shy lock, and was greeted by the
audience, by loud and repeated plaudits.

About this time, Mr. Macklin had fome in-
tention of writing an hiftory of the ftage, than
whon^ we apprehend, no man could be more
capable j but, unfortunately, he never carried
his defign into execution. We have copied the
following hints concerning a plan for writing
an hiftory of the ftage from the veteran's me-
morandum:^.

^* History of the Stage. .

** The materials for fuch a work are very
«' few, and thofe, that may be had, are fo
*' fcattered, and of fuch a trifling nature, as
^* not to be worth the coUeftor's pains. The
** beft materials are to be had from the drama-
^' tic writings. Judgment may find matter to

Vol. II. Y

322 THB LIFE OF

" work upon, from thcm> concerning the ftatc
'5 of the drama, and the manners of the times,
" in different periods of dramatic writers j but
" their works will afford but little or no intcl-
" ligence rcfpcfting the internal policy or
" government of the Englifh ftage, ^

" The nature of man, the ftate of letters,^ of
'^ the drama, in England m particular^ and
" in Europe in general — the manners of difibr-
" ent ages -and times — the religious, martial,
** commercial, and political ftatc of each coun-
<' try, and how they affected letters w general,
" and the ftage in particular : — thefe are the
*' materials, which guide the judgment to pro*
*' bable conjefture concerning the internal po-
" licy of the theatre, the revenue of it, and the
" rank, art, manners, knowledge, and public
" eftimation of the aftors.

** I think to colka the bcft materials that
" can be had from the egrl^eft period^ and to
" enter into a compar^iyc view of the ftatc of
" other theatres—the manners, policy, reli-
*' gion, commerce^ literature,. &c. of Europe,

CHARLES MACKIIN. J^J

^^ down to Gibber's time— and then extrafting
** what is hiftorical, critical, and valuable in
** his book, with remarks upon his omiffions,
" and fupplying them — and with obfervations
'* upon his judgments, himfelf, his writings,
'• and his contepiporary aftors — and then to
" begin the hiftory of the Englifh ftage, where
'* he left ofF— would be a (ketch, if well exe-
'* cuted,. highly worthy of public notice,

" Why the hiftory of commerce muft be
** taken into this work, is to (hew that all the
*' at*ts of luxury depend upon it, and all the
** high prices of pro vifions, and all the necef-
" faries of life. Luxury affefts the foot fol-
" dier, the labourer, . the enfign — while it con-
*' tributes, at the fame time, to augment the
** income of players, fiddlers, dancing-mafters,
^^ and footmen, who ever will have their fhare
" of luxury, and the firft of it."

Mr. Madklin, as if confcious that his abilities
were decaying, had now withdrawn himfelf
from the ftage for feveral months, and was not

3^4" THE LIFE OF

inclined to perform any more i but, being prclfed
by his friends, and finding himfclf tolerably
well in health, he complied, and was publicly
announced for the charafter of Sbylock, on the
loth of January, 1788. The houfe was
crowded in every part, and his performance
exhibited a wonderful fhare of fpirit and vigour,
confidering his advanced age, till the fccond
aft, when his memory failed him again* This
circiimftance afFefted him very much, and,
confcious of his defefts, he ftepped forward,
and, with a folemnity perfeftly fuited to the
occafion, addreffed the audience nearly in the
following words.

" Ladies and Gentlemen,

" Within thefe very few hours I have been
** feized with a terror of mind I never in my
*' life felt before 5 it has totally deftroyed my
" corporeal as well as mental faculties. I muft
** therefore requeft your patience this night :
" a requeft which an old man may hope is not
" unreafonable'. Should it be granted, you
" may depend that this will be the laft nighty
" unleft my health Ihall be entirely re-cftab-

CHARLES MACICLIN. 325

*' Klhed, of my ever appearing before you in
** fo ridiculous a fituatipn."

As foon as Mr. Macklin had finilhed thi(
afFe&ing addrefs, the moft enthufiaftic burfts
of fympathctic applaufe filled every part of
the theatre, and wrought an amazing eflfedt
upon his memory, for he foon after recovered
himfelf, and the Play went on with applaufe to
the end. It was generally fuppofed that Mr.
Macklin would not appear upon the ftagc any
more ; but, we have to lament, that the fre-
quent interruptions he met with in the courfe
of his profeflion, the heavy loffes he fuftained,
and the narrownefs of hiscircumftances, brought
about the neceffity of his again reforting to the
theatre for a fubfiftence«

- On the 28th of November, 1788, Mr,
Macklin loft his recoUedion to fo high a de-
gree, 'in the performance of Sir Pertinax Mac-
Sycophant y that 'he was compelled to addrefs
the audience again, and inform them, that,
iinlefe he found himfelf more capable, he fhould

326 TBI LIFX OF

not tg^n venture to folicit their attention. —
What a pity it was to behold the venerable fa-
ther of the ftage, who had fo highly enter-
tained the public^ for many years, and who
had laboured all his life time with afliduity and
induftry, ftniggling at once with poverty of
circumftance, and imbecility of intcUcft.—
However, fo it was ; but Mr. Macklin's mind,
like the flaflies of an expiring taper, difplayed
iigns of vigour to the very end of his theatrical
career.

In the month of February, 1789, he perfornv-
ed Sbyleck and Sir Archy Macjarcafmy at Go-
vcnt-Garden theatre, on the fame night, with
amazing fpirit, and with great applaufe ; and,
a few months after, fuftained the charaSier of
Sir Pertinax Mac-Sycofbanty in the Man of
the fVorldj which part is not lefs, according to
the theatrical language, than thirty-fix lengths,
each length being forty-four lines, including
the cues.

Mr. Macklin played the very laborious
part o(Sir Pertinaxy at a time when he was in

CHAKLiS MACtCLlN. ^%J

his one hundredth year^ widi a vigour and
a fpirit that aftoniihed every beholder,— His
laft attempt upon the ftage was on the 7th of
May, 1789, in the charafter of Sbylock^ for
his 0^ benefit. He went through the firft
9£ty but not being pleafed with his oym execu-
tion, and finding his incapacity iiicreaie upon
him> and. after making repeated but mcfFedtual
efl^s to dvercome At ftupor, which cl^ude4
his reaibn> he was* obliged to come forward^
and apologize for the interrupdon thatheh^l
given the performance, and to requeft that Mt.
Ryder might be permitted to fimfii his part.

The cmnpany, wiA true BrMfli fympaithy,
accepted the change without hefitatioo, and the
father of the Britifh drama took his laft and
very afiedbg farewel of the iiaigc, amidO: the
tears and thundering plaudits of a mofl: crowded
audience.

Y4

jaS THB LIFB Of

' Cfjap. xili.

THOUGH Mr. Macklin had taken his
linal leave of the ftage, it became no
fofy matter for him to lay afide all^thoughts of
it. He Aill x>cGupied himfelf inreyifingand
preparing his df^Hi^tic wo;:ks for reprefenta-
tion> and wa^ a conftant frequenter of the the-
atre. This^uadice he continued till within a
very fhort time of his death. He made a point
of .fitting in a confpicuous part of the pit, every
night that his Majelty appeared at the play-
hpufc, and was highly delighted whenever he
was obfcrved by'the gracious Sovereign of
Great Britain. On the 4th of April, 1790,
Mr. Macklin fuftained a fevere lofs, by the
death of his only fon, Mr. John Macklin.
This gendeman died at Jiis father's houfe> in
Covcnt-Gardcn,' after he had undergone a va-
riety of viciffitudes in life. Mr. Macklin
Ipared no expcnce in the education of his®fon,
who certainly poiTefled great natural parts.

CHARLES MAORLIN. ^2^

and was unlvcrfally allowed to be, at an early
age, an excellent fcholar, and an accompliihed
gentleman. That his fon might have an op-
portunity of making a figure in life, was Mr.
Macklin's darling objedt. Through his intereft,
he accordingly procured him the fituation of
writer, an the Eaft India Company's fervic*,
at Fort St. George. The entrance of Mr.
Johii Macklin into public life was attended
with very aufpicious circumftances : he fet fail
for Fort St. George, under the warm patronage
of Mr. Haftings -, but it was his misfortune
to hegleft the opportunity that prefented itfelfi
of becoming a fhining ornament to fociety, and
of realizing an handfome fortune.

We ftiall prefent the reader, m the following
pages, with the copies of feveral letters, which
were written by Mr. Macklin to his fon, at
Fort St. George, and which contain a great
dealof good fenfe, and breath much parental
afFcftion.

JJO THE LirU Of

** London, December 6th, 17^9.
" My Dear Child,
•* As I wrote to you, at large, by the Aurora
<* frigate, a king's (hip, that carried over
f* Meffrs. Vanfittart, Scrafton, and Colonel
♦* Ford, I have now but little new matter to
<• fend you, cither of news or advict. My
^* firft and conllant advice is, to have an in-
♦* ceflant attention to your charafter, and the
•^ ftudy of your bufinefs, and never to lofe
** fight of Mr. Haftings in both. Copy him —
♦* reputation will follow — which is the bcft,
^* and moft permanent fortune that* you can
** acquire. Since my laft letter to you, Co-
•* lonel Coote has been appointed Commander
•* in Chief, by the company, of their forces in
*• the Eafl Indies ; and Sir Robert Fletcher
^* goes out fccond in Command. They arc to
*• fail very fliortly, and Madras is the place
••that they arc to land at^ Enclofed, you
•* have a copy of a letter to Colonel Coote, in
•• your favour, written by my friend Colonel Bla-
" quire, an intimate of Colonel Coote 's. You
•* will, in this letter of recommendation, fee
•• how you mull rank in Colonel Coote's opi-

CHARLEt MACKLIN. 33I

'^ nion^ as a fcholar, as a youth of expeftation,
^^ and of gradtudc. From this you will
*^ judge how neceflary it is for you to be nice
*^ in your conduit, and conftant in your appli-
^^ cation to the Perfian and Indian language* I
*^ am told, that a knowledge of the different
*^ kind of coins, m the nature and value of
** their metal, is very- ufefiil in the courfe of
** trade. But as you are upon the fpot, no
*' doubt you will find out the valuable know-
** ledge that relates to cdmmcrce, and will in-
^\ defatigablr purfue the ftudy of it, and dif-
*^ tinguifh it from the light and trifling know- •
•' ledge of curiofity or of pleafurc. Seek out
*' whatever is valuable, and lay down a daily
*' tafk for ftudy. I know you are apt to lay
*' down a plan of ftudy, but you are apt too
•* to grow weary of it, and to fly to a new
** purfuit — that will never be profitable. A
" courtier, wondering how the great Sully
" could difpatch fuch a variety of bufinels,
'* relative to the army, finances, politics, both
" foreign and domcftic. Sully anfwered, that
*' he difpatched them only by doing one thing
at a time. Imitate Sully j fet your time

€i

33* THE LIFE or

*' apart each day for different purfuits, and
'* for plcafufc : you will then be able to dif-
" patch — but remember to do that firft, that
" may be firft wanted. Make yourfelf matter
*^ of the Oriental languages immediately 5 for
** fuch soi afcquirement is the key to promotion,
*' to the knowledge of all you want to know,
*' and, as I faid before, to the underftandings
" and hearts of the natives*

" I am informed that you have a theatre
" at Madras -, pray fend me a minute account
" of it, and let me have anfwers to the fol-
*' lowing queftions; How wide and how deep
" is the theatre f What plays have been played
" in it ? Who a6tcd the parts ? And with
*' what reputation ? Where does the Nabob
" of the Carnatic refide ? Does he ever vifit
*' Fort St. George, or go fee your plays ?
'^ Have the natives any drama of any kind ?
** Give me a journal of one/of your days — let
" me know how you fpend it generally ; for,
" by that one journal, I fhall judge of the
" whole — how have you difpofcd of your
^* books ? Where do you lodge*? Defcribe

CHARLES MACKLIN. ^33

** the eftablifhment of your houfliold minutc-
'^ ly. Have you got fervants that (peak the
** Pcrfian language, and a matter to inftruft
'^ you ? Can you read the different hands in
" the Pcrfic ?

" You have made a peace with Hyder Ally^
^' and, we are told here at home, that it is not
*' a good peace for the company. There is a
" ftron'g report here, that fome of the direc-
" tors are about to introduce fuch a number
" of the friends of the miniftry, as to give Go-
" vernment an entire dominion, by a majority
*' among the dire6lors, over the company.
" But do not you enter into any party or cabal
*' whatever. Be of no party, but that of
" gaining knowledge^ and making yourfelf
" ufeful to your employers : th^t is a party
"that can offend none, and a party that can
^' ntyttforjake or betray you.

*' Depend upon it, that every other party
" will do one or other, or both: I have
" lived long in the world ; have had much cx-
'' perience^ in parties, in my own fphere i have

JJ4 THE LiF£ or

" obfervcd upon thofc in the ftatt, and
" other focietics j and^ I declare, that I never
" yet met with a man, or woman, in theatric
^^ cal parties, that was not perfidious 3 nor
" have I feen a party, in the great ^orld, that
"has not made a facrifice of them, who ought
*^ to have been liioft fupported : fo that I beg
" that you never will let any man know what
" your judgment is of the parties of die com-
" pany. Enter into none — purfue your ftudy
" of making yourfelf ufefiil — you will then de-
*' pend upon what cannot defert you.

" I repeat it, let Mr. Haftings be your ex-
" ample and your guide— for his charaftcr is
" immaculate*«*his heart is good, and his un-
" derftanding folid :—- a compofition feldpm to
" be met with, in one man, in thefe times/' —
[Mr. Macklin having here enumerated feveral
articles of wearing apparel^ which he was fend-
ing out to his fon, proceeds thus {] " I ftiall
" fend you feveral other things, by Mr. Dot-
*' ton, a young Gentleman, who is nominated
" by Mr. Sayer. He is a pretty Latm Icholar,
" was educated at St. Paul's fchool, and fccms

CHA^LSS M ACKI.IK. ^ JJJ

' a wcU-difpofed youth. I defire that you
** will (hew him every kind of civility in your
^ power, particularly on Mr.Saycr's account.
*^ Befides, you arc called upon to do fo, by
*' the tic of common benevolence, which is
^* due to a fellow writer, with eyery one of
'* whom, I hope, you will take eipecial care to
^^ live on the moft friendly and noble terms.—-
*' Be always ready- to fervc ; never be fordid
*' in dealings with them ; never be fmart or
*' witty on their foibles s but be indeed afrUud^
" and always hofpitable and liberal in the full
** fpirit of the terms. You have a goodnefs
*' from nature ; make it your care daily to hu-
*^ mwize and improve it. -If you do not, ha-
^^ bit, which arifes from paffions, will taint it
^* at firft, and, in a great degree, corrupt it
«* a^ laft. Therefore, my dear, watch your
" nature daily, nay hourly. I muli teUyoii
5* what I myfelf apply as a remedy to my idle-
" nefs, impatience, and other irreguiaricies.—
**^I fpeak foliloquies to myfelf, very often, by
^' way of examinarion : viz. * Pray, Mr. Mack-
*' lin, were not you too impatient, in that pcrint,
*^ with your wife, your friend, your child?-- *^

33^ THE LIFE OF

** Docs not impatience in convcrfation make
*'jrou very difagrceable ? Docs not impa-
** ticncc lead you into many difficulties and dif-
*^ agreeable circumftances ?' Try this cxpe-
" riment, my dear John. I took the hint
•' from Lord Shaftfbury, in his advice to an
*^ author. You cannot praftifc it too often.
*^ I am, my dear child, ,

" With the warmeft afFeftion;
" To " Your anxious father,

« John Charles Macklin. « Charles Macklin/'

" London, March 2> 1770.
« My dear Child,
'^ You know that my convcrfation and let-
** ters to you always have but one end, which
** is, to pay a conftant attention to prudence,
*^ who is the cardinal governefs of all bad, as
" well as good and ordinary fortune. It is a
*^ conftant attention to her advice and condud>
" only, that can put you in poiTcflion of know^
" ledge, fame, fortune, charafter, and of a
" rule how to ufe them, when you have ac-
" quired them— in which confifts human hap-
" pineis.

CHARLES AiACKLlI*. Jj^

^^ Having difcharged my duty fo far, t pray
'^^ you to accept of your amiable mother's fmcerc
^' wiflics and mine for your health and pfof-
*' pcrity :-— fhe is in good health ; but a fevere
" cold has vexed' me forely, and pulled me
' *^ downj within thefc two months : but I am re-
^^ covering apace. At my time of life, I muft
*^ expeft that every trifling cold^ or any other
"^contingency refpefting hcalthj muft, every
" day, be more and more felt. From our birth,
" we are but on our way to the grave. There
" is no remedy againft death— it is as natural as
" life or flcep : but there is a confolation for the
" event, which is a fair and upright Gourfc ;
" and that will give us a courage^ nay a kind of
*^ pkafure, in the vital refignatioh. For my
" part, I am, and hope I always Ihall be,
'^ ready to pay that debt, whenever the great
" Being, that gave me life, (hall pleafe to de-
" mand it back. You muft now, John, look
" upon yourfelf as alone in this greatpcean of
" Life; you muft depend upon your own talents
" and integrity, to make friends and fortune;
*' for I think that I have not a long time to

Vol. IL Z

33* THE LIFI OP

'' buftle in this world » and, if I hadj it is
" but very little in my power to aflift you-—
^ but what I can do, to the lafl: of my abilities,
" be aflured I Ihall cxertmyfelf in your favour.
'' I have noc adted this winter. It is not in
" my power to fend you any money, or any
'^ thing clfe, over u prefent ; when I can, I
^^ fay agi^n, rely upon it that it ihall be fent.
^' But, my d^ar John, be as good a manager,
'' a9 prudence and a coniiftency without be*
" ing mean (if you will allow me the exprcf-
" fion) will admit. I hope you think that I
" have as much pride in fupporting you pro-
" perly, as you poffibly can have yourfelf :
^^ nay, I have fo good an opinion of your un-
^^ derftanding, that I am fure you think fo.
^' God knows whether I fhall fee you ^gain or
^' no; intbt cour& of nature, the better judg-
*^ m^nt is that I ihall not — but, however
^* ppor I Qidjl die, poverty can be no reproach
^* to any man, provided he leaves a fiur cha-
** rafter behind him — one free from fpots and
*^ infamy — and that ^legacy, I hope, I (haU
" leave you i for that is in every mian's power.

