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Please state wants.-HAKER'S Great Bookshop, 14-16, John Bright Street, Birmingham. AGENCY FOR AMERICAN BOOKS. INDEX G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, PUBLISHERS and AND QUERIES. A BOOKSELLERS, STICKPHAST PASTE is miles better than Gum for sticking in Scraps, Joining Papers, &c. 3d., 6d., and 18. with strong, useful Brush (not a Toy). Send two stamps to cover postage for a sample Bottle, including Brush. Factory, Sugar Loaf Court, Leadenhall Street, E.C. Of all Stationers. Stick phast Paste sticks. THENEUM PRESS.-JOHN EDWARD prepared to SUBMIT ESTIMATES for all kinds of BOOK, NEWS, WINTER APART- LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1905. CONTENTS.-No. 62. Law in a Will, 165. NOTES:-Mrs. Thrale and Johnson's 'In Theatro,' 161- Notes. - MRS. THRALE AND JOHNSON'S IN A THRALE-BOSWELL item has recently come into the possession of a local collector, a description of which may be of interest to Johnsonians. It consists of a card, about 4 inches by 3 inches, on the face of which is writtenapparently in Mrs. Thrale's hand-a copy of the Latin verses In Theatro,' composed by Dr. Johnson while attending an oratorio at Covent Garden Theatre with Mrs. Thrale in 1771. On the reverse is an English paraphrase of the verses-unmistakably in Mrs. Thrale's handwriting-made by her at Dr. Johnson's request: "When we were got home, however, he repeated these verses, which he said he had made at the oratorio, and he bid me translate them......I gave him the following lines in imitation, which he liked well enough, I think." Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson,' Piozzi, London, 1786, 72-4. In the manuscript the Latin verses appear exactly as published by Mrs. Piozzi in the 'Anecdotes,' and as reproduced by Dr. George Birkbeck Hill in his 'Johnsonian Miscellanies,' N.Y., 1897, i. 196-8. In the English paraphrase, however, there are variations in three out of the four verses which may make a comparison of them of some interest. The manuscript verses are as follow:- The Scholars pride can Brent disarm? The social Club, or lonely Towr, In Worth or Wisdom shine! And while Play pleases idle Boys, That useful Task be thine! The verses as published by Mrs. Piozzi read: The scholars pride can Brent disarm? The social club, the lonely tower, In worth or wisdom shine. And while play pleases idle boys, That useful task be thine. It hardly seems probable that a professional musician would have considered that a theatre at the time of a performance of an oratorio was a place ill-suited to a Above the Latin verses is written in Bos-"learned wight." But accepting the name well's handwriting, "By Samuel Johnson, LL.D."; above the English verses [translated] "By Mrs. Thrale," and below them, "Mrs. Thrale gave me this, 1775, James Boswell." as Betts, as written by Mrs. Thrale, and following out Dr. Hill's alternative that Bates was another scholar of University College, the present writer ventures to sug gest a possible identity with Joseph Betts, matriculated at University College in 1736, B.A. 1740, M.A. 1743, and Savilian Professor of Geometry 1765-6. He was a contemporary of the Rev. John Coulson, M.A., University College, 1746, whom Johnson visited at times, and with whom he stayed in University College in June, 1775 (Letters of Samuel Johnson,' Hill, Oxford, 1892, i. 323). In 1764, when writing to William Strahan regarding the entering of George Strahan as a Commoner of University College, Johnson says, "The College is almost filled with my friends, and he will be well treated" ('Letters,' i. 113). Betts died in 1766, however, which makes it a rather far cry to 1771, when the verses were written. Some allowance may be made for Mrs. Thrale's poetical licence or her inaccuracy, and since Johnson's acquaintance with the Thrales began before the date of Betts's death, it is not impossible that he may himself have mentioned the two names in conjunction to Mrs. Thrale. At a later period he mentioned Coulson a number of times when writing to Mrs. Thrale from Oxford. E. P. MERRITT. Boston, U.S. BENSON EARLE HILL. A PASSAGE of some interest in one of the works of this writer induced me a few weeks since to inquire