OHAp.nj DAVID GAREICK.

Here was a question to be addressed to a man whom the 1759.
great and noble were delighting to honour, who was charming 2Et. 31.
the whole town both in comedy and tragedy, nay, who had
just conie out as an author, and whose farce of the Lying Valet,
acted (not at Druiy Lane, but) at Goodman's Fields six days
after the date of his last letter, was taking prodigiously, and
was approved of by men of genius, and thought the most
diverting farce that ever was performed. " I believe you'll
" find it read pretty well," he continues, addressing Peter
with somewhat more courage than usual, and sending him
a copy; " and in performance 'tis a General Eoar from.
" beginning to end; and I have got as much Eeputation
"in y6 Character of Sharp, as in any other character I
" have perform'd, tho far different from. ye others."

Far different, indeed! as different as Eomeo from. Sir
John Brute, as Othello from Fondlewife, as Bichard from
Jack Smatter, as Shakspeare's Lear from Colley Gibber's
Master Johnny, as eighty-four from, fifteen.* Yet even
such was the surprising versatility now displayed with
consummate ease by this greatest of actors; who alone,
of all performers on record, seems to have hit the
consummation of the actor's art in being able to drop
altogether his own personality. " All the run is now after
" G-arriek," writes Walpole. " The Duke of Argyll says he
"is superior to Betterton."t "We are all wrong, if this

* "For his benefit on the 18th of March," says Mr. Boaden, "he amazed the
' town by repeating" (he had first played it on the preceding 22nd of February)
' after his perfonnance of King Lear, his Master Johnny, a lad of fifteen, in the
' Sclioolboy. The farce was written by Colley Gibber, who was still living ; and
' he might, and very probably did, see that wonderful junction of eighty-four and
' fifteen by the same actor." Memoir, vii, viii (Gar. Gor.) "The stage" said

the play bills of the night "will be formed into an amphitheatre, where servants

" will be allowed to keep places." Account of the Stage, IT, 24.
f The whole passage is too characteristic not to be given. "All the run is now

" after Qarrick, a wine-merchant, who is turned player, at Goodman's-fields. dreadfully impatient of the success of the Jealous