more, if 'King Richard II.' was done. He said he would speak to Webster. I spoke after to Mr. F. Webster, complaining grievously, and stating the necessity of help.

In the second act my thoughts so fixed upon my blessed Nina that my emotion nearly overpowered me. Bless her and my

beloved Joan!

November 16th.-Iago.

18th.-Acted Brutus, in my own opinion, in my own judgment, far beyond any performance I ever gave of the character; it was my last to many, and I wished it to be impressive. I do not think the audience, in the aggregate, were equal to the performance; they applauded warmly the salient passages, but they did not seem to watch the gentle, loving, self-subdued mind of Brutus which I tried to make manifest before them. The gentle touches were done with great care, and, I think, with skill-the remonstrances with Cassius in third act about Cæsar's funeral, and in the fourth, the quarrel.

November 19th.-Read in the green-room the play of 'King Richard II.' I did not attempt more than to convey to the other actors the idea of their characters. Settled the alteration of nights with Webster, and settled his scene plot of Richard with him. Marked the sides of a book of 'King Richard II.' Went over words of the two first acts of same.

November 20th.-Othello.

- 21st. Acted Macbeth most nobly, never better. Called. Forster came into my room. I was quite hysterical from weakness and fatigue. He showed me some charming lines on my reading at Rugby. At his request sent a brief notice of the occurrence.

November 23rd. Acted Cassius, tried to carry through the burning spirit of the impatient republican. Called. As I passed the stage-box the gentleman near it uttered loud in my ear, bless you!" That was worth the audience.

"God

November 24th.-Went to Mortlake through a most fearful storm, that made me feel for the coachman. Arrived there, received a very cordial welcome from Henry Taylor. In the course of the afternoon a neighbour of theirs, Mrs. Cameron, an East Indian, and a most unreserved enthusiast, came in, and Spring Rice and his wife made our party. I enjoyed the evening. Henry Taylor read a very sweet poem to 'Virginia,' which I read afterwards to myself. Read Katie's lines to Mrs. H. Taylor, who seemed much interested in my Katie. Coming home through a very fine night. November 25th.-Werner.

27th. Acted Hamlet in my very, very best manner; it is the last time but one I shall ever appear in this wonderful character. I felt it, and that to many, to most, it would be the last time they would ever see me in it. I acted with that feeling; I never acted better. I felt my allegiance to Shakespeare, the glorious, the divine. Was called and welcomed with enthusiasm.

1850.

Reflections on his past Career.

645

November 28th.-Richelieu. 30th.-Lear.
December 2nd.-Richard II.

4th. My first thought was the wish of many happy returns of this day to my dear, dear sister and friend, God bless her! And in my prayers my unworthy lips muttered entreaties for her continuance (it is our instinct so to do) in happiness on earth. God bless her! Acted Wolsey.

December 5th.-Am now sunk into the habit of late rising, halfpast eight, which leaves me no time for anything before a ten o'clock rehearsal. The excitement of my system I have not time to lull, and thus day after day alternates between languor and feverish endeavour. What a mode of blindly, and, as it were, furiously, fretting and struggling through life! For so it is.

Wilkins called. I wished to give him this one parting order to please him, poor fellow. He spoke to me of having seen all my first nights of characters, except two; talked of George Barker, of ́his great wealth, which made me reflect. I was in the enjoyment of a very excellent income for a bachelor, I think £1000 a year, when he could scarcely have had more than £150, if so much. He is said to be now worth £10,000 per annum, and I not more than £1,200. I am not at all dissatisfied, discontented, or repining at this disposition of things. I only pray that my income may be maintained. I am grateful for it. As I reflect, look back on my past life, the thought of being rich, the ambition to be so, never once entered into my mind. I was most anxious to be independent; and, after having purchased my brother's company, thought of retiring (1829), on what I then, without children, regarded as independence, £400 per annum. God sent us children (His blessing be on them!) and all my plans were altered. Still I could not think of wealth for them, as they came fast and dear, but diminished my own means to secure them by insurances the means of education and subsistence in case of my death. Thus I am what the world would call a poor man. I trust in reality a contented and grateful one.