into the details of his career; and after some difficulty I constructed the following notice. Benson Earle Hill was born at Bristol, in or about the year 1795, and was educated at the establishment of Dr. Watson on Shooter's Hill, and at the military colleges of Marlow and Woolwich. On 20 March, 1809, he was appointed second lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery (London Gazette, 1809, pt. i. 375), and was ordered to Ireland in 1810. His promotion to the rank of first lieutenant was dated 17 March, 1812 (ib., 1812, pt. i. 854). Hill was appointed in the following June "to a company in the Kent district"; and in 1814 he was sent with his regiment, under the command of Sir Edward Pakenham, to New Orleans, landing again in England on 30 May, 1815. His regiment was stationed at Ostend from 6 to 26 June, when it marched to Brussels. On 11 July it was at Mons, under Sir Alexander Dickson, and was engaged afterwards in reducing the frontier towns of Belgium and France. In the middle of September he returned to Brussels on leave to witness the inauguration of the King of the Netherlands. He saw at the end of that month the Emperor Alexander pass through Mons, and on 9 October he was presented, as being on the staff of Sir Alexander Dickson, to the King of Prussia, at Maubeuge. The following winter Hill was quartered in various towns near the frontiers, and in April, 1816, he obtained leave, owing to the death of a near relative, to return from Valenciennes to England. From July, 1816, to February, 1819, he was housed in the camp at Shorncliffe or at Archcliffe Fort, Dover, where his sister Isabel joined him. From the latter date until he retired from the army on half-pay (801. a year) in July, 1822, he was with his regiment at Woolwich, living with his sister in a cottage in Nightingale Vale. During this period he made constant expeditions to London to see his friends on the stage or to join in amateur theatricals, and it was while living at Woolwich that he entertained Charles Mathews the elder in the manner described by Mrs. Mathews (Memoirs of C. Mathews,' second edition, 1839, iii. 126-42). The brother in the summer of 1822 went touring about the kingdom with Trotter's company. He visited, among other places, Worthing. Cheltenham, and Windsor, where he met Edmund Kean. In 1825 he was in Scotland, in 1827 in Ireland, but his theatrical career was not a success, and their resources were diminishing. Brother and sister were together in London from January, 1828, to September, 1841, when she went to Richmond for her health. He is said to have assisted Theodore Hook in the editorship of The New Monthly Magazine for a short time; but by 1841 they were in the depths of poverty, and Miss Helen Faucit was among those who aided them in their distress. Isabel, who was born at Bristol, 21 August, 1800, died, after struggling against consumption for several years, in January or February, 1842, and was buried at Old Brompton Cemetery. A gleam of sunshine came when Hill succeeded in December, 1841, to the post of editor of The Monthly Magazine, but it soon died away. The number for July, 1842, was the last which he supervised, and at very short notice F. G. T. (Tomlins) took his place. His "last employment was at the free list of the Lyceum Theatre." He caught a severe cold, which resulted in consumption; and his death "in London at an obscure abode, in penury and distress," is recorded in The Gentleman's Magazine for November, 1845, p. 543. The works of his composition which are entered under his name in the British Museum Catalogue are: 1. Recollections of an Artillery Officer: Adventures in Ireland, America, Flanders, and France. 1836. 2 vols. 2. Home Service; or, Scenes and Characters from Life at Out and Head Quarters. 1839. 2 vols. 3. Playing About; or, Theatrical Anecdotes and Adventures. 1840. 2 vols. Nose. 1840. 4. A Pinch of Snuff: Curious Particulars and Anecdotes of Snufftaking, by Dean Snift, of Brazen5. The Epicure's Almanac, or Diary of Good Living. 