vitable effect of indulging in them, would be to preclude any further account of the subject of this paper.

The principal portion of the Garrickiana are contained in an immense portfolio, which may be considered as an illustrated life of the artist— the different objects it comprises being arranged in something like a chronological order, with reference to the various epochs of his public career. Any thing like a detailed notice of these is of course out of the question; but some idea of their extent and interest may be conveyed, by mentioning, that they comprise no less than two hundred and thirty original drawings, engravings, letters, &c. &c.-all strictly applicable to the subject, to the illustration of which they are devoted. The following original letter, in Garrick's hand-writing, I have leave to copy and lay before the reader-who will find it highly interesting on various accounts. In the first part it proves the careful manner in which Garrick studied and investigated the different bearings of every portion of the character he was depicting; and the conclusion offers a pleasing specimen, most pleasingly expressed, of his candour in admitting the influence which praise exercised upon him.--This letter has never before been printed :

"DEAR SIR,

"Monday Morning. "The next best thing to saying your prayers was certainly reading Macbeth-so -so you have not much to answer on my account.

"I am always happy to agree with you, and which I do most sincerely in your opinion of the scene with Banquo. I was, indeed, not quite master of my feelings, till I got to clutch the air-drawn dagger. I like your description of the state of Macbeth's mind and body, at the time he affects cheerfulness to Banquo-it is a well-painted picture-but I won't flatter myself that I ever played up to your colouring.

"You are certainly right in your account of my speaking, Doctor, the Thanes fly from me,'-but I differ a little with you in opinion, that I formerly spoke it in a burst of melancholy. Macbeth is greatly heated and agitated with the news of the English force coming upon him. His mind runs from one thing to another-all is hurry and confusion. Would not his speaking in a melancholy manner in the midst of his distraction be too calm? Come, put my armour on-Give me my staff-Seyton, send out-Doctor, the Thanes fly from me!-Come, sir, dispatch-Pluck it off-Bring it after me, c' You have flattered me much by your very obliging letter, and I shall profit by your criticism this evening, if I should happen to be in order. I am an old hunter-touched a little in wind-and somewhat foundered-but stroke me and clap me on the back, as you have kindly done, and I can make a shift to gallop over the course. Once more I thank you for your letter, and am most truly, "Your obliged humble servant,' "D. GARRICK. "P. S. I returned too late last night from Hampton to answer your letter." In looking over the numerous portraits of Garrick (all which are known to be extant) mounted in this splendid volume, we are struck with the infinite variety of character and expression which they include; and yet we are at the same time satisfied that they are all in some degree like the original, since they are all, without exception, in some particular like each other. In fact, I should think that the extreme volubility, if it may be so expressed, of Garrick's face, must have been the most extraordinary characteristic belonging to it.-Among the numerous objects collaterally connected with Garrick in this volume, perhaps the most interesting is a lovely portrait of his wife, taken at a

very early age. To those who remember to have seen the late Mrs. Garrick sitting in her box at Drury-lane theatre--a withered lady of ninety-seeming to listen to the performance on the stage, but in reality only hearkening after the dim echoes that it awakened in her own heart-the sight of this picture will be peculiarly touching.

To the theatrical antiquary this portfolio will also furnish a high treat. Not the least among the items that will attract his attention is the play-bill, in which is announced Garrick's first performance at the Goodman's-fields theatre. The words "Richard III, by a gentleman, being his first appearance on any stage," will serve to prove the important proposition that the authors of play-bills are the least in the world of innovators!

We must now turn from this splendid volume of illustrations of the life of one English actor, to another work, which is intended to include those of all the English actors of any note that have flourished in London since the days of Shakspeare. This may be considered, in its plan, as an entirely novel undertaking; and the lovers of the acted drama will unquestionably regard it as a really important one. The first part of it is already complete, and comprises the period from Shakspeare's day up to the year 1760-including engraved and other portraits of one hundred London actors, with biographical sketches of all that is authentically known concerning each of them. The portraits are mounted at the head of the folio page, and comprise all that are rare in their class; and the biographical notices occupy the lower part -being extended or compressed, as the materials seem to require but professing to include facts and events alone-not criticisms. As a specimen of the manner in which the biographical portion of the work is executed, I have copied out the following interesting notice of a person, who is perhaps at once more and less known than almost any other that has lived in what may be called our own times.