CHARLES MACKLIK. 229

* It is a treafure £ving, and will be fb to thofe
" wc leave behind.

<' But, though it i^ not probable that I
" fhali fee you again> I am in hopes, that
" youf dear mother will have that comfort.
^' I cannot exprefs how much I am beholden
'^ to her, for her afFefkion and attention tx) me.
" She is, indeed, an help-mate, friend, and
^^ comforter j and I hope^ among other tefti-
*^ momes of her goodnefs to you and me, that
«< you will treafure up this of her in your
*^ heart, and dutifully feel it, when I fhall be
^* no more.

" Do not think this a gloomy letter, John ;
'' I hope you know better. Philofophy Mali
" tell you, that we are not the poorer for
** guarding againft poverty, nor the nearer death
^ for talking of it familiarly to our children, or
" to thofe whom we love,

^* This letter con«s by the ikfo^<?, Captaan
^^ Hom> who is a very good-natured man, is
Za

3^0 /THE LIFE Of

" univcrfally liked, and will, 1 believe, do you
" any fervice in his power, or will let you hav€
" any 'thing in his Ship, I mean any of the
*/ goods that he has fpr fale, upon your giving
" him a draft: upon me for the price- In this
" matter yoii may aft as your prudence direfts.
" I do not forefee that you will have any occa-
" fion for any part of his cargo — I hope you will
" not i and my advice is, that, unlefs you have
*' a very particular occafion indeed, not to
" run in debt for any thing. I expeft, my dear
*^ J6hn> to hear a moft pleafing account from
*^ you, of your progrefs in the Perfian and In-
^^ dian language. You are to remember, that
*' language is the key of commerce, and of hu-
^^ man underftandingi and your only method of
*^ rendering yourfelf of confcquence to fociety,
" is to make yourfelf u/eful to it i and the chief
^^ ingredients, after integrity and prudence y arc
" languages, figures, and a knowledge of
^' commodities -, and all thefe can be ac-
*' quired only by attention. The art of mak-
" ing friends in the community that we belong
" to, is one of the great arts of life* No man
"ever loves a liar, or a pcrfon who is feverc

V CHARLES MACKLIN. 341

" and farcaftic, or who wants integrity. Thcfe
^* arc the ingredients that always create enemies,
'^ both fecret and open. Have you ever met
*^ with the obfervation upon the inclinations of
^^ Socrates ? If you have not, the ftory is
'^ worth your attention. There was a phyfiog-
*^ nomift at Athens^ who pretended, by the fea-
*' tures of men, to divine the inc;Jinations of
'^ their ruling paflions. The pupils of So-^
" crates y in order to try the power of the phy-
" fiognomift, made him examine the features
^^ of their mafter, and defired him to divine his
^' ruling paffion. He examined them, and de-
" clarcd, ' that the ruling paffion of Socrates
" was to Ileal and filch :' the pupils burft out
^' into a laugh of contempt, and were for treat-
" ing the phyfiognomift^ who had flandered the
<* honefteft man in Athens, as an impudent, ig-
" norant, bafe impofter 3 on which Socrates in-
^' terpofed, faying ^ that the pupils were all mif-
^' taken, and wrong in their r^fentment^ and
*^ affirmed that the man fpoke what was ftriftly
<^ true— /cr tbaty from a childy be had found a
<* violent inclination in birnfelf to Jieal and filch i^
^^ iut that be bad the refolution tofupfrefs it.' '
Z 3

34^ THE^LIFE or

*' The fame applicatioa may be made to
*^ every weak or vicious bent of the htiman
^' mind. Refoluiion is the phyfician that muft
^ cure it i attentiony the friend, or phyfiogno*
" mift, that mufl: difcover the defire. Men
'^ always Hve in &ar of the man, who has the
*^ habit of being feverc upon xht follies of
'^ others, a^d never forgive the exertion of diat
*' habit —nor is die vanity of Ihc wing our parts,
'' or iuperior knowledge in converfation, lefs
" ofFenfivc to' men. No man ever forgives an-
" other, that gets the better of him in argu-
*' ment in company, or even alone :«^it is, in
." a degree, like being conquered by a pcrfon
" in a duel. The vanquifhed party may be
" fmooth, and fuperficiaUy civil, but he will
'^ ever hate the man, who has proved his
^ weaknefs to the world.

" I had myfclf this difpuratious defire to an
^^ ofFenfive degree j and, I believe, that it has
•^ made me more enemies than all my follies or
** vices befides) I have at laft fecn my error i
** and I can now fit in company for hours,
" hear men of letters and high charaft^i in the

CHARLES MACRLIN. J4J

*' world, contend for the moft filfe judgments,
** and which they believe in too— I fay, I can
*' now hear fuch ccmverfations with great tran-
" quillity, and never contradift or fide with
^* cither party : nay, I find a fecret plcafure in
*^ my neutrality y that gratifies even the vanity of
*^ men in public converfation, becaufe every
" body is fond of excelling in knowledge and
** cloqnence. It is a long time before men
" learn the wijdom of neutrality in converfation,
" efpecially men of parts or information ; but
" it is wonderful how foon dull men and cun-
" ning men fee the policy of it.

'^ As to Indian politics, in Leadenhall-ftreet,
** I know nothing of them. The Direftorsand
" fervants are too wife even to open their lips
" about them, but to their own particular
*^ friends. Never trouble your head about the
" politics of your Matters, but their bujinefs 5
" and, even in the bufinefs, keep your mind
^* to yourfelf, till your duty obliges^ you to
" fpeak« To make every man your friend is
" your policy i but remember that the friend-
Z4

344 THE LIFI OF

'*' fliip of a man of honor, a Hastings, or ^

'^ Vansittart, is of ineftimablc value. — .
^' Make my fincere compliments to Mr,
*^. Hijftings. . Adieu. May God blefs and pre^
^^ ferye you is the wifh of your father,

'^ Charles Macklinr

The following was written by Mr. Macklin,
by way of a political fupplemcnt to the fore-,
going Letter,

^^ As our politics in England have lately
^' been carried, by both parties, to great cx^
^' tremities, I think a flight fketch of them
*^ will afford you feme amufement. The
'^ Parliament met on the 9th of January —
'^ Petitions, complaining of a violation of the
*f right of eledtion, in the cafe of Mr. ff^ilkesy
"who was returned, but not determined to be
" tfce Reprefentative,. for the County of Middle-
" fex, were prefented to his Majefty from many
*^ Counties and Boroughs, to which no anfwer
^^ had been given. That corviudt in govern-
'^ ment • excited great murmuring, and, at the
^^ fame time, created much expeftation that

CHARLES MACKLIN. 345

** his Majcfty's fpccch to the Lords and Com-
*^ mons, would contain fome mention or ac-
*^ count of thefe Petitions; and that an imme-
^^ diate rcdrefs of the Middlefex eleftion wotfld
^' be the firft aft of the Legiflature. But never
^^ were a people fo difappointed as the citizens
*^ of London were, when they read a fpecch,
^^ which fet forth an extreme concern for the
^^ diftreffes and difeafes of horned cattle^ but did
*^ not contain a word about thediftreflfesor com^
^^ plaints of the people. You muft read the.
" fpeech, which accompanies this letter.- After
^^ the furprife of the people concerning their dif-
^* appointment from the contents of the Ipeech,
^^ w^s oyer, the whole force of their wit and fa-
" culties was exerted in ridicule and farcafms by
*^ one fide, and in encomiums and juflification
" by the other— the natural confequences of
^' a free people, and of the violence of par-
" tie's. After the fpeech had been read in the
" Houfe of Peers, one of the Miniftry moved
^^ for an addrefs of thanks to the Throne; upon
'^ which Lord Chatham got up, and, with un-
*' common powers of mind and elocution,
^^ painted the general difcoqtent and complaipts

346 THE LIFE OP^

^' of the people of England ; afierted the juftice
" ofthcircAufe of complaint J highly commend-
" ed the freedom and fpif k^ that had been mani-
" f^fted in thofe complaints; and wa$ happy to
" find, that neither the mcnaccsofmiBcarycxccu-
" tion, of difmiffionfrom oiRcc, of the rigour of
"thelawagainftpcrfonsfordaringtopetition,nor
'* the venality of the times, were able to check
** or abate that free fpirit, which the conftitution
'* allowed to Engliftimen. His Lordfhip con-
^* tended, that the Houfe of Commons had, in
" their refolutions with regard to Mr. fFilkes
•* and Colonel Luttrely exerted a power of no
« lefs force than that of the whole Legiflation
«* of the land, which was a breach of a mortal
** nature in the Conftitution. He obferved,
*' that it was an aft of fuprcmacy and of tyranny
<' in a third part of the ftatc, and that it dif-
'* franchized every freeholder in the realm, and
" was alfo an aft, that the three cftates united,
" could not, in juftice, do, being in its nature,
" an entire diflblution of the Conftitution ; and
'* he called upon any Law Lx)rd prefent to deny
" that this his opinion of the Britilh Conftitu-
** tion was erroneous 5 for thcfe reafons, there-

CHAKLBS MACK£>IN. J47

** fore, he moved, before that Houfe addrefled
** the Throne for a fpecch that had neglefted
*' the general grievances of the people, parti-
'^ cularly a violation of their fundamental con*
" ftitutional birth-right, oft which their lives,
" liberty, and property depended, and the Per
" titions laid before the Throne from the right
'^ of immemorial ufage, and the facrcd aft,
" called the Bill of Rights, that they would
" firft take into confidcration, ' the fiate of
'* the Nation^ and the cmduSt of the Houfe of
" Commons reJfeSting their late Refolutions.*
** This was oppofed by many Lords i but the
" principal arguments againft it were adduced
*^ by Lord Mtmsfield, who contended, that the
** motion was unconftitutional, inafmuch as
" the Lords had no right to queftion the con-
'^ duft of the Commons, upon any point rela-
** tive to eleftions, or their power over their
** own Members j that, as to the point of
** law, concerning the incapacity of the fame
** man to be elcfted again in the fame Parlia-
** ment, after cxpulfion, he never had given
'* an opinion upon it — he never would— his
'^ opinion Ihould go with him to his grave ; —

34* ^H2 LIFS OF

" that an inquiry into the conduftof the Com-
" mons on that fubjcd:, would neceflarily be
*' refented by them, and would produce a
".quarrel between the twoHoufes,, which would
" bring them both into contempt, and would
*' tend to raife the feditious difturbances of the
*^ nation higher, which were but too high al-
** rcady^ for a mild governnient to endure $
^* that the Houfe of Commons, concerning, elec-
**tions, was a Court of Judicature; that their
** determination was final — ' there being na.
'^ appeal from their ReJolutionSi but to God
" and their own conjciences.' The Duke of
^' Grafton, fupported this doftrine by a long
" Ipcech, and contended, that Lx^rd Chatham's.
" amotion had no foundation, for th^t there was.
** not a fmgle grievance, that could, in juftice„
*^ or common fenfe, excite or warrant Petiti-
" ons from the people ; that they were imr
" pofed upon by falfe ftories, notions, and doc-.
" trines, raifed apd difFufed by difappointed>
" ambitious, and feditious men, and that he
" was, and ever lliould be, of opinion, that the
^' determination of the Houfe of Commons,^
* ' in expelling and incapacitating Mr. fFilkfs^

CHAkLES MACKLrN, ^45^

^ and in fearing Colonel Luttrel, was con-^
** fiftent with, and conformable to, the law of
^ Parliaments and the Conftitution of the land.
^^ Lord Camden (the Lord Chancellor) an-
^^ fwcred the Duke of Grafton. He began by
** obferving, that as he had the honotit of hold-
** ing an high fituation, that neceflarily cdled
** him to the councils and co-operations of Ad-
'^ miniftration, he found himfelf at that junc-
" ture, in a. fituation that gave him the dcepeft
" concern ; that, by virtue of his office, he
*^ muft either fupport the doftrincs and mca*
" fures of the Miniftry> or, in obedience to the
*^ didlates of his confcience* and his ideas of the
*' Conftitution, oppofe the meafures of Admi-
^^ niftration. But fince he judged that no, man
^' could be worthy of a feat in that Houfe, or of
^' the high office that he held, who fhould he-
" fitate a moment between the frowns of a Mi-
" nifter, and the duty of his truft, he fhould
" obey the diftates of his confciencc, by de-
'^ daring his opinion that the refolution of the
" Hqufe of Commons, on the Middlefex elec-
" tion, was, by the ftatute and common law
" of the land, a flagrant violation of the Con-

J5t> THI LIFI OF

^' ftkution ; and he cftUcd upon any Learned
" Lord of the Long Robe (looking faii in Lord
'' Mansfield's face) to produce, if he could, a
" Angle reaibn to the contrary — adding, that if
" any Learned Lord had reafons that could f^-
" port the refolution of the Houfe of Commons,
*' he hoped, that he would, for the information
*'and fatisfaftion of that Houfe, and the
*^ quieting the minds of the people, make a
*• motion to appoint a day when they might be
" heard, and the pobt be fully difciiffed, as it
^ was the greateft conftitutional point that had
"occurred fincc the Revolution. This was
" thought a bold and a fair challenge by the
'^ Oppofition, and aB indifferent men ; twit was
" deemed perfidious ^d treachercwis by aS
«* the friends of Gdvernmenfc The morion was
'^put for the addrefs, as moved for by the Mi-
**niftry, and carried by a great majority^

" This, my dear, is a rude fketch of what
^ pafled among the Lards the firft day; the mo-
" tion and debate in thit Commons were to the
** fame effect, but carried cm with much greater
"violence, and boldnef a, rcfpeftbg Govern-

CHARtlS MACKLIN. 35I

^\m^nti w4 in the opimon ofibme^ and jvftly
'* I think, to an unwarrgntabk excefs.

" The next great day was in confcquencc of
*^ ^ motion in the Houfe of Lords to take the
*^ jQtatc of the Nation into confideration. This
•* debate w%s opened by Lord Chatham^ who
'^ took notice of the following pofioons^ laid
'^ down» at different times, by L.ord Mansfield: '
*' viz. * that the Lords ought not tp interfere
** with the Refolution of the Commons in mat-
*' ters of Ele&ioni that it was unconftitutional ;
*' that the Commons were a Court of Judicature,
*' from whence there was no appeal, but to
" God and their confciences j that they had
" an abfplute power over their own Mem-
*' bers and Officers, a power exercifcd even by
" inferior Courts, without which juftice could
" not be dilpenfed neither in forms nor cffence/
" Thefe were the texts of his fpcech, which
'' was direded pointedly at Lord Mansfield.
'' A ipeech more pregnant with general know-^
** ledge, argument, law, precedent, raillery,
" invc6Hve, ' ftroJ^es of fublimity, and confti-
•* tutional integrity, was, in the opinion of all

5ji *f liE LIFE or

*' who heard him, never before delivet'ed
'« within the walls of that Houfe. He begari
" with obferving upon the unparalleled auda-
" cioufnefs of venality i its notorious influence
*^ upon men's morals j its known and avowed
" influence in Parliament, and every branch of
^* Government; the manifeft danger with which
^' it threatened the Conftitution, and the great
*^ neceffity of putting an immediate ftop to its
" progrcft*

" He then fell upon the Mimfters, for daring
*' to trifle with, and afiront one of the greateft
" Nations on the globe, by compofing and ad- • i

" vifing fuch a performance as the late fpeechi
" as if it were meant as a parody of ridicule
•* upon the diftreflfes of the people, inftead of
*' a royal anfwer, or a paternal recommenda-
" tion> for quieting or rcdrefllng their griev-
*' anceSk After a great deal more of this ge-
*^ neral matter, he proceeded next to a defini-
" tion of the Conftitution, and laid it down as a
" firft principle, that the fovereignty of the
" land was in the King, and the two Houfes of

*^ Parliament conjointly, and compofcd a truft,
*' which was cifcumfcribed by the end for which
" it was originally inftituted J namely, theprc-
*' fcrvation of the lives, liberty and property
** of the people, according to the known laws
" of the land 5 that a violation of thofe laws
** was a diflblution of the trdft — a treafon againft
" the people i that he defied the moft crabbed,
** duftile, quibbling lawyer to refute thefe fun-
" damcntal truths; that they were co-eval
** with the firft traces of law of order in this
" land J that our anceftors had, in iron gar-
" ments, met the betrayers of this truft feven
*' and thirty times in the field, and obliged
" thetn ISO acknowledge ^nd ratify thefe facred
** truths; that the three eftates of fovcreignty
^f were equal and co*-ordinatc in power 1 that
*' when any one of them ufurped that co-ordi-
^f natc power, it was the fpecial duty of each of
" the others to ftep forth and control that^
^' ufurpationj that it was a duty 'of natural
" juftice, immemorial ufage, and public fafety;
'* that if any one of the eftates predominated,
** our conftitucion and liberty were at an end ;
Vol. II. Aa '

354 '^H'5 ^^^^ ^^

" that the Commons had ufurped the whole
" Lcgiflativc power by their refolution rcf-
^^ pcding the Middlefex eleftion ; that that
'^ refolution operated as a defpotic law> and
'^ fuperfeded both the ftatute and common law
" of the land, refpcfting the rights of freehold
" dcrsi that the learned Lord (looking ftcrnlf
^^ at I/)rd Mansfield and fhaking his head) who
'^ faid, that the Commons had no being to
" appeal to, but God and their confciences, did
" not know the tremendous import of thofe
^^ ominous words when he uttered them- After
*^ a great de^l of forcible reafoning on this
'^ point, he proceeded ntxt to a review of the
*Vcondu£t of Miniftry; who, he faid, for fome
" years paft, had ftraiqed every nerve' of the
** law, in the courts below, and, at laft, even
*' of the cdnftitution itfelf, in order to opprefs,
*' nay, to extinguifh one man — ^ man to whom
*^ he had many exceptions, and for whom he
" had no regard, but as a man whole ruin be
*^ faw was to be completed^ even to the ruin of
" the conftitutioni — that therefore he thought
^* it mcumbent upon every man who valued the
•^ liberty of an Englilhman and the bleflings of

CHARLES MACKLIN. 355

^^ thp Britifh conftitution, to ftand forward on
''this important occafion in defence of both.
'^ On thcfe principles^ and for thefc re^fons, he
" movcd> ' that John Wilkes, Efti. had been
'' perfecuted by minifters ; that he had been
'' duly and legally elefted and returned to ferve
'* in Parliament ; and that the vote of the
" Houfe of Commons, that rejeded him, and
'' feated Colonel Luttrel, was contrary to
" the ftatute and common law of the land, and
*' an ufurpation of the legiflative fovereignty
" thereof.'