1841. Continued for 1842 and 1843, the latter volume being in great part a reissue of its predecessor. Hill was born in a city renowned for good eating," and makes many references to dishes popular in the Western Counties. He well remembered "in his youth seeing the antique domicile" of Mrs. Sarah Lunn, near the Abbey at Bath. Another paragraph refers to what he had heard in Sicily. These volumes are still worth turning over. W. P. COURTNEY. lished 31 years. "Egyptian Hall.-Last two Performances at this world-famed hall previous to its demolition. Estab Lessee, Mr. J. N. Maskelyne. Mr. Martin Chapender's Season. To-day, at 3 and 8, Mr. Nelson Jackson, the brilliant humourist: Mr. Walter Graham, the human marionette; Miss Eileen Elycé, elocutionist; Gems of animated photography; Mr. Maskelyne's latest illusion, Well I'm !! The Miser' (a phantasy); and Mr. Martin Chapender, the celebrated conjurer." When the doors closed after the evening entertainment, the last of the Egyptian Hall as a place of absolutely irreproachable amusement had been seen; and The Daily Telegraph of the following Monday contained this announcement: "The Egyptian Hall is closed for demolition. Mr. Maskelyne has Removed to his New Home of Mystery, St. George's Hall, W. (adjoining the Queen's Hall).” It is well to be able to fix definitely the date of closing, as after a very short time it is frequently difficult to do so. The Egyptian Hall is numbered 170, Piccadilly, and dates from 1812, when it was built from the designs of Mr. G. F. Robinson, its cost being 16,000l. It is said to be, in part at least, an imitation of the great temple of Dendera, in Upper Egypt. The first tenant was Mr. Bullock, who exhibited here for seven years his celebrated museum, which was dispersed in 1819. The building soon took a recognized position among places of amusement, and in succession was occupied by many interesting exhibitions. A model of the Pyramids and some other Egyptian monuments were here in 1821. In elected to be known as the "Living Skeleton, 1825 a Frenchman-M. Claude Seurat-whoor the Anatomie Vivante," was shown here. Of this natural freak some particulars will be found in Hone's 'Every-Day Book.' The Egyptian Hall early became noted as a place for the exhibition of pictures, and Haydon's painting of 'The Mock Election' was sold toGeorge IV. "for 800 guineas, to the great joy of the painter, in 1828." The Siamese Twins were on view here in 1829, and again in 1869. In 1841 Catlin's North American Gallery was opened here. The fine painting by Sir George Hayter of The First Reformed Parliament' was exhibited here in 1843. Perhaps the oddest of many odd inventions was to be seen here in 1845; it was known as the Eureka, a machine for composing Latin hexameter verses. General Tom Thumb (Charles S. Stratton), the celebrated dwarf, P. T. Barnum in 1846, and again at a later was exploited here by the prince of showmen period. In the former year Haydon had two pictures here; they were, however, scarcely noticed, while thousands rushed to see the midget "General." Some interesting facts. concerning these two diverse exhibitions may be seen in the 'Life of Haydon.' The first of the moving panoramas, Banvard's Mississippi,' was opened here in 1846; it was succeeded in 1850 by Fremont's Overland Route to California' and by 'Bonomi's Nile." On 15 March, 1852, Albert Smith gave his popular entertainment of 'The Ascent of Mont Blanc' for the first time, and patrons continued to flock to it for several years. His entertainment on 'China' did not draw the town as the previous one had done. I can remember being taken as a schoolboy to his entertainments. He was followed by quite a number of entertainers, chief among them being Col. Stodare, a conjurer of considerable ability, who introduced the "Sphinx," the "Basket Trick," and other notable illusions; and Mr. J. K. Lord, who gave an entertainment under some such title as "The Canoe, the Rifle and Axe,' which was fairly popular. Arthur Sketchley (George Rose) gave here a variety of sketches in which the celebrated "Mrs. Brown" was the centre figure. Artemus Ward was here in 1866 with his panorama"rather worse than panoramas usually are and his travels among the Mormons as told by him are fondly remembered yet by most of those who heard his quaint conceits and funny allusions to people and places. He had chambers opposite the hall, and many were seers. the droll anecdotes told over the suppertable