44 66 66 66 LETTER FROM an outrage, and the circumstances under which Mr. Macready intimates that it was committed remains yet to be investigated." The "investigation of the circumstances under which this outrage was committed" did take place; upon that we will now enter. and I had been acquainted for some years with Mr. Serjeant Talfourd-not by any means approaching to intimacy-but still of that nature which justified, as it received, the interchange of civilities. Perhaps its character may best be gleaned from the subjoined correspondence. Nearly three years previous to Mr. Macready's assault, the learned Serjeant had been anxious for the re-introduction of Mr. Cathcart to the London stage, and applied to me in his behalf, in a letter which will speak for itself better than I can speak for it: "DEAR SIR, I venture to intrude on you, by forwarding the "inclosed letter, which having been transmitted to 66 my chambers by the writer, with the wish that I "should solicit your attention to its contents, has "been sent to me at this place, and thus has been some time delayed on its journey. I have not 66 myself seen Mr. Cathcart for a long time, but I am "assured by Miss Mitford that his power has greatly 66 66 deepened, and the obstacles to its expression been SERJEANT TALFOURD. 45 " removed, since I witnessed his performances; and 66 66 certainly, as he then appeared to me, it seemed right "that he should have a fair trial in the present state "of the stage; for although I am aware how apt one is 66 to be deceived in the estimate of talent in the country, he appeared to me to possess capability of a very "high order, and to have at least a chance of signal I therefore venture to urge the request "which he makes to you. Assured that now the last "and best hopes of the drama are committed to your "charge, you will not refuse to any one whose pre"tensions may seem to you deserving of trial, an 66 success; opportunity of trying his strength in a line which "has at present one only great and legitimate sup66 port, in Mr. Macready's genius. 66 "I heartily congratulate you on the engagement "of Mrs. Sloman, who, even if she only returns to the "London stage as she left it, is a far more genuine "actress than has since appeared, and who, if she "realise the expectations of her admirers at Canter66 bury and Dovor, will rekindle the love of tragedy "and renew its triumphs amongst us. 66 66 Begging you to excuse this freedom, and wishing you splendid success in your great enterprise, "I remain, "Dear Sir, "Very truly yours, "T. N. TALFOURD. "Alfred Bunn Esq." In replying to this letter, I stated the reasons that, in my "humble judgment, militated against the engagement of the gentleman in whose welfare he was interested, which elicited a rejoinder, written in the Serjeant's usually fluent and agreeable style: "MY DEAR SIR, "29, Wellington Crescent, Ramsgate, 30th October, 1833. "Accept my best thanks for your very kind and "flattering letter, which I have this morning received, "and which I hasten to answer. I was not aware "that Mr. Cathcart had ever been tried in Dublin in "that line of tragedy to which he now aspires, and "therefore I am unable to estimate the degree of 66 importance to be attached to his failure, if you have "been correctly informed* respecting the fact that "he did fail on a fair trial. With respect to "his appearance at Covent Garden, I have never concealed from myself, and it would ill become me to attempt to varnish over to you, who have expressed so very kind a confidence in me, the disadvantage which must result from such circumstance 66 66 66 66 66 to a future attempt in London; for although his "performance of Jaffier could scarcely be deemed a "failure in itself by those who witnessed it, still the inference drawn from the fact that he did not repeat it, must be that it was a failure. He was announced "to repeat the part on the following Monday, and 66 *I was set right, by a polite letter from Mr. Cathcart, as to the character I had understood him to have failed in on the Dublin stage. 66 66 66 SERJEANT TALFOURD. 47 "had he done so, would, I think, have obtained a footing in the theatre. But he had the misfortune "to have Miss Smithson for his Belvidera; a lady "who, though she once was a very lovely girl, and though she possessed, at that time, the power of "assuming very picturesque and striking attitudes, was, as he said, and as I can well believe, quite "impracticable to play with in scenes like those in "Venice Preserved, in which the poor weak lover is only sustained and justified by the passion of the lady. He felt this disadvantage so strongly, as having marred the effect of his first performance, "that, to the grievous disappointment of all his friends, he either absolutely declined to play, or "declined unless (which he had no right to expect) an "engagement were ensured to him. At that time "also he had some very awkward habits, especially "of standing with his person thrown backward, from "the knees, which Miss Mitford assures me he has 66 66 66 quite overcome. In urging her wish and my own, "however, that he should have another trial, I can"not deny that he will appear under the disadvantageous impression of having once failed; and that " he must show that decided talent which she confidently believes in, and which I have good hope "that he possesses, in order to remove it. I am not "sufficiently conversant with the interior of dramatic "administration to be able to estimate the degree of "risk or inconvenience you would yourself sustain in permitting the experiment; but I should think, if 66 "Rienzi were announced-which, perhaps, having "Cooper and Miss Phillips, the original representa"tives of the two principal persons next to the hero, 66 you might do without much trouble-that sufficient "interest would be excited among a large circle "who are aware of Miss Mitford's opinion of Mr. "Cathcart's performance of that part, to ensure you a "fair house, if not a great one. I should be very 66 66 sorry to see you a loser in the essential point of money by making the experiment; but I think "there is amply sufficient in the present state of the 66 stage, to prevent you from suffering in character "by the attempt, even if it should be a failure, or that "moderate success which is as bad for both manager "and performer. I saw him myself some years ago "in Rienzi at Oxford; and it then seemed to me a 66 very fervid and powerful piece of acting. I men"tion that fact, however, only by way of suggestion, "in case you think fit to try him at that in which I "think he would have the fairest chance, as exciting "the interest of Miss Mitford's friends, both critical "and otherwise; and a thing most likely to attract, "and to justify you, in the event of failure, to the "world. It has also another advantage, that it has 66 never been acted by Mr. Macready, nor indeed by 66 any actor now on the metropolitan stage; Mr. "Young only having made it his own. Admitting "the disadvantage of the former appearance unfol"lowed by an engagement, I must leave it to your own sense of that which is due to yourself on the 66 |