NINE YEARS OF AN ACTOR'S LIFE. 119 



" My prudential reasons are found in the bosom of my family. I 

 have five children dependent on me, and as I wish to see them res- 

 pectable members of society, I would give them an education suited 

 to the spread of intellect ; but my present life and limited means 

 will not admit of this, and therefore to continue on the Stage will 

 be to continue them in ignorance. Ignorant, because a want of 

 time and opportunity will prevent my giving them more than the 

 preparatory means of education ; and, unfortunately, a provincial 

 actor's salary is too scanty too precarious to set apart the means to 

 < buy wisdom.' I am not one jot less ambitious than when my the- 

 atrical life began, but the claims of my family are more powerful 

 than the call of ambition ! besides I tremble for the future, for old age 

 will unfit me for exertion; and my wandering life rendering perma- 

 nent regards impossible, when the winter of my days comes on, I 

 shall be without a friend, and, unless fortune should favour me, 

 without a home, except the home of the wretched. Of my consci- 

 entious reasons I can scarcely venture to speak, fearing the warmth 

 of my sincerity may bear the appearance of hypocrisy. I will then 

 only observe, that although I believe it possible an actor may dis- 

 charge every moral obligation as faithfully as another man, yet 

 (amongst other objections) there are causes in his life, which too 

 frequently call up the evil passions of the heart, and prevent all 

 serious contemplations ; I am sure of this, and therefore I seek, in 

 the repose of privacy, to follow the dictates of my conscience." 



Generally speaking the book is very interesting, and, 

 as it bears the impress of candour without ever present- 

 ing any thing like traces of malignity, it appears to us 

 that it might be perused with advantage by the young 

 aspirant for theatrical fame. There are some remarks 

 which are certainly somewhat singular, in coming from 

 an actor, but their importance requires such dispassion- 

 ate consideration as will not seek to prove them erro- 

 neous by per contra special pleading ; the three following 

 are instances. 



"The benefit system, in my opinion, is the most debasing of all 

 others it reduces men to the solicitations of beggars, and I have 

 observed, that the unanimity of a company is only destroyed when 

 benefits come on. There is then a rivalry as to pounds, shillings, 

 and pence; and men are only jealous and mean in love and money 

 matters. It would remove this cause of unpleasantry in the profess- 

 ion, if managers would form engagements on such terms, that actors 



