p. 106

27.
her. But that simple scene that countenance
not to speak irreverently surrounded as it were
by a halo of divinity made that first impression
one of love of country. The instincetive princi-
ple of human nature felt by "saint by savage
or by sage" was thus kindled in the youthful
heart ; the sparks of an early patriotism that
till that heart ceases to bear will ever glow with
the warm inspiration. I trust that those who
may peruse these desultory recollections will
pardon the ebuillition of feelings so highly tinted
with native sentiment or even exaggerated
coloring as may be sneeringly hinted ; but the
picture to the ardent American is suggestive and
the digression is pardonable. I may add that
the majestic blandness of that face and mien
where so many ennobling human attributes were
centered can only be concentrated in the mind
by the genius of a Michael Angelo "A combi-
nation and a form indeed where every God did
seem to set his seal to give the world assurance
of a man." This was our Washington nay it
is yet our Washington for his spirit is ever
present in our midst and memory will ever
be impressed on the hearts of his grateful
countrymen.

It however Sir Joshua Reynolds conceived
the unique notion of descending in notoriety to
posterity on the hem of the robe of Mrs. Sid-
dens by portraying her as the "Tragic Muse"
what fame may be claimed for Stuart's chef
d'oeuvre in his portrait of "the Father of his
Country ?" echo answers--everlasting ! Its
truthful illustration of a great subject of our
history must ever speak to the thoughts and
reflections of mankind in characters of living light.

The east stage box in the South street theatre
was fitted up expressly for the reception of Gen.
Washington. Over the front of the box was the
United States coat of arms ; red drapery was
gracefully festooned in the interior and about
the exterior. The seats and front were cushioned.
Mr. Wignell in a full dress of black hair pow-
dered and adjusted to the formal fashion of
the day with two silver candlesticks and wax
candles would thus await the general's arrival
at the box door entrance and with great re-
finement of address and courtly manners con-
duct this best of public men and suite to his box.
A guard of the military attended. A soldier
was generally posted at each stage door ; four
were posted in the gallery assisted by the high
constable of the city and other police officers to
preserve something like decorum amongst the
sons of social liberty who as Lingo says in the
dramatic sketc of "Lingo's travels" in speak-
ing of American notions of independence--
"The very babes nursing on their mothers' laps
are fed with liberty and pap."

The high constable of that day was old
Carlisle being a man of some mark in the then
municipal department of our city. His official
importance and personne deserves among the
things of other days some notice however
laconic. Carlise was a man of gigantic frame
and a terror to all evil doers. His personal ap-
pearance was highly imposing--with his her-
culean figure he combined a woman's count-
nance of the Dentatus style. His dress was

always of the most respectable quality and cut
of the day viz : Black velvet coat flapped wasit-
coat black velvet small clothes silver knee and
and shoe buckles a three-cornered cocked-hat
hair dressed a la mode and a large black cane
in hand surmounted with a silver head where-
on the arms of Pennsylvania were engraved.
Thus equipped ever followed by a Newfound-
land dog of great beauty and formidable pro-
portions this remarkable civic officer presented
a tout ensemble of authority which commanded
respect for the laws almost through the medium
of his apparent personnal dignity which if it did
not create a dread at least inspired a kind of
admiration. With all this array of civil and
millitary power and preventive police regulations
it was sometimes a matter of difficulty to keep
the house in reasonable order. As soon as the
curtain was down the gods in the galleries would
throw apples nuts bottles and glasses on the
stage and into the orchestra. That part of the
house being always crowded it was hard to dis-
cover the real perpetrators. It seemed as if
each person had the attribute of Briareus scat-
tering with a hundred hands the missiles in
their mischievous freaks. Vociferating with
stentorian lung "Carlisle's March" "Cherry
Charlotte's Jig" "Mother Brown's Retreat."
These were the names of notorious characters
with their slang and flash appellations as given
by the rowdies of that day.

This season although it started with fair
propects eventually proved a failure. Theatri-
cals at this time were exceedingly dull. There
was a sensible declination in the nightly re-
ceipts--the houses were beggarly. It was
during this period that Mr. John Martin of New
York made his first appearance as Young Nor-
val in the play of "Douglas." He was favor-
ably received and became a member of the
company for the balance of his life. He did
not live to grow old in the profession--which
from its precarious career may be deemed in
many instances a fortunate result. Martin died
young. He never rose above mediocrity
although he was always useful.

