of this nature, thus speaks of the birth and theatrical career of our English Roscius →→→

David Garrick (says he) was born in the city of Hereford, and baptized, as appears by the regis ter in the church of All Souls, on the 20th of February, 1716. He was the granson of Monsieur Garrick, a merchant in France, who, on the revocation of the edict of Nants, fled to England, with other emigrants, and settled in the city. His son, Peter Garrick, obtained a captain's commission in the army, and was the father of our great English actor. He had fixed his residence at Litchfield, but happened, in the above year, to be on a recruiting party at Hereford, and his wife was brought to bed at that place. She was the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Clough, one of the vicars in Litchfield cathedral. It appears that Captain Garrick soon after that time sold his commission, snd retired on half-pay. He continued his residence at Litchfield, managing his slender income with strict œconomys a man of pleasing manners, and much respected by the best families in the neighbourhood. He trained up his son David with the tenderest care, and sent him, when ten years of age, to the grammar-school, under the tuition of Mr. Hunter, who, we are told was an odd mixture of the pedant and sportsman. His young pupil did not apply with diligence to his learning-lively, brisk, and volatile, he played all his little pranks, and to him serious attention was downright drudgery. He soon discovered a turn for mimickry: the stroling actors, who at times visited Litchfield, kindled in his young mind au early love of theatrical performances. What he admired, he soon wished to put in practice; and, with that view, engaged a set of his school-fellows to undertake their several parts in a comedy. He was now the manager of a company. The Recruiting Officer was his favorite play. Having drilled

his young performers by frequent rehearsals, the play was acted before a select audience in the year 727. Garrick was then eleven years old. He appeared in the character of Serjeant Kite, and, it is said, acquitted himself with great humour. This was a prelude to the fame that lay in wait for him

a prognostic of our future Roscius. In 1729, or 1730, our young actor was sent to his uncle, a thriving wine-merchant at Lisbon; but being found too volatile for a counting-house, he returned home in the following year. His father placed him once more under the care of Mr. Hunter, where his vivacity was superior to serious application. But a lad of his parts was sure to glean and snatch a great deal of school learning. It happened that in the year 1735 the celebrated Samuel Johnson, a native of Litchfield, formed a design to open an academy for classical education. He was encouraged to pursue his plan by Gilbert Walmsley, register of the ccclesiastical court, a man of erudition, and an active generous friend. By his advice Johnson gave notice, by public advertisement, that—

"At Edial, near Litchfield, in Staffordshire, young gentlemen were boarded, and taught the Latin and Greek languages, by

"SAMUEL JOHNSON."

Garrick, at that time turned of eighteen, was consigned to Johnson; seven or eight more were all that embraced the opportunity to complete their education. Garrick began to apply himself to the classics, but the master of the academy grew tired of his undertaking-the servile task of inculcating the rules of grammar and syntax gave him digust. Having remained in his vocation about a year, he resolved to abandon it altogether. He loitered for some months in his native place, wishing for an ampler scene, and meditating he knew not what

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prodigious things; like the sportsman described by Virgil, who is tired of pursuing game, and wishes

for a nobler chace:

Spumantemque dari pecori inter inertia votis
Optat aprum, aut sulvum descendere monte leonem,

Garrick at the same time was weary of his situation in a country town. He longed for a more splendid scene, where he might enlarge his views. He and Johnson exchanged sentiments, and resolved on an expedition to the metropolis.

Mr. Walmsley was consulted on the occasion.He had a regard for young Garrick, and wishing that he should complete his education, wrote to Mr. Colson, a celebrated mathematician, at that time master of the school at Rochester, requesting that he would take the pupil, whom he recommended in strong terms, under his tuition. He says of Garrick" He is a very sensible young man, and a good scholar; of a sober and good disposition, and as ingenious and promising a young man as ever I knew in my life." It appears that Mr. Colson was willing to comply with his friend's request, and accordingly Garrick and Johnson set off for London on the 2nd of March, 1737. The precise day is ascertained by Mr.Walmsley's second letter of that date, in which he says, "Garrick, and another neighbour of mine, one Mr. Samuel Johnson, set out this morning for London together. Davy Garrick will be with you early in the next week, and Mr. Johnson goes to try his fate with a tragedy, and to see to get himself employed in some translation from the Latin or the French."

With this recommendation, the two friends sallied out to seek their fortunes. The city of Litchfield had the honor of sending forth in one day the two greatest geniuses in their different walks, that have been known in modern times. Garrick

was entered a student of Lincoln's Inn on the 9th of March, 1737, but his finances.did not enable him to pursue that profession. Nor did he remove to Rochester, to place himself under Mr. Colson. About the end of the year, his uncle arrived from Lisbon, with intent to settle in London. His design was frustrated by a fit of illness, which in a short time put an end to his days. He left his nephew David 1000l. and to each of his brothers and sisters the sum of 500l. Upon this event, Garrick had recourse to Mr. Colson, and remained several months under that gentleman's patronage. During his stay at Rochester, his father, Captain Garrick, died of a lingering illness, and his wife did not survive him above a year. They left three sons, Peter the eldest, David and George, and, beside them, two daughters. David Garrick took his leave of Mr. Colson, and returned to the metropolis. Sublime geometry had no attraction for him whose ruling passion was the dramatic art. The law was likewise too dry a study—the briars and brambles of that science deterred him from thinking any more of Lincoln's Inn. Peter, his eldest brother, had entered into the business of a wine-merchant, and in 17.38, David was induced to enter into partnership. The famous Samuel Foote used to say, "He remembered Garrick living in Durham yard, with three quarts of vinegar in the cellar, calling himself a wine-merchant!" It is certain, however, that he served all the houses in the neighbourhood of the two play-houses, and at those places was a member of different clubs with the actors of the time. He loved to indulge in a vein of criticism on the several performers, and, to illustrate his remarks, he mounted the table, and displayed those talents for mimickry, for which he has been much celebrated in the character of Bayes.

From this time the profession of an actor was the object of his ambition. The stage, at that period, was in a low condition. Macklin had played Shylock with applause, and Quin was, bez yond all doubt, a most excellent performer. Mrs. Pritchard and Mrs. Woffington shone in genteel comedy, and Mrs. Clive made the province of humour entirely her own-she deserved to be called the COMIC MUSE. And yet the drama was sunk to the lowest ebb: in tragedy, declamation roared in a most unnatural strain--rant was passion— whining was grief-vociferation was terror-and drawling accents were the voice of love. Comedy was reduced to farce and buffoonery. Garrick saw that nature was banished from the stage, but he' flattered himself that he should be able to revive a better taste, and succeed by the truth of iimitation. He was, in consequence, now resolved to launch into the theatrical world, and accordingly, in the beginning of 1740, he dissolved partnership with his brother, Peter Garrick. He passed the remainder of the year in preparation for his great design-he studied the best characters of Shakespeare and of our comic writers with all his attention but at last he was frightened by the difficulties that stood in his way. A new school of acting was to be established, and the attempt, he was aware, would be called innovation. He shrunk back, not being sure of his own power. But the impulse of nature was not to be resisted-his genius drove him on. His friend, Mr. Giffard, was the manager of the theatre in Goodman's fields. Garrick consulted him, and, by his advice, de termined to make an experiment of himself at a country theatre. The scheme was settled, and they both set out for the city of Ipswich, where, in the summer of 1741, there was a regular company of comedians. Garrick's diffidence was still so