''This inflamed Adminiftration to anex-^
" treme; but as candour muft allow that the
" point was againft them, they could only ex-
'S ert negatives, farcaftns, and raillery. Lord
" Canjden was powerful in illuftrating Lord
*' Chatham's principles of the conftitution,
" and affertcd, that where law ends, dcfpotifm
" begins. As foon a£ Lord Camden fat down,
" Lord Weymouth got up, and charged Lord
" Camden warmly with duplicity, while in of-
'^ fice*— *Hc obferved, that he, as Chancellor^
A a 2

356 THE LIFE OF

" when the writ for the county of Middlefex came
" to befigned by him, as all writs of that kind
" do, ought to have flopped it, as he faw that it
" contained a pofitive order, in the body of it,
" which incapacitated the freeholders from eleft-
" ing Mr. Wilkes^ but that, on the contrary, the
" learned Lord had lent his countenance and ap-
** probation to the whole of the meafure. This
" charge, fo roundly afferted, excited a re-
*^proachful aftonifliment in every counte-
'* nance, and the inquiring eyes of every
" member were inftantly direfted • towards the
" filcnt Lord Camden. His Lordlhip's de-
" portment, during this charge, and for fomc
" feconds after Lord Weyhiouth had finifhed
'^ his fpeech, I look upon to be one of the
" fineft ftrokes of filent eloquence that I ever
" heard of or obferved. His placid counte-
'* nance, which marked nothing befides modeft
" attention, was continued on his accufer. —
'* The accufation being ended. Lord Camden
" refted his chin upon his breaft for a mo-
" ment, and his head reclined, as it were, in a
" ftate of refleftion, which many interpreted
'^into fpeechlefs guilt. Aftef a few moments

\

I • ...

i CHARLES MACKLIN. 357

" paufc, in flow and folemn motion, he arofe,
^' and, for a minute, flood ereft^ then, in grace-
" ful civility, bowed to his noble accufcr, and
'* thanked his benevolent nature fincerely for
'^ the favourable oppo^unity that he had fo in-
*' genuoufly afFqrded lum for his defence — a
" circumftance that he had long wilhed for.
*' He was fenfible, that what his noble and can-
*' did accufer had laid before their Lordfhips
" had long been whifpered by Minifters,
*' avowed by their creatures, and publifhed in,
" newfpapers by libellers i but that he had ne-
'^ ver, in any mode whatever^ endeavoured to
" exculpate bimfelf, or to ftop or fhun the im-
" putations i and that, even then, he confef-
" fed that he found himfelf in the greateft con-
" fufion, and under the greateft difficulties,
*' when he reflcfted, that the fource from
" whence he muft derive his defence, was of
" the moft fecret, as well as the moft facred
*' nature, andevidence of the highcft and moft
** refpcftable kind: — fo thathe was not fure that
^^ exonerating himfelf from this flagrant charge
" might not be a greater offence to Minifters,
^^ i^nd a greater crime, than that with which,
A a J

35* THE LIFE or *

" he flood accufcd ; * but whatever ^ offfence
'^ truth may be to any pcrfon, or "pcrfons, I
" muft, (fays he,) call her even from the very
'^ Cabinet, where flie ought to lie concealed, to
^^ my defence, as that flivine being, the do-
'^ ings of the prefcnt Minifters, and the con-
'^ ftitution of this country, are all involved in
" my accufation.' — Here the long fufpenfc
*' he molt pleaflnglykept his auditors in, at once
*^ brightened up into an high impatient euriolity;
*^ bur it was pleafing, to a Ipeculative mind, to
^^ fee how very differently the fame curiofity
'^ operated on the countenances of the different
" parties : the countenances of oifc party were
*^ impreffed and lighted up with a fmiling happy
^' confidence, whilft the countenances of the
♦* other were ftamped with a mixture, or fuc-
^^ ceflion of frowns, fiieersi contempt, and in-
*' dignation : — but now to Lord Camden.
" While the buz of expeftation ran through
" the alTembly, and the different parties were
*^ exerting and compofing their paffions and
"v features into attention, his Lordfhip fell into
*^ a modeft and a graceful paufe, at the very
^* point of time where truth, directed by innQ-s

CHARLES MACKLIN. 559

^ ccncc and perfuafion, fhould begin, he

*' opened his defence. His matter was a moft

** judicious apology for bringing what pafled in

" the Cabinet to the ears that were prefent 5 but

*' there is a neceffity in fclf-defence, that fome-

'^. times muft break through forms, and even

'^ laws of States ; yet fuch breaches, where the

^^ laws were above all, he allowed, ought to

" be accounted for j and for which he was

" always ready to anfwer, whenever he was

" called upon. He then declared, that fo far

^ from lending his countenance, or to borrow

" the noble Lord's (Weymouth) phrafe, his

" innuendos or afprobaUonary ftgnsy refpefting

" Mr. Wilkes, or the Middlefex elcdion,

" that the very firft time the meafure was agi-

*^ tated in the Cabinet, in his prefence, he

" warmly declared againft it as inexpedient 9

" and that as often as that bufinefs was moved

" in the Cabinet, he declared that he would

^^ have no hand in it, and accordingly quitted the

*^ Council. — For which reafon, fome time after

" thefc declarations, he was not fummoned to

^^ the Cabinet whenever the meafure was to be

Aa4

360 THB LIFE OF

*' difcuffed J and, for the fame reafon, he never

" obtruded himfelf into the Council at fuch

" times as he knew that his prefence would

" not be agreecble, as his voice would be

^' always s^ainft the proceeding. And as to

" the noble Lord's obferving, that a Chancellor

*' ought to ftop an unconftitutional writ, iflbed

*^ by the Houfe of Commons, his Lordfhip

^' ought to know, that a Lord Chancellor does

" not read one writ in a million that he figns —

^' that ceremony being mer/^ly an official cere-

" mony, and that the time of figning a writ

" was neidier the time nor the place to obferve

** upon it, but when it came judicially or in a

" legiflative review before him. For thefe

" truths, refpefting his declarations in the

^' Cabinet, and his not (topping the writ, he

'^ firft appealed to all the Miniftcrs to refute

^^ him if they could-*-and to the learned law

"Lord, whom he then had in his eye (bowing

" to Lord Mansfield), Some trifling anfwer^

" were made to him, but none that impeach-

** ed the truth of his aflfertions. This accu^

" fation of Lord Camden, as it -could not

^^ be fupported, brought great difgrace upon

CHARLES MACRLIN, 36 1

" the Miniftry, and threw great luftre upon my
" Lord Camden and the Oppofition. How-
*^ ever, the queftion was put and carried
'^ againft the Oppofition, by a great majority,
" The fame fort of motions were made in the
" Houfe of Commons, and the fame kind of
" arguments ufed, with a majority for the

/' Court of nearly an hundred,

*

" Two nights j^o, Mr, Kelly, the author of
*^ Fal/e Delicacyy brought out a Comedy at
^^ Drury-Lane, entitled ^ A Word to the Wife:
" This man having, as the condudor of a daily
*' paper, called the Ledger, abufed Wilkes and
" his party, and written profeffedly on the
' * Court fide, when the curtain drew up, and
" the aftors appeared, the audience began, in
" a moft violent outrage of hifling, cat-cal-
'' ling, and every kind of noife, to obftrudt
^' the performance. There was a ftrong par-
" ty on both fides, but the noes carried it.
"However, the play was given out again for
*' the next night j and, till ten o'clock at
^^ night, there was the moft violent ftruggle
^' rf^at ev^r my experience met with in a thca-

36i THE LIFE OF .

" trc-: butfo refolutc and ftrong were the oppo-
'' fition, that they would not fuffer a word of
*' the play to be heard.

'^ Mr. Garrick went on in order to appeafe,
" but he was pelted off, and treated with vio-
" lence and contempt. The party would hear
*' of no terms, but a declaration from the,
" llage, that the play never Ihould be given
'^ out to be aftcd again, and the money that
" was received laft night, to be returned im-
" mediately to the audience : both which
" points Garrick was obliged to comply
^' with — an inftancc of the kinci never hap-
*' pened but once before, and that too was
*' in oppofition to a court author, fat Captain
" Boarding, who lived near Mr. Chetwynd :
** his play was called The Modijh Couple, You
*' fee, my dear child, that I have been very
" copious in my detail of politics j the defign
"ofwhlch is to amufe, and to give you an
*^ idea, though a faint one, of what the great
" arc doing in this part of the world,

CHARLES MACKLINT. ^63

^* It is by piftures of the great and good^
** that ingenious and virtuous minds are to be
** excited to emulation ; habitual attention will
^^ follow, , You have talents ^ you have edu-
^^ cation; you have an inviting field to improve
^* in, and to exert both; and a more eligible
^^ example you cannot have, than the perfon
*' (Mr. Haftings) with whom you had the ho-
*^ nor and happincf^ to fail. If yoi? have
" merit and virtue enough to deferve his pa-
^f tronage, I amfurc that you will have it; a
?^ circumftance which I fhall deem the happieft
f' incident of my life, as I am fure it will be
** fufEcient to make yours honorable ^nd for-
f' tunate. Again niake my finccre refpeds to
*' him, and could yqu procure a line from him,
^' in your letter to me, importing ^that you
** are not unworthy of his countenance, it will
^' givp me a joy that is not cafily exprefled.
f^ Lady Mexboroijgh has had both her fons
^f innoculatcd, and happily. Her Ladyfliip,
" my Lord, Sir Francis, and the whole family
ff are well, and ^nd many wiihes for your
^ profperity. Enclofed you will find a letter
ff for Mr. Button, who failed in the Haw,h^

364 THE LIFE OF

" Captain Cotton ; pray deliver it to him. I
" wrote to you before concerning him. Adieu,
*' God blefs you/'

Cfiap^ XIV.

" Dear John, London, June 23d, i >^70,

"ILT'OUR letter, dated i6th of September,
X " 1769, from Fort St. George, came
" to my hands on the i8th of April 1770, and
*' this will be conveyed to the Eaft Indies by
** the Dolphin man of war, the bufinefs or
" purport of whofe voyage, at prefent, I am a
" ftranger to j but, before I feal this letter, I
" fhall inquire about it, and Ihall infert my in-
*-' teUigence. You mull imagine that the re-
*' ceipt of a letter from you, that< gave an
'* account of your fafe arrival at Fort St,
*' George, and of your health and good fpirits,
** afforded your mother and me great joy ; for
" while you have health, fpirits^, and a feir
♦* charafter, which is better than both, wc

CHARLES MACKLIN. 365

*^ ihall think you and ourfelves happy, let other
** circumftances of liife be as they may; butbe-
". fides health, fpirits, and a fair charafter, I
*' fhould alfo wifli you to have a meritorious
** charafter, that is, a character as a man who
*' knows his bufinefs. To be a good fervant
*^ to the Company Ihould be your conftant en-
" dcavoun My reafon for being fo particular
" on this fubjeft, at prefent, arifes from your
" unfatisfaftory, imperfect letter, from Fort
**^ St. George, which is written fo unlike
" that of a gentleman, a fcholar, or a man
" of bufinefs. Pray attend to the following
** inftance of your want of precifion : — you
*' tell me, * that you are at length arrived, after
** a very tedious paflage, and in every fliape a
" difagreeable voyage.'

*^ I begged it, as a favor, that you would
** keep a journal of your voyage : — I made you
*^ a book for that purpofe ; but you did not
" think it worth your while to ol^lige me in
" that point, or you have not thought proper
" to convey me a fingle paflage of it. By your
'^ not riicntioning Mr. Haftings's name in your

^66 THE LlfE of

^^ letter, I mull: conclude that you had fomC
*^ very cogent reafon for it. I muft fuppofe
*' that you had offended or difguftcd him, and
** fo were afliamcd to mention him, as you
** could not do it with any honor or grace to
*' youffelf* Some fuch circumftancc I muft
'* imagine, in confcqucnce of your filence, on
'' fo refpeftable a part of your company, fo
*' amiable a charadtcr, and one on whom you
" had fome dependancc. Do you not think,
" that it would have been fome fatisfadion to
" me, if you had pointed out how, or from
<* what your difappointments arofc* You fay,
" that your living is expenfive, and without a
" profpeft of getting any money. What ! did
" you expeft to find money in the ftreets ? or
*' to be put into a poft or ofEce of getting
** money immediately on your arrival ? Before
^* you know your bufinefs, before you can
*' even write a letter to your parents, without
" being blotted and fcratched, with words
^^ omitted, fenfe imperfeft, and fo deficient in
" matter, and incorreft in every refpeft,. that they
" are afhamed to fliew it to any of your friends.
^^ Before you expedl to get money in your era-

CHARLSS MACKLIN. 2^J

*• ployer*s fcrvice, you muft firft qualify your-
*^ felf to dcferve itj by learning to write a
*' letter like a man of bufinefs, and to know
" your bufincfs in your ftation. Study it — ap-
*^ ply to nothing cife — do not fpend your time
*^ in reading books for your amufemcht, but
" in ftudying to qualify yourfelf for your fitua-
'* tion. Do this> Sir, andprofpecks of getting
^^ money will arife of courfe i without it they
" never will arife* You write me a letter, and
*^ never tell me by what fliip you fend it, what
" the captain's name is, whence the Ihip failed,
" when ftie was to fail from Fort St. George,
'^ or when you expcfted that fhe would arrive
«' in England. All thcfe points are neceffary,
^' and fhew a man of bufinefs^— never omit
*^ fuch circumftances again, and always take
" notice to your correfpondent of the time,
*' the Ihip, the captain, through whofe hands
" you receive your correfpondent's letter* —
** Have you no book of letters upon bufincfs
**' that you can form yourfelf upon ? — Certainly
" you have. You requeft me to fend you a
" little money, to keep you from' borrowing.
*^ Surdy you cannot want money more than Mr-

' ^68 tHB LIFJ5 Ot

" Corbet, or any other young man. Mn Cef-
" bet tells his father, that the allowance from
" the Company is but fmall j but that he will
*' make it do* Cannot you do fo too ? Yoil
" talk of buying a fhare in a country Ihip j
" which i^ the only way of making money ia
" your (ituation, you fay. Pray who is to
" freight that fhip ? To lay out money, in the
" purchafe of a fhip, is ealily faid ; but it
" feems to me to be a very abfurd, or, at Icaft,
" a very precarious fcheme for a young man
" to engage in an undertaking of that nature,
*^ before he has any knowledge of markets,
" commodities, or of any of the conditions
^' or circumftances of commerce, or the per-
<' fons concerned in it , and it appears to
" me, at this diftance, that this muft be your
" cafe in every refpeft. Is Mr. Corbet's fon
" engaged in/uch an adventure ? John, do not
" be impatient ; be fure that you know^ always,
" before you judge y /peaky or adventure% But
** why did you not fend me an account of the
*' nature of your country ftiip, its commerce, and
" of all the circumftances of the undertaking ?
'' as well as to fend to me for money for fuch

f

CHARLES MAdKLlN. 369

^' a bufincfe. You had a letter from Lord
*' Clive to the late. Governor, and one from
" Mr. Nuthall td Mr. Chaneau. Pray do yo\t^
** not think that it would have been, in fomc
*' degree, proper, that you Ihould have given
*' me fome account of* the particuiars how yoii
*^ were received in confcquence of thefc letters,
*' that I might know how to addrefs, or to
" thank Lord Clive, or Mr. Nuthall, on that
*' bufiriefs; O fie ! fie ! never be guilty of
* fuch Ihameful omiflions again ! If ou defire
"me to procure you fome letters ofrecom-
" mendation *---how can you expeft me to
*' i(k for any lettei-s, Jifter fuch a Ihameful
*^ riegleft in you ? I ' charged you td keep a
''journal, or book of memorandums, ofordi-
** nary as wejl as extraordinary occurrences, — ;
•' Have you done fo ? I am fure youhav^e not.
" From fuch a book, had you kept one, yoii
" might j at any rime, when you were to writd
/* to me, or to any perfon> take cxtrads, ot
''heads of intelligence, and comnoiit them to
" your letter, according to order. Remembeft
" Sir, as an invariable rule, that ^ merchant^ Qt
VoL.n. Bb

yjO TMB LIFI OF

'^ a iftan in any kihd of bufinefa, is to truft no*
" thing to rticmory ; cvei*y thing is to be com-
" mitted to paper. Again I charge you to
«^ praftife it. I cart tell by your letter, at firft
** fighti whether or no you do it : fo do not de*
*^ cciVc yoyrfelf, by thinking that you can de*
** ccive me, by tellii^ me that you do it* Re*
^^ member that bufinefs has but one profitable
" rule— -I mean a governing rule — ahd that is
*• MEtHOD J without which, no man in bufintft
" ciMi be fiire of eafe, pelct, chani&er, or pro^
** fit. Pray oblige me, and pradlife this jour-
^^ 'nalizing i ten minutes a day will be fuificient
'^ for that bufinefs ; and I requeft that you will
'^ read Dr^ Louth's Grammar critically, and
** commit his obfervations to your incmory.
^^ Get the infbaces that he gives, of the mif-
'^ takes and errors of other writers, by heart ;
^^ and, particukrly, read his account of pun&u^
^' at]on«---for you are deficient in it. Send me
^ the iHunes of die Council at Madras, and, if
^^you can, of their friends and connexions
«< in £n|^d ; that I may apply properly for
'Uetters of recommendattoli lor you» Your
lift of things Ihall be duly anfwered. If you

<c

CHARLES MACRLIN. yjT.