་

"JOE MILLER. The name of this actor is familiar to every body, and is perhaps more frequently repeated than that of any of his more celebrated brethren of the sock.-Every wit, every punster, every retailer of anecdote, good or bad, is in the habit of meeting the name of Joe Miller; and but few out of the number are aware that he was a comedian of considerable celebrity; and that to his talents on the stage solely, it is believed, he is indebted for the fame and notoriety attached to his name. Samuel Ireland, in his illustrations of Hogarth, says, Joe Miller's Jests (a circumstance but little known) was compiled by Mr. Motley, a dramatic writer. Indeed, poor Joe was so far disqualified from writing, that he could not read.' Victor asserts that Miller could not read-as if it were a matter of notoriety, He says of him, Joe Miller is known to have been a lively comic actor, and agreeable favourite of the town in several of his characters, particularly in Ben, in Love for Love.' The above engraving is taken from the original edition of the Jests. He is there represented in his favourite character of Sir John Wittol, in the Old Bachelor. He is reported to have kept a public-house in the parish of St. Clement Danes; at least, if he did not, there is little doubt, from his general mode of living, that he contributed in no small degree towards keeping up one for some other person. He passed most of his time with the whimsical Spiller, whom I shall hereafter mention, and their general place of rendezvous was at the Spiller's Head, in Clare Market. This son of mirth died in 1738, at the age of fifty-four, and ties buried in the upper church-yard of St. Clement's parish. His epitaph was written by Stephen Duck, the noted

thresher, and Queen Caroline's poet. The lines engraved on his tombstone are as follows: Here lie the remains of honest Joe Miller, who was a tender husband, a sincere friend, a facetious companion, and an excellent comedian.

'If humour, wit, and honesty could save

The humorous, witty, honest from the grave,
The grave had not so soon his tenant found,
With honesty and wit and humour crown'd.
Or could esteem and love preserve our breath,
Or guard us longer from the stroke of death;
The stroke of death on him had later fell,

Whom all mankind esteem'd and loved so well."
STEPHEN DUCK.

"Miller was a natural, spirited comedian. He was the famous Teague in the Committee, and in all the comedies where that character is introduced,[(meani ing, I suppose, that he acted all the low Irishmen): and though the gentlemen of Ireland would never admit that he had the true brogue, yet he substituted something in the room of it, that made his Teague very diverting to an English audience. Miller was excellent in Sir John Wittol, Talboy, Castril, Ben, &c.; and as a proof of it, he died in the receipt of a good salary, which he had long enjoyed without being able to read. They said his principal motive for marrying was not for a fortune, but for a wife learned enough to read his parts to him.

"In a review of a new edition of the Jests edited by Cumberland, it is said Miller was an actor of very dull capacity, and his dulness made it a good joke to call a book of jests by his name.""

It was mentioned in my last paper that these notices have been collected, and that the whole is arranged and written by Mr. Mathews himself. It should be added that the Gallery contains ample materials for completing the work up to the present day. So that we may hope, after Mr. Mathews has gone through his range of all other possible characters, to see him "at home" at last in that of an author.

In glancing at the general theatrical library which forms a part of this gallery, we must only stay to mention that it contains, among a variety of other curious works, the four first editions of Shakspearethose of 1623, 1632, 1664, and 1685; also a most singular folio volume, containing an illustrated copy of Ireland's Confessions, prepared by his own hand, and including all the original drawings, papers," letters, &c. by means of which he contrived to carry on his strange impositions. Besides these objects, we meet with play-bills in complete sets, for a period of no less than thirty years-including Garrick's day, numerous single plays; and finally, three large volumes of Autograph Letters. As I have been favoured with the liberty of using these, t the reader may chance to hear more of them hereafter. In the mean time I cannot resist the temptation of stimulating his curiosity (whether I should ever satisfy it or not) by telling him that this MS. treasure includes scraps from the hands of almost every great and little known, gentle and simple, that has flourished during the last half century; together with not a few from the hands of certain great and little "unknowns," from which we shall perhaps beable to extract still more

amusement.

