| 324 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
I have now to speak of those two dramas by the younger Sheridan, which form part of the “Old Plays” placed in my hands, as before described; and first, as to the discovery of their authorship.
As with those of Richard Brinsley, I
had, on their first coming into my possession, satisfied myself that they were well worth
careful attention and examination, on their merits alone; but, when the time came for
reconsidering the whole of the MS., the extraordinary and unlooked-for discovery of the
authorship of those already described so fixed and confined my attention to them
exclusively, and to the various investigations necessary, in order to render their
authenticity as clear to the world as it already was to myself, that the two dramas now to
be spoken of were laid aside; and the ultimate
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 325 |
The investigations just referred to led me to the discovery of a fact little
known to this day in the history of the Sheridan family—namely, that
during a considerable portion of Sheridan’s
proprietorship of Drury Lane Theatre, his son “Tom” had filled the responsible office of reader and literary manager
of the establishment; and it so happened, that among the papers placed in my hands was a
fragment of an early drama of the late Theodore
Hook’s, entitled “Tekeli; or, the Siege of Mongatz.” In this fragment I had found many
notes and alterations, in a different hand from the rest of the MS., and all of them signed
T. S. As these initials, coupled with the knowledge I had by this
time gained of Tom Sheridan’s position at Drury Lane Theatre,
caused me to take some interest in these notes and suggestions, I had become familiar with
the hand in which they were written; so that on the very first occasion of my finding
leisure to resume my examination of the two dramas
| 326 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
Knowing, as I did, that Tom Sheridan was not supposed, even by his own family, to have left behind him any literary or dramatic composition, this new discovery excited in me almost as much interest and curiosity as the other had done; and I immediately set myself to verify the handwriting, by comparison with other examples of it in his letters, &c. And this I was enabled to do in the very first quarter to which I addressed myself—namely, my esteemed friend the late R. B. Peake, a son of Sheridan’s treasurer of Drury Lane Theatre, and god-son of Sheridan himself.
I will only add, with reference to this part of the subject, that what
appears to be the earlier of these two dramas has evidently been carefully read and
examined by Sheridan himself, and bears many notes
and suggestions in his handwriting. The other,—which is much the superior of the two, does
not bear any evidence of Sheridan having read it—doubtless on account
of its being evidently the first rough copy of the work—
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 327 |
I will now describe these two curious little dramas, and give specimens of their quality.
The one last referred to above is a broad farce, of the most lively and
stirring character. It is called “The Strolling
Company,” and its scenes and incidents arise out of a runaway marriage between
a young gentleman, who has joined a company of strollers, and the daughter of a country
gentleman and magistrate in whose neighbourhood they find themselves, and whose forgiveness
and goodwill the young couple hope to recover by proving to him that clever acting did not
become extinct on the failure of the old Garrick
school. To this end Carlton, the leading member of the
company, contrives to come before his father-in-law in half-a-dozen different characters,
and to get every member of his little troupe brought before the old
| 328 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
I am not acquainted with any farce keeping possession of the stage that is so well and cleverly adapted to its double object, of displaying the skill of the various actors engaged in it, and of amusing the audience. It is evidently written expressly to the measure of the comic company of Drury Lane at the beginning of the present century, to each of whom is assigned (by name) one of the characters. The cast includes J. Bannister, Suett, Collins, Dowton, Wewitzer, J. Johnson, Cherry, and Kelly; and the female characters are assigned to Mrs. Bland, Miss Tyrer (Mrs. Liston), and Mrs. Mountain.
The water-mark of the paper bears the date of 1802.
To subject any portions of a work of this kind to the critical scrutiny,
not merely of an audience, but of readers, fifty years after the date of its composition,
may seem to be too severe a test of the skill of its author, and he an untried one. But I
do not scruple to do this, in the belief that, with extremely few exceptions (not
half-a-dozen perhaps),
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 329 |
The following are portions of the two first scenes of “The Strolling Company:”—
Speil.—Bless my soul—bless my soul; I was so warm as de toast. I have walk so fast; de sun is in my face; de wind is in my back; de pain is in my side; de breath is out of my body; and de dirt what I have swallow enough to make my grave. But I was not care. I am before dat cart, what come after with all the gompany. Dey wash not let me ride because I am de fiddler; dey are so proud! Jacko, my boy! (calls.) But I will play no more for them. I shall begin on my own bottom (sits down). Jacko! (calls.) Where is dat small rascal? I will practise my concerto, what I make so hard for myself. I shall play de—(loud crash heard). Tunder and lightning! what is that noise what I hear?
| 330 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
Jack (calls behind the scenes, then enters, o.p.)—Oh Lord! master! master!
