1800

LAMB'S EPILOGUE FOR GODWIN

199

DON

LETTER 75

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS MANNING

[P.M. Dec. 13, 1800.]

ON'T spill the cream upon this letter. I have received your letter this moment, not having been at the office. I have just time to scribble down the epilogue. To your epistle I will just reply, that I will certainly come to Cambridge before January is out: I'll come when I can. You shall have an amended copy of my play early next week. Mary thanks you; but her handwriting is too feminine to be exposed to a Cambridge gentleman, though I endeavour to persuade her that you understand algebra, and must understand her hand. The play is the man's you wot of; but for God's sake (who would not like to have so pious a professor's work damn'd) do not mention it-it is to come out in a feigned name, as one Tobin's. I will omit the introductory lines which connect it with the play, and give you the concluding tale, which is the mass and bulk of the epilogue. The name is Jack INCIDENT. It is about promise-breaking-you will see it all, if you read the papers.

"Jack, of dramatic genius justly vain,
Purchased a renter's share at Drury-lane;
A prudent man in every other matter,

Known at his club-room for an honest hatter;

Humane and courteous, led a civil life,

And has been seldom known to beat his wife;

But Jack is now grown quite another man,

Frequents the green-room, knows the plot and plan
Of each new piece,

And has been seen to talk with Sheridan!
In at the play-house just at six he pops,
And never quits it till the curtain drops,
Is never absent on the author's night,
Knows actresses and actors too--by sight;
So humble, that with Suett he'll confer,
Or take a pipe with plain Jack Bannister;
Nay, with an author has been known so free,
He once suggested a catastrophe-

In short, John dabbled till his head was turn'd;
His wife remonstrated, his neighbours mourn'd,
His customers were dropping off apace,
And Jack's affairs began to wear a piteous face.

One night his wife began a curtain lecture;
"My dearest Johnny, husband, spouse, protector,
Take pity on your helpless babes and me,
Save us from ruin, you from bankruptcy-

Look to your business, leave these cursed plays,
And try again your old industrious ways."

Jack who was always scared at the Gazette,

And had some bits of scull uninjured yet,
Promised amendment, vow'd his wife spake reason,
"He would not see another play that season-"

Three stubborn fortnights Jack his promise kept,
Was late and early in his shop, eat, slept,
And walk'd and talk'd, like ordinary men;
No wit, but John the hatter once again-
Visits his club: when lo! one fatal night

His wife with horror view'd the well-known sight-
John's hat, wig, snuff-box-well she knew his tricks-
And Jack decamping at the hour of six,

Just at the counter's edge a playbill lay,
Announcing that "Pizarro" was the play-
"O Johnny, Johnny, this is your old doing."

Quoth Jack, "Why what the devil storm's a-brewing?
About a harmless play why all this fright?

I'll go and see it if it's but for spite

Zounds, woman! Nelson's1 to be there to-night."

N.B.-This was intended for Jack Bannister to speak; but the sage managers have chosen Miss Heard, except Miss Tidswell, the worst actress ever seen or heard. Now, I remember I have promised the loan of my play. I will lend it instantly, and you shall get it ('pon honour!) by this day week.

I must go and dress for the boxes! First night! Finding I have time, I transcribe the rest. Observe, you have read the last first; it begins thus :-the names I took from a little outline gave me. I have not read the play.

G.

"Ladies, ye've seen how Guzman's consort died,
Poor victim of a Spaniard brother's pride,

When Spanish honour through the world was blown,
And Spanish beauty for the best was known.2
In that romantic, unenlighten'd time,

A breach of promise was a sort of crime-
Which of you handsome English ladies here,
But deems the penance bloody and severe ?
A whimsical old Saragossa fashion,
That a dead father's dying inclination,
Should live to thwart a living daughter's passion,"
Unjustly on the sex we6 men exclaim,

Rail at your vices, and commit the same;-
Man is a promise-breaker from the womb,

And goes a promise-breaker to the tomb

What need we instance here the lover's vow,

The sick man's purpose, or the great man's bow? 8

The truth by few examples best is shown

Instead of many which are better known,

Take poor Jack Incident, that's dead and gone.
Jack," &c. &c. &c.

Now you have it all-how do you like it? I am going to hear it recited!!!

C. L.

1 A good clap-trap. Nelson has exhibited two or three times at both theatres

and advertised himself.

2 Four easy lines.

"Two neat lines.

8 Antithesis

1800

THE PLOT OF "ANTONIO"

201

NOTE

["As one Tobin's." The rehearsals of "Antonio" were attended by Godwin's friend, John Tobin, subsequently author of "The Honeymoon," in the hope, on account of Godwin's reputation for heterodoxy, of deceiving people as to the real authorship of the play. It was, however, avowed by Godwin on the title-page.

Jack Bannister, the comedian, was a favourite actor of Lamb's. See the Elia essay "On some of the Old Actors."

Miss Heard was a daughter of William Heard, the author of "The Snuff-Box," a feeble comedy. Miss Tidswell, by the irony of fate, had a part in Lamb's own play, "Mr. H.," six years later. "I have not read the play." Meaning probably, "I have not read it in its final form." Lamb must have read it in earlier versions. I quote Mr. Kegan Paul's summary of the plot of "Antonio":

Helena was betrothed, with her father's consent, to her brother Antonio's friend, Roderigo. While Antonio and Roderigo were at the wars, Helena fell in love with, and married, Don Gusman. She was the king's ward, who set aside the precontract. Antonio, returning, leaves his friend behind; he has had great sorrows, but all will be well when he comes to claim his bride. When Antonio finds his sister is married, the rage he exhibits is ferocious. He carries his sister off from her husband's house, and demands that the king shall annul the marriage with Gusman. There is then talk of Helena's entrance into a convent. At last the king, losing patience, gives judgment, as he had done before, that the pre-contract with Roderigo was invalid, and the marriage to Gusman valid. Whereupon Antonio bursts through the guards, and kills his sister.]

