Part 19
The year 1785 produced the agitation of a singular problem, which has never yet been solved. While an actor of abilities performs upon the two Stages of Drury-lane and Covent-garden under the patents of the proprietors of those Theatres (as I have before observed), the courtesy of the world, or their own pretensions, dignifies them with the appellations of Gentlemen and even Esquires; but let the same men only step on the stage of a theatre opened without a patent or licence, and he instantly becomes a rogue and vagabond. At the time alluded to, the late Mr. Palmer, an excellent comedian, supported by a large subscription, determined to erect a new Theatre near Wellclose-square for the performance of plays, as at the established houses, without having first obtained a patent or licence; and, however astonishing it may appear, he actually completed the house, and obtained several of the higher rank of performers from the two Theatres. The event might have been anticipated: when every thing was in readiness to receive the publick, Palmer became a _rogue and vagabond_; and as such the persons engaged deserted his _company_. He struggled, remonstrated, and at length went to prison. Since that period the Theatre at Wellclose-square remains a _memento_ of rashness and folly, used only at intervals through the indulgence of the Magistracy, by Astley and others, for the representation of dances, burlettas, serious ballets, and pantomimes.
A most extraordinary occurrence in the affairs of the Stage marked the year 1789; which was Mr. Macklin's _attempt_ to perform the character of Shylock at the age of _ninety_.
The Theatre of Drury-lane was generally supposed at that time to have arrived at a period of decay, which rendered the safety of a crowded audience at least problematical. The proprietors therefore determined to rebuild it on an enlarged and magnificent plan; and for this purpose they hired the new Opera-house in the Haymarket for theatrical performances in 1791, while their own Theatre was in progress; and an advance in the prices of admission of 6_d._ in the pit and 1_s._ in the boxes took place, as it was said, to reimburse the extraordinary expences of the measure.
The following account of the operations attending the re-building appeared in one of the public papers of the time.
"One of the corner-stones of the new Drury-lane Theatre was laid on Tuesday September 4, 1792, and, as usual, some coins of the present day were deposited under it. The principal foundation stone will be laid in a few days, and it is said that a grand procession will appear at the ceremony of it.
"The articles which follow concerning this Theatre, we can vouch for being correct: and the curious, as well as those who are theatrically inclined, will be glad to read them.
"The delay in the building of this new Theatre, which was originally intended to have been finished by the opening of the ensuing season, has been occasioned partly from Mr. Sheridan's mind having been long employed in performing the last mournful duties of a husband; and from a dispute in the purchase of the dormant patent belonging to Covent-garden Theatre, on which security the money for the new building was to be advanced. Mr. Harris had agreed with Mr. Sheridan for the price of this patent at 15,000_l._
"The old Theatre was pulled down, and the money offered to be paid for the patent, when it occurred that there were other persons necessary to be consulted, who had a property in it. Mr. White, who had married a Miss Powell, had a quarter share of the patent; and when the assignment of it was offered him to be signed, he objected, and said he would not sell his share under 5000_l._
"Here then was a difficulty which had never been thought of. The old Drury was pulled down, and the money for the new House was not to be advanced without the patent. What was to be done? There was much cavilling on both sides; and the dispute had the appearance of being drawn into Chancery, to compel Mr. White to sell. All this time Mr. Sheridan was paying 5_l. per cent._ interest for the first payment that had been advanced for the new building, which was laying idle; his present Theatre in the Haymarket was filling every night with new Proprietors' tickets; and he was paying a heavy ground-rent to the Duke of Bedford. This was a ruinous business,--and at length Mr. Sheridan concluded a bargain a few days since at the price of 20,000_l._ for the dormant patent. It is believed that had he employed his usual _finesse_ in the management of this affair, as well as in the dear bargain he made for the Haymarket Theatre, he might have saved himself full 20,000_l._; for he has been likewise outwitted in the agreement he entered into with Mr. Taylor, which we shall speak of to-morrow.