December 7th.-Macbeth. 9th.—King John.

10th.-Dined at the Athenæum with Cattermole. Saw Fonblanque, Stokes, and Professor Sedgwick, who came up to be introduced to me.

December 11th.-Acted King Henry IV. and Mr. Oakley, taking much pains with them-they both seemed to have a strong effect upon the audience. Called, and led on Mrs. Warner. Forster came into my room quite elated with the effect of the comedy. December 12th.—Virginius.

13th.-I went to Kensal Green; my thoughts were all upon the past; my mind filled with the pictures of my two sweet blessed children as they looked in life and in death to me. Blessed, blessed beings! The future too had its share in the current of my thoughts, the past has taught me to fear; and therefore I have little of cheerfulness or confidence in anticipating what may

be to come. A funeral was going to the chapel as I went up the walk, and I had to linger about reading the senseless epitaphs of esquires (!) and Major-Generals, &c., and Mr.'s, in impatience at the vanity which seems to survive the creature. A boy was the chief mourner at the funeral-a son, I presume, following in the course of things his parent to the grave. Alas, how bitter is the grief when that natural order is inverted! When they were gone the attendant went with me to the vault, and knowing what I came to look on, went before me to the spot. There they layall that is earthly of my sweet innocent children-side by side, the coffins of my beloved Nina, of my darling Joan. My heart is sad to despondency as I think upon their destinies, the bright rich bud struck off its stem in all its health and beauty, and the more ripened flower in all its healthful promise blighted and drooping rapidly into the earth. My confidence in the future is overcast with fear. I can but pray to God for good to all my dear ones in this world, and a blessed reunion in an after-life. May my bones be laid with those I have been to visit this day in our quiet home of Sherborne, and may my faults and vices be so far forgiven that our spirits may have communion and participated bliss in another state of being! Amen.

December 15th.-Forster came in to call for me-went together to dine at Dickens's. The Fox's and Paxton were there. Fox is always the same, intelligent and philosophic. Paxton was new to me, a self-educated man-from a mere gardener. I was delighted with him; his account of his nurture of the Victoria Lily, a water-plant (river), was one of the most interesting narratives I ever listened to; an explanation of one of Nature's miracles that more and more lifted up one's heart to God and made one ask, "And are not Thy laws miracles enough? Who would ask for their suspension to satisfy themselves of Thy will?" Passed a very pleasant evening.

December 16th.-King John.

17th.-Went out in carriage, and called to leave a note and card at Lord John Russell's: called on the Sheils-saw them. Sheil* showed me the Waterloo medal by Pistrucci, a splendid piece of work. He gave me the direction of the parcel in the Duke's own hand with the false spelling of "Imediate." They set out for Florence on Saturday. Dressed, and Talfourd called for me, and we went to Judge Vaughan Williams' to dine. Met Bourne, who had called here in the morning, Lord de Ros, Judge Park, and some pleasing men. From thence went to Mr. Liddell's, and with his party to the Westminster Play; it was the 'Andria,' well acted in some parts; Davus, Pamphilo, Chremes, good. Prologue, complimentary to the defunct Adelaide and some worthies

*The Right Honourable Richard Lalor Sheil was at this time Master of the Mint in Lord John Russell's administration. A proof of the great Waterloo medal had probably been sent to the Duke of Wellington, and returned by him to the Master of the Mint. The medal was never issued.----ED.

1851.

Review of past Year.

647

of worth. Epilogue, a fair laugh at the Peace Convention. Saw there Milman, Lord Lansdowne, and some to whom I was introduced; went to the Liddells' afterwards-introduced to Mrs. L., very beautiful and pleasing. From thence with the Judge to Talfourd's; saw Lady T. as usual, Procters, Pollocks, Dickens, Kenyon, Fladgate, Maclise, Pickersgill, Roberts, C. Landseer, Chittys, Forster, Mrs. H. Twiss. Left soon.

December 18th.-Henry IV., Oakley. 19th.-Richelieu. 21st.Wolsey.