Speil.—What ish de matter?
Jack.—The matter? Why, as I hope to be saved, the caravan’s upset, with all the company!
Speil.—Blesh my soul! Is dere any one what wash hurt?
Jack.—No.
Speil.—It ish very goot, then. Pride wash have de fall. I was not thought worthy to tumble out of the cart.
Jack.—No; Mr. Tag told you they were a “select company,” and you couldn’t be accommodated.
Speil.—I have nothing to do with the Tag, or the Rag, or the Bobtail, what is in the cart. I have nothing to do with the *silly-gompany what is in the ditch. I have done with them. Give me my rosin. I shall practise my concerto what I make so hard for myself, before I go into the town.
Jack.—Your rosin is packed up with your other shirt in the caravan.
Speil.—For why is my property left in de
* The way in which a German would pronounce “select” (orig.) |
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 331 |
Jack (half aside).—Why, so you do pretty near, I believe.
Speil.—What ish dat you say? Don’t-a make your laugh at me, sirrah. For why have I make you my pupil—my scholar—out of de son of a taylure, heh?
Jack.—Why, to stitch and darn, and clean your shoes; for that’s all the instructions you ever give me.
Speil.—Heh! what you say? For what have I taken you wid myself into de orchestra, heh?
Jack.—Why, to dust the books and snuff the candles; for that’s all I do there.
Speil.—Hold your tongue. Snuff de candles very good for you; you must learn de music by degrees. Oh! here comes Mr. Carlton, de manager, and his wife. I shall speak my mind into his face.
Carl.—Why, how now, Speilenbad? Why do neither you nor your lad assist us in this accident?
| 332 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
Speil.—For what shall I assist de cart, when de last wash not assist me? I shall ask you one question. Am I not de master of my instrument?
Carl.—I believe no one will dispute your title to it.
Speil.—Very well, den, for what shall I not ride in de cart? Have I not compose de concerto what is so hard for myself?
Carl.—In a style quite of your own, I think.
Speil.—Very well, den, for what shall I not ride in de cart? Was I not play de song, de aggompaniment, de overture, de hornpipe,—was I not play every one what was out of all de tune?
Carl.—Invariably, I believe.
Speil.—Very well, den, for what shall I not ride in de cart?
Carl.—I can assure you, I thought it was your own choice.
Speil.—I was choose no such a thing. Mr. Tag was tell me you are a silly-gompany. Now the silly-gompany is in de ditch, de silly-gompany may get out. I have noting to do wid dem.
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 333 |
Carl.—Well, well, depend upon it, in future, you shall always have a place reserved.
Speil.—And so shall my scholar. Dere is no one in de orchestra but what deserve to ride in de cart.
Mrs. Carl.—Come, come, Speilenbad; this must have been some trick of that coxcomb Tag’s. He calls himself a “gentleman,” you know, and therefore thinks he is privileged to be impertinent. In the meantime, there is your little favourite, Bella, with no one to assist or protect her.
Speil.—Well, I shall go for her. I love dat Bella very much. She is so very pretty—she never sing out of tune—she always listen to my concerto what I play. Come along, Jacko, I shall go to take care for her.
Carl.—Well, Kate, what think you of this attempt upon your uncle’s heart? Shall we be successful?
Mrs. Carl.—If he will but permit us to perform, I
own I shall feel sanguine. He always loved me, and I think could I take him by
surprise he would receive me; but he is the acting magistrate in this town, you
| 334 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
Carl.—Why should you think it probable he would refuse us?
Mrs. Carl.—First, because I know he thinks there can be nothing tolerable since the days of Garrick; secondly, my having eloped with a strolling player, as he supposes, though he does not know you personally, will not render him the more favourable to your profession; and, lastly, that rascal lawyer, Endless, passed us on the road, and I am much mistaken if his intent is not to do us some mischief here.
Carl.—Surely he will not dare to be such a villain, when he knows I am acquainted with his designs on you.
