794, ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



in Scotland, according to the bio- 

 graphers, were neither fe^v nor 

 temperate, and are said to have no- 

 thing but their malignity to recom- 

 mend them.* 



Mr. M'Cready, the monarch of 

 the Birmingham theatre, nmv sent 

 the young hero of the sock an em- 

 bassy to implore the aid of his om- 

 nipotent prowess, in whose cause 

 the Young Roscius made his first 

 appearance on the English stage: 

 but there, and there only, wc hear 

 ©f the slightest symptom of incredu- 

 lity. For the first four evenings 

 the theatre was but thinly attended, 

 but on the fifth, the electric shock 

 communicated itself with the great- 

 est success. Mr. Harley, author 

 and adtorof that theatre, " was en- 

 wrapt in wonder and delight," own- 

 ed him.self a convert, and from his 

 soul exclaimed — " Tliis is no coun- 

 terfeit ! this is the acting thai feci, 

 ingli/ persuades me ichat it is." The 

 subsequent nights were thronged 

 beyond all precedent, nearly to 

 sulfocation, and " every tongue 

 confessed the power which every 

 heart had felt." Mr. llarley's 

 ideas of atiling sctm to agree per- 

 fe(5t!y with the Edinburgh manager, 

 for although his modesty would not 

 permit him to anticipate the judg- 

 ment of a London audience; he 

 considers " his llamlci as one of 

 the most fascinating pieces of acting 

 that he had ever wi ncsscd." His 

 Richard too was equally a master- 

 piece. It should not be forgotten, 

 that, in support of the opinion of 

 tlicse two experienced and able cri- 

 tits, a letter signed Jo. Stuart, in-, 

 srrted in Mr. Jackson's pamph- 

 iet, contains a conviction, *•' that 



he weuld play Lusignan or Old 

 Norval, with equal propriety and 

 effe(;t, as Douglas or Osman." 



The Birmingham manager sent a 

 choice of conditionsf, cither a clear 

 benefit for six performances, which 

 might have equalled 2G01. or for 

 eight nights one fifth of the gross 

 receipts, and a benefit ; or on Mrs. 

 Siddons's plan, to divide equally 

 after tlie expences, and to pay the 

 customary gratuity for a benefit ; 

 but tiiose concluded on were to di- 

 vide for six niffhts, allowing 501. 



for expences, and to give the 7th ,i 



night gratis 



on condition of receiv- 

 the 8th for 401. Mr. Hough, 

 in a letter dated Edinburgli, July 

 28, states that " the lasc six nights 

 of his performing here produced 

 ^.8i4." At Birmingham the receipts 

 for thirteen nights were nearly 

 <5£".2,30O. During Young Betty's 

 stay at Birmingham!, one of the 

 Drury-Lanc managers, in passing 

 through that pface, was persuaded 

 to stay and see the prodigy : he 

 stayed two nights, and, after much 

 deliberation, oiiered half a clear be- 

 nefit to perform seven nights ia 

 Loudon ! Of course the ofter was 

 rejec^ied Avith disdain. 



After frank deliberation, a com- 

 mission was sent dov.n to a Bir- 

 raiiigham critic to obtain an opinion 

 on the case : the critic being indis- 

 posed, alas ! like ordinary men, 

 had recourse to Mr. M'Cready, who 

 expressed an opinion that he was 

 worth fifty guineas a night, and a 

 clear beuelit. Terms so enormous 

 gave birth (and well they might) to 

 a new di: 

 tcrim, captain 

 Birminaiham on 



liberation ; and, in the in- 



Barlow arrived at 

 the part of Mr. 



* Jackson's Pamphlet, p. 41. . 

 t IJarley, p. 27. \ Hurley, p.. 33. 



IIarri» 



