CHARACTERS. 



793 



of painting, ancient and modern ; 

 , the ditfcrence of climate, national 

 ^ character, and bodily temperament : 

 the customs, manners, modes of 

 salutation, and dresses of different 

 nations : the classic poets ; and the 

 ■whole rani^e of ancient stahics (per- 

 haps statutes) should be open to his 

 view ; and all these are to be ac- 

 quired during the intervals of a ne- 

 ver ceasing study of the passions, 

 as they are exhibited by the respec- 

 tive inhabitants of the different parts 

 of the globe. This plan appears 

 suflTiciently extensive even for " a 

 young princess," though some of our 

 Jjondoners will not be satisfied un- 

 less the lord chancellor administer 

 it. 



From Dublin the Young Roscius 

 proceeded to Cork, under an en- 

 gagement of six nights, which he 

 fulfilled with the greatest applause^ 

 and was induced to extend it three 

 performances more at the desire of 

 the inhabitants. There his powers 

 of attraction were unexampled, the 

 genera! receipts being not above ten 

 pounds p'-r nis^ht, which, during the 

 stay of Young Roscius, increased 

 to an hundred. 



Fame now blew her trump so 

 ' loud, tl^at its sound reaclu;d tlie ca- 

 pital of Scotland, and in May 1804, 

 he appeared on the (jlasgow boards 

 in the tragedy of Douglas. Of all 

 t]\e panegyrists of our Roscius, JNIr. 

 Jackson, the Glasgow manager, ap- 

 pears to be the warmest. He asserts 

 him to be " presented by heaven," 

 (which of the heavens he has not 

 thought proper to state) and " fully 

 instructed by the inspiring voice of 

 nature,'' — " words cannot express 

 his surprising endowments." Mr. 

 Jackson observes, '* I speak not 

 iioni J. transient view, or from the 



examining a single character. I have 

 traced him through all the parts he 

 has performed on this theatre, and 

 watched his dramatic progress with 

 a critic's eye, in order to notice 

 expected defects ; and, if needful, 

 to point out emendations. But his 

 correctness, and graceful mode of 

 deportment, throughout the whole 

 of the performances, and the aston- 

 ishing exertions which his powers 

 enabled him to exhibit, rendered 

 useless my intention, and taught me 

 to know that ' Nature's above art in 

 that respect^'' for the gifts she has 

 endowed him with, 1 found stood 

 in no great need of a preceptor." The 

 whole of this experienced veteran's 

 reasoning and opinions arc of the 

 same quality, and equally worthy 

 of attention: however, according 

 to that gentleman, "He set the town 

 of Kdinburifh in a blaze !" which is to 

 be ascribed to the " pleasing move- 

 ments of perft^cl and refioed nature, 

 which had b:;en incorporated with 

 his frame, previous to his birth.'* 

 Home was present during his first 

 performance, in Edinburgh, of Young 

 Norval, and " the author of 

 Douglas, in the plenitude of rap- 

 turous enthusiasm, from the unex- 

 pected gratification he had received, 

 stepped forward before the curtain, 

 and bowed respet'tfully to the audi- 

 ence.'' On being asked how he 

 had been entertained, he answered 

 " Never better: this is the first time 

 I ever saw the part of Douglas 

 played, according to my ideas of 

 the character. He is a wonderfnl 

 being ; his endowments great be- 

 yond conception : and I pronounce 

 him at present, or at least, that he 

 soon will be, one of the first actors 

 upon the Uritish stage!" 



The criticisms on his performances 



in 



