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Article THE LIFE OF DAVID GARRICK, ESQ. ← Page 4 of 5 →
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The Life Of David Garrick, Esq.
known , in case he should happen to be unsuccessful . Though this is not a first rate character , yet the scenes of pathetic persuasion and affecting distress , in which that character is involved , must command the attention of an audience when well represented , The applause which he met with exceeded his most sanguine expectations . Under the -asssumed name of Lyddell he not only acted a variety of characters in plays , particularly Chaurriont in the Orphan , Captain Brazen
in the Recruiting Officer , and Sir Harry Wildair ; but he also attempted the agility of Harlequin , and in every effort he gave so much satisfaction to the audience , that they repaid him with constant and loud testimonies of their approbation . Having secured great credit as a performer at Ipswich , he came to London , and engaged with Mr . Giffard , of the theatre in Goodman ' s Fields . He made his first appearance , October 19 th , 1741 , in the character of Richard the Third , which he played in a manner that at once fixed his reputation as the first actor of the age .
. Two circumstances were observed on his firstnight ' sperformance ; one , that on his entrance on the stage , he was under so much embarrassment , as for some time to lie unable to speak ; the other , that , having exerted himself with much vehemence in the first two acts , he became so lvmrse as to be almost incapable of finishing the character . This difficulty was obviated by a person behind the scenes recommending him to take the juice of a Seville orangewhich he
fortu-, nately had in his pocket , and which enabled him to go through the remainder of the character with that degree of excellence which he ever aftei wards shewed in the performance of it . The person to whom he owed , this seasonable relief was the late Mr . Dryden Lead , the printer . Among other novelties attending his first performance of this
character , Mr . Davies remarks , that when news was brought to Richard , that the Duke of Buckingham was taken , Garrick's look and action , when he pronounced the words , — : < off with his head , So much for Buckingham !'—
were so significant and important , from his visible enjoyment of the incident , that several loud shouts of approbation proclaimed the ¦ triumph of the aft or , and the satisfaction of the audience . The death of Richard was also accompanied with the loudest gratulations of applause . ' The same play was afted six or seven times successively ; ' and
the manager seeing Garrick's merit , did all in his power to support it . Several other parts , among which were Aboan , Chamonc , Clodio in the Fop's Fortune , Bays in the Rehearsal , succeeded Richard , which last , however , was the favourite character , and was repeatedly called for , and afted to crowded audiences . Such was his fame , that the Theatres of Drury-Lane and
Covent-Garden v ere deserted . Goodronn ' s Fields was full of the splendour of St . James ' s and Grosvcnor square : and the coaches of the nobility filled up the space from Tempie-bar to WliUcchapel . Those , who
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life Of David Garrick, Esq.
known , in case he should happen to be unsuccessful . Though this is not a first rate character , yet the scenes of pathetic persuasion and affecting distress , in which that character is involved , must command the attention of an audience when well represented , The applause which he met with exceeded his most sanguine expectations . Under the -asssumed name of Lyddell he not only acted a variety of characters in plays , particularly Chaurriont in the Orphan , Captain Brazen
in the Recruiting Officer , and Sir Harry Wildair ; but he also attempted the agility of Harlequin , and in every effort he gave so much satisfaction to the audience , that they repaid him with constant and loud testimonies of their approbation . Having secured great credit as a performer at Ipswich , he came to London , and engaged with Mr . Giffard , of the theatre in Goodman ' s Fields . He made his first appearance , October 19 th , 1741 , in the character of Richard the Third , which he played in a manner that at once fixed his reputation as the first actor of the age .
. Two circumstances were observed on his firstnight ' sperformance ; one , that on his entrance on the stage , he was under so much embarrassment , as for some time to lie unable to speak ; the other , that , having exerted himself with much vehemence in the first two acts , he became so lvmrse as to be almost incapable of finishing the character . This difficulty was obviated by a person behind the scenes recommending him to take the juice of a Seville orangewhich he
fortu-, nately had in his pocket , and which enabled him to go through the remainder of the character with that degree of excellence which he ever aftei wards shewed in the performance of it . The person to whom he owed , this seasonable relief was the late Mr . Dryden Lead , the printer . Among other novelties attending his first performance of this
character , Mr . Davies remarks , that when news was brought to Richard , that the Duke of Buckingham was taken , Garrick's look and action , when he pronounced the words , — : < off with his head , So much for Buckingham !'—
were so significant and important , from his visible enjoyment of the incident , that several loud shouts of approbation proclaimed the ¦ triumph of the aft or , and the satisfaction of the audience . The death of Richard was also accompanied with the loudest gratulations of applause . ' The same play was afted six or seven times successively ; ' and
the manager seeing Garrick's merit , did all in his power to support it . Several other parts , among which were Aboan , Chamonc , Clodio in the Fop's Fortune , Bays in the Rehearsal , succeeded Richard , which last , however , was the favourite character , and was repeatedly called for , and afted to crowded audiences . Such was his fame , that the Theatres of Drury-Lane and
Covent-Garden v ere deserted . Goodronn ' s Fields was full of the splendour of St . James ' s and Grosvcnor square : and the coaches of the nobility filled up the space from Tempie-bar to WliUcchapel . Those , who