"The new Drury, however, now proceeds; and Mr. Holland has declared he will have the Theatre covered in by the month of January next. The plan is extremely magnificent, and will afford the most ample accommodation. It is almost a square. A very grand piazzi will be built round three sides of it, over which will be setts of chambers. The Theatre will be insulated, as there are to be streets all round it. An opening is to be cut from Bridges-street into Drury-lane, through Vinegar-yard; and as the Theatre will extend to Drury-lane, there will be on one side Brydges-street, on the other Russell-street, the third Drury-lane, and on the fourth, the street through Vinegar-yard. Thus will there be avenues on all sides; and then can the Theatre be emptied of its company in the space of a quarter of an hour, a convenience which is much required.
"The money raised for this building is 150,000_l._ payable in three instalments.--60,000_l._ of this is to pay off the mortgagees on the old Theatre----80,000_l._ is allotted for the new building, and 10,000_l._ for contingent expences. The mode of raising this money is by an annuity of 100 years at 5 _per cent._ and a free admission for every subscription of 500_l._ which already bears a premium of 5_l. per cent._"
The Theatre is completed; but the East and West ends remain in a state of ruin, which must be injurious to the walls and foundations. The sides are faced with stone, and ornamented with pediments; and an unfinished colonnade protects the audience from rain, while waiting for admission; or their carriages are drawn before the doors on retiring from the amusements of the evening. A description of the interior is in a great measure unnecessary, and would be difficult to comprehend: the shape is that of the lyre, as indeed are all our present Theatres, and the decorations appear very splendid, though they are nothing more than plain boards well painted in relief; in short, the silvered pillars, and the beams, and the outward walls, are the only _substantial_ parts of the building; and yet the effect is wonderfully magnificent, and far superior to Covent-garden Theatre, which underwent great enlargements, but in my opinion no improvements, at least in effect, about the time Drury-lane was completed.
The ensuing particulars were given in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1794: "New Drury-lane Theatre contains in the pit 800 persons; whole range of boxes 1828; two shilling gallery 675; one shilling gallery 308; total 3611: amounting to 826_l._ 6_s._ There are eight private boxes on each side of the pit; 29 all round the first tier, and eleven _back front_ boxes; 29 all round the second tier, of which eleven are six seats deep; 10 on each side the gallery three tier; boxes in the cove nine each side. Diameter of the pit is 55 feet; opening of the curtain 43 feet wide; height of the curtain 38 feet; height of the house from the pit floor to the cieling 56 feet 6 inches."
The proprietors deserve every praise for the precautions they have taken to extinguish fire, by providing reservoirs of water in different parts of the building, and an iron curtain to drop between the audience and the stage. Whether those in the hurry of so dreadful a moment, would be of any real use, is a question which I sincerely hope will never be decided; I cannot, however, help observing that many large doors seem so obviously necessary in Theatres, that I dare not attempt to account for the diminutive size of the two through which the audience actually creep in the pit of Covent-garden Theatre. An alarm of fire in that house must end fatally, whether it spread, or was immediately extinguished[310:A].
The amusements of the present day are very confined: the two Theatres and the Opera for the winter, and the Haymarket for the summer, are the only _established_ places of entertainment; if the latter can be called such, which dares not open till May 15, and _must close_ by September 14. Astley is a veteran in scenic feats at his Amphitheatre and _Pavilion_; Sadler's wells is a more permanent establishment: and the Circus and Wellclose Theatre are mere _moderns_ in comparison; but these are literally Summer houses, as the proprietors are compelled to confine their performances to the period between Easter and October. There are other inferior places of resort opened at intervals, exclusive of the various Concerts; but few of which deserve notice.
FOOTNOTES:
[113:A] The ridiculous tricks mentioned in the "famous Dutch-woman's" bill of fare were permitted without reprehension. These will serve to shew how stationary the entertainments of this place are: six companies of rope-dancers coalesced. "You will see a wonderful girl of ten years of age who walks backwards up the sloping rope driving a wheelbarrow behind her; also you will see the great Italian Master, who not only passes all that has yet been seen upon the low rope, but he dances without a pole upon the head of a mast as high as the booth will permit, and afterwards stands upon his head on the same. You will be also entertained with the merry conceits of an Italian scaramouch, who dances on the rope with two children and a dog in a wheelbarrow, and a duck on his head."
