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Chapter LVI

The spring season of 1818, at the Olympic, under Caldwell.
Entwisle & Pepin--Caldwell: His arrival in the United
States: Engaged with Holman at Charleston--Riot at
the Charleston theatre on Caldwell's account--Holman--
Miss Holman, afterwards Mrs. Gilfert: Her death--
Caldwell becomes a manager, with Entwisle, at Wash-
ington and Alexandria--Philip Trajetta--Combination
of Caldwell d Entwisle at Baltimore, with Pepin: They
come to Philadelphia--The season--Dissolution of the
firm of Caldwell, Entwisle de Pepin--Entwisle de Pepin
form a new firm--Entwisle sails to Europe to procure
actors.

The Olympic theatre, in the spring of 1818,
was destined to undergo a change of govern-
ment, by combination of the Alexandria
and Washington theatrical corps, under the
leadership of Messrs. James H. Caldwell and
James Entwisle, with Pepin's equestrian com-
pany. Herewith we give the proem to their
opening:

OLYMPIC

The citizens of Philadelphia are respectfully informed
that preparations are making for opening the Olympic
theatre, corner of Walnut and Ninth streets. Peculiarly
adapted as this theatre is for the exhibition of spectacle,
a coalition has taken place between Mr. Pepin and Messrs.
Caldwell and Entwisle, under whose management it will be
conducted. During the season, it is the intention to pro-
duce, in a style of splendour and magnificence never
equalled in this, and which, they presume, has not been
surpassed in any other theatre, several spectacle melo-
dramas, in which all the horses will be actively employed.
The theatre will open on Thursday, 16th April, 1818.
Pieces in preparation: "Marmion," "Tekeli" "Forty
Thieves" "Lodoiska" &c., &c.

Under this arrangement the house opened on
above night, with an appropriate address
by Mr. Caldwell. This was his first essay in
Philadelphia as a manager and actor. "Three
and the Deuce" was selected for the purpose of
introducing Caldwell as The Three Singles. The
three in one he acted very cleverly. But Duff
had played it first. Had Elliston himself re-
presented teh part, it would have been difficult
to have removed the impression that Duff had
created upon the audience of our plain city.
Equestrian performances, by Pepin's corps, in-
tervened. "Tekeli" aided by the qeustrians
and their horses, gave imposing effects in the
military scenes. The "brave Hungarians"
were as popular then as now. The mimic scene
created as lively an enthusiasm as the real bat-
tle fields of that heroic nation did recently.
The house was very good. The performances
went off smoothly, and everything augured
fair success. As Mr. Caldwell is a new cha-
racter in our narrative, we crave room in order to
sketch his cis-Atlantic career up to this point.

At the conclusion of the war of 1812, as it is
called, Mr. Joseph George Holman, a contem-
porary of the best and brightest actors of the
London theatres for twenty-six years, was in
this country. It had been said that he main-
tained a proud rivalship with Kemble. This
must be deemed friendship's eulogy. It could
not have been so; yet, he ranked with the first
actors of the London boards. His Lord Townly
for easy dignity, courtly good breeding, and
unaffefected g entlemanly deportment, without
ostentatious display, will long be remembered
as a most impressive piece of acting. Holman
was a scholar, and distinguished as the polished
gentleman of the private circle. His talents
and rare acquirements adopted to the profession.
He was a sprig of nobility, or a descendant of
Sir John Holman, Bart., and received the hon-
ors of Oxford University. He had played Ham-
let in a private theatre, at the college, during
his matriculations, before David Garrick, who

was pleased to commend it highly. This cir-
cumstance, doubtless, was the cause of his be-
coming an actor, his success on that occasion
having fired his young ambition. We have
heard him relate these matters, and he said
that, if he had his life to go over, he would se-
lected the law for his career, because that profes-
sion leads, in most countries, to the highest
social and political distinction. He was known
in England as one of the "Glorious Eight"
Eight of the chief performers had entered into
a compact to resist a high-handed measure
adopted by the manager and principle proprie-
tor of Covent Garden theatre, and were thus
styled by other actors who approvied of the
combination. Mr. Holman made his first ap-
pearance in London, As Romeo, in 1784, with
success. He arrived in this country in 1812,
accompanied by his accomplished and amiable
daughter, who was afterwards the wife of
Charles Gilfert, the musician and founder of
the Bowery theatre--a union that was most
strenuously opposed by Mr. Holman. Peace
being proclaimed between England and the
United States, things were restored to their for-
mer quiet and prosperous condition. The
Charleston theatre being without a tenant, (Mr.
Placide, the previous lessee, was then deceased)
Holman leased it, and opened it in the latter
part of the fall of [?] acting through the win-
ter with great success. The company consisted
of the following ladies and gentlemen: Mr.
Leigh Waring, stage manager; Mr. Tyler, an
old and respected member of the New York
theatre; Mr. Charles Young; Mr. Thomas Hil-
son, afterward teh well known comedian of the
Park theatre; Mr. Lindsey, Mr. Horton, Mr. Cross, Charles Durange, James Fennell, Jr.,
Legg; Mr. West, scene painter; Mr. Drummond,
McDonald &c.; Mesdames Gilfert, Young,
Waring, (formerly Mrs. Caroline Placide, and
now Mrs. W.R. Blake,) Miss Haines, Mrs. Utt,
Mrs. Barrett.