LETTER 76

CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM GODWIN

Dec. 14, 1800. Late o' Sunday.

D' EAR Sir, I have performed my office in a slovenly way, but judge for me. I sat down at 6 o'clock, and never left reading (and I read out to Mary) your play till 10. In this sitting I noted down lines as they occurred, exactly as you will read my rough paper. Do not be frightened at the bulk of my remarks, for they are almost all upon single lines, which, put together, do not amount to a hundred, and many of them merely verbal. I had but one object in view, abridgement for compression sake. I have used a dogmatical language (which is truly ludicrous when the trivial nature of my remarks is considered), and, remember, my office was to hunt out faults. You may fairly abridge one half of them, as a fair deduction for the infirmities of Error, and a single reading, which

leaves only fifty objections, most of them merely against words, on no short play. Remember, you constituted me Executioner, and a hangman has been seldom seen to be ashamed of his profession before Master Sheriff. We'll talk of the Beauties (of which I am more than ever sure) when we meet,—Yours truly, C. L.

I will barely add, as you are on the very point of printing, that in my opinion neither prologue nor epilogue should accompany the play. It can only serve to remind your readers of its fate. Both suppose an audience, and, that jest being gone, must convert into burlesque. Nor would I (but therein custom and decorum must be a law) print the actors' names. Some things must be kept out of sight.

I have done, and I have but a few square inches of paper to fill up. I am emboldened by a little jorum of punch (vastly good) to say that next to one man, I am the most hurt at our ill success. The breast of Hecuba, where she did suckle Hector, looked not to be more lovely than Marshal's forehead when it spit forth sweat, at Critic-swords contending. I remember two honest lines by Marvel, (whose poems by the way I am just going to possess)

"Where every Mower's wholesome heat
Smells like an Alexander's sweat."

NOTE

["Antonio" was performed on December 13, with John Philip Kemble in the title-rôle, and was a complete failure. Lamb wrote an account of the unlucky evening many years later in the "Old Actors" series in the London Magazine (see Elia, Vol. II. of the present edition, page 292). He speaks there, as here, of Marshal's forehead-Marshal being John Marshall, a friend of the Godwins. The lines from Andrew Marvell are from the poem "Upon Appleton House." For the reference to Hecuba see "Coriolanus," I., 3, 43-46.

After the play Godwin supped with Lamb, when it was decided to publish "Antonio at once. Lamb retained the MS. for criticism. The present letter in the original contains his comments, the only one of which that Mr. Kegan Paul thought worth reproducing being the following

666

:

"Enviable' is a very bad word. I allude to Enviable right to bless us.' For instance, Burns, comparing the ills of manhood with the state of infancy, says, 'Oh! enviable early days;' here 'tis good, because the passion lay in comparison. Excuse my insulting your judgment with an illustration. I believe I only wanted to beg in the name of a favourite Bardie, or at most to confirm my own judgment."

1800

GODWIN'S PRIDE

203

Lamb, it will be remembered (see page 172), had refused to let Coleridge use "enviable" in "Lewti." Burns's poem to which Lamb alludes is "Despondency, an Ode," Stanza 5, "Oh! enviable, early days."

Godwin's play was published in 1801 without Lamb's epilogue.]

LETTER 77

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS MANNING

E are damn'd!

WE

Dec. 16th, 1800.

Not the facetious epilogue could save us. For, as the editor of the "Morning Post," quick-sighted gentleman! hath this morning truly observed, (I beg pardon if I falsify his words, their profound sense I am sure I retain,) both prologue and epilogue were worthy of accompanying such a piece; and indeed (mark the profundity, Mister Manning) were received with proper indignation by such of the audience only as thought either worth attending to. PROFESSOR, thy glories wax dim! Again, the incomparable author of the "True Briton" declareth in his paper (bearing same date) that the epilogue was an indifferent attempt at humour and character, and failed in both. I forbear to mention the other papers, because I have not read them. O PROFESSOR, how different thy feelings now (quantum mutatus ab illo professore, qui in agris philosophia tantas victorias aquisivisti),—how different thy proud feelings but one little week ago,―thy anticipation of thy nine nights, those visionary claps, which have soothed thy soul by day and thy dreams by night! Calling in accidentally on the Professor while he was out, I was ushered into the study; and my nose quickly (most sagacious always) pointed me to four tokens lying loose upon thy table, Professor, which indicated thy violent and satanical pride of heart. Imprimis, there caught mine eye a list of six persons, thy friends, whom thou didst meditate inviting to a sumptuous dinner on the Thursday, anticipating the profits of thy Saturday's play to answer charges; I was in the honoured file! Next, a stronger evidence of thy violent and almost satanical pride, lay a list of all the morning papers (from the "Morning Chronicle" downwards to the "Porcupine,") with the places of their respective offices, where thou wast meditating to insert, and didst insert, an elaborate sketch of the story of thy playstones in thy enemy's hand to bruise thee with; and severely wast thou bruised, O Professor! nor do I know what oil to pour into thy wounds. Next, which convinced me to a dead conviction of thy pride, violent and almost satanical pride-lay a list of books, which