^^ can fend fome prefents to Lady Mexbo«
*^ rough. Lady Stanhope, and Mifs Fanny,
•* coft what they will, I will be at the expencc
*^ ofthcm ; and could you fend a gown, or a
*« trifle, to Neddy Delaval, for Mifs Sally, it
*^ would be proper, and well taken. The
^^ Dolphin man of war,, that conveys this let-
"ter, carries out a gentleman of the name of
*' BreretoHy to view the wx>rks of fome fbrtift-
** cation, belonging to the French in India,
** which our people have obliged them to dc-
** molifh, of which the French have complained
*' to our Court, and this Mr. Brereton is to
*^ report the ftate of the works, and the con-
" duft of the French and EngKih, rcfpe6kmg
^* this dilputc, to oqr Court, in order that they
•* may be able to give a proper an^er to th^
'• remonftrance of the Court of France, on that
^* fiibjed. I Ihall write to you at large by tht
^ annual fliips, and ftiaU fend you a cbcft of
" wine, and other things. Mr. P^fiWr Corbet
** has fhewn me a letter from his fon, per Cin-
** gingo. Fray, why did not you write by due
^' &me (hip } He tells me, tgo^ thathis fen had
Bb2.

37? THt LIFE or

*' the honor of copying the general letter^
^' which was fcnt by the Prefident and Coun-
*' cil to the Direftors. I hope that, fome time
" or other, you wiU write a hand good enough,
" and arrive at merit fufficient, to be entrufted
f* with that fervicc. Do you recoUeft in what
** manner you fealed your letter to me of the
" 1 6th of September, 1769, from Fort St;
*' George ? I do not think you do. The cafe
" in which it was enclofed to Mr. Corbet, was
". fealed direftly on the feal pf my letter ; fo
" that the wax of the cafe melted the wax of
" my letter, and fo mixed with it, thro' the cafe,
" that there was no qpening the cafe, without
" opening my letter at the fame time. Be
" more attentive to this in future j and pray,
*' Sir, in good manners, ought you not to have
*' faid fomething in your cafe, dircfted to Mr.
•' Corbet, about the health of his foil, or of
'^ your own obligations to him for his trouble
^' of forwarding my letters to me ? Such omif-
" fions are great indecorums, and will always
"make enemies in fociety; whereas, the con-
"trary behaviour, will always make friends.
" You fhould never omit acknowledging the

CHARLES MACKLIN. 213

** moll trifling civility, from any pcrfon j fuch

^' coiiduft marks attention and gratitude* It

*^s by fuch qualities, and integrity, and in-

** duftry, that you muft hope to rife in your

** ftation. My beft refpcfts wait on Mr.

'* H^lngs. I had the pleafure of feeing his

'* brother, and fifter, and nephew, fome time

'* fincc 5 they were then very well. Pray re-

** member me to Mr. Thomas Corbet, and Mr.

^ '* Garrow. Mr. Corbet and I drank all your

" healths the other day very fincerely. I am,

*^ my dear Child, with the warmeft afFeftion^

'* your moft anxious Father^

'^Charles Macklin.^'

" Dublin, March 2, 177 1.
« Dear Child,

" I wrote to you by the Salifbury, and by
y that vefTel your cheft went. You are much-
" indebted to your friend, Mr. Peter Corbet,
" for his care in Ihippbg it, and for your
^^ wine — fpr, without his afliftance, you would
^' not have had any. The rcafon is this : the
^f Captains of th^ Indiamen, petitioned againft
Bbj

374 . THE LIP« OF

** the writers hdving any wine, or any thing
^f extraordinary fent out totfaenw as that inn-
*' dcrcd the 6k of their freight. Howerer,
'^ the Direftors continued the ordinary {Hrivi*
'* leges to the writers, but woifld not iiifier
'^ any wine to be fent to theiti. Mr. Coii)et
" dif covered, Aat one of the writens, at-P<»t
*' St. George, would not have any tthing fcnt
"him this year by his friends; he,theidbre,
" got leave to fend your chcft in his name.
*' You will receive 50L from Captain Morris,
** through your friend Corbet's care. 1 hope
'* you will never forget the fbrvices ihat he
^^hasdone you and me; for, he that forgets
'* even trifling fervices, cannot be of a right
"natiuic.

^^.My health and ifpirits are good; your
"mother too is tolerable, and fends you all
^' that^aimother can fend from z good heart.
*' I am at eafe here; am high in fame, and ^my
" profits fully content me. In your letters to
" me, pray do not forget your friends, Sayer,
" Chetwynd, and Neddy the philoibpber, who
" has a fincere regard^for you ; and alfo Ladies

^^ Mcxborough ai^ Stanhope. Pray be more
*^ ample in your letters to me. There is no
^* news of any importance here, unlefs a riot
** by the weavers, about the Parliament Houfe,
" may be deemed fo. The caufe of it was —
" the Court unexpeftedly having a majority,
** the mob wanted to demolifli fome of thofc
^^ that d^ierted the patriots : — bigt it is all i^Qy
'^ impertinent, ^d licentious. T^ Court
*^ carry every thing iri f ar l^wife both Iwre
^^ and in Eng^d* Yojur bufmef^ is not pp}i-
<* tics i apply yourfelf to commerce, and tearn
^^ to be an i;^ful fervant to your employers,
^ and a man of charafber acnong^your aflbci-
^^ ates; for, without charadber, life is of Iktle
^' comfort. I am, my dear Child,

•^ Your affcftionate Father,

« Charks Mackiin.*'

Bb4

37^ "I^HB tIFE 09

Cftap, XV,

^' London, May 3d, 177 1,

''Dcv Child,

^ T> Y the Colebrook I have written two let-
-Lf <c ^rs to you, and one- to Mr. Haitings,
*^ in which I have requcfted him to take you
*' along with him to Bengal, and to let you
^' have 50I. or more, fliould you wapt it, which
^' I Ihall repay to Mr. Woodman, who is in
^^health. I Jhould have told youj, in my let-
^' ter before, that I had two fuits of Irifli ma-
'^ nufa^ture for Mr. Hs^ngs's wearing, which
*^werc feized at Parkgatc, to my no fmalj
" inoxtification.

" Mr. Haftings is now appointed to the pre-
^' fidency of Bengal, (o the general fatisfac-
" tion of all parties. — This is a noble inft^ce
" of thejuftice and wifdomof the prcfciit Dir
^' rcftors, and a proof of the worth of Mr.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 377

•^ Haftings^ who is a bright example for you,
^' Sir, and all young men, to look up to— for
^^ it is his virtue, as a man, and his abilities
^' and fidelity, as a fcrvant of the Company,
^f that have been his patrons in this promo^
" tion 5 and worthier, or more potent patrons,
*^ he could not have; — and, by thcfc patrons,
^' and thefe only, the Gentlemen in Leadcnhall-
•^ Street, one and all, have declared, that they
^* will be direAed in all future promotions.
** This incident of your moft: excellent patron's
*^ promotion to Bengal, will, I think, be a
** criterion of your charafter and oondudli, r^f-
<• pefting your utility as a fervant of the Com-
*' pany, and the ufe that you have made of th^
^^ example and countenance of Mr. Haftings.
*^ If your improvement and diligence in your
** ftation have been fuch as to have merited
'^ approbation ; and if your manners and mcf-«
'' rals are unimpeachable, I ihall conclude,
^' that fuch kind of conduft lias fo conciliated
*? the acknowledged benevolence of Mn
*^ Haftings to your intereft, that you will
^^ have the honor and invaluable happinefs of
(' attending him to Ben^, which is in his

37$ ^«« WF« ow

<< power to e&&i mA it is the. opinion of
^ ftuuijr herc> that he will <Se& it» Ihwld yoci
^ fiand ia iudb a predieaoieni: with lum, as to
''merit the promotkmi but fhould you he left
^ isckind him^^t Fort St. George^ the conchi-
cc £oix is dbnrious'^^&r it will indirei5tily pioye^
'' dutt you inave not betn ahfe ix> turn yxEir
'' eiiaoiiaan» iinderfbandifig« and &rour;9ble op^
'' porfiumty^ to the xuly ufe for which th^y
<* wcK pycn yiMi; whkh h, thatofgaioing ^e
^ patronage aod frioadflttp of good ^ vir-*
«< tuous iDen<*— the fureft and sn^ Imdtble
'' means to profperity aosd fanne in yxmr jGtua-
^ tioB — Dfligence^pmdence^ duacaifber^ healthy
'^ and fortune^ are the wife and lore grada-
<' tiom> in your precficamejit^ ^ I haive always
** preached to you 9 and I kopt that you witt
" never lofe fi^ of tte doiftrinc. Sir, I have
'' iexpeneaced, that a mao^ in ik&yftattonof
" life whatever, fhould never be off his guacd
^ ^-^z Scotdfiman never is :^^he never Htm a
<' moment ^Ktemfor^ : — and this is the trut
'* reafon of dieir fuccefs in whatever they un-
** dertakc. — They carry tbis wife and obviops
<< rejoark with .them thsoughout fheif i»oft-

CHARiLiS MACK^^LIN. J79

^^tninute intercourfe/mth ami; namelyii that

*^ ^arery map is in ;a ftate of eflxiilata(m;rdpc&'-

^ ing wodbdly intcreft ; ijnftt they are iU %ies

«* upon the tmorals, capacity, and puHutts of

^* one another,-~efpcdally in the fame pcofet

-*' fions andiindertakiqgs, — ^and riiatihe'di%Eac-

^' ing the morab aiul capacity of a icompetitoff,

'^ and anticipating his defigns, arethetfore mcarts

*^ of railing and promoting our own. Nor is

^^*This remark, or the policy that accontpa«

** nies it, peculiar to the Scot, or to anyma-

"ttionj— sfll men ptadife it in a degtec.-i-

" Therefore, a fiient tongue, arcferve, inor-

** dinary as well ^sin party matters, are pni-

'^^ dent qualitiesin a.young and dependant man.

^^ What makes this le&ure more juft and war-

^^ rantable in me, at this junfture, is ^ conver-

^:&tion that pafied between Mr. Sayer and

*' myfelf a few dajrs ago. In a vifit that 1 made

** him, he told me that he was foriy to hear,

" * that you had the character of an idle, cx-

'^ penfive, prating young man ; and that you

** had been degraded, ordifmiffed, for your bc-

*' haviour'— ^thie he faid had been whifpered.

** about upon tiic arrival of the Lapwing, {by

386 TN8 LIFE 6t

^' which, en pajfantj you had noc the af&dion,
•* or even civiUty, to let me hear from you) I
^< think it is not in your power to imagine how
" fevercly he felt this fuppofed truth, and
** what a violent effeft it had upon me. We
'^ parted, each refolving, if poffible, to come
^^ at the trudi of the whifper, and to meet ^ain
** the next day,

" What I felt during the interval you may ^
^' partly judge, by the refolution that I made,
" fliould the whifper prove true; which was, to
** alienaie you from my heart for ever^ and leave
♦* you to that courje and confequence^ that fdlenefs
" and dijordet Jbould caft you into. This was
" likewifc the determination of Mr, Sayer, who
" agreed with me in the ob&rvation, that when
** young minds, in your orderly ftation, once
" become diforderly, they are not worthy of
. " any farther attention, advice, or expence j —
<* for they generally are irreclaimable. How-
** ever, we met the next day, and, to our great
^' fatisfadion, we could not colled a fingle
" evidence or circumftance that could fupport
^* >thc charge that the whifper contained, nor

CHARI^BS MACKLIIT. jSt

*' that impeached any part of your condu<5b«
*^ This you muft think afForded great confola*
*' tion to my heart, and fatisfaftion to Mr.
'^ Sayer ; but ftill you fee the whifper wis,
^^ though neither the whifperer nor the founda-
^^ tion for it could be traced. This ought to
" be an admonition to you concerning your
" conduftj for I daily find, that the moft
** trifling aiFairs of the moft trifling perfons
." amongft you, in the Eaft, are tranfmitted to
*' this town, and with improvements you may
*" imagine. You have no friend or fortune to
'* depend upon now, but your own good con-
" duft : by that you muft ftanjd or fall. While
*' you behave with prudence and honor to
" your employers and to fociety, I will do
'^ what I can to fupport you, for fo long you
^^ will be an honor and comfort to me, and
** you will merit my affcftipn and fupport.
*^ Whenever the conduft of a child proves the
*^ rcyerfe of this, it is a fore afflidlion and dif-
" grace to the parents. About the latter end of
" this month, I ftiall remove my goods to Dub-
** lin, where I intend to fettle for the remain-
" dcrofmy life; nor (hall I, in probability.

382 THX LI9S OF

*• return even as a vifitor to Engliwid' fcr (bmc
*' years, if ever: — {o that, you fee, I fhall not
'* have any opportunity of making' any new, or
" of cultivating any old interefts for you. To
" God and your own prudence I refign you.
'^ I jfhould have been in Ireland a fortnight
" ago, but that I ftayed to fee the event of a
** trial for damages claimed by Mr. Harris and
" the other proprietors of Covent-Gardcn from
*^ Colman. In about three weeks this bufinefs
** is to be determined, I have no opinion that
*^ any good can arife from it to Mr. Harris.
" The inftrument of partnerfliip, or manage-
^^ ment rather, is fo cunningly driwn (though
*^ unequitably) on Colman*s fide. There has
*' been an idle report fpread here, of your
*^^fifter being married to a French dancing
" mafter, but without the leafl: foundation.
'^ I mention it while I think of it, that you
" may not be furprifed, and that you may con-
'^ tradia it, fliould it reach your part of the
" world. All friends here are well. Adieu.

" Charles Macklin/'

CHARLES MACKLIN. 383

London, Augaft 6th, 177 !•

*^ My dear Child, Per the Lapwing.