Mr. Charles Gilfert was leader of the orches-
tra; Utt was prompter and actor.

Mr. Leigh Waring, the father of the present
Mrs. James W. Wallack, was, during the whole
season, severely afflicted with the asthma, and
died towards the end of it (March 16th)

Of Miss Holman, then Mrs. Gilfert, we have
hitherto spoken during her brillant star en-
gagement at the Chestnut street theatre, where
she especially shone with unwonted splendor.
She truly deserved the testimony acorded.
All the qualities that constitute the acctress of
elevated merit and the lady of private life, she
emimently combined. But how evanescent are
all things of this earth. This lovely woman,
whose rising sun was hailed w ith deligh by
all, set without one ray to point to the spot
wherein she lay in clouded misery. Mrs. Gil-
fert died in the winter of 1832, in Philadelphia,
as she was endeavoring to establish herself in
a young ladies' seminary, sustained in the last
effort of her blighted energies by an only daugh-
ter and one or two worthy citizens. Ad in-
terim, haggard disease had prostrated all her
physical ability, and she was slowly departing
from the troubles of life without one former
friend to soothe and comfort her last moments.

Although in this pitiable state, the sad crisis of
her life, there were three drmatic companies
in the city, not as one professional lady or gentle-
man knew of her melancholy condition. The
intelligence of her suffering was accidentally
elicited and it deserves a passing record. In
the winter of 1832 the leading members of
Maywood & Co's company and of the company
of Jones , Duffy & Forrest, managers and lessees
of the Arch street theatre, instituted a social
club, which met once a week . Mr. McCauley's
Frontlinen Coffee House South Seventh street, for
"the feast of reason and the flow of soul," to
enjoy, in their few hours of relaxation, an in-
terchange of social sentiment with their brother
actors of various theatres. The meetings
were rational and refreshing, and freed from
any vicious contamination. To this association
congenial friends and strangers (not actors)
were occasionally invited. They had rules and
regulations, strictly enforced, a source from
which to derive funds for current expenses, and
it was so ordered that no member's purse was
inured. The pleasure and the economy by which their comforts were obtained were most
admirably contrived. The details and the con-
stitution whereby the club was constituted and
governned, emanated from that honest and ta-
lented old actors, Thomas Faulkner, who, some
years after, needed the generous sympathy that
he there endeavored to inculcate on the mem-
bers of the club towards the profession. His
last days were spent in the service of Mr. W. E.
Burton, who, we understand, mitigated his
woes by giving him employment--an act which
does him credit. But we wander from our
story. On one of the meeting evenings of the
club, as the secretary was passing into the club
room he was accosted by Francis Godey, brother
of Louis A. Godey, Esq., of the "Lady's Book"
who desired a few moments conversation, in
order that he might relate to him a fact which
he thought would call forth his surprise and
elicit his sympathies for a lady who once shed
honor on the profession, and who was then lying
at the point of death, without friends, excepting
a lady and gentleman of the city, himself, and
one or two others. He went on to state some
particulars of a painful nature concerning her
want, and concluded by saying "that lady was
Mrs. Gilfert," and he begged tha tthe secretary
of the society would bring the circumstnace to
the notice of the members. The club convened
as usual, and after hte business of the society
had been adjusted, the secretary arose, and
stated the circumstances. The astonishment of
all can better be imagined than described.
Actors with their foibles, can never
be charged with lack of good feeling. Charity
is a marked characteristic of their nature, and
in a moment all the funds of the society were
voted to her relief. Mr. F.C. Weymess, treasurere
made a report instanter of their condition, which exceeded expectations. A committee was appointed to investigate the facts, and to carry
out the most liberal views of the club. Private
contributions were largely made at once.
George Blythe, the equestrian manager--to his
honor be it said--threw the contents of his
purse into the hands of Weymss, saying "If