The season closed in the South street theatre
in the month of July 1790 and our diary says
the company proceeded to their old quarters in
John street New York being a better theatrical
town at this time. However the business fell
off there. Things theatrical were now daily
getting worse. Difficulties in the company
arose and in the managerial cabinet and as a
consequence of all these results the institution
and its professors measurably depreciated in
public esteem.

CHAPTER XV.
The season of 1790-'91--New American plays produced--
Secession of Wignell and Mr. and Mrs. Morris--First
idea of establishing a new theater--The reason--Injudi-
cious policy of Hallam & Henry--The American school
of acting--Wignell and Henry as rivals repair to Eng-
land to engage actors--Rise of the Chesnut street theatri-
val project.

In the fall of 1790 Messrs. Hallam & Henry
made sounding preparations for the ensuing
campaign at the theatre in Southwark. They
collected their scattered forces and when fully
organized opened with a bright horison "not
a cloud flitting in the theatrical sky" as poor
Charles Gilbert used to say when at New York
engaging actors for his southern circuit. If a

performer who was thus applied to expressed
a doubt in relation to his success he would re-
ply accompanied by one of his very peculiar
shrewd looks through his spectacles and with
a not unpleasing German accent "Vy sir the
theatrical sky ish clear not a cloud so big as
spheck hovers over my theatres--the prospects
are brilliant. Take a glass of ine sir--I'll
give you ten dollars more than any other man-
ager on the continent--take a cigar sir--prime
--smoke--reflect--here sir are the articles--
sign sir and sup with me this evening at
Charley Irishes or Oliver Morses." The deed
was generally executed as well as the refectory
portion of the proposition.

The South street theatre was opened on the
8th of December 1790 wit the plays of the
"Clandestine Marriage" and "Who's the Dupe ?"

Among the names of the company engaged
during the season appear Messrs. Martin Ham-
mond Vaughan Robinson and Mons. Andre ;
Mrs. Durnag Mrs. Gee and Mrs. Wilson.

Mr. Dunlap's play of "The Father or Ameri-
can Shandyism" was brought out on the 26th
of January with success. "The Recess or the
Masked Apparition" revised and altered by a
citizen of Philadelphia was played on the 25th
of April for Hallam's benefit. The plot was
taken from the Spanish of Don Pedro Calderon
de la Barca--El Esconido y la Tapada--"The
Hidden Man and the Veiled Woman."

"The Widow of Malabat or the Tyranny of
Custom" by Trumbull was acted February 9th
1791. Mr. Robinson a member of the com-
pany brought out for his benefit on the 27th
of June "Constitutional Follies" a comedy
written by himself.

The following English pieces were performed
during this season for tfirst time : Mrs.
Cowley's comedy "More Ways Than One ;"
"Patie and Roger" a pastoral altered by Mr.
Tickle from AAAAAllan Ramsay's composition ; "Isa-
bella or the Fatal Marriage ;" "The Gallery of
Portraits or The World As It Goes" first time
in America ;" "The Chances" as altered by
Garrick from Beaumont and Fletcher ; "The
Little Hunchback" by O'Keefe first time in
America ; "Neck or Nothing" by Garrick ;
"The Toy" a comedy ; "Seeing is Believing ;"
"The Dramatist" May 26th for the benefit of
M. Wignell.

The season closed about the first of July 1791.
During the month of June in order to keep the
place cool two fire engines were employed
daily to play on the roof and against the walls.

At the end of the season happened an event
which had a disastrous effect upon the subse-
quent history of the old American company.
Mr. Wignell seceded Mr. and Mrs. Morris going
with him. This occurrence may be deemed the
dividing event wch separates the records of
the ancient or original founders from the more
modern stage history of this continent. Then
happened the final dissolution of that sharing
scheme of principal actors first projected at
London in 1752--a kind of a republic in ad-
vance to be first tried in the new world by the
"mimic world" and we think that the professors
of the stage should plume themselves on a call-
ing which in its internal and business transac-