** Did you conceive what fatisfeftion a kttcr
** from you gives to your mother, and me, and
** what diftrcls when we find that you have
*' omitted making ufe of the opportunities of
*^ writing that prefcnt thcmfclves to you, I am
*' certain that you would not be fo cruelly di-
" latory or remifs in difcharging that duty fo
*' eflential to your mother's happinefs and
** mine. Only ccmfider what we both feel at this
'^ moment : the Lapwing arrived fome months
** ago. MciTrs. Button, Corbet, Garrow,
** Woodman, and every body had letters; but
" not one for me. Now the Vanfittart, and all
<' the ihips from Bengal, Madras, Coaft and
** Bay, are almoft ^rived, and no letter for
*' me. I am fingle in this diftrefs ; for every
^^ other perfbn I know, that has any connedion
*^ in the Eaft Indies, has received accounts and
*^ letters, but myfelf. What can I think of this
" conduft in you ? What will the world think
*' of fu<;h fhimeful unkindnefs to parents ?— •
" The only account or hint of your being even

** alive. Is a report which comes from MadniSi
" that you were about to come home. I afked
*' the caufli of* your coming home, and was
'* given to underftand that it was your whim
'* or caprice. Do you not think that this is a
" moft alarming report to me and your mo-
^' thcr ? I hope it is without the fliadow of a
** foundation. You could not furcly be fa mad
" as to think of fuch an unpardonable, fuch an
'* impolitic ftcp — an indifcretion never to be
" atoned for. — Mr. Sayer could not credit it—*
" fuch a ftep would be your ruin. If you ever
" had fuch a thought, I beg that you will dif-
" charge it^ as the moft indifcreet, that ever
"could, in your fituation, poflcfs your- mind.
" Before this will reach you, the news of Mn
^^ Haftings being appointed to the government
" of Bengal will be known at Madras^ By the
*' fhip that carries him his commiflion 1 have
" wrote to you, and a letter to him requefting
" that he will take you with him to Bengal,
" and begging that he will advance you one
" hundred pounds^ and that he will> through
" his brother, Mr. Woodman, draw upon njc
" for that fum, which I fhall anfwcr at fight*

£hARL£S MACKLIKT. ^8^

** Should the event of your going to Bengal
*^ take place^ it will be a convincing ptoof
" that you have had the virtuous attention
" to cultivate an intereft with Mr. Haftings j
^' a circumftahce which I fliall look upon
'^ as the happieft incident of your life, and a
^^ proof, as I have obferved before, of your
^' virtue, arid of your knowledge of your duty,
" and your intereft. As to this part of the
*' world, you muft not expeft any intereft from
.*' it. My caft of life is Retirement and ftudy ;
*^ that paiQon gains ftrength hourly — therefore,
^* I am not in the way of attendmg the great at
^' Court, or at Leadenhall-Street. I have of*-
" ten told you, ^ that every man ought to be
*^ the maker of his own fortune, or, the marrei*
"of it.' I repeat the dodtrlne:— he who de-
" pends upon inceflant induftry and . inte-
" grityj depends upon patrons of the nobleft,
" the moft exalted kind j they more than
," fupply the place of birth and anceftry, or
*' even of royal patronage 5 they are the crca-
*^ tors of fortune and fame, the founders of
'^^milies, and never can difappoint or deftrt
'' yoy« They control all human dealings, sifid
Vol. II C c

3S6 THE Lift or

**turn even viciffitudds of unfortunate tefl-
'* dcncy to a contrary nature. You have genius^
" you have learning, you h^ve induftryi at timts^
" but you want perfevtrance j without it 5rou
" can do nothing. I bid you weir your motto
'* in your mind conftantly— *" PBRSEVEiiE.**
^^ But let me do you and fame juftice. Re-
*^ port fays, that you are clever in your bufi-
'' nefs. If flie fays true in this, I will forgive
*' her all the bad things that fhe ever faid, or
" Ihall fay, of you or me. This is your, time
^* for application to ftudy and bufincfs. Thii
^' is your time to fix a charadcr for clcvcrnefi,
^* for good-nature, integrity, diligence, and
'^ honor. If you do not make thefe impref-
** lions now, while you arc a writer, you never
*^ can do it afterwards j for the reputation of a
•* man is for ever fixed, by the firft imprcffion
*' that he make* upon the vwrW, by the do-
** ittgs of his firft ftcp into it. Let the good
•• opinion of men be your firft aim — your
** means of acquiring thAt, are by diligence and
'* integrity : a nicety of integrity I mean.
^ Ever remember, tiiat all party^ of what Idnd
f^ foevcr, 18 the madnefs of the many, {ot the

CHARLES MACKli^IN. 387

^' intercft bf the few. Party, Sir, ever has a
^^ ftrong fpecies of flandcr, cruelty^ malice>
** and injuftice in it; and teems with ingrati-
*^ tude to thofei who have been moft warm
^^ and moft ferviceible in its purfuits. I)e-
*^ jpend upon it, that it is pregnant with
*^ thcfe qualities. Obferve daily in your own
*' little world — do not you find lies, flarider,
^' and injuftice, in a fmall degree, mix in
^^ the dealings and converfations of parties ?
^' Nay, if you are of ^ny party yourfelf, I will
^' refer you to an infallible intelligence, to
*^ fupport what I hare advanced, which isj
^' your own mind. Look into it ; if it be
*^ heated With party, it will, on refleftion, in-
^' form you of its own nature. Let that be
" your tutor ; let it teach you to beget a po-
^^ litical coolnefs, nay, an indifference in thit
^^ commerce : I am fure the conduA would bd
^•^ wife; Abruptly y while I think bf it, Ire-
^^ quefti that you will get Louth's Englifli
*^ Grammar by 'heart, from one tiA to the
*' other, notes and all : by heart, I fay, for
^' reading of it will not make you firm in the
Gc 2

38S THr Lirt or

" doftriftc of it. And I daily obfcrve^ in my-
" fclf, and others, and thofe of great note too,
"that, without fuch knowledge, wc cannot be
" correft in our. writing; and correAnefs in
" Grammar is a great ornament to a gemle-
" man, to a man of bufmefs, and to a writer i
" and a deficiency in grammatical knowledge
" an unpardonable difgracQ*. Pray oblige me
*' in this rcqueft.

" I fent Out a fmall parcel of millinery to
^^ Mrs. Davidfon, and a letter ; I hope fhc
" will receive them fafely. And pray inform
" her and Mr. Davidfon,- that your mother and

V I feel moft gratefully for their civility to
*' you— I defirc that you will be particular in
*^ this matter. What is the reafon that Mr.
*^ Dutton has never once mentioned you in
" his letters to his father ? Pray account for it
" 4f you can. Do not you writers live well to-
"gether? Arc you of different parties? and,

V therefore, you will not let your humanity
" fuffer yoii to name the health, life, or death
" of one another ?— ^rStrange, indeed ! Pray do
" not you prafbile that barbarity. You wrote

CHARLES MACKLIN. 3^9

'* to xne, in one of your letters^ that there was
^^ no way of adding to your income^ from the
** nature of your prcfcnt fituadon^ but by ef-.
*' forts and endeavours in trade^ which you
" could not make> for want of mon^y. You
^^ therefore requefted that I would let you
** have five hundred pounds, to buy part of a
" country veflcl : — it was a large demand:-— I
" wrote you an anfwcr to it: — I mull repeat
" part of it : — Are you fit to be trufted with
^^ five hundred pounds ? You, who were ideot
*' enough to game away your money on your
*^ voyage-— you, who never had praftifed any
" game, to be fo very weak as not to know
** that you knew nothing of play* Suppofe
" you were defired to read a book, in a Ian-.
(« guage that you did npt underftand ^ would
" you attempt it ? or fuppofe that you knew the
^* alphabet of it, would you undertake to read,
^' explain, or tranflate it, like a mafter ?

" If you would be fo hardy, you would nat
^^ only be impudent, but a fool. It is exaftly
^^ the fame in a game, as in a language. He
Cq3

39P TMB Lir? OF

'^ who thinks that he is fit to pky with ^
^^ mailer at a game^ becaufe he knows the al-
" phabct of it, or can fpell, will be deemed a
^' blockheads an unfit pcrfon to be truftcd with
** money, or bufinef$ j and will be a beggar.
** I often told you, that there art but too forts
" of men that game -, the man who knows, to
"accrt^ty, how to win, and how to tofei
'* and the bubble, who has no knowledge, but
" who only fancks that he fhall win. And he
*' who knows how to win, and how to iofe,
^' will often lafe oHfnrpofe^ to give emrourage-
^^ ment to the bubble to play on> and to make
" him believe that the knowing m^n is igno?
^' rant. The policy of lofing, now and then,
•' is one, of the greateft ftrokes of cunning in
^* this branch of commerce. A game upon the
^* cards is not a matter of chance or hick y
** only bubbles, or ignorant minds, talk of or
** believe in hjck j knowing men aPc convinced
*^ that all games are calculations, and as certain
•* in their effefts, as calculation is a furri in
•*. arithmedc. He who caicuktes that three
" times three are eight, or eleven, wiH be un-
*' done, if he deals on that calculation: fo it is

CHAHLES MACKI.IN. J91

^* at gamir^,-*-If you do nocbelicve me, game

" on> aod let experience ^ndtje^apy be your

^^ informers: they will not deceive you* Now

^' confider, whether you are to be trufted

*^ with 500I. You fee what an imprcffion your

•^ firftftcp has made upon allj who haveh^aidof

*^ your lofing your money on your voyage*

** Juft fo, every ftep, good or bad, will be im-*

** prclfed upon men's minds, for or agaiaft

^* you, with this difference — that follies and

^^ vices make a deeper impreflion agatnft mcn^

^* than wifdpm and virtue do in their favow 3

« for they have rivalftiip in folly aad vice to

f< kfkn the b^dnefs of an adion« Bi^it i$ time

^^ to have done with t^ moraliaingi for if your

'^ own prudence cannot get the better of a

" paflion for folly and indifcretirin, my anxiety

^* or lecturing will be of fio avs«l. However,

** I cannot help difcharging my duty; I dare

** fay, that Mcffrs Garrow^ Corbet, or Dutton,

" have no occafion for fuch left uring. But after

*^ all thisfermonizing,'^— ktus cometo the point,

" I did defire you to get Mr. Haftiags, or any

" grave Gentleman in the Council, if yo4f have

^^ defer ved to have fuch a friend^ to fay, in a
C c 4

j99 I'HE LiFS or

'* letter to Mr. Saycr, or to any friend here,
" that you may be trufted with 500L to trade
** with, and you (hall have it, though I were to
** borrow it. But were you to draw from me
^^ fuch a fum, under the hypocritical pretext
^' of trading with it, and game it away, or
*' diflipate it, it would be the greateft adk
*' of cruelty that a child could be guilty
*^ofto a parent, Age is advanced on me;
^^ ficknefs and debility are its attendants s and,
** to ftrip me of that little, which is to fupport
" your mother and me, in that day when ige
*^ and debility cannot have any fuccour, but
^^ from paft labour and beconomy, would be a
'* difgrace to you, that would wound my heart
^^ deeper, than afking alms would my pride 1
*^ — therefore think — afk your heart — alk your
*' firmnefs — can you be trufted with that
^^ which is to fupport your mother and m^, in
*^ the hour of age's debility ? If you find that
^' you dare tnift yourfelf with it, let me know
*' it, and you ihall have it.— -Your mother has
7 been very ill, dangeroufly fo, as the phyfi-.
^'.cians thought — in a deep confumption, and
(' of a rapid kind -, but thanks to God (he is

CHARLES MACKHN. 393

•' recovering : — herdifordcr being difcovered,
*' wc hope that a complete cure will follow. — It
*' isaworm complaint---intheveryftatethatyou
'' were in — -the fame vile confuming fymptoms
« — butlhe is recovering,to my great great hap-
*' pinefs J — for if ever woman defcrved the fin*
" cereft and w^rmeft eftcem, as wife and mother,
'^ (he do^s :^-^take her bleflSng, Ihe fends it to
*^ you. But pray, my dear, do not afflift us, by
*' your not writing : — it is unkind, cruel,— ^
** What can be the caufe of it? Ifitbeindo-
'* lence. Heavens ! what muft I think of yqu ?
<f It can he nothing elfe 5 for you have as many
" opportunities as any other perfon in the fct-
^' tjement,

" In every letter that I have written to you,
** I have advifed you to be moft circumfpeft in
*^ your condu6t ; for there is not a whifper
*' pafles, in Madras, but what is heard and mag-
^^nified in LeadenhallrStrcct. I (hall fay no
*^ more on that head,

*^* I defire that you never will fend me a let-
^ ter. by a private hand, on no account j*--*

J94 THl LIPB 0»

♦' fend always by the packet ;^— private letters
** frequently mifcarry, or are kept a month or
^ two by (he perfon to whom they arc en^
^* trufted. My not receiving letters from yo^
^ has made m$ conje&urCji that your letters to
^*xne have been mifplaced^ intercepted, ot
^' that feme unaccountable accident has hap*
^ pcncd to thcni^ from your prefcnt manner of
^ dircfting thei^i ; therefore, I d^fire y9u tQ
" direa for the fiiture thus —

•< To Mr. Charles Macklin, at Mr, WiJ-
*<liam Dutton% Watch-Maker, in Flcct-
^* Street, London.

<' I am now in Londonj, and have been fmcc
^* the firft week in April. I came over to play
"for Mils Macklin's benefit i^--but where I
^* (hall be next winter is not yet determined ;
«l believe, in London, at Covent-Garden*
«* Their law- fair is not yet determined : — it
" is t;o be, they fay, next Ekceitiber. I fent
« you, by the laft Ihip, a new Pcrfian Gram-
^^ mar ; — you hiuft njakc ^afte to matter the

CHARLIS MAGKLIN. 395

f' Perfiaiii or you will be too hific to gain any
ff advantage Ijyi?,

^' Foots lias bioiigkt out a new piece, of
^' three aAs$— *it k followed, but n^uch difr
*^ liked i — k is a thing' of no ingenuity : I fliall
^^ bring out a new fire ad piece ^e eiiiutng
^' winter^ in Londoii» or Dublin. I think well
** of it myfcif, and fo do ibm^o>(her people.
^ I Ihall fend you a manufcript copy of it, for
** the curiofity of your friends ; but, pray take
^ CM-e that no copy of it is taken — for you
^* know, that I ihall never print any thing that
^' I write : — let thofe that come after me have
^' that benefit and vanity: — I fhall forego both,
^* I know not wjiethcr I told you, in my laft
^^ letter, that the people of France are in great
^' confufion : the King has exiled the Parlia-.
*^ ment, and entirely dcftroycd that inftitution -^
" and, in its ftead^ has cftablilhed, what i^
*' called, a fupreme Court of Juftice. Crca-r
^' tures chofen out of the d|«gs of the law, to
f * anfwer the ends, of party. It is a mere
" mockery of the facred feat of juftice andji-
f^ berty.-^This is done under the patronage

39^ THE LIFE OF

<< and influence of Madame Barre. The poll-*
**tical Agents are one Merpeauxy and the
** Duke D'Jguillon. Not a day pafies> as re-
^^port fyys, without ticingmarkecl with -^ofne
." affront, by print, effigy, epignun, or de-
^* vice, againft the King and thcfc Agents.—-
** The King has been obliged to double his
<« body guards i knd is never in his coach with-
*^ out the officer^ who commands^ is in it
^^ along with him. This perturbation in
^' France, it is faid, ha» been the fok caufc
^* why the French and Spaniards have not ven-
<* turcd to go to war with us. God blefe you.
^* I am your mod afFedionate father,

« Qarles Hacklin:''

. XVI.

*' Holyhead, Noy^ber 9th, 1771.
•' Dear Child,

« npHIS letter I begin at Holyhead, on my

jL " way to Ireland, whither I am going

^< to undertake the management of the tHeatre

CHARLES MACKLIBl. ^^f

^^ in Crow-Strcct, in conjunftion with Daw/aH,
^^ as a proprietor; but the whole conduft of it
** is to be in me. The. fituation of the Irilh
** ftage ftands thus : — Mofap was arrefted a few
'^ months fmce in London^ and has been ever
'' lincej and is now, in the ipunging houie*
^' He cannot, if he had his liberty, make up a
'^^ company to go to Dublin. His theatre in
" Smock-alley will be fold j probably Dawfbn
^' and I, between us, fhall purchafe it,—- •
*^ Then we flxall throw \xp Barry's houie in
" Crow-ftreet, or allow him a yearly income
" to Ihut it up. Barry cannot oppofe us hkn-
^' felf, being incapable from infirmides.

*^ The managers of Covent-Garden have
*' made up their (Juarrel. They rcqueftcd
^' that I would play a few nights before I fet
*' out for Ireland. I did — five, in ten days—
** The Merchant of Venice^ and Love^a-la-^
'^ Mode each night, to crowded houfes. So
'^ that I left London with as much eclat, as va-
" nity could wifli. They received in the five
^^ nights the fum of 1260I. and gave me 150!.
'^ They have mvited mc to play with th«m ten

^§i tfit LlPfi of

^' or twenty nights each fcafon— or vrdiilci
*^ agree with me for a term of years; but 1
'* prefer the Dublin fchcmCj where I Ihall b^
*^ my own maftcr^ and can befides play iii
^* London when I pleafe; I have left your
•' mother in London, to pack up my books,*
*^ and to fettle fome trifling matters of a do-
^^ meftic nature. She is in good health zt
^^ prefcnt.

" I deceived yotir letter, and drafts {of iyol.
" which I have honored. Your fhawis and
***}iAndkerdiiefs came to hand fafe. It is in-
** cohceivable how kindly Lady Mexborough
" and the whole family received your prefents^
" Jmd your kind memoi-andum of them in your
*^ letter^ as did Mr. Sayer. Thefe little no-
^* ticcs of friends arc ftriftly proper-*-becaufe
*^. they wear the alpedb of gratitude and afFec-
** tion. I fhall leave this letter open for your
/' dear mother^ my bed comfort, to inftrt
'* what flic Ihall think worthy of notice. I
*' feftt you out fifty pounds by Captain Morris^
*^ which I fuppofe yotl had not recciyed when
*^ you wrote laft to me^ Pray, while I think

•* ^Ht, what is the reafon that you omit fo
** many opportunities of writing to me ? — it
" offends me much — as the contrary conduft
^* would be a gfcat comfort to me. Ncglcft
** of writing to a parent, at fu^h a diftance as
" we are, wears an ungrateful afpcdt; but I
*^ have faid fo much .on this head, in former
^^ letters, that it pangs me fcverely to repeat
** my complaint* I am very forry that you
^' have been fo ill; that we cannot help- — it is
<* the lot of nature) therefore, that, and even
*^ death, we ought to fubmit to- with chcer-
" folncfs i but dilhonourable or fhameful afts
" never can be fubmittcd to by me in a dhild;
" nor ought a child ever tx> forgive himfelf for
" fuch condud* Your drafts were unexpcded
€< — bcfidcs, they fell heavy on>.me, as I was
" not fo well prepared for them as I could wifti*
•* However, I fliall pay them, though I muft
^' remark, that 170L wai too large a fum for
*^ trdtT or teconomy to draw for j and Ihews
^* that your conduct is not fo regular as I could
** wilh^ I have written to Mr. Haftings to
^* g^ve you credit for lOoL dnd to requeft that
*^ ht will take you with him to Bengal, (hould

406 tH£ LIFE Of

** your behaviour dcfcrvc it. If you do ft6t gd
** with him, I do not think that you will be fo
" extravagant as to take up the lool. I beg
" that Fmay hear from you as oftsen as polfibk.
*^ Dear Sir Francis Delaval is dead, of a pain
" in his breaft; but his diffolution was ex-
" pcftcd for a year paft. I am this inftant or-
" dered on board the packet 9 but fhall write
" again from Dublin*"

[Here follows the conclufion of the fgrc-
gobg letter] 4

" I muft oblcrve to you, that my undef-
" taking, at Dublin, is of a precarious nature;
-** not to be relied on, as a certdn affair;
" therefore, I requeft that you will not draw
*^ upon me again for money. As foon as it is
** in my power to remit you a fum, to help
*^ you in yoUr purfuit in trade^ be affured
'^ that I (hall do it cheerfiilly, without your
** importunity. If I do not fend you any, you
" muft conclude that it is not in my power.—
*' I am now landed in Dublin, and in health;
'' but I find that age has its influence : I caimot

Charles macklin. 46!