by him and his manager, the late E. P. Hingston. About 1874 Messrs. Maskelyne & Cooke came here, and only just now has their entertainment finished, and with it the final closing of the hall has taken place. It was here that the box trick was introduced, which has mystified many thousands of sightMr. Maskelyne, at his first appearance here (which I very well remember), wished to stay at the Egyptian Hall for a year, so that he might return to the provinces with a reputation made in London. The reputation has been made, but since that time the provinces have seen but little of this marvellously ingenious man. He introduced many truly wonderful illusions during his occupancy of this hall, not the least remarkable being "Psycho," the whist-playing automaton, the popularity of which was run very close by Mephisto," a figure playing the cornet, and "Zoe," which made exceedingly interesting sketches of public characters. The list given of the entertainments in the two larger rooms is in no sense exhaustive, and in addition to those already mentioned, I may add that in 1861 the pictures known as the "Victoria Cross Gallery" were on view in 1865 Chang, the Chinese giant, a native of Fychow, and Chung Mow, a dwarf, were to be seen; and in 1868 Frederic Maccabe gave his well-known entertainment Begone, Dull Care,' and this performer in his fourfold capacity of author, pianist, vocalist, and character delineator has had very few equals. It may also be put on record that Mr. Maskelyne's manager, when the firm was Maskelyne & Cooke," was Mr. William Morton, of Southport, who afterwards became the proprietor of Morton's Theatre at Green wich. It may be well to state that The Daily Telegraph of Monday, 13 February, records Cooke. On the 2nd among the deaths: inst., at The Gables, Whitton Road, Twickenham, George Alfred Cooke, late of the Egyptian Hall, aged seventy-nine." He thus passed away within a fortnight of the closing of the hall. Many will regret the disappearance of the Egyptian Hall; for during nearly a century it held an almost unique place in the world of London. Its end had long been looked for ; its fate was inevitable, as there was no room to rebuild it in conformity with the requirements of the London County Council. Some structural alterations were made a few years ago, but at the time they were felt to be inadequate, though nothing more could be done. Places of amusement should be, above all things, safe, and it had been long felt that that term could hardly be applied to this building, so its closing cannot be altogether deplored. W. E. HARLAND-OXLEY. Westminster. By QUEEN ANNE AS AMATEUR ACTRESS. way of illustrating the carelessness with which our early theatrical records were first compiled, and of demonstrating the necessity of taking nothing in the old chroniclers on trust, I beg leave to pillory in 'N. & Q.' a flagrant example of old-time blundering. Chetwood, in his 'General History of the Stage' (London, 1749), gives a full account of Joseph Ashbury, for long the conductor of the Dublin Theatre. Dealing with 1713, at p. 84, the old prompter adds, in a foot-note : "Mr. Ashbury taught the Queen, when she was was Princess Anne, the Part of Semandra in Mithridates, King of Pontus,' which was acted at Court by Persons of the first Rank in the BanquetingHouse, Whitehall, where Mr. Ashbury Prompter, and conducted the Whole." All this reads precise and circumstantial, but one has one's doubts aroused by the fact that Colley Cibber, in dealing with Mrs. Betterton in his 'Apology' (1740, p. 96), had previously credited her with the honour of having coached the princess in the character. Lee's tragedy 'Mithridates, King of Pontus,' was licensed for printing on 28 March, 1678, and presumably produced at Drury Lane a month or two earlier. On 15 November, 1681, it was performed at Edinburgh by ladies of honour in celebration of the queen's birthday. In Scott's Dryden' (vol. x.) an epilogue to Mithridates' is quoted from the Luttrell Collection as spoken by Goodman and Mrs. Cox, and the note adds that it was "the first play acted at the Theatre Royal [London], 1681." Presumably by Theatre Royal," Drury Lane is referred to, and not the king's private playhouse at Whitehall. 66 |