ELLISTONIANA
MyfirstintroductiontoE.,whichafterwardsripenedintoanacquaintancealittleonthissideofintimacy,wasoveracounteroftheLeamingtonSpaLibrary,thennewlyentereduponbyabranchofhisfamily.E.,whomnothingmisbecame——toauspicate,Isuppose,thefilialconcern,andsetitagoingwithalustre——wasservinginpersontwodamselsfair,whohadeintotheshopostensiblytoinquireforsomenewpublication,butinrealitytohaveasightoftheillustriousshopman,hopingsomeconference.Withwhatanairdidhereachdownthevolume,dispassionatelygivinghisopinionupontheworthoftheworkinquestion,andlaunchingoutintoadissertationonitsparativemeritswiththoseofcertainpublicationsofasimilarstamp,itsrivals!hisenchantedcustomersfairlyhangingonhislips,subduedtotheirauthoritativesentence.SohaveIseenagentlemaninedyactingtheshop-man.SoLovelacesoldhisglovesinHighStreet.Iadmiredthehistrionicart,bywhichhecontrivedtocarrycleanawayeverynotionofdisgrace,fromtheoccupationhehadsogenerouslysubmittedto;andfromthathourIjudgedhim,withnoafterrepentance,tobeaperson,withwhomitwouldbeafelicitytobemoreacquainted.
TodescantuponhismeritsasaComedianwouldbesuperfluous.WithhisblendedprivateandprofessionalhabitsaloneIhavetodo;thatharmoniousfusionofthemannersoftheplayerintothoseofeverydaylife,whichbroughtthestageboardsintostreets,anddining-parlours,andkeptuptheplaywhentheplaywasended——"IlikeWrench,"afriendwassayingtohimoneday,"becauseheisthesamenatural,easycreature,onthestage,thatheisoff.""Mycaseexactly,"retortedElliston——withacharmingforgetfulness,thattheconverseofapropositiondoesnotalwaysleadtothesameconclusion——"IamthesamepersonoffthestagethatIamon."Theinference,atfirstsight,seemsidentical;butexamineitalittle,anditconfessesonly,thattheoneperformerwasnever,andtheotheralways,acting.
AndintruththiswasthecharmofEllistonsprivatedeportment.Youhadaspiritedperformancealwaysgoingonbeforeyoureyes,withnothingtopay.Aswhereamonarchtakesuphiscasualabodeforanight,thepooresthovelwhichhehonoursbyhissleepinginit,beesipsofactoforthattimeapalace;sowhereeverEllistonwalked,sate,orstoodstill,therewasthetheatre.Hecarriedaboutwithhimhispit,boxes,andgalleries,andsetuphisportableplayhouseatcornersofstreets,andinthemarket-places.Uponflintiestpavementshetrodtheboardsstill;andifhisthemechancedtobepassionate,thegreenbaizecarpetoftragedyspontaneouslyrosebeneathhisfeet.Nowthiswashearty,andshowedaloveforhisart.SoApellesalwayspainted——inthought.SoG.D.alwayspoetises.Ihatealukewarmartist.Ihaveknownactors——andsomeofthemofEllistonsownstamp——whoshallhaveagreeablybeenamusingyouinthepartofarakeoracoxb,throughthetwoorthreehoursoftheirdramaticexistence;butnosoonerdoesthecurtainfallwithitsleadenclatter,butaspiritofleadseemstoseizeonalltheirfaculties.Theyemergesour,morosepersons,intolerabletotheirfamilies,servants,&c.Anothershallhavebeenexpandingyourheartwithgenerousdeedsandsentiments,tillitevenbeatswithyearningsofuniversalsympathy;youabsolutelylongtogohome,anddosomegoodaction.Theplayseemstedious,tillyoucangetfairlyoutofthehouse,andrealiseyourlaudableintentions.Atlengththefinalbellrings,andthiscordialrepresentativeofallthatisamiableinhumanbreastsstepsforth——amiser.Ellistonwasmoreofapiece.DidheplayRanger?anddidRangerfillthegeneralbosomofthetownwithsatisfaction?whyshouldhenotbeRanger,anddiffusethesamecordialsatisfactionamonghisprivatecircles?withhistemperament,hisanimalspirits,hisgood-nature,hisfolliesperchance,couldhedobetterthanidentifyhimselfwithhisimpersonation?Arewetolikeapleasantrake,orcoxb,onthestage,andgiveourselvesairsofaversionfortheidenticalcharacterpresentedtousinactuallife?orwhatwouldtheperformerhavegainedbydivestinghimselfoftheimpersonation?CouldthemanEllistonhavebeenessentiallydifferentfromhispart,evenifhehadavoidedtoreflecttousstudiously,inprivatecircles,theairybriskness,theforwardness,and`scapegoattrickeriesofhisprototype?