The only other portion of this collection which my space will allow me to describe in detail, is, the busts which ornament various parts of

it. There is something at once strange and impressive in the effect aɛ derive from the marble presence of an unknown person, about whom, from whatever cause, we may have felt a deep interest or an intense curiosity. It is almost like being in the presence of the dead form, preserved by some strange magic, so as to exhibit all the intellectual character which it possessed, or rather typified, during its mortal lifetime, but none of the physical character. It is a paradoxical existence—a sort of life-in-death—an immateriality emanating from the most material of things. There is nothing, in short, which creates at once so distinct and so ideal an existence in the mind, as the bust or statue of a person whose real form and lineaments are unknown to us. But the sight of a bust or statue representing one with whose person we are acquainted, and whom we are almost daily in the habit of seeing, or of hearing mentioned as a living being engaged in the active pursuit of our own time, excites, in those who take the pains to examine the affections and operations of their own mind, still more strange and anomalous sensations. And the more striking the likeness to the person represented, the more strong and strange will be the effect produced. It will seem as if some fairy's wand had struck the living, breathing, and thinking being, into an image of stone-but still suffered it to retain the human passions and affections that we have seen it exhibit the effects of in life; and we feel as if the same hand that has here fixed the faculties. into a preternatural stillness, could by another touch, set them free again, to act and be acted upon as before.

We have some striking examples of both these classes of busts here. In the centre of the gallery-like the sun of the drama in the centre of that host of satellites to which it has given life and light-stands Shakspeare his dead eyes beaming with immortality, and his lofty brow discoursing of all things-past, present, and to come. Near him stands the loftiest of those whom he has contributed to render illustrious, and who (let us not fear to say it) has contributed no less, in her turn, to illustrate him: one who may be considered as the grandest specimen of "a glorious human creature," that modern times have seen. Need I add to this the name of Sarah Siddons? There she reposes, in the rich meridian of her glory-serious from deep thought, but untouched by the slightest degree of severity-proud in conscious power, but with no tinge of pretence or affectation--majestic from a constant communion with high thoughts and majestic images, but altogether removed from that mock majesty which arises from station and state alone. And then for passion, true tragic passion-what a world of it is concentrated in that "proud patrician lip!" Upon the regal brow thought sits, like an enthroned monarch; while about the mouth sensibility lingers, as if reluctant to depart-still living, but yet retiring and repressed-subdued and rendered subservient to those more lofty attributes in the presence of which it stands rebuked. To have seen this lady is to have lived not in vain; and to stand before this fine representation of her is the next best thing to seeing her still.-Near the above-named bust stands one of Charles Kemble, which will excite particular attention, on account of its having been modelled by Mrs. Siddons herself. Next in attraction to that of Mrs. Siddons, and only next, is the bust of Sir Walter Scott. It is admirably executed as a work of Art; but it possesses

the crying demerit of making the worthy Baronet look like no imaginary person so much as "the Author of Waverley!"

The only other busts that require particular mention are two, representing Liston and Mr. Mathews himself. A bust of Liston! think of that, reader! And one, too, that while it preserves an admirable likeness, excites no sensations or associations of a ludicrous, still less of a ridiculous nature. I must leave the reader to account for this fact himself: suggesting, however, in passing, that I can scarcely conceive how a man of genius can look ridiculous, in his own proper person, and without intending to look so. Certain it is, however, that in this bust of Liston, there is a something not undignified.

The bust of Mr. Mathews himself, which is the last object I shall particularly refer to in this singular collection, strikingly confirms a favourite theory of mine, that the "human face divine" is almost entirely moulded by the still more divine mind, to the operations of which it is made subservient. In Garrick's face, fine as it is, there is no charac teristic expression whatever-nothing but that mobility (or, as I have ventured to call it, volubility) which enabled it to become "all things to all men." And it is nearly the same with the private face of Mr. Mathews, as represented in this bust. It has so long been employed in illustrating the characters of others, that it has at length lost its own. And this should be a subject of any thing but regret to its possessor; for from this quality it is that much of his extraordinary power arises, poetically speaking. His face, like the material of the bust before us, is as clay in the hands of the modeller; and he himself is the artist, who can mould it by turns into whatever he wishes it to be. So that (“not to speak it punningly") if Mr. Mathews has lost the countenance of one person, he has gained that of every body else.

POETICAL SCENES.NO. III.

PANDEMONIUM.-A Sketch.

to a

for

The following Sketch was written last year, as introductory drama, founded in some measure upon the "Faust" of Goethe, rather upon the "Prodigious Magician" of Calderon, who is clearly the original of the celebrated German. Goëthe has introduced his evil spirit in Heaven. It is, at least, as much in character to give him his credentials in Hell. com 18jt inget [SCENE-PANDEMONIUM. A vast Hall, dimly lighted, is seen, and in the distance a river of fire. A throne and seats around it are vacant. A band of SPIRITS is heard in the air.]

[Hosts of Spirits descend and rise up from different quarters. MOLOCH descends suddenly and takes his station. CHORUS resumes.]