*^ fupport fatigue, or travelling, or bufincfs, as
" I was wont. No wonder ;' I am of a great
" age, and at a time of life when I ought to
'^ enjoy the eafe of retirement : — but it cannot
" be :— I mull work, and will, while I can,
** for thofe whom nature and attachnlent have
** bound to mc-— and me to them. I have al-
*' ways laboured more for them than for my-
*' felf, and that ought to make you very cau-
** tious how you diftrefs me by demands : I fay
'* it ought, in gratitude and prudence^ There
** is no quality that commands more refpcd
** than integrity ; none freedom and indcpen^
" dence, more than oeconomy* They are all I
** have, ^ith induftry, to depend upon ; and,
** ftiould you make them the rulers of your
^^ conduct, you muft be happy ; without them
" you never can. I am fo hurried with bufi-
*^ nefs, that I cannot attend to any ntws about
** politics. I have fent you a Frenchman's
•' Voyage to the Eaft Indies. He is Oriental
*^ Profeffor to the French King. I think the
" book will be of fervicc to you. I have like-*
" wife fent you Blackftone's Commentaries on
VoLIL ' Pd

402 THE LIFE Of

*' the Laws of England, a moft valuable per-
*' formancc, and well worth your ftudy. Send
*' me a particular account how Mr. Haftings
** behaved concerning my letter to him, rc-
*' fpefting his taking you with him to Bengal.
*' I think I fo ftated my requcft, as not to ex-
** cite any idea of indecorum, in the manner or
'* matter of it, in fo benevolent a mind as his,
'* If I thought it did, it would give me a very
*^ great concern, for, of all men in fociety, the
*' liberal and virtuous, for fuch all men fay he
" is ;— and thofe, I fay, are the laft that I would
" offend, by improper or impertinent requefts.
" Lady Mexborough, Lady Stanhope, and the
" houfc of Delaval, dcfire to be remembered
*' to you, in wiflies for your profperity -, as do
*^.Mr. Chctwynd and family, who are well; Mr.
*^ Sayer thanks you for the handkerchiefs. Ifhall
*' leave the following fpace fof your dear mother
*^ to fill up. Why did you not take fome notice
" of your fifter in your letter, or write to her, or
" your aunt ? Shameful neglefts.— -I have
" fent you all the Perfiaii bopks that I could
" coUedt. I could not get the Life of Chrift,
" nor Warner's Proverbs. You will fee, by

CHARLES MACICLIN* 403

♦' the French Orientalift's work that I fend you,
** how very neccffary it is to learn the Eaftcrn
^^ langiragesj and how they are to be acquired*.
•' I think it a very inftru6tive book for you*
*' You ought to read it with great care, and imi-
*' tatc the conduft of the author. Obferye what
5' a noble pcrfeverance inspired him : it is amoft
f ' noble fpirif.— I early advifed you to take the
** vtth per/evere for your motto. — I am toldj
<* John, that you profefs bcmg a wit, and
^* very farcallic. I am forry for it ; be-
f^ caule it is a fure way of making enemies. A
^^ fevere joke is an injury that finks deep in the
" heart, and what men ne\rcr forgive. It fixes
^' a rooted hatred in the mind. But I have laid
^< much on this head before. Adieu.''

c Mr. John Macklin, however, retui-ned to
England, foon after, from Fort St. George,
and confequcntly very much difobliged his fa-
ther, who had been put to great expencc m fit-
ting out his fon, and who entertained fanguine
hopes, that he fliould, before he died> fee him
make a figure in the commercial world«—
D42

4C4 THB hlft Of

Shortly 'ifter thtSj Mr. Macklin's Ton turned his^
inind CO the ftudy of the law^ and entered himfelf
of the Temple, where he continued fprfome timCi
jknd particularly diftinguifhed himfelf among his
feUow ftudents for hi3 learning, and knowledge
of the laws and conftitution. Put the dry (tudy
pf the law* and the flow progrffs to eminence^
that thofe, who embrace that profeflion, make,
as he conceived, diigufted him all on a fudden^
and direded hU ardent Ipirit to another pur*
fuit. He entered into the military fesvice, and
became a very excellent officer. He ferved in
the American war with great ability;^ and was
confidered, by the Commander in Chief, as a
gentleman, to whofe ikill, bravery^ and intre^
pidity, an enterprize of the greateft moxaent
might fafely be entnifted. The hardfhips and
fatigues^ to which hfi was n^cefT^rily ei^pofed^
during hi9 feryice in America^ brought on hiip
a complication of diforders, and reduced his
<:onftitution to the loweft poflibleitate of d^bi^
iity. He returned again to England^ but ne-
ver after recovered. He had a locked jaw (Qt
Ibme years before^ bis diiTolutioin. . He WW
buried in Covcnt-Garden^

CHARLES MACKLIN. 40.5

C|>ap. XVII.

'TpHE hand of tittic begad ncWv to inakt
-*■ very vifiblc imprefEons, on the faeultier
t>f Mn Mack^, whofe debility of mind, and
infirmity of body, were confiderably increafcdj^^
by narrow, we had almoft faid indigent^ cir-^
cumftances. However, by the advice of his
friends, his two plays, viz. Th Man of tbt
Worldy and Love-a-la-modCy yntttj imder the
fuperintendance of Afr*. Murphy, firft printed,
and offered to the publte by fubfcription j
when the large contributions of fevcral iltuftri^
ous and dtfttnguiihed charaftersy the Literati,
admirers and profeflors of thedramaj amounted
to upwards of 1500L which fum, under the
direftion of Dr. Brocklelby, John Pahner
Efq. and Mr. Longman, tniftee^ was laid outi
(in conformity to the propofals, which had
been made to the public) in the purchafe of an
annuity of 200I. for Mr. Mackfin, and 75I. for
Mrs. Elizabeth Macklin, his wife, in cafe fhe
Ddj

406 THE LIFE OP

furvivcd him. This comfortable provifioo
feemcd to re^vc the old man's drooping fpi-
ritSj and had an amazing efFeA upon his facul*
ties. His mind became eafy^ and tranquiU and
his memory grew better. This fubfcriptioh
reflects the higheft credit on Bridih benevo-
lenccj and the lift of fubfcribers> that is prefixed
to the printed pla/s, will go down to pofterity,
as anoble record of the fubfcribers* bounty, and
the aftor's merit. During the time of the fub-
fcription, Mrs. Jordan wrote Mr. MackHn the
foUowmg letter.

" Somerfet-Strcet, 1791.
*' Sir,

^* I have done myfelf the pleafure of fub«
** fcribing to your works ten pounds, and re-
" queft you will accept the fame, from me,
"every year, in remembrance and refpeft
^' of your fuperior abilities.

" I am. Sir, your fincere admirer,

" and humble fervknt,
'' Mr, Charles Macklm, " Dora Jordan.*'

CHARLES MACKLIN. 4O7

An application was afterwards made to Mrs.
Jordan, for her promifed annual fubfcription,
but, ftrange to relate, this lady did not deign
to return even an anfwcr. It is but jiiftice to
both parties to relate this circumftance : — as
Mrs. Jordan moft unqueftionably received all
the merit and praife due to her, for h.tv promifed
Uherality j becaufe her letter addreffed to Mr.
Macklin, was enclofed under cover to Mr. John
BeU, Bookfeller, in the Strand; was handed
about in his fliop, as a teftimony of her gene-
rofity, and announced publicly in the newlpa-
pers : — but, left the world fliould be mifled, in
regard to this particular, we can afliire the pub-
lic, from the moft undoubted authority, that
Mr. Macklin never received one fingk (hilling
Irom Mrs. Jordan, fubfequent to the period of
her firft fubfcriptron. — Mr. Macklin, it is true,
applied to her, in purfuance of the requeft,
contained in her own letter, for her annual fub-
i[cription, but was not honored with an ^n*
Iwer. The fum of the tranfaftion is this; —
Mrs. Jordan had all the merit of the bounty i
Mr. Macklin had not the benefit of it.
D d 4

408 THS LIFE OF

Mr. Macklin's health ftill contmued h %
moft furprifing degree. — He walked about tht
town frequently ; — he ate with an appetite,
drank heartily, . flcpt foundly, and felt no pain,
— He declined to the graye^ while redgnation
gently floped his way,

In the year 1795, it became the wiftx of a few
of Mr. Macklin's friends, that he fhould fpeak a
congratulatory addrefs on the Stage,, the firft
night that their Royal Highnefles the Prince and
Princcfs of Wales ftiould honor Covent-Garden
Theatre with their prefence, febfeq|uent to
their royal marriage. As it was known that
their Majefties, and the whole of the Royal
Family, would be prefent, a fhort interlude,
written by a Gentleman, eminent for his lite-
rary attainments, and many Ihining qualities,
was prepared, for the purpofe of introducbg
Mr. Macklin to the royal prefence ; and could a
reliance have been placed upon the memory of
Mr. Macklin, during the delivery of the Ad-
drefs, we have no doubt but that the Ihort in^
terlude, would have been pleafing to the Royal-
Family ii and, from being unexpected by the

CHARLES MACKLIN. 4O9

audtenee^ would have produced, in the thc^
atre> an eleftrical effed» equally furprifing as
a^eeable: — but> as the memory of Mr* Macklm
was in fo treacherous a ftatc, that it could not
be depended on> during the repetition of fo .
Ihort a taik, — the dcfign, though good, was
not carried into execution,— -W!c Ihall take the
liberty of inferting the Interlude here, for the
CVfiofity of our readers.*---*

CharaStry af the Interhde-^^'^

Hymetiy
Cupid, and
Macklin^

Sane— 'Covent -Garden Tbeafre,
Enter Time,

FoUowedimperceptiblybyHY MEN and Cupid.

Ti M E.— Juft come from a long converfation
with Death — only wanted to get his promife

410 THE LIFE OP

not 16 fummon a fine old veteran^ all the world
knows i and who is as old and as hearty z»
an Engliih oaks and whofe company I want a
fitde longer here below>-— and the inexorable
tyrant could fcarcely be perfuaded to hear what
I had to fay i— -faid^ he would make no fuch
promife ;— and

Cupidy (advancing,) And threatened to cut
you in two with your own fcythe, oldGende*
man, unlefs you hobbled ofi^*-«->ha ! ha ! ha! —
Aye, aye> you are too near relations to be
friends — and art fomewhat of the oldeft to turn
fuitor ha ! ha ! ha !

Hymen, (advancing,) You and I, bloom^
ing in eternal youth, are more proper for that
office, my dear Cupid. You, Time, are a
mortal.

Time. — Perhaps fo ; but I fancy your God-n
fhips would find yourfclyes as difappointed in
your application as myfelf, — mortal though I
am.

charles'macklin. 411

Cupid. — Fm of a difFerent opinion^ old
fcythe -bearer 5— as a proof of which, we have
fucceeded, where you have failed.

Hymen. — And while you were limping
back,with a load of iU*luck, we have carried our
point, and are now on the wing to communicatt
the tidings to the very veteran you fpeak of.

Time. — What do I hear ! How did you
bring old death to this ?

Cupid. — Aslg^ moft things, by coaxing*
You muft pofitively put off your vifit, faid I^
to a certain merry old mortal of our acquaint-
ance, till the Father of the Stage has paid his
re§>eas to the Father of his Country.

Hymen.— I am not to be fported with, f^d
Death : when I call at people's houfcs, I cxpeft
them to be ready and prepared for me,

Cupid.— -And, faid I, come, my dear
friend, I rule Gods and men, youluiow, and
'tis my royal pleafure, as well as my mother's

4td THE tIFE or

-*-[Hcrc I ftrokcd his old bony fecc with the
feathered patt of one of my arrows] -*-that
you grant my fuit. This night are iiilftmbledj,
in one point of view, all that my family moft
love and honor upon earth.

Hymen, — I have but rccendy come from
celebrating the nuptials of a new and royal pain

Cupid • — Whofe bofoms I have chofch as the
repofitory of two of my beft arrows ; and we
have determined to gratify the veteran, who is
^e objeft of our prefent appeal, with once
more Ihewing himfelf to the Prince and people
of England.

Hymen.— With whom he has long lived.

Cupid. — And for whom he has been ever
ready to die : — fo touch him if you dare, old
boy — my dart to yours !

Time. — And Death was fafcinated, hey J
Hafte then, to tell my old favourite, I wiU^ oti

CHARLES MACRLIN. 4IJ

this occafion, throw afidc my crutches, and try
my old wings.

Cup^p* — ^Ypu may fpare your old wings th«
trouble-p-rour young ones have been before
you. See, here comes the very veteran w«;
have been talking of.

Hymen.— Let us run to his afliftancc,

\^Exsunt in bafie^ Hymen and Cufid^

Ti ME.— Well done, youngftcrs* Old Timb
muft bring him into the pre/erne — and to takje %
laft look pf his friends. \^Enit Time.

[Here Mr. Macklin was to enter, fupportcd
by Hymen and Cupidy and to be kd forward by
Time.l

Mr. Macklin.
Then I have gain'd a triumph-r-i?2r^ more day!
Th' overflowing homage of my heart to pay.
All the kind patrons of my youth and age,
King ! Prinm ! fefiplel^'cxt I quit the.ftagci

1

414 '^^^ ^'^^ ^^

Brief let me be, for* Time himfclf ftands ftill

[^Pointing to Time.
While my laft loyal wifhes I reveal.
Reveal them ! No ! there is a paffion ♦ here

♦ [Laying bis band upon bis breajl.
Too ftrong for words — Ah, read it in the tear.
On Life's laft ftage, tho' " booing*' to a throne.
The Man o' the World can weep for love

alone;
Sirs, 'tis my free-will gift, no fordid mafk,
Pvenow, ontbisjide Heaven, noboohtoafk;
But I N that Heav'^n, fliould mercy place me there.
My native land flfall have my angel prayer:
Sovereign andJubjeSlSy Ihould I fenfe retain.
Or memory of mortal things remain.
Shall fill your MacUin's renovated powers.
And his new fpirit, like his old, be ♦ yours^
[* Bowing to every part of tbe Audience y be--
ginning witb tbe King^s box, and going round.
Enough! and now indulgent Time and Deatb^
Strike when ye may-— you're welcome to my

breath.
But may eternal funfhine fire the ball.
Ere Britain Jinks, or Brunjwick'sftar Ihall &!!>

CHARLES MACKLIN. 4I5

€m* XVIIL

ALTHOUGH the veteran Shylock had
not the Opportunity of difplaying, on the
ftagc, the over-flowing homage of his heart,
to his King, Princes, and people, yet he had the
good fortune to be particularly r^oticed by the
Royal Family ;— as foon as their Royal High-
nefles, the Prince and Princefs of Wales en-
tered the theatre, they were received by the
audience with rapturous applaufe, and with a
fucceflion of plaudits and acclamations, that
laded fevcral feconds. When thefe public tef*
timonies of joy began to fubfide, Mr. Macklin,
who was feated on the third row in the pit, ftill
continued applauding, and accompanied his
evident joy with marked gefticulation and re^-
novated fire. His Royal Highnefs, obferving
the noble fervor of this wonderful old man, in-
clined towards his royal confort, and, in a low
tone of voice, informed her who he was. Upon
this, her Royal Highnefs immediately came

4i6 rut Lift Of

forward, and, vith a condefccnfion that rcflecSlf
the highcft honor on her exalted and illuftrious
character, and ivith a majefty of grace and
mein impoffibk for us to dcfcribc^ accompa^'
nicd with a moft benignant fmilc, made a pro-
found obeifance to the venerable Mr. Macklin,
who appeared overwhelmed with ecftadc rap-
ture, and whole feeble e£forts to demonftrate
his feelings, on the occafion, were fuddeniy
drowned by a burft of acclamation, which was
fucceeded by the reiterated^ thundering plau*
dits^ of an enthufiaftic audience — exhibiting a
icene that was at once mdifcribably grand and
thrillingly afFeding,

Mr Macklin now became more weak and
infirm every day; his hearing and memory
grew worfe and worfe, and his appetite began
to fail. The reader will be able to form fomc
idea of Mr. Macklin's ftatc of body and mind,
from the following convcrfation, which we had
with him ia September, 1796.

Qucftion. — " Well, Mr. Macklin, how do
" you do to-day V

CHARiSS MACKLJN, 4I7

Anfwcnr-*' Why, I hardljr know Sir^ I
^^ think I am a little better than I was in the
'^ morning/'

Q^^'Why, Sir, did you feci any pain in
^' the morning ?"

A. " Yes, Sir, a good deal."

Q. '' In what part ?"

A '' Why, I felt a fort of a— a— a*' (Ihaking
his head) *' I forget every thing j I forget the
'^ word : I felt a kind of a paun here," (putting
his hmd upon his left breaft) ^^ but it is gone
^^ away, and I am better now<-**''

Q. '^ How do you tteep. Sir V*

A. ^^ Not fo well as I could wifh; I am be^
^' coming more wakeful than ufual : ( awoke
^^ laft night two or three times : I got up
^^ twice, walked about my room here, and
^^ then went to bed 9gain,

Vol. n. E c

4l8' TH£ LIFE OP

Q^ *' Do you dways get up when you
''awake Sir?"

