and as the house is devoted to art, the reader may still find a painter's name upon the door; aye, and an excellent violin inside of it, with a poet's pen too, quarterly, in the escutcheon; and a gentleman professing the art, in Sir Martin Archer Shee, now President of the Royal Academy.

Romney realized a fortune by his pencil, though not a splendid one. He retired in the decline of life to Kendal, where he had the affectionate attentions of his wife to his last moments; and he lies buried at his native place, Dalton, having, within a month, completed sixty-eight years of a very sensitive but laborious existence. He left one son to lament him, the Rev. John Romney.

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CHAPTER XIX.

Bannister's administration, or all the talents he could getCollins-S. Kemble-Natural Falstaffs-Obesity never pleasing-Midas and the Immortals really ascending-Foot's Hamlet-Pope-Sir Richard Ford issues his warrant for Colonel Despard-C. Kemble's foil-Mr. Turner-Angelo's opinion of him as a fencer-Holcroft's Hear both Sides heard but not liked—A preface; every one will not sell for a guinea-John Bull, written by Colman for Covent GardenCurious challenge of the Little Manager-The Marriage Promise, by Allingham-Mrs. Jordan's Emma Harvey-The author curtails Falstaff's Wedding, for R. Palmer-Hamlet the Dane, his excesses.-Death of James Aickin, misses Kemble in the field-and the author-Colman opens on the 15th of May-Charles Mathews at home-Old WigginsMrs. Litchfield re-establishes the Dane again-Joins with Mrs. Jordan in a kindness to poor Lee Lewes-The Violante nervous-Mrs. Litchfield's attention to her-Grimbald himself nervous-Haymarket season- -Love Laughs at Locksmiths-Arthur Griffenhoof-Ralph Griffiths both of Turnham Green-Reviews-De l'Esprit sur les Loix, plied-The author's Maid of Bristol-Colman's epilogue to it, worth a thousand a year-Nicodemus in despair-Astley's theatre burnt-Old Astley escapes from France-Death of Tate Wilkinson-Foote-Little of him recorded-Murphy and Foote versus Foot and Murphy-Boswell's Johnson,

ap

the most perfect biography in the world-Drury Lane season 1803-4-Pope in Rolla-5371. 3s. 6d. paid into Lloyd's -Harris and Kemble-Death of Jos. Richardson, a proprietor of Drury-Mr. Perry of the Chronicle-—a grand Concert-Tom Sheridan finds Erskine haranguing the select upon a chair-Hear! hear!-Sheridan and home-Richardson's funeral—A mausoleum voted after dinner-Dr. Coombe, precious stones-John Soane, the architect, the poet of his art-Irish Johnstone goes to Drury-And the Johnston's Man and Wife-What Harris thought of Kemble-Popularity of Lewis-Hatred of Kemble's scholarship-Miss Louisa Brunton, another Countess-The Dane, in Pizarro, falls dead mute-Mrs. Jordan establishes her first family in Golden-square.

BANNISTER commenced his viceroyalty with a ministry broken to pieces by deaths and desertions. He therefore invited all the talents to be found in the country to support his government, and among these he soon reckoned not only Cherry, but Collins, a very efficient man in the home department. Stephen Kemble, too, added great weight to the concern, and sported with lucky pleasantry upon his own size, in a prologue which he wrote for Bannister. To use a phrase of the great author, Kemble, one way, was qualified to act Falstaff he did "bear a brain;" he understood well

what he said; but in his conception he rather appeared to follow Quin than Henderson-he was more noisy and vigorous than voluptuous and witty. He seemed to act the part rather than think it. You did not see the humour fermenting in his goblet. As to his size as a requisite, enormous positive obesity is never pleasing-it is better to look a mummy than be one. Reality on the stage sometimes is a defect-I should no more demand a natural belly for Falstaff, than a natural hump for King Richard. Apparent form is all that the actor requires, let his art do the rest, and the more he is compelled to exert it, the greater his merit.

On the 15th of December, after a second address, which he now spoke himself in the dress of Falstaff, Mr. S. Kemble took his leave, quite satisfied with his town experiment, and returned to his company, not to march them " through Coventry," but to join them at Newcastle. He was confined to the performance of a few characters from his bulk; but as the representative of the firm and manly, he was worthy of the name he bore.

Midas was revived this season, and brought them excellent half-price.-A deep and substantial stage

was placed now under the feet of the immortals, and at the ringing of the Prompter's bell "the wood began to move"-in fact, the whole platform, with its enormous weight, was, by machinery, elevated forty feet from the permanent stage, and revolving clouds at length shut them from the sight of the spectators, and the prospect below opened naturally to the view.

A Mr. Foot, a Winchester scholar, and by profession a printer, attempted Hamlet, at this theatre, on the 12th of November-he was a sensible man at all events-but he had only served an apprenticeship to Alderman Nicholls, and tried an establishment at Drury without being free of the company. Pope, however, was now the substitute for John Kemble; and if not, like that great actor, a first rate, certainly a very respectable substitute; and, most assuredly, the three kingdoms could not then supply a better.

Sir Richard Ford claims at least a passing notice in the present work, as having been once, it was believed, permanently united to Mrs. Jordan. His warrant as a magistrate secured the famous Edward Marcus Despard and his gang, who were appre