[148:A] Flying Post, August 22, 1717.
[204:A] Shakspeare's Richard III.
[224:A] London Chronicle.
[227:A] The excessive crowd and pressure on those occasions provokes every passion of the human breast to their utmost extent; hence every petty dispute swells into a wide-spreading fray, and every little alarm becomes the source of horror and despair: a melancholy proof of this fact occurred in October 1807, at Sadler's-wells, when the words _a fight!_ were construed by certain terrified ladies into _fire!_ and, wonderful as it may appear, though neither light nor smoke were seen, nor was it scarcely possible a fire could happen in that Theatre, such are the precautions used by the managers, yet a phrensy took place in the gallery altogether unaccountable. The entreaties and despairing cries of the managers with speaking trumpets, that there was no fire, availed nothing: persons, regardless of their lives, threw themselves over into the pit; and eighteen died from pressure and suffocation on the gallery stairs: numbers, besides, will probably suffer long from their bruises. Every possible recompence has been made to their surviving friends by the Proprietors, who have prosecuted the wretches whose hateful tempers excited the terror, and given two _free_ benefits, the produce to be divided between those deprived of support by the unexpected death of their fathers or husbands. Indeed their conduct deserves the thanks of the publick.
[236:A] These veterans died within a year of each other; the latter in September 1806, aged 78: they were almost the last survivors of Garrick's school.
[236:B] This actor was sent a short time before to announce a Comedy for representation to the audience, and forgot the title; after pronouncing the word "called"--"called" several times, a tar vociferated "The Tempest;"--"True," said Obrien, "The Tempest."
[252:A] _The True-born Irishman_, written by Macklin.
[310:A] Both were reduced to ashes, Covent-garden at the close of 1808, and Drury-lane in the beginning of 1809, and _both accidentally_ without doubt.
CHAP. VIII.
ANECDOTES OF DRESS, AND OF THE CAPRICES OF FASHION.
To render past fashions as intelligible as possible, I beg leave to refer to the prints annexed; by which every remarkable change in male and female dress may be traced between 1700 and 1806.
The Ladies Bodice or Stays were sometimes made of silk, with black straps to fasten with buckles set with stones or false jewels.
The head had a covering called a Hood, and this was in the form that is now worn by old-fashioned people on the upper part of the Cloak: they were of satin, sarsnet, or velvet.
Ear-rings, and Girdles fastened by buckles, were common, as were coloured gowns lined with striped silks. Lady Anderson, whose house was robbed at a fire in Red Lion-square in 1700, lost one of this description of _orange_ damask lined with striped silk. The family of George Heneage, Esq. at the same time, and by the same casualty, lost "a _head_ with very fine looped lace of very great value, a Flanders laced Hood, a pair of double Ruffles and Tuckers; two laced Aprons, one point, the other Flanders lace; and a large black Scarf embroidered with gold."
At the same period the ladies wore Holland Petticoats, embroidered in figures with different-coloured silks and gold, with broad orrice at the bottom.
It may be inferred from the ensuing story that Wigs of delicate and beautiful hair, whether for the use of ladies or gentlemen, were in great demand, or highly valued, by some of our beaus or belles.
"An Oxfordshire Lass was lately courted by a young man of that country, who was not willing to marry her unless her friends could advance 50_l._ for her portion; which they being incapable of doing, the lass came to this City to try her fortune, where she met with a good chapman in the Strand, who made a purchase of her Hair (which was delicately long and light), and gave her _sixty pounds_ for it, being 20 ounces at 3_l. an ounce_; with which money she joyfully returned into the Country, and bought her a husband." _Protestant Mercury, July 10, 1700._
Admitting this tale to be a mere fabrication to fill the paper, it is by no means to be doubted that good Hair sold at 3_l. per_ ounce.