A. " No Sir, not always j but I get Up
'' and walk about as foon as I feel myfelf —
'* there how it is all gone" (putting his hand
upon his forehead).

Q^ *' You get up. Sir, I fuppofe, as foon at
*' you feel yourfelf uneafy in bed ?"

A. " Yes, Sir, when I begin to be troutde*
'* fome to myfelf."

Qi^ '' Do not youj Sir, find it unpleafant to
" walk about here alone, and to have nobody
" to converfe with ?"

A. '^ Not at allj Sirj I get up when I am
*' tired abed, and I walk about till I am tired,
^' and dien I go to bed again -, and fo forth."

Q* " But does it not afford you great plea-
'^ furc, when any pcrfon come* to fee you ?"

CHARLBS MAQKLiU* 41^

A* ^^ Why not fo much as one would ex*
^'pca. Sir/' ,, .

Qi^ " Arc you not plcafcd when your friend*
*^come and converfc with you ?"

A* "1 am alway very hippy to lee my.
'^ friends, and I fliould be very happy to hold
«f a— a — a — —fee there now *'

" A converfationj you rtiean. Sin*'-*-

A* ** Ay, a coriverfation* Alas ! Sif— you
" fee the wretched ftate of my memory—
*' fee there now I could not recoUeft that com-
^* mon word— but I cannot converfe* I ufed
*' to go to a *houfc very Asar this, where my

* It had been his content rtilei &r ^ period odhiitf
years and upwards^ to vifit a public hoiife* called the
Antelope, in White- Ha rt-Yarct, Covent Garden^ • where
his ufual beverage was al pint of beer^ called Stout; which
Ivas itiade hbU and fweetened with molft fiigar^ almofi
to a fyrnp. This, he faid, balmed his fiomachj and kept
him from having any inward pains •

420 t.HE LIFE or

^' friends aflemble — it was a .a- <i ***[a com-
** pany] no, that's not the word — a-^a*«-dub
*' I mean. I was the father of it ; but I could
^^ not hear all ; and what I did hear I did not
« a^^a — ^undcr — ^imder — undcrftandj they were
'^ all very attentive to me, but I could not be
*« one of them, I always feel an uneafinefs,
*• when I don't know what the people are taBdng
«« about. Indeed^ I found. Sir, that I was not
** fit to keep company — fo I ftay away."

Q. '^ Have you been reading this morn-
'' ing, Sir ?"

A. « Yes, Sir."

Q;," What book?"

A. " I forget : — here look at if* (handing
die book.)

Qt^ « I fee, it is ^ton'» Pandifc Loft. »»

[He then took the hoc^^ut of my hand, and
£ud:-^"I have only read thus much*' (about

CHARLES MKCKhtH. 4ftl

four pages) ^^ tbefe two day^^but whit I
" read ycftcrday, I have forgot to diiy.*'~-£He
next read a few lines of the beginning ini«
mitably well^ and laying down the book^
(aid] ^' I underftaod all thac> but^ if I read
^^ any farther^ I £>rget that pa0age» which I
" underftood before."

Q;^ " But I perceive, with fatisfadion. Sir,
" that your fight is very good."

A, ^*0h. Sir, myfi^t, like every tRii^
*^ elfe, begins to fail too : — about two days
**ago I felt ft*— a — a— there now — I have
" loft it — a prin juft above my left eye, and
^^ heard fomething give a crack, and ever
^^ fince, this eye (pointing. to the left eye) has
** been psunfiil." .

A. ^' I diink. Sir, it would be advifable
'^ for you to refrain from reading for a little
'' time."

A* ** I believe you are in the right. Sir."

4i2 THE LIFE OF

Qj^ *^ I think you appear, at prcfent, frco
^^ from pain."

A. ** Yes, Sir, I am pretty comfortable now:
^f but I find my — my — ^my — ftrength is ai|
'^ gone-r-I feel myfelf goitig gradually. *^

Q^ '^ But you are not afraid to die ?'^

A. " Not m the leaft, Sir— I never did ariy
** perfon any ferious mifchief in my life :—• ^
^' even when I gambled, I never cheated :— I
^^ know that — a— a — a — fee — now— death,
*' I mean, muft come, and I am ready to give
" it up." (Meaning the ghoft) —

Q;^ '^ I underftand you were at Drury-?
'' Lane Theatre laft night ?"

A. ^' Yes, Sir, I was there :''

Q^ " Yes, Sir, thenewfpapers of this morn-»
^^ ing take notice of it/'^-f-r

A, "Do they!"'

CHA&LBS MACKLIN. 41^

(^ " Yes Sir— -The paragraph rufts thus : —
'^ Among the numerous vifitors at Drury Lane
'* Theatre laft night, we obferved the Duke
^'of Quccnfbury and the veteran Macklin,
^^whofe ages, together, amount to one
^* hundred and ninety-fix/'

Mn Macklint— *^ The Duke of who?"

A, '' The Duke of Qjacenlbury, Sir ?"

Mr. MackJin.— ^'^ I dont know that manr-—
^' The Duke of Quecnfbury ! — The Duke of
^' Queenfbury ! oh, ay, I remember him now
*' very well :— The Duke of Queenfbury old !
^^ Why, Sir, I might be h« father! ha!-^*

f^hal—hal'V-

. >

Q, *^ WcU^ Sir-T-^I underftandtk^tyou went
f to the Hay-market Thc^tr? to fee the M?r-
f* chant of Venice?'*

A. ^a did Sir"™

Ec4

Q:^ <« Whit is jour opinion of Mr« Pilmer's

[This queftkm was anfWcrcd bf a ihake of
the head. Beii^ defirous of hearing his opi^
nioHj I afked him the fecond time.]

Mr. Macklin. — *' Why, Sir, my opinion is,
" that Mr. Palmer played the charafter of
" Sbylock in meftyU.-'^In this fccne there was
'^ a iamenefs> in that fcene a famenefs, and in
" every fcene a famenels : — It was all fame !
*• fame ! fame \ — no variation. He did not
*' look the charafter, nor laugh the charafter,
*^ nor fpeakthe charadter of Shakcfpeare's Jew,
'* fo the trial fcene, where he comes to ctit the
*' pound of flefh, he was no Jew. Indeed Sir,
^' he did not hit the part^ nor the part did not
*'W/him.'*

[Here the converfation ended.]

The remainder of Mr. Madelines life may be
confidered as a mere chaim : — his mental fa-
culdes became fo much impaired, that he fre-
quently did not know his mod intimate friends ;

CH4iRLES MACKLIN. 405

ftnd Us fenfc of htaiing was fo blunted, that he
could not catch the words which were fpoken
to him in a loud voice- Debility and decay
appeared now to prefs hard upon this veteran
of the ftage; and it was pitiable to obfcrvc
what havoc time had made upon his whok
firkmc. In the beginning of the year 1797, he
grew quite infirm, and in the month of May his
diforder (which maybe called a gradual decay)
became fo alarming, that Dr. Brocklefby,
his moft mdmate friend, was called in. How-
ever, Mr. Macklin rcfufed to take any medi-
cine. Prcfcriptions, he faid, could be of no
ufe to him, in the ftate that he then was : his
ipan of life was nearly fpent. His diieafe was
not fo powerful as to hinder him from converf-
ing, occafionally, with philofophic cheerfulncfs,
and Chriftian rcfignation. Three weeks be-
fore hb death, he took very little fuftenance j
but, what is not a little remarkable, his mental
faculties returned, to an aftonilhing degree. He
knew every body that vifited him, and he heard,
faw, underftood, and converfcd, without the
leaft difficulty. On Tuefday morning, the
nth of July, 1797, Mr. Macklin got up.

4^6 THI LIFE Oi

wafhed himfelf all over in warmgin> (a pcaAioe
he had been accuftomed to for many years) put
on freih linen^ and then lay down again. During
die time that he was wafhing, he feemed ^afy
and compofed, and convcrfed with Mrs. Mackr
lin with great tranquillity. In about an hour
after he retired to his bed> he exclaimed to his
wife — " Let me go ! let me go /'* laid himfelf
backward, and expired without a groan,

On Saturday, July 15th, the remains of Mr.
Macklin were conveyed from his own houfe>
in Taviftock Row, to Covcnt-Qardcn church.
The procei&on confifted of an hearfe and four,
and three coaches and four^ with an immenfc
concourie of people.

The following Gentlemen attended as
piourncrs,

Mr- Hull, of Covent Dr. Atkinfon,

Garden theatre. Dr. Kennedy,

Mr. Griffith, Mr. Macdonald,

Mr. Kirkman, Mr. Brandon, •

Mr. Hughes, junr. Mr. Ledger,

Mr. B*^rloW;J ^r,Munden,CoyeAt-5

Mr. Daviesi Garden theatre,

CHAXLES MACKLIK. 42?

The tfOdy was taken into the vettry, and
prayers were read over it, in a very ijnpreffitc
mannei-, by the Rev. Mr. Ambrofe, who had
been a pupil of Mr. Macklin, and, from the
refpeft he bore his preceptor, had come from
Cambridge on purpofe to perfdrm this laft fa-
cred ceremony of the Church over his lamented
friend. The remains were then mterrcd in a
new vault, under the chancel of Covent-Gar-
den church,

Mr. Charles Macklin was born on the firfb
of May, 1690, and died at the advanced age
of 107 years, two months, and ten days. —
He never had a brother, as erroneoufly re-
ported — nor was the expence of his funeral de-
frayed by Mr. Harris, but by his widow, Mrs,
Elizabeth Macklin.

Several years before his death, Mr, Macklin
happened to he m a large company of ladies
^nd gentlemen, ^mong whom was the cele-
t>rated Mr. Pope. — ^Thc conyerfation having
turned upon Mr. Macklin's age, one of the la-
dies addrc fled hcriblf to Mr. Pope, in words

4a8 THE.tiFB or

to the following tScGt ;-— " Mr. Pope^ when
*' Macklin dies» you muft write his epacs^h/'-*-
*^ That I will, Madomr laidPopci "nay, I
" will give it to you now :-—

" Here lies the Jew

" That Sbske/peari drew:*

The wh<dc company highly approved of this
Epitaphj and Mr. Macklin has often related
this anecdote in our hearing with great glee i
and a more juft> comprehenfive, and conciie
infcription never was written.

•Cftap. XIX.

THE precedii^ chapters contain fo much
of Mr. Macklin, as an a&or and a man,
that very little more is left for his biographer
to record

CHAHLSS MACKLIN. 429

In his perfon, Mr. Macklin was rather above
the mtddk height ; not corpulent^ but of a ro-
buft, athkac make, with a countenMce ftrohgly
marked and highly expreffive. His com-
plexion was cadaverous, and there was an au-
ftcrity in his looks, which intimacy foftened
into complacency. His eye was keen, quick,
penetrating, and extremely eloquent ; his voice
was ftrong and powerful, and he ftood and
walked, both on and off die ftagc, remarkably
€re£t His conception of his author was always
fttidtly juft, his delivery forcible, his pronun^
ciation correft, and peculiarly articulate, and
his emphafis tafteful and pfx)per.

In his ftage deportment he was free, and void
of all afieftation, and ever attentive to the bu*>
fine6 of the fcene. His a&ion was confiftent
with Shakefpeare's general ruk — letting his
B&ion fuit the words, and the words the ac*
tion, and taking efpecial care never to faw the
air.— His attitudes were executed with fpirit
and exaAnefs, and the movements of his fca-
tures were juft and ftrongly defcriptive. In a
wprd, he never overftepped the modefty of na-

43<i THl LIJ^B 0*

turc i andi by his pcrfevcrancc, ftudy of nataiWi
acute difccmmcQt, and found undcrftandingi ac-^
Gomplifhcd that which no man ever did before^
—he reduced ading to afcience* — His capacity
was more extenfiye than his learning, and his
knowledge much greater than could be ex-
pected from a man fo befet with Various bu-^
finefs.—- ^He was always attentive to plcaicj^
but never ftooped to meannefs or officioufnefs*
—He was fond of conviviality and gobd hu-^
mour, without tranfgreiling the laws of de-^
ccxicy*—- ^His condud, through life^ was hjighlf
honourable, manly, and firm^ — He d^fpifed
and abhorred low cunnmg and chicanery, and
was an implacable enemy to bafenefs and dif-^
honefty*— His ccmveriktion was entertsdning
and humorous, and ha had no fmall Jhare o£
excellence in telling funny ^ecdotes, and apt
mtfd lively ftories. Were we to relate the many
fervices that he rendered to others, we foould
fill a volume. — Hiis houfe was always open to
the needy and dtftr^fled — to his table w:ere
welcomed the hungry and deftitute — and, for
his council and inftrudtion, any ft$^e candi*

CHARtEl MAOKLIlf. 431

date, or brother aftor, might readily apply.—
He was hofpitable, benevolent, charitable, and
humane. — With all his good qualities, Mn
Macklin had his failings ;— for not to have
faults. Would exceed the lot of humanity.-—
He was hafty in his temper ; nay, fometimes
paflionate, and often faid and did that, which,
On fefledliort, grieved him, and for which he
was heartily forry. — Thefc, however, are but
the failings of a man, whofe affeftions were
evtr on the fide of virtue, and whofe abili-
ties were fuch as few have equalled, ftill fewer
excelled.

Th« charaAer of Mr. Macklin flands very
high for humanity, generofity, and charity^
When he profecuted' the men who con-i
Ipired to drive him for ever from the Stage,
and convifted them, he had it in his power, '
were he difpbfed, to gratify his vengeance to
its fuUcft extent ; but his noblenefs of mind
rejcAcd all puniftiment-— he forgave his ene-
mies, when he might have ruined them.— Hi*
humanity would not fufFer him to bring his ac-
tion for damages againft the miferable dc-*

43t , THE LIFI OF

fendancs. — He tfted up to his great mafter
Shakefpeare : — when he fays—

*• And earthly power doth then (hew likeft God's
*• When mercy ieafoni juftice.**

The following inftance of Mr. Macklin's

benevolence is recorded m Mawbey*s anec*

dotes of Thomas Copke, the poet. — " Whilft

*' Cooke yet lay dead in the houfe, I related to

*' a friend, at the Bedford Coffcc-houfe, an ac-

^' count of his death, and the diftreflcs of his

'* family, in the hearing of Mr. Macklin, then

** Handing near the bar. Though I had never

^' fpoken to that gentkmatf before, (nor have

** at any tinie fincc) he immediately afterwards

^* addrefled me in words to the following pur-

** port. — ^ I am much concerned. Sir, at hear^

'^ ing the melancholy account that you have

^' given of poor Cooke and his fiunily : I had a

" relpeft for him whilft livbg, and you will

** therefore oblige me very much, if you will

" permit me to add my mite to the fubfcrip'-

<^ tion that you have fo laudably fet oh foot,-- ^

*' and he gave me two guineas* Such an un«

cJharles macklin. ^23

^^ cxpedcd aft of genuine benevolence has ever
•' fince imprefled my mind with a very high
''opinion of the goodnefs of Mr* Macklin's
*' heart, and whenever I have heard his nam^
*' mentioned, in private companies, I have ge-
^'ricrally related it to his honor.'! But this
is only one inftance among a thoufand that we
might record, were it neceflary. Mr. Macklin's
charity "had nothing in it of oftentation — he
learnt early to ** do good by Health.*'

The true charafterof a man Is always more
accurately known to his neighbours, and to
thoie who live with him, than to the world at
large. The tradefmen in the neighbourhood
of Covent-Gardcn will bear ample teftimony to
his hpitcfty> punftuality, and liberality; and his
fervants, who lived upwards of forty years in
his family, will declare that a better, more
generous, of humane mafter never cxiited.
They have now to deplore his lofe.

As a comic writer, Mr* Macklin tinqueftion-
ably ftands very bigher The Man of the World ^
Vol. n. F f

43 1 thIb life of

for boldncfs of fatirc, and originality of cha-
rafter, may challenge any produftion, which
has been rejprcfcntcd on the ftage for the laft
fifty years J and his Love-a-la-Mtrde, which iis
pregnant with much genuine humour, and
knowledge of men and manners, denwnds alfo
an high (hare of praife. In moft of his
dramatic pieces there is to be found real cha-
rafter, difcrimination of humour, modifh affec-
tation, and fafhionable folly. He never oflfends
(from his thorough knowledge of ftage oeco-
nomy ) in the conduft of his plot, and the right
management of his fcenes. To thcfe dramatic
Excellencies, he added a ftrift attention to de-
cency and morality.

Mr. Macklin's merit, as an aftor and a tnian,
thtfoduccd him to perfons in higli life. His
late Royal Highnefs the Duke of York, liie
prefent Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain,
the late Earl Canaden, the Marquis TOwnlhcnd,
and many other noblemen and gentlemen of
the higheft charafter and diftinftion were the
.conftant and warm patrons. of Mr. MackUn.

CHARLES MACKLIN. 435

He was % great favourite with mmj of d»
oohiHty, • in Ireland, and conTcrfed witk .
them ffccly and fetniliarly. Nay> fo high an
opinion was entertained of his integrity and
judgment, that perfons of rank and charac-*
ter difclofed to him their fccrets, con-
fulted him upon their moft important affairs,
arid looked upon him as their beft advifcr and
bofom friend.

