127 

 A KEAN PEEP. 



A FEW evenings since I went to see Kean in Shylock — but in 

 case I should be read a " thousand years '^ hence, I ought thus 

 early to say Young Kean. About half-play a friend popped in, 

 and knowing him, I shortly after asked, "how he liked Shylock, 

 was it as good as his father's, &c." My friend replied "He 

 could not say." " How,'^ said T, " You have never seen the elder 

 Kean, then ?" " Oh yes," he answered, " but I am no judge.^^ 

 One j udge was on the stage, for it was the justice scene, and I 

 therefore put this down as a pun. I did not press more on his 

 attention, for my eye was all eagerness to catch the points (as 

 players term them) while I was cautious lest I prevented him 

 from a similar treat : but at the next moment I was asked " how 

 I liked Shylock? " Confound it, there is not a greater puzzler 

 on earth, than for a person to whom you put a question to take 

 it as his own, and require your answer instead of giving his. 

 " True Logic,'^ thought I, this — or the " right use of reason'' un- 

 doubtedly. All eye still, and of course, all courtesy, I answered 

 " Why, Sir — I'll say by and by — He — he came in Shylock, Sir, 

 and up to this time, so has continued — We — we will wait his 

 exit." Excellent hit this — or, so 1 fancied, and I collected my- 

 self for closer observation — but just as I hoped myself disengaged 

 and became composed for the Jew's finer workings of passion, a 

 young friend was unfriendly enough to call off my attention, by 



remarking in a whisper, " There, see, that is Mr. about whom 



I was speaking to you yesterday, the ." " Ba, ba," said I'' 



(how could I say otherwise) for what was this Mister to me at 

 such a time, and in such a place, or any other Mister — save Mr. 

 Shylock. 



The play closed excellently — Kean came off admirably — and 

 off too came his (I think) left mustachio. A plague on such acci- 

 dents, thought I, a body cannot help leaping from the sublime 

 to the ridiculous, at events so untoward ; — but the hare lip of 

 Shylock was barely visible, for it was as much as possible turned 

 to the shade, while in the next scene all was restored, and Shy- 

 lock, like a royal personage of as little Christiafiity, appeared 

 " himself again." 



I did not stop to see the farce, because I had told somebody 

 I would not. I had now to turn my thoughts to the probable 

 question this somebody would ask me — as well as others — (my 

 friend, in particular, with whom I have not since conversed on the 



