142 BYRON'S OPINION OF COLMAN. "occasion will be the suggestions of his lordship, << or the commands of Government. At present things will go on as they are. "Yours &c., "G. COLMAN. “To A. Bunn, Esq." The reduction in question was subsequently made by command of the King, too late, however, to affect Mr. Colman. At one period of his life, a more popular man was not in existence; for the festive board of the prince or the peer was incomplete without Mr. Colman. He has left behind him a perpetuity of fame in his dramatic works, and much is it to be lamented that no chronicle has been preserved of his various and most extraordinary jeux d'esprit. He has moreover left behind quite enough of renown, could he lay claim to none other, to be found in the following tribute from the pen of Lord Byron: "I have met George Colman occasionally, "and thought him extremely pleasant and convivial. "Sheridan's humour, or rather wit, was always satur"nine and sometimes savage; he never laughed, (at "least that I saw, and I watched him,) but Colman "did. If I had to choose, and could not have both "at a time, I should say, let me begin the evening "with Sheridan, and finish it with Colman. Sheridan "for dinner, Colman for supper; Sheridan for claret "or port, but Colman for everything, from the "madeira and champagne at dinner, the claret with TABLET TO GEORGE COLMAN. 143 a layer of port between the glasses, up to the punch "of the night, and down to the grog, or gin and "water, of daybreak. All these I have threaded with "both the same. Sheridan was a grenadier company "of lifeguards, but Colman a whole regiment-of "light infantry, to be sure, but still a regiment." In addition to all this, he left an affectionate heart behind him, who erected to his memory, in Kensington Church, a tablet with this record engraven thereon, from the pen of James Smith, of "Rejected Addresses" memory : "SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF "GEORGE COLMAN THE YOUNGER, "Who succeeded his father as patentee* of the Haymarket Theatre. "He was "Pre-eminent as a dramatist, "Admired as a poet, "Conspicuous as a wit, "And beloved as a man. "Colman, the Muses' child, the drama's pride, "Here finds at last his monumental bed. "Take then, departed shade, this lay from one "Who lov'd thee living, and laments thee dead!" "Died October 26, 1836." * A mistake: there is no patent to the Haymarket Theatre-it opens by the Lord Chamberlain's license. 144 JOHN BANNISTER. It is a remarkable circumstance that Colman's intimate friend, Captain George Harris, son of the former, and brother of the late proprietor of Covent Garden Theatre, died on the same day as Colman ;* and in a few days afterwards departed from this scene of action a performer who had done credit to many of our author's best characters, though too long removed from the profession to affect any part of its constitution, save that grand desideratum, its respectability; for certainly a man as ripe in years, more full of honour, never descended into the tomb than JOHN BANNISTER. Having found amongst my papers some versicles strung together at breakfast, on receiving a package by one of the morning's messengers, possessing very little claim either to reason or rhyme, I submit them as such to the reader, as chiming in with the period : To-day has brought a bag of letters, Some from one's equals—some one's betters; For the free run of Drury's pantry; Ditto, Sir David Wilkie sendeth, Who, when from labour he unbendeth, Sees no great reason wherefore mayn't one Look at a scene as well as paint one. Then Parkes writes word the peace of Europe In revolution finds a sure hope. *A much more singular theatrical coincidence than this is worth recording, viz. that the three most celebrated actors of their times, Eckhof in Germany, Lekain in France, and Garrick in England, all died in the season of 1778-79. EGERTON WEBBE. Poor Malibran! he mourns the loss of her MSS. have come in by the bevy The one by Ries confounded heavy; Leigh Hunt one Webbe* much recommendeth, A bard who verse and music blendeth, But then in bardship's vast dominion None of himself holds such opinion! 145 The subjoined letter, subsequently received from this gentleman, will explain the meaning of my doggrel better than the doggrel itself: 66 "SIR, "37, Leicester Square, April 22, 1837. "I wish I could inspire you with confidence in the success of my opera. When I said it would cost nothing,' of course I "did not mean that those common preliminaries of "copying "parts," &c. could be got over; but I meant, what I now repeat, "that an opera requiring less outlay in the production, or more "calculated to win a high prize with a small stake, never was "offered to you. "The circumstance of my being author and composer of the entire “work is felt as a novelty, promising something out of the usual way ; "and I understand there are those, having the means of giving "public expression to the opinions they have formed of this opera, "who are impatient to seize the earliest occasion they can with propriety take of giving it the open meed of their applause. 66 "That I have not appeared before as a writer for the stage, is so "far from being anything to my prejudice, that I take it to be all in "my favour; since it can only enhance the novelty of the announcement, and magnify any merit the work may exhibit. The town, on "the other hand, is sufficiently saturated with tragic spectacles of one "sort or another to welcome any downright contrast. 66 "In conclusion, Sir, and I say it without offence to your other sup VOL. II. H Six pages crammed from Jenny Vertpré, Then Thomas Moore regrets the offer "I was so kind last night to proffer," He was compelled, with grievance hearty, "porters, I think you will hardly find one who would be able to 66 bring to bear on a single piece the united suffrages of the first critics, "musical and literary, as I have done in the case of this opera. The "reviewers have told us a thousand times, that until the poet is "his own musician, a real good opera cannot be written. It is "to this union of the two capacities that I wish to direct my views; "and my success in this first attempt of the kind will determine me "to devote myself hereafter with increased energy to the theatre. "I shall esteem it a favour if you will notice this letter at your "convenience; and I remain, Sir, "To Alfred Bunn, Esq." "Your obedient servant, Mr. Webbe is a young man of considerable abilities, and in this instance, had they been directed to the composition of an important operatic work, in which the genius of poetry and music was combined, and the result of which, however successful, would have exalted either, others might have been disposed to entertain even higher opinions of the author than he has delivered of himself in the foregoing communication; but when the reader is apprised that the "opera" in question was a burlesque entertainment in one or two acts, (I forget which, nor is it material,) of Tom Thumb construction, professing more musical, but possessing less humorous, matter than that popular burletta, the chances are, he will think the whole affair an illustration of " Much Ado about Nothing." Such was my impres sion; and while I should much like to see it acted, I cannot conceal my opinion, that if acted (in either Drury Lane or Covent Garden Theatre) it will be damned. |