The Sword as one of the most reprehensible articles used in the dress of the gentlemen. It is undoubtedly an incumbrance to a well-bred man; but dangling by the side of an awkward person it becomes ridiculous, troublesome to himself, and intolerable to his neighbours. These observations apply only to the _absurdity_ of the custom: as a dangerous weapon ready on a sudden quarrel, humanity revolts against its use. The following notice from the Gazette of January 1, 1701, will shew, that Government was at least careful of the lives of that honourable set of gentlemen _ycleped_ Footmen who sported _their_ side-arms.
"By the Right Hon. Charles Earl of Carlisle, Earl Marshal of England during the minority of Thomas Duke of Norfolk. Whereas many mischiefs and dangerous accidents, tending not only to the highest breach of the peace, but also to the destruction of the lives of his Majesty's subjects, have happened and been occasioned by Footmen wearing of swords: for prevention of the like evil accidents and disturbances for the future, I do hereby order, that no Footman attending any of the nobility or gentry of his Majesty's realms shall wear any sword, hanger, _bayonet_, or other such like offensive weapon, during such time as they or any of them shall reside or be within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the liberties and precincts of the same, as they will answer the contrary hereof. Given under my hand, and the Seal of the Office of Earl Marshal of England, the 30th day of December, 1701, in the 13th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King William the Third of England, &c.
"CARLISLE, E. M."
Muffs were in use before the year 1700, but very different in shape and materials from those of the present day. What would a fashionable belle say to a Furrier, who should offer her one for sale made of the Leopard's skin? Yet such were worn in 1702.
In the same year it was customary to adorn the arm with Lockets, as they were then called. A large one is thus described in an advertisement as lost by a lady: "Striped with dark brown and fair hair, wrought like Camlet, the hair set in gold, over the hair a cypher of four letters, R. A. M. L. under a cut crystal, and set round with ten rose diamonds."
Diamond Stomachers adorned the ladies' breasts, which were composed of that valuable stone set in silver, and sewed in a variety of figures upon black silk; and they must be admitted to have been a brilliant, if not an elegant ornament.
The men imported the Campaign Wig from France. Those were made very full, were curled, and eighteen inches in length to the front, with drop locks. When _human_ hair was scarce, a little _horse_ hair supplied the place in the parts least in sight.
An advertisement issued in 1703 gives a whole-length portrait of the dress of a Youth in the middle rank of life. Such a figure would attract much wonder at present in the streets of London. "He is of a fair complexion, light-brown lank hair, having on a dark-brown frieze Coat, double-breasted on each side, with black buttons and button-holes; a light drugget Waistcoat, _red-shag Breeches striped with black stripes_, and _black_ Stockings."
Mourning Rings were used in 1703.
Satin Gowns were lined with Persian silk; and laced Kerchiefs, and Spanish leather Shoes, laced with gold, were common. To these the Ladies added bare breasts, with gold and other Crosses suspended on them.
The odd custom of setting little circular pieces of black silk on various parts of the female face, well known by the name of _Patches_ even in our enlightened days, prevailed to a most extravagant degree at the time I am now treating of: they then, as at present, varied in size, and were supported by their auxiliaries in elegance, frizzed and powdered _false Locks_, and emulated by the men's Sword-knots and black silk facings to their Coats.
The Ladies must indeed have exhibited a wonderful appearance in 1709: behold one equipped in a black silk Petticoat with a red and white calico border, cherry-coloured Stays trimmed with blue and silver, a red and dove-coloured damask Gown flowered with large trees, a yellow satin Apron trimmed with white Persian, and muslin Head-cloths with crowfoot edging, double Ruffles with fine edging, a black silk furbelowed Scarf, and a spotted Hood! Such were the clothes advertised as stolen in the Post-Boy of November 15. To cover all this finery from rain the fashionables had Umbrellas. The Female Tatler of December 12 says, "The young gentleman belonging to the Custom-house, that for fear of rain borrowed the _Umbrella_ at Will's Coffee-house in Cornhill of the _Mistress_, is hereby advertised that to be dry from head to foot on the like occasion he shall be welcome _to the Maid's pattens_;" which seems to imply that this useful invention was then considered as too effeminate for Men.