Mrs. Carl.—Never trust him. I have exposed and laughed at him; and depend upon it there is nothing so revengeful as disappointed vanity.
Carl.—I wish he was condemned to copy all his own
rascally proceedings in shorthand, if it were only to keep him out of mischief
for a year or two. By the bye—
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 335 |
Mrs. Carl.—Yes; and a curious composition it is (gives letter).
Carl.—A thought has struck me, and this letter may be of service. This delay was unlucky, or I might have been beforehand with him with your uncle. These attorneys are always so cursed active when they’re not employed. Oh, here comes some of our friends. What a figure Tag is!
Speil.—Dere!—dere is one of the silly-gompany for you! Dere is de gentleman what I was not fit to ride wid. The ladies are coming.
Carl.—Well, Tag, we’ve had a pretty complete overture, I think.
Tag.—“Oh, what a falling off was there!” Clean into the ditch, sure enough!
Speil.—Yes; dere dey was lay, one up upon de other one, like so many pork in a straw-yard. It was a very silly tumble.”
The remainder of this droll and pleasant
| 336 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
Endless.—Tell your master Lawyer Endless wishes to speak a word with him. [Exit Jacob.] I wonder how I shall be received. I don’t think I have made my appearance in this house since that damned affair with Grist the miller’s wife.* Well! better luck another time! Nemo omnibus horis sapit—nobody’s safe in all their amours. I remember thinking, when I was obliged to make my dear Mrs. Endless an honest woman, that I should grow a little more staid. But I don’t know how it is; ever since I’ve seen this Mrs. Carlton, I’ve felt as brisk as a clerk at quarter sessions. Oh, quam dulce est amare! My Dorothea could no more compare with her, than an action at
* This, I have no doubt, is an allusion to a temporary secession of Suett from the Drury Lane House; and, if so, the piece was probably written expressly to reintroduce him in a second chapter of his favourite character of Endless in “No Song No Supper.” |
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 337 |
Jacob.—You mun walk this way, if you please.
Endless.—Oh! very well. Has your master dined?
Jacob.—Noa.
Endless.—Glad o’ that—p’rhaps ask me—I’m as empty as the Fleet after a bill of insolvency. [Exit Endless.
Carlton.—Can I speak with your master, pray?
Jacob.—Noa; he can’t hear two on ye; he’s a talking wi’ Lawyer Endless.
Carlton.—Curse that fellow; he’s like a pig in a lane; there’s no getting before him. Do you know his business, pray?
| 338 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
Jacob.—Yes, he’s a ’torney, and as big a rogue as any i’ the county.
Carlton.—I believe it from the bottom of my soul. Were you servant here when your master’s niece ran away?
Jacob.—Yes; sister helped her to ’lope with an actor-man. Howsomever, she said he were very much of a gentleman.
Carlton.—That “gentleman” was myself.
Jacob.—Were it, indeed! I should niver have found ye out. Well, and how is young madam?
Carlton.—Why, very well; and you may do her a material piece of service.
Jacob.—May I? Then I’m sure I will, for sister’s sake; but how?
Carlton.—Why, by getting me taken up, and brought before your master.
Jacob.—Ecod, and so I should; though I didn’t think you’d a been honest enough to have owned it.
Carlton.—But could you contrive this, should it be necessary?
Jacob.—Yes, sure. Why, Lord love ye, constable will
take anybody up for the vally of a pint o’ beer; and I b’lieve ye
actor folk
| AND THOMAS SHERIDAN. | 339 |
Carlton.—Stop—stop; not so fast. Let me see this constable presently; in the meantime there’s something to drink with him, and be silent.
Jacob.—I will. (Aside.) He has a sort o’ quality look, sure enough. [Exit p.s.”
The other drama by Thomas Sheridan
to which I have alluded is what was at that time called a “pièce
d’occasion;” the “occasion” in this case being the
presence in England of a young Indian Prince, known (and probably remembered by many
persons still living) as Prince Le Boo. He was, I
believe, a son of the chief of a tribe of the Mexican Indians, and had been induced to
visit Europe with the view of observing the manners and social habits of
“civilized” people. This young chief was received with great favour by the
upper classes of London; and there can be little doubt that many of the incidents which
form the action of this piece were actual occurrences in the European experience of the
| 340 | RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN. |
|
* See his piteous letter to Whitbread, in “Moore’s Life.” |
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