"Butthereissomethingnotnaturalinthiseverlastingacting;wewanttherealman."
Areyouquitesurethatitisnotthemanhimself,whomyoucannot,orwillnotsee,undersomeadventitioustrappings,which,nevertheless,sitnotatallinconsistentlyuponhim?Whatifitisthenatureofsomementohehighlyartificial?Thefaultisleastreprehensibleinplayers.CibberwashisownFoppington,withalmostasmuchwitasVanburghcouldaddtoit.
"Myconceitofhisperson,"itisBenJonsonspeakingofLordBacon,——"wasneverincreasedtowardshimbyhisplaceorhonours.ButIhave,anddoreverencehimforthegreatness,thatwasonlypropertohimself;inthatheseemedtomeeveroneofthegreatestmen,thatbadbeeninmanyages.InhisadversityIeverprayedthatheavenwouldgivehimstrength;forgreatnesshecouldnotwant."
Thequalityheremendedwasscarcelylessconspicuousinthesubjectoftheseidlereminiscences,thaninmyLordVerulam.ThosewhohaveimaginedthatanunexpectedelevationtothedirectionofagreatLondonTheatre,affectedtheconsequenceofElliston,,oratallchangedhisnature,knewnottheessentialgreatnessofthemanwhomtheydisparage.ItwasmyfortunetoencounterhimnearSt.DunstansChurch(which,withitspunctualgiants,isnownomorethandustandashadow),onthemorningofhiselectiontothathighoffice.Graspingmyhandwithalookofsignificance,heonlyuttered,——"Haveyouheardthenews?thenwithanotherlookfollowinguptheblow,hesubjoined,"IamthefutureManagerofDruryLaneTheatre."——Breathlessashesawme,hestayednotforcongratulationorreply,butmutelystalkedaway,leavingmetochewuponhisnew-blowndignitiesatleisure.Infact,nothingcouldbesaidtoit.Expressivesilencealonecouldmusehispraise.Thiswasinhisgreatstyle.
Butwashelessgreat,(Bewitness,OyePowersofEquanimitythatsupportedintheruinsofCarthagetheconsularexile,andmorerecentlytransmutedforamoreillustriousexile,thebarrenconstableshipofElbaintoanimageofImperialFrance),when,inmelancholyafter-years,again,muchnearthesamespot,Imethim,whenthatsceptrehadbeenwrestedfromhishand,andhisdominionwascurtailedtothepettymanagership,andpartproprietorship,ofthesmallOlympic,hisElba?HestillplayednightlyupontheboardsofDrury,butinpartsalas!allottedtohim,notmagnificentlydistributedbyhim.Waivinghisgreatlossasnothing,andmagnificentlysinkingthesenseoffallenmaterialgrandeurinthemoreliberalresentmentofdepreciationsdonetohismoreloftyintellectualpretensions,"Haveyouheard"(hiscustomaryexordium)——"haveyouheard,"saidhe,"howtheytreatme?theyputmeinedy."ThoughtI——buthisfingeronhislipsforbadeanyverbalinterruption——"wherecouldtheyhaveputyoubetter?"Then,afterapause——"WhereIformerlyplayedRomeo,InowplayMercutio,"——andsoagainhestalkedaway,neitherstaying,norcaringfor,responses.