To the noble and learned Lord Loughbo-
rough, Mr. Macklin ftood particularly indebted*
His Lordfhip, very early in life, became ac-
quainted with this extraordinary man, dif-
covered his merit, and countenanced and fUp-
ported him through a variety of vieiffitudes.
But, were it pofliblc to add a luftre to the
noMe Lord's high and diftinguiflied charac-
ter, the followingcircumftance, we are perfuaded,
would have that effeft. As foon asLord Lough-
borough had learned that Mr. Macklin was re-
duced in his circumftanccs, to the immortail
lionor of his benevolence and goodnefs of
heart, be it recorded, hisLordftiip fettled a very
handibmc aiuiuhy on the old man, and gave di-
Ffi

j^^6 THE LIFE OF

rcftibns that it fhould be paid half yeairly. To
tranftnit to poftcrity this anecdote of Itts^-Lord-
fhip's bounty^ was Mr. Macklin's anxious de^
Arc. He imparted to us a knowledge of this
highly praife -worthy aft of his Lordlhip, and
Jbefought us, with his dying breath, to ufe '
every effort in our feeble power to hand it
down to after ages* In recording it here, we
have only attempted to discharge the duty that
was impoled upon us, and we have to apologize
for the very inadequate manner in which we have
executed this folemn enjoinment,

. As 'an hufband, no man could be more
tender or indulgent; as a parent, no man more
anxious or affedtionate ; as a friend, no tain
more warm or iledfait; as a neighbour, none
more valuable' or obliging, than Charles
Macklin.

In every fituation in life, in which he hap-
pened to be placed, . Mr. Macklm afted with
integrity and ability. He was too wife to be
avaricious, too prudent to be prodigal,' and his
kudable fpirit would not fuffer him to do a
mean aftion. His great ambition was to pleafe.

CHAHLBS MACICilN. 437.

and do good. He-^as ever ready and willing
to aflift.both managers and aftors in their cm-
barraflments and diftrefs.

He expended a great part of his property ii>'
the education of his fon and daughter -, and^
inftead of hoardbg up large fums of money, as
he might have done, he liberally lent them
out to his neceifitous friends and acquaintances,
and never was reps^id a fhilling. In this
he afted very unlike a Jew; for he reco-
vered neither principal nor intereft. Wc
can take upon us to affert, that there are
bonds now in the poifeffion of Mrs. Macklin
for fcveral hundred pounds, which, owing to
the infolvent circumftances of the parties con-
cerned, are not worth a fingle farthing! Al«
though he. wrote The True-born Sc^cbmanj,
and reprefented the charadber of Sir Pertinax
Mac-Sycophant fuccefsfully, no performer could
be found more incapable of afting The Man of
the World! — ^But he has fretted his hoiu- upon
the ftage, and is heard no more! — Peace to hi?
manes.

4j8 TM HFt Of

To c<Hi«lude,— «> ii¥»ofehis ppokS&m ht4
ever been marc the obje^ of admuatioai few
men were ever moremifreprcfcflWdof wifunder^-
ftood i nor was any aftor more aggrieved, or
}^tm formed to ^rn fociety, or moxt fin-
cerdy difpoftjd to fervc jji^nkM, thi^^ Qh^rk^

^|&5j>. XX.

Ml^t MaCKLIN'S ItXTRAORDINARV MaNNBH
OF I,IVING,

npHE following account of Mr. Macklm's
-*•' manner of living, will not, wc truft, be
wholly unacceptable to fcveral of our readers.

To attain to the great age of 107 years
has been the lot of very few^ and to pafs
through life without the afflidion of any fcrious
diforder or indifpofition, has been the goOd

foftUDfrof iHU iewer^ among inwJpn^ Mr«
Maotlin* by the feyOw of Providence, had
difl iing«dar happioefs to accomplifh bo;h.
He did not begiato pay particular, regard ta
his conftitution, tiithc waa forty, years of age^
Up to that time he lived very irregularly ; he
drank hard> iat up kte, and took violent ex-
ercife $ but, fuUequ^m to diat period, he pro-
Gcedhsd by wk. He attributsed the continua*
tioA of his good heakh in his youth to perfpi«
iatiofi-*-^ta promote which, when he was more
advanced ia life, was his principal objedl.

Mr. ]VI»<:Win4ra,rtk tea, porter, wine, punch,
&c. and ate fiik, fle(h> fowl, &c. till h^ was
^venty years of age; but he ncvcx drank to
esceis. — If ever he was prevailed upon to
drbk mofe than hb ufual quantity (feven oi
eight ghi&s of wine) he always took Ander^
Jen's Scotch piU, going to bed at night. This>
he f^d, kept his head from aching the next
morning. He was always moderate at his
meals, but never abftemious; and preferred
f onvcrfedon to the botdc. At fcventy y^art
pf age,, Mr. Mack^in, finding that tea difagcetd
Ff4

440 THE LIFE or

with him, difcoiitinued the ufe of it in a great de*
grcc,andtookmilk, (which he had always boiled)
infteadof tea. He alfo had bread boiled in his
milk, which he fweetened with brown fugar, till
ir was almoft a fynip. Having loft all hb teeth,

* about xhi year 1764, be was reduced in his
fuftcnancc entirely to fifh (which be was very
^nd of) herbage, puddiAg^, and fpoon meat ^
he liked all kinds of ftews, haihes> and foups>
particularly giblet foup, which he ufed to hav^
©vo or three times a week. He was "a great
lover of eggs, cuftards, and jellies: His diink
at his meals, for the laft forty years of his life,
was white wine and water, made very fweet.
Being attacked by the rheumatiiix), in the
year 1770, he difcontinucd the ufe of iheets>
to avoid it, and flept in blaikets.-'-He did noe
flecp upon a fcathef bed, but upon amattrefss'
his bed was a kind of couch without curtainsy
which was jplaced in the middle of a large

•.- room.— On this he repofed, whenever he found
himfclf inclined to fleep. — He always lay with
his head very high, but never ftripped off his
cloaths, for the laft twenty years of his life,
Xl^ccpt tO; change them, to put on clean linen,

CHARLBS MACKLIN. 44!

or to have himfclf waflied^ an4 rybbed all
Over with napkins dipped in warm brandy^
or gin : a praAicc which he ' repeated very
often. He was alfo in the habit of fteeping
his feet, for a confiderable time, in warm wa-
ter. Whenever he went abroad, he changed
all his cloaths, as foon as he returned home,
and never fat in his own houfe in the drefs
that he went out. Whenever he perfpired,
he always put on frefh linen. We have known
him, at the playhoufe, to change his fhirt
three or four times during the perform-
ance; and, when he went home, to change
it again. He was much given to pcrfpiration,
which he always promoted, never checked.
This, he laid, contributed very much to pre-
fcrve his health, and prolong his life : but, we
are perfuaded, that he flood particularly in-
debted to his athiable wife, Mrs. Elizabeth
Mackliii, for her indefatigable care of and at-
tention to him. Her fondnefs anticipated all
his wantSj and her thorough knowledge of his
difppfition and conflitution, enabled her to do
more for him than the mofl eminent phyfician.
For the laft ten years of his exiflence, he had

44^ THB LIFB OF

no ffased hours for his nnnlv — h% &Uovfre<^
tjoiely the dictates of nature. He ate ¥4i^
Ke was hungry (fome times a( two, thn«> oir
iKbw o'clock in the morAiog> and Mrsi. M^-
lin always got out of bed to wait uipoif^him)
draak when he was dry^ and Qfijft ^/i^n he
found hinvielf fleepy. Mr. Ma^klin knew we]|
the value of his wife, and always ^oke of her
in the highcft poffibk terms. In fa^ft, by hor^
extraordinary fkiU and attention^ i]^ coatpbut-r
ed to keep the old man aliv^ mw:h longer
than it was in the power of any other hu^;Ma.
being to efFcdt. We have no hp^^atiow in pro-»
nouncing her o^e of the beft nuifes in En^
g^andi and we are happy in having the op-
portunity to declare, that there never was m
ibciety a more amiable wi$^» a inore afifeclip^*
ate mother, nor does there cxift a more fted-
laft friend, a more obliging neighbour, or a
snore deferving woma{I> than Mrs, Elizabeth
Macklin.

[ 443 3

APPENDIX.

Lijt 9f Mr. Madam's Drmatk fForh.

KING Henry the Seventh, or The
Popish Impostor, a Tragedy ; firft
aftcd at Drury-Lanc, on the i8th January,
1746. — Not printed.

Will or no Will, or A New Cam for
THE Lawyers— ^a Farce — afted at Drury-
Lane, ajd April, 1746. — Not printed.

The Suspicious Husband Criticised,
or The Plagu^e of Envy— -a Farce — afted
at Drury-X^ane at the conchifion of the ieaibii
1746-47. — Not printed.

The Club of Fortunb-Hunters, or
Widow Bewitched — a Farce— afted at
Drury-Lane, in 1747.— Not printed.

444 APPEKDIX.

I^vE-A-LA-MoDE a FaTCC aftcd at

Drury-Lanc, in 'I759> ^^^ unbounded ap-
plaufc.-— Printed. 4to.

The Married Libertine— aComedy—
afted at Covent-Garden Theatre, in 176 1. —
■Not printed!

Thje true-born Irishman— -a Farce—
firft aftcd at Smock-alley Theatre, Dublin, in
1763, and afterwards performed at Covent-
Garden in 1767, under the title of The Irish
FINE Lady. — Not printed.

The. Man of the World — a Comedy—
firft afted at Crow-Street Theatre, inE^ublm,
in 1772, under the title of The true-born
Scotchman, and afterwards performed at
Covent-Garden, in 178 1, under its prcfent
title.— Printed. 4to.

He has left behind him feveral plays, which
have never been aded, and alfo feveral pieces
unfinilhed.

- APPENDI*. 445

List of Characters performed' by Mr.
Macklin.

Captain Strut, Double Gallant.

Sanchoj r Love makes a Man.

Clincher^ Junr Con ft ant Couple.

Farmer,. Merlin^ or the Devil at

Stonehenge.
Thomas Appletrec, ... Hecruiting Officer.

Poins, Henry IF.

Ramillie, ...- The Mifer.

Wormwood, Virgin Unmajked.

Whifpcr, ;.... Bufy Body.

Petulant, 'The Way of the World.

Undertaker, The Ploty a Pantomime.

Caliban, J. The Temfeft.

The Connoifleur, Connoijfeur.

Drunken Colonel, Intriguing Chambermaid

Snap, Love's Lajl Shift.

Robin, * The Contrivances.

Lory, ^ The Relapfe. .

Second Grave Digger, Hamlet.

Peter Nettle^ The What D'ye call it.

Cheatley^ Squire of Alfatia.

Young Cafh, ,..,.. Wife's Revenge.

Davy, *..«. Mock DoHor.

44^ APtEKtilt*

Bcggar> Pbeh,

Boor Servant, Burg0 Mafter trick' d.

Oftrick, Hamlet.

Francis, Henry IV,

Pierrot, Fmr Tierrtt MdrruL

^cffcry, Amorous W^tdow.

Pcachum, Beggar' s Of era.

Sir Hugh Evans, ..*.... Merry Wives of Windjor

Fender, Bouhle GaUant.

Sailor, Tempeft.

Captain Weazcl, Eurydicey or the Devil

Henpecked*

Grig, , :. Beggar's Wedding.

•Razor, , Provoked Wife.

Subtleman, Twin Rivals.

Gibbet, Stratagem.

Count Baflct, ProvoVdHufband.

Jeremy, Love for Love.

Abel, Committee.

Setter, Old Bachelor.

Coupee, » Virgin Unmajked.

Brafs,' Confederacy.

Poins, Second Part Henry IV.

Poet, ,. Mother in Law.

Afino, ymvtrjd Pajfion.

Beau Mordecai, Harli^'s Progrtfs.

APPBKDIX. . 447

Lord Ffodi, ..•. D(^uble Dealer.

Face, .» •.. Alchymift.

Cutbcard, Silent iVotuan.

Quoit, '^fop,

Jerry Blackacrc, Plain Dealer.

Pierrot, , Harlequin Grand Vdgu

Bay«s, Coffee Hou/e.

Orange Woman, Man 9f Mode ^

Lord Foppington, Relapfe.

Lord Foppingfon, CareUfs Hufimd.

Scrub, Stratagem.

Man of Taftc, Man ofTafte.

Roxana, Rpoal Querns,

Tattle, , Love for Love.

Citizen, Julius C^sejar.

Butler, Drummer.

Teaguc, Twin Rivals.

Witch, ....••. Macbeth.

Teagac, ...., Committee.

Slouch, Robin good Felhw.

Ben, Love for Love.

SirPolydorcHogftye, jiEfop.

Trappanti, She would and fit would

not.

Foigard, Stratagem.

Mad W^lftftnon, Pilgrim.

448 APPENDIX.

Numps, Tender Hujband^

Morocco Servant, Fall of Phaeton*

Squib, Tunbridge Wells.

Marplot,' \ Bujy Body.

Modclovc, Bold Stroke for a Wife.

Clown, Harlequin Shipwrecked.

Don Choleric, Love makes a Man.

Clincher, Senr Confiant Couple.

Old Mirabel, Inconfiant.

Mock Doftof, Mock BoSor.

Tim Peafcod, What D'ye call it.

John Moody, .\ Provok'd Hujhand.

Sir Novelty Fafhion, •. Love's lafi Shift.

Sir John Daw, Silent Woman.

Lord Lue, Lottery.

Jack Stocks, ♦ Lottery.

Clodpole, Amorous Widofw*

Sir William Belfiand, .. Squire of Alfatia.

Bullock, •.... Recruiting Officer.

Trincdo, Tempefl.

Mercury, Ho/fitalfor Fools.

Bayes, Britons flrike Home\.

Fondlewifc, Old Bachelor.

Drunken Man, Lethe.

Lovegold, Mifer.

Tom, ......••*%.••«• .^t..^. Confcious Lovers.

APPENDIX. 449

Trim, , Funeral.

Sir John linger, Polite Converjation.

Sir Jafper Fidget, Country Wife..

Sir Francis Wronghead Provoked Hujband.

Toby Guzzle, Rural Sports.

Hig^n, Royal Merchant.

Petite M^tre, Enchanted Garden.

Malvolio, Twelfth Ktght.

Shylock, Merchant of Venice,

Macahon, Strollers^

Old Woman, Ruk a Wife and have a

Wife,

Touchftone, As you like it.

Dromio of Syracufc, .. Comedy of Errors.

Phyfician, , Rehearfal.

Gomez, ., ..,, Spanijh Friar.^

Clown, .•.,. ,.. AW s well tb(it ends well.

Courino, Volpone.

Sir Paul Pliant, Double Dealer. ^

Queen DoUalolla, Tom Thumb.

RigdumFunnidos, ..... Chrononhotonthologos.

Zorababel, Mifs Lucy in Town.

Firft Grave Digger, ... Hamlet.

Colonel BlufF, Old Bachelor. ^

Mr. Stedfaft, Wedding Day.

.Vol. II. Gg

Gloftcr, Jane Sbou,

lago, *....*...* Oihello.

Ghoft, * .„ , HanUeti

Lovelels, Relate.

Huntley, .„... Henry VIL

Sir John Brute, Provoked TFife.

Brazen, R^fruiting Officer^

Stephano, ................ Tempifi.

Sir John Airy, She Gallants.

Sir Roger, ** Scornful Lady 4

Slorem, - I^ing Lci}er.

Captain Cadwallader, Humours of the Army^
Sir Gilbert Wrangle, Refujd.

Major Bramble, Fine Lady's Airs.

Gripus, * Amphitryon.

Flalh; Mifs in her Teens.

Strickland, ..«..«..«. Sujficious Hujband^

Pandolfo, Alhumazar.

Sciolto, .i..... Fair Penitent.

Faddle, r^.. Foundling.

Muftacho, Cure for a Scold.

Snip, Trick for Trick.

Polonius, Hamlet.

Vellum, .......... .»' Drummer.

Don Manuel, ...*,.o.,.. She would and fhenoquld

not.

APl»EilDi3t. 4^t

Sir Oliver Cockwood, She would ifjbe could.

Mercutio, ..^ 4 Romio and Juliet.

Barnaby Brittle, ^ * Amorous fVidow^

Lopez, * Falfe Friend.

SirWilflilWitwou'd,.- f^ay of the fForld.

Lopez, Mijidke.

Fluellen, Henry V.

Buck, ..«. 4. Englijbman in Paris*

Sir Archy M'Sarcafm, Love-a-la^Mode.

Lord Belville, Married Libertine.

MurroughO'Doghcrty Irifi Fine Lady.
Macbeth, ...*.,.,..... .4.. Macbeth.

Richard ffl Richard IIL

Mr. Macklin performed feveral other Cha-
f adtcrs of inferior note*

Mr. Macklin's miL

IN the name of God, -^/w«^. I Charles Macklin,
of James Street, Covent-Garden, in the County
of Middlefcx, Gentleman, being in good health
of body, and of found and difpofing mind.

45^ APPENDIX,

memory, and underftanding, do make this my
•laft will and tcftamcnt, in . manner following,
that is to fay : Imprimis. I dircft, that all my
juft debts, funeral expenccs, and alfo the charges
ofprovingthismy will, be, in the firft place, fliUy
paid and fatisfied. Item. All the reft, refidue^
and remainder of my eftate and cfFefts, ofwha{
nature or kind foever, and wherefoever, I give,
direft, and bequeath, unto my dear wife, Eliza-
beth Macklin, her executors, adminiftrators,
and afligns, to and for her and their own ufc ;
and I do appoint my faid wife fole executrix of
this my will 5 and hereby revoking and making
void all former and other wilk, by me, at any
time, heretofore made, I do declare thefe pre-
fents to be and contain my laft will and teftamcnt.
In witnefs whereof, I have hereunto fct my hand
and feal this fecond day of Oftober, one thou-
fand feven hundred and feventy-one.

Charles Mac^^lin. (L, S.)

Witnefs I. H. Winbolt.

F I N I S,