第98章

alwaysmeantosendmycomplimentstoalltheladies。’

Hisfortitudeandpatiencemetwithseveretrialsduringthisyear。

Thestrokeofthepalsyhasbeenrelatedcircumstantially；buthewasalsoafflictedwiththegout，andwasbesidestroubledwithacomplaintwhichnotonlywasattendedwithimmediateinconvenience，butthreatenedhimwithachirurgicaloperation，fromwhichmostmenwouldshrink。Thecomplaintwasasarcocele，whichJohnsonborewithuncommonfirmness，andwasnotatallfrightenedwhilehelookedforwardtoamputation。HewasattendedbyMr。PottandMr。

Cruikshank。

Happilythecomplaintabatedwithouthisbeingputtothetortureofamputation。Butwemustsurelyadmirethemanlyresolutionwhichhediscoveredwhileithungoverhim。

HethisautumnreceivedavisitfromthecelebratedMrs。Siddons。

HegivesthisaccountofitinoneofhisletterstoMrs。Thrale：——

’Mrs。Siddons，inhervisittome，behavedwithgreatmodestyandpropriety，andleftnothingbehindhertobecensuredordespised。

Neitherpraisenormoney，thetwopowerfulcorruptersofmankind，seemtohavedepravedher。Ishallbegladtoseeheragain。HerbrotherKemblecallsonme，andpleasesmeverywell。Mrs。SiddonsandItalkedofplays；andshetoldmeherintentionofexhibitingthiswinterthecharactersofConstance，Catharine，andIsabella，inShakspeare。’

Mr。Kemblehasfavouredmewiththefollowingminuteofwhatpassedatthisvisit：——

’WhenMrs。Siddonscameintotheroom，therehappenedtobenochairreadyforher，whichheobserving，saidwithasmile，“Madam，youwhosooftenoccasionawantofseatstootherpeople，willthemoreeasilyexcusethewantofoneyourself。“

’Havingplacedhimselfbyher，hewithgreatgood-humourentereduponaconsiderationoftheEnglishdrama；and，amongotherinquiries，particularlyaskedherwhichofShakspeare’scharactersshewasmostpleasedwith。UponheransweringthatshethoughtthecharacterofQueenCatharine，inHenrytheEighth，themostnatural：——“Ithinksotoo，Madam，(saidhe；)andwheneveryouperformit，Iwilloncemorehobbleouttothetheatremyself。“

Mrs。Siddonspromisedshewoulddoherselfthehonourofactinghisfavouritepartforhim；butmanycircumstanceshappenedtopreventtherepresentationofKingHenrytheEighthduringtheDoctor’slife。

’Inthecourseoftheeveninghethusgavehisopinionuponthemeritsofsomeoftheprincipalperformerswhomherememberedtohaveseenuponthestage。“Mrs。Porterinthevehemenceofrage，andMrs。Cliveinthesprightlinessofhumour，Ihaveneverseenequalled。WhatClivedidbest，shedidbetterthanGarrick；butcouldnotdohalfsomanythingswell；shewasabetterrompthananyIeversawinnature。Pritchard，incommonlife，wasavulgarideot；shewouldtalkofherGOWND：but，whensheappeareduponthestage，seemedtobeinspiredbygentilityandunderstanding。I

oncetalkedwithColleyCibber，andthoughthimignorantoftheprinciplesofhisart。Garrick，Madam；wasnodeclaimer；therewasnotoneofhisownscene-shifterswhocouldnothavespokenTobe，ornottobe，betterthanhedid；yethewastheonlyactorIeversaw，whomIcouldcallamasterbothintragedyandcomedy；thoughIlikedhimbestincomedy。Atrueconceptionofcharacter，andnaturalexpressionofit，werehisdistinguishedexcellencies。“

Havingexpatiated，withhisusualforceandeloquence，onMr。

Garrick’sextraordinaryeminenceasanactor，heconcludedwiththiscomplimenttohissocialtalents：“Andafterall，Madam，I

thoughthimlesstobeenviedonthestagethanattheheadofatable。“’

Johnson，indeed，hadthoughtmoreuponthesubjectofactingthanmightbegenerallysupposed。TalkingofitonedaytoMr。Kemble，hesaid，’Areyou，Sir，oneofthoseenthusiastswhobelieveyourselftransformedintotheverycharacteryourepresent？’UponMr。Kemble’sansweringthathehadn

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