Sedans were in use at the same time; but I should imagine not generally, as the same writer describes a _City_ Lady rendered sick, and dislocating her neck, by being carried in one, and rising too suddenly.
The ridiculous long Wigs of 1710 were very expensive: one was advertised as stolen in that year, and said to be worth five guineas; and Duumvir's "fair Wig" in the Tatler, No. 54, "cost forty guineas." But, lest it should be supposed that the gentlemen _only_ were extravagant in decorating the _caput_, take the prices from the Lace-chamber on Ludgate-hill: "One Brussels head at 40_l._; one ground Brussels head at 30_l._; one looped Brussels head at 30_l._"
The Tatler ludicrously advertises "A Stage Coach as departing from Nando's Coffee-house for Mr. Tiptoe's Dancing-school every evening;" and adds the following: "N. B. Dancing-shoes not exceeding _four inches height in the heel_, and Perriwigs not exceeding _three feet in length_, are carried in the Coach-box _gratis_."
Those unfortunate persons who were born with golden tresses, and those who had lived to bear the silver locks of Time, and did not choose to carry the weight of the above tremendous wigs, were not without their _Tricosian fluid_; for Mr. Michon, goldsmith, informed them in 1710, that he had "found out" "a clear water," which would convert them into brown or black locks.
Mr. Bickerstaff notices the extreme nakedness of the ladies' breasts at this time; and casually mentions the beau's pearl-coloured stockings and _red_-topped shoes, fringed gloves, large wigs, and feathers in the hat.
A lady's Riding-dress was advertised for sale in the Spectator of June 2, 1711, "of blue Camblet well laced with silver; being a coat, waistcoat, petticoat, hat and feather." Another in 1712 mentions an _Isabella_ coloured _Kincob_ Gown, flowered with green and gold, a dark-coloured _cloth_ (probably linen) Gown and Petticoat with two silver orrices, a purple and gold _Atlas_ Gown; a _scarlet and gold_ Atlas Petticoat edged with silver, a wrought _Under_-petticoat edged with gold, a black velvet Petticoat; _Allejah_ Petticoat striped with green gold and white, a blue and silver silk Gown and Petticoat, a blue and gold Atlas Gown and Petticoat, and clogs laced with silver. These were the property of Mr. Peter Paggen of Love-lane near Eastcheap, brewer, who fined for Sheriff in 1712; and were probably the dresses of the females of his family. That _they_, or whoever wore such, were very gaudy, cannot be denied; but those rich coverings for the body were matched by the decorations of the head: if the hips had their scarlet, the seat of the understanding had its blue, yellow, pink, and green Hoods. The Spectator says, "When Melesinda wraps her head in _flame_ colour, her heart is set upon execution." The majority of these fashions were doubtlessly from France, as the same work describes a Parisian Doll imported by the Milliners; a custom most religiously continued during the rare intervals of peace between the two Countries.
To the above list of finery pray let me add Mrs. Beale's loss in 1712. "A green silk knit Waistcoat with gold and silver flowers _all over it_, and _about fourteen_ yards of gold and silver _thick_ lace on it. And a Petticoat of rich strong flowered satin red and white, _all in great_ flowers or leaves, and _scarlet_ flowers with _black specks_ brocaded in, _raised high like Velvet or Shag_." Surely if James I. had seen this Waistcoat and Petticoat, he would have sadly abused his two subjects who wore them; they even set the Stomachers of Queen Bess at defiance, except that they are deficient in _Jewelry_. And in 1714 Mr. John Osheal had the misfortune to be robbed of "a scarlet cloth Suit, laced with broad gold lace, lined and faced with blue; a fine cinnamon cloth Suit with plate buttons, the Waistcoat fringed with a silk fringe of the same colour, and a rich _yellow_ flowered satin morning Gown lined with a cherry-coloured satin, with a pocket on the right side."