O,itwasarichscene,——butSirA——C——,thebestofstorytellersandsurgeons,whomendsalamenarrativealmostaswellashesetsafracture,alonecoulddojusticetoit——thatIwaswitnessto,inthetarnishedroom(thathadoncebeengreen)ofthatsamelittleOlympic.There,afterhisdepositionfromImperialDrury,hesubstitutedathrone.ThatOlympicHillwashis"highestheaven;"himself"Joveinhischair."Therehesatinstate,whilebeforehim,onplaintofprompter,wasbroughtforjudgment——howshallIdescribeher?——oneofthoselittletawdrythingsthatflirtatthetailsofchoruses——aprobationerforthetown,ineitherofitssenses——thepertestlittledrab——adirtyfringeandappendageofthelampssmoke——who,itseems,onsomedisapprobationexpressedbya"highlyrespectable"audience,hadprecipitatelyquittedherstationontheboards,andwithdrawnhersmalltalentsindisgust.
"Andhowdareyou,"saidherManager——assumingacensorialseveritywhichwouldhavecrushedtheconfidenceofaVestris,anddisarmedthatbeautifulRebelherselfofherprofessionalcaprices——Iverilybelieve,hethoughtherstandingbeforehim——"howdareyou,Madam,withdrawyourself,withoutanotice,fromyourtheatricalduties?""Iwashissed,Sir.""Andyouhavethepresumptiontodecideuponthetasteofthetown?""Idontknowthat,Sir,butIwillneverstandtobehissed,"wasthesubjoinderofyoungConfidence——whengatheringuphisfeaturesintoonesignificantmassofwonder,pity,andexpostulatoryindignation——inalessonnevertohavebeenlostuponacreaturelessforwardthanshewhostoodbeforehim——hiswordswerethese:"Theyhavehissedme."
`Twastheidenticalargumentafortiori,whichthesonofPeleususestoLycaontremblingunderhislance,topersuadehimtotakehisdestinywithagoodgrace."Itooammortal."Anditistobebelievedthatinbothcasestherhetoricmissedofitsapplication,forwantofaproperunderstandingwiththefacultiesoftherespectiverecipients.
"QuiteanOperapit,"hesaidtome,ashewascourteouslyconductingmeoverthebenchesofhisSurreyTheatre,thelastretreat,andrecess,ofhisevery-daywaninggrandeur.
ThosewhoknewElliston,willknowthemannerinwhichhepronouncedthelattersentenceofthefewwordsIamabouttorecord.OneprouddaytomehetookhisroastmuttonwithusintheTemple,towhichIhadsuperaddedapreliminaryhaddock.Afteraratherplentifulpartakingofthemeagrebanquet,notunrefreshedwiththehumblersortofliquors,Imadeasortofapologyforthehumilityofthefare,observingthatformyownpartIneveratebutofonedishatdinner."Itoonevereatbutonethingatdinner"——washisreply——thenafterapause"reckoningfishasnothing."Themannerwasall.Itwasasifbyoneperemptorysentencehehaddecreedtheannihilationofallthesavoryesculents,whichthepleasantandnutritious-food-givingOceanpoursforthuponpoorhumansfromherwaterybosom.Thiswasgreatness,temperedwithconsideratetendernesstothefeelingsofhisscantybutwelingentertainer.
Greatwertthouinthylife,RobertWilliamElliston!andnotlessenedinthydeath,ifreportspeaktruly,whichsaysthatthoudidstdirectthatthymortalremainsshouldreposeundernoinscriptionbutoneofpureLatinity.Classicalwasthybringingup!andbeautifulwasthefeelingonthylastbed,which,connectingthemanwiththeboy,tooktheebackinthylatestexerciseofimagination,tothedayswhen,undreamingofTheatresandManagerships,thouwertascholar,andanearlyripeone,undertheroofsbuildedbythemunificentandpiousColet.FortheethePaulineMusesweep.Inelegies,thatshallsilencethiscrudeprose,theyshallcelebratethypraise.