December 22nd.-Sheil called and sat some time. Shall I ever see him again? I fear never. I have ever retained a most affectionate regard for him, and great admiration of his brilliant powers. Though separated by the character of our respective pursuits, he has ever been a faithful friend. God bless him! December 23rd.-Henry IV., Oakley.

borne.]

24th to 29th.-[Spent Christmas with family at Sher

London, December 30th.-Lear.

December 31st.-Acted Henry IV. and Oakley. The year is closed. As I look back upon it, it appears to me a bewildering, rugged view, where many objects are confusedly seen, but as yet my mind is not equal to contemplate and regard them in this regular succession. My firstborn, my beloved Nina, faded from before me; and my sweet Jonathan was granted to my heart. O God, let my soul be grateful, in submission to Thy decrees, and in the full belief of Thy divine goodness! Amen.

[Sentence prefixed :]

1851.

The business of life is to learn; it is our pride resents the offer to teach us, our indolence declines it.

London, January 1st.-Acted Cardinal Richelieu. 2nd.-King John.

January 3rd.-Acted Virginius, one of the most brilliant and powerful performances of the character I have ever given. I did indeed "gore my own thoughts" to do it, for my own Katie was in my mind, as in one part the tears streamed down my cheeks; and in another she who is among the blest, beloved one! Such is a player's mind and heart! Called.

January 6th.-Macbeth. 7th.-Stranger.
-Richelieu. 10th.-Henry IV., Oakley.

8th.-Wolsey. 9th.

January 11th.-Dined with Mr. and Mrs. Pollock* and dear Miss Herries, whom I like so much. Met Kenneth Macaulay,

* Now Sir Frederick and Lady Pollock: at No. 21, Torrington Square. The print of Macready was that engraved from Thorburn's miniature, and published by Holloway in 1844-ED.

the handsome boy, now a fine, lusty, middle-aged man. A pleasing, cheerful day. Saw my print in the drawing-room, a welcome in itself!

January 13th.-Lear. 14th.-Werner. 15th.-Shylock.

16th.-Acted Virginius, for the last time, as I have scarcely ever-no, never-acted it before; with discrimination, energy, and pathos exceeding any former effort. The audience were greatly excited. Called.

Wrote to Forster, inclosing him "the part" of Virginius and the parchment I have always used in the second act, in the performance of the character. I was deeply impressed by the reflection that in this character-which has seemed one of those exclusively my own, which has been unvaryingly powerful in its effects upon my audience since the first night, in 1820, when I carried them by storm, when Richard Jones came round from the front of the theatre, Covent Garden, into our dressing-room and, laying his hand on my shoulder, exclaimed, "Well, my dear boy, you have done it now!"-that I should never appear in this again--and now I have done it, and done with it! I was much affected during the evening, very much, something with a partial feeling of sorrow at parting with an old friend, for such this character has been to me, and, alas! no trace of it remains. The thought, the practice, the deep emotion conjured up, the pictures grouped so repeatedly throughout the work, live now only in memory. Alas! for the player who really has made his calling an art, as I can stand up before all men and say I have done!

January 15th.-Dined with Justice Coleridge, to meet the Wordsworth Memorial Sub-Committee. Before dinner, whilst looking at some Christmas books, I asked, Have you seen Ruskin's Christmas Book? It is charming. "Indeed." "Oh!"

I went on, "it is a most delightful book." Mr. J. Coleridge observed, "Do not you know him? This is Mr. Ruskin." And I was introduced. I like the family very much, and passed a pleasant, cheerful day. Robertson was there. Boxall and Manby called in at lodgings.

January 20th.-Cassius. 21st.-Henry IV., Oakley.

22nd.-Acted Iago with a vigour and discrimination that I have never surpassed, if ever equalled. I do not think I ever acted it so powerfully.

That last performance of Iago was, in my mind, a commentary on the text, an elucidation and opening out of the profound conception of that great creative mind, that almost divine intelligence, Shakespeare, which has not been given before in the inward feeling of the part: the selfishness, sensuality, and delight in the exercise of his own intellectual power I have never seen in Cooke or Young, nor read of in Henderson, as being so developed. I don't believe from what I saw of them that they penetrated beyond the surface of the part, which they displayed cleverly enough, and effectively. But what is the difference to an audience?