has knowledge enough to fill up his part. One fpecies of wit he has in an eminent degree, that of escape. You drive him into a corner with both hands; but he's gone, Sir, when you think you have got him, like an animal that jumps over your head. Then he has a great range for wit; he never lets truth ftand between him and a jeft, and he is fometimes mighty coarse. Garrick is under many re

ftraints from which Foote is free."-WILKES. "Garrick's wit is more like Lord Chefterfield's."." The first time I was in company with Foote was at Fitzherbert's. Having no good opinion of the fellow, I was refolved not to be pleased; and it is very difficult to please a man against his will. I went on cating my dinner pretty fullenly, affecting not to mind. him; but the dog was fo very comical, that I was obliged to lay down my knife and fork, throw myself back upon my chair, and fairly laugh it out. No, Sir, he was irrefiftible. He upon one occafion experienced, in an extraordinary degree, the efficacy of his powers of entertaining. Amongst the many and various modes which he tried of getting money, he became a partner with a small-beer brewer, and he was to have a fhare of the profits for procuring cuf tomers amongst his numerous acquaintance.Fitzherbert was one who took his fmall-beer;

but

I

but it was fo bad that the fervants refolved not to drink it. They were at fome lofs how to notify their refolution, being afraid of offending their mafter, who they knew liked Foote much as a companion. At laft they fixed upon a little black boy, who was rather a favourite, to be their deputy, and deliver their remonftrance; and having invefted him with the whole authority of the kitchen, he was to inform Mr. Fitzherbert, upon a certain day, that they would drink Foote's fmall-beer no longer. On that day Foote happened to dine at Fitzherbert's, and this boy ferved at table; he was fo delighted with Foote's ftories, and merriment, and grimace, that when he went down ftairs he told them, This is the finest man I have ever feen. I will not deliver your meffage. I will drink his fmall-beer." Somebody observed that Garrick could not have done this.-" WILKES. "Garrick would have made the finall-beer ftill fmaller. He is now leaving the stage; but he will play Scrub all his life." I knew (says Mr. Bofwell) that Johnson would let nobody attack Garrick but himself, as Garrick once faid to ine, and I had heard him praise his liberality; fo to bring out his commendation of his celebrated pupil, I faid, loudly, "I have heard Garrick is liberal."-7. "Yes, Sir, I know that Garrick has given away more money than

any

any man in England that I am acquainted with, and that not from oftentatious views. Garrick was very poor when he began life; fo when he came to have money, he probably was very unfkilful in giving away, and faved when he fhould not. But Garrick began to be liberal as foon as he could; and I am of opinion, the reputation of avarice which he has had, has been very lucky for him; and prevented his having many enemies. You defpife a man for avarice, but do not hate him. Garrick might have been much better attacked for living with more fplendor than is fuitable to a player; if they had had the wit to have affaulted him in that quarter, they might have galled him more. But they have kept clamouring about his avarice, which has refcued him from much obloquy and envy."

Mrs. Thrale praised Garrick's talent for light gay poetry; and, as a fpecimen, repeated his fong in Florizel and Perdita,' and dwelt with peculiar pleasure on this line:

"I'd smile with the fimple, and feed with the poor."

JOHNSON, "Nay, my dear lady, this will never do. Poor David!

What folly is that.

Smile with the fimple ?

the poor that can

And who would feed with help it? No, no; let me

fmile with the wife, and feed with the rich."

Mr.

Mr. Bofwell fays, "I repeated this fally to Garrick, and wondered to find his fenfibility as a writer not a little irritated by it. To footh him, I obferved, that Johnfon fpared none of us; and I quoted the paffage in Horace, in which he compares one who attacks his friends for the fake of a laugh, to a pufhing ox that is marked by a bunch of hay put upon his horns; ' fœnum babet in cornu." "Aye (faid Garrick vehemently), he has a whole mow of it."

Soon after the publication of the Dictionary, Garrick being afked by Johnson what people faid of it, told him, that among other animadverfions, it was objected that he cited authorities which were beneath the dignity of fuch a work, and mentioned Richardfon. "Nay (faid Johnson), I have done worse than that: I have cited thee, David."

Johnfon on fome occafion obferved, "Garrick's converfation is gay and grotefque. It is a difh of all forts, but all good things. There is no folid meat in it; there is a want of fentiment in it. Not but that he has fentiment fometimes, and fentiment too very powerful and very pleafing; but it has not its full proportion in his converfation."

Mr. B. complained that he had not mentioned Garrick in his Preface to Shakspeare; and afked him if he did not admire him.-7." Yes,

upon

as a poor player, who frets and struts his hour the ftage' as a fhadow."-B. "But has he not brought Shakespeare into notice ?"-7. Sir, to allow that, would be to lampoon the age. Many of Shakspeare's plays are the worse for being acted. Macbeth, for inftance."-B. "What, Sir, is nothing gained by decoration and action? Indeed, I do with that you had mentioned Garrick."-7. " My dear Sir, had I mentioned him, I must have mentioned many more: Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Cibber-nay, and Mr. Cibber too; he too altered Shakspeare.". B. "You have read his apology, Sir?"-J. "Yes, it is very entertaining. But as for Cibber himself, taking from his converfation all that he ought not to have faid, he was a poor creature. I remember when he brought me one of his Odes to have my opinion of it, I could not bear fuch nonfenfe, and would not let him read it to the end; fo little refpect had I for that great man (laughing)! Yet I remember Richardfon wondering that I could treat him with familiarity."

"Garrick (he obferved) does not play the part of Archer in The Beaux Stratagem' well. The gentleman fhould break out through the footman, which is not the cafe as he does it."

Mr.