indeed, the first amusement of my thoughts in my school-boy cell. "But I did not easily yield to their representations. Among various considerations that deterred me, none of the least was the fewness of our London Theatres, and what I esteem to be the consequence, the paucity of good actors, a circumstance that places every dramatic writer, particularly every writer of tragedy, at the foot, and dependent on the fallible judgment of a few persons, probably of a single individual. When I wrote works of a different value from this, I encountered criticism, censure, political and party hostility in their bitterest style. But it was in the power of none of these to stifle me in the bud. In the two novels I have published, it was my fortune at different times, and from different persons, to hear the most unqualified censure, long before it was possible for me to hear the voice of the public. But my temper was not altered, nor my courage subdued. I went on, and you are acquainted with the result. It is not in all the power of individual criticism, censure, or even party hostility (which has nothing to do in the present case) to stop an author in his progress to the public. If he will be content to incur the risque, the literary condemnation, or political prosecution, the press is always accessible to him. "But so is not the stage. You have in your single breast to decide upon the fate of what Milton calls the most consummate act of an author's fidelity and ripeness.' "You, sir, stand upon the present occasion in the situation of a licencer of the press, and will you not allow me to say that, in a man exercising so awful a responsibility, it is necessary to the most perfect integrity, to add great candour, great forbearance, and a consummate spirit of toleration ? "Tragic writers are not the growth of every summer. It depends upon you, sir, more than upon any man in this country, to decide whether, if talents for that species of writing arise among us, they shall be permitted to be exercised. If Racine had not been allowed to exhibit his 'Thebaide,' he would probably never have produced his 'Iphigenia' and his 'Phœdra.' This is not a meries of mancare n vid de rost an uke down different commcdices frm is stef he has suited the partialities of For myself if I me any propensity to this species dé composition. I monot book in the prospect now opened before me without sanddering -You anticipate in the appliance of all this eager, but I hope not mentemarke, expostulation. The truth must be spoken though with modesty, yet imness. The play can have no justice done in less the character of Antonio be in your hands. By how much the bolder is the pencil with which I have pourtrayed him, by how much the nearer I have suffered his character to border upon what has scarcely a precedent, by so much the more does he require the support of an eminent performer. Conceive what the tragedy of the Revenge' would be, with Mr Barrymore in the character of Zanga! "You have often made sacrifices to the arrangements and conduct of the Theatre. You have often made sacrifices to the claims, perhaps the just claims of authors, living and dead. You will do this again and again. Good God! if you were to personate no characters, but such as were precisely and eminently the favourites of your choice, what havoc would you make in the list of acting plays hung up at your theatre! It is not much that I ask from you. It is little to you, it is everything to me. If I am right in my conception of 'Antonio,' it will add to your reputation. If you are right, the appearing for a single night in a character that does no honour to your abilities will certainly, at the same time, inflict no lasting injury on your professional fame. "Excuse the earnestness and freedom of this address. My solicitude to secure your performance of my character, is the highest compliment I can pay to your dramatic excellence. The sanguine temper with which I have enforced my appeal, is the strongest proof I can give of the high opinion I entertain of your manliness and candour.” Kemble's objections, though not removed, were over KEMBLE ON THE FREE LIST. 47 ruled, the play was put in rehearsal, and the rehearsals were attended by Godwin's friend, Mr Tobin, in the hope that he might be supposed the author of the piece. The following letter shows that Godwin was not without his grave anxieties, although 'Antonio' was cast as he had desired. 7. P. Kemble to William Godwin. "No. 89 GREat Russell STREET, BLOOMSBURY SQUARE. "December 9th, 1800. "MY DEAR Sir, I will not advertize any Play beyond Monday, depend on it, since you wish I should not. As to next week's being eminently unfavourable to the Theatre, whoever told you so was eminently ignorant of what he pretended to know. The week in which I acted the 'Haunted Tower,' was said to be eminently unfavourable to the Theatre, so was the week in which I acted the 'Siege of Belgrade,' and the 'School for Scandal,' and 'Pizarro.' The two most successful pieces that ever were acted were both presented to the Public in the End of May, a time of all others the most eminently unfavourable to the Theatre. There is no time unfavourable to a work of real merit, with Judges so good, so unbiassed, and considerately kind, as generally compose the Audiences in London. "As to Orders, pray use your own Discretion about the number of Friends you wish to send into the Boxes or Gallery for your Support, but into the Pit no Orders are ever admitted from any person whatsoever. I never wrote an Order for the Pit in my life. Having told you this, now let me tell you, that, if you take my Advice, you will not send an Order at all into the theatre on the first night. I am perfectly convinced that I have seen many a piece expire at its first Appearance, that might have lived to a good old age, if it had not been smothered in the Birth by the over-officiousness of injudicious Friends,-Yours truly, "J. P. KEMBLE." The epilogue was written by C. Lamb, and is printed among his collected works. C. Lamb to William Godwin. "Wednesday morning [Dec. 11.] "DEAR SIR,-I expected a good deal of pleasure from your company to-morrow, but I am sorry I must beg of you to excuse me. I have been confined ever since I saw you with one of the severest colds I ever experienced, occasioned by being in the night air on Sunday, and on the following day, very foolishly. I am neither in health nor spirits to meet company. I hope and trust I shall get out on Saturday night. You will add to your many favours, by transmitting to me as early as possible as many tickets as conveniently you can spare,-Yours truly, C. L. "I have been plotting how to abridge the Epilogue. But I cannot see that any lines can be spared, retaining the connection, except these two, which are better out. The play was presented on Saturday, December 13th, and damned finally and hopelessly. Godwin's Diary was as usual almost passionless, though the rare underlining represents that he was more moved than was his wont. The entry for the day runs thus: "13. Sa. Captain Acts 3, 4, 5: Heptameron, p. 227. Helena, wife to Gusman, and sister to Antonio, Mrs Siddons. “A prologue and epilogue were spoken by Mr C. Kemble and Miss Heard-both productions well suited to the piece, too bad to pass without censure except when they pass without observation."--Morning Post, Dec. 15th, 1800. Kemble's final letter on the subject was written next day. J. P. Kemble to Godwin. "No. 89 GREAT RUSSEL STREET Bloomsbury Square, "December 14th, 1800. “MY DEAR SIR,—I wish with all my heart we had been more successful. I told Mrs Siddons as you desired me, that the Play was your Composition, and will do your present Commission to her. I do assure you I thought nothing of any Trouble I took on your account, for I am very much yours,-J. P. KEMBLE." At supper at Lamb's after the Play, it was decided to publish immediately, and Lamb took the MS. home for revision. The verbal criticism which accompanied the following letter has now no interest, unless it be these few lines— “Enviable' is a very bad word. I allude to Enviable right to bless us.' For instance, Burns, comparing the ills of manhood with the state of infancy, says, 'Oh! enviable early days;' here 'tis good, because the passion lay in comparison. Excuse my insulting your judgment with an illustration. I believe I only wanted |