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CHAPTER XVII.

Dr. Busby-Whimsey of Bannister-An actor of one partTom Cooke-Anecdotes respecting him-A high note-A note higher-Irish theatricals-Mrs. Billington-A peep through a key-hole-Elliston at Manchester-An Irish benefit, in 1758--An enraged patroness-Memorial to the King-Colonel Taylor-Petition to the House of Commons-Sir T. Turton-Perceval's letter to Elliston-" Third Theatre" petition-A pawnbroker's wife-Tottenham Street Theatre Privy council-Sheridan-Mrs. T. SheridanExpenses of Petition.

Ar the termination of his first season at the Royal Circus, Elliston entered on a new speculation-one more theatre!—the Manchester, which he opened with an excellent company, on the 4th of December, and an address written by his own laureat, (as he styled him,) Dr. Busby.

Dr. Busby appears to have been no faint shadowing of his forerunners, Elkanan Settle, and Stephen Duck; for although never contesting the palm with a Dryden, or admitted into the boudoir of a Caroline, yet the journals teemed with his poetry, and theatres were redolent of his addresses. He affected the Pindaric rather

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A WHIMSEY OF BANNISTER.

than the Epic-the Muse without stays, as the sprightly Tom Brown designates her, rather than the sterner lady in whalebone.

But Elliston and Ellistonian affairs were the poet's principal theme. They contributed to each other's fame-it was a joint policy of immortality; and though the great Edmund Kean might have talked of his secretary, it was reserved for princes and our own hero to move under the irradiation of a Muse.

Elliston's success during his short season at this place was unequivocal; and he played some of his characters (as he frequently did in the country) with far better spirit than before his metropolitan friends.

An incident, humorous in its way, occurred during this brief campaign, for which we by no means vouch, but give only on report. Jack Bannister happening to be at Manchester at the time, though not of the company, (having refused, in fact, to take any engagement,) by way of amusement induced Elliston to advertise him under a feigned name, for some small part in a comedy, announcing at the same time that, between the play and farce, the gentleman would "attempt a scene in the Children in the Wood,' after the manner of the celebrated Mr. John Bannister, of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane."

Bannister acted his part in the play, which being very inconsiderable, he was suffered to pass unnoticed; at the conclusion of which, the curtain

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again rose for the imitation. On walks the mimic, in suitable costume, as perfect a Walter as ever appeared on the boards of the Haymarket. Bannister here made his bow to some trifling applause, and then entering on the scene, which he had selected for the purpose, went through the whole of it after his best manner.

But the interruptions were many; for scarcely had he spoken three lines, when he was saluted by a most distinct hiss. This was soon followed by a laugh, and presently cries of, "Off, off! trash! -hiss, hiss!"-announced to the poor country presumer that he had entirely failed. In fact, he was most completely damned. He now ventured to address the audience-but no-they would not hear him; they were thoroughly disgusted at the attempt of imitation, which a journal of the Saturday following declared, was the vilest that had ever been offered the public.

So much for the joke. Bannister enjoyed the affair heartily; but the true state of the case being in a very few days generally made known, Elliston found himself in no little disgrace with his Manchester friends. The laugh was so completely turned against them, that Elliston was compelled to get out of the scrape by a most unqualified apology.

On one of the latter nights of his renting the

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AN ACTOR OF ONE PART.

theatre, Elliston acted The Three Singles.* The person who was to have played the part of Renaud, was taken suddenly ill during the very representation of the piece, when Ward, the leader of the band, laying down his fiddle, volunteered to finish the character; which being received by sounds of applause, he jumped on the stage, and went through the business with admirable art. Owing to his success on this remarkable occasion, Ward determined to hang up his fiddle and turn actor. He made several attempts in other characters, but signally failed in them all. Renaud, however, stuck to him like a plaster.

This is another instance of that monophlox, so remarkable in poor Desborough in the early part of this history. Steele, in the "Guardian," has given an amusing account of one William Peer, an actor who took his degree with Betterton, Kynaston, and

* Admirable as Elliston was in these parts, we cannot refrain quoting a passage from the observations of Congreve-in a letter to Dryden-on personal defects being mistaken for humour -a sentiment in which we so thoroughly concur-he says"Sure the poet must both be very ill-natured himself, and think his audience so, when he proposes, by shewing a man deformed, or deaf, or blind, (or an idiot,) to give them an agreeable entertainment. In one of your letters to me, you have justly noticed this immoral part of ridicule in Corbaccio's character, in Jonson's Fox;' and here, I must agree with you to blame him, whom otherwise I cannot enough admire, for his great mastery of true humour in comedy."

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Harris; whose memory has been preserved to posterity, by playing only one part. But this single

part was such a point de resistance in his career, that it has established his solid fame. The character was that of the actor in "Hamlet." No one could repeat the lines like him,

"For us and for our tragedy,

Here stooping to your clemency,

We beg your hearing patiently."

"His whole action in life," says the essayist, "depended on his speaking these three lines, which he did better than any man else in the world." Had William Peer played the part of Hamlet itself passingly well, he had not, in all probability, been known to that generation which now elevates the lamp of his renown on the tripod of these three lines.

A very similar occurrence to that of Ward, took place at Covent Garden theatre, not many years since. Braham was taken ill during the first act of the "Cabinet," when Woodham, a trumpeter in the orchestra, as an amicus theatri, took up the part of Orlando, and went through the music and songs with remarkable effect. He also, on this success, turned his attention to the stage, but failed in all future attempts. Providence thus, for a special purpose, seems to give a momentary inspiration.

But perhaps the most remarkable instance of general and permanent talent, is that of Tom Cooke, who was, par excellence, a leader in Dublin, and after

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