THE LONDON MAGAZINE, For JULY, 1769. THE BRITISH THEATRE. Containing this Month an authentic Memoir of Mr. PowELL, the late celebrated Tragedian, never before published. I T was a common declaration of Swift's, that he would rather read the life of one man, who had renderhimself eminent in any difficult fcience, than perufe fifty hiftories of the most celebrated conquerors. "In the first, (faid he) I go on with an equal mixture of curiofity and fatisfaction; I fee a laudable endeavour to excel in what contributes to the advantage, or the happiness of mankind, and I am defirous to watch the progrefs of gemius in its way to perfection: whereas in the latter, the little fenfibility I poffefs is continually fhocked with relations of perfidy, plunder, or blood; every page fills me with an actual abhorrence of my fpecies; and as I increafe in the knowledge of human nature, I only acquire fresh occasions to defpife it." As there is no little juftice in the celebrated mifanthrope's remark, we have collected fome materials to form memoir of the late Mr. Powell; who, though a very short time on the fage, acquired a very capital reputa tion; and whose death, in the prefent fcarcity of eminent performers, may be juftly pronounced an irreparable lofs to the theatre. The lovers of the drama will, we dare fay, approve our defign, and we therefore enter upon the task without any farther introduc. tion. Mr. Powell owed his birth to Hereford, the fame city which boafts the Monour of Mr. Garrick's nativity; and as his father's fituation afforded no profpect of allowing him a liberal, the good man's chief endeavour was give him a ufeful education; with his view, when the fon arrived at a Proper age for admiffion, he had inJuly, 1769. tereft enough to get him into Chrift's hospital; a foundation which has given many men of confequence, both in the worlds of fcience and commerce, to this country; and in which many reputable citizens efteem themfelves highly fortunate to place their chitdren. Here Mr. Powell continued till he turned the age of fourteen, at which time Sir Robert Ladbroke, the prefident, took him into his counting-house, and introduced him to trade, in the province of the dif ftillery. Our young hero, being thus happily provided with a mafter of Sir Robert's rank, was not long before he had an opportunity of commencing fome little acquaintance with places of public entertainment: the theatre however was the only object of his admiration. Having feen a play, his imagination was fired; he impatiently longed to go again, and every time he went, he returned more inflamed. The ftage appeared an abfolute elyfium to his opening view, and he confidered the performers as the happieft of all people. Burning with fuch a fondness therefore for its exhibitions, every hour he could steal from bufinefs, was devoted to the gratification of his favourite paffion in the winter feafon he ran eagerly, when the duties of the day were performed, either to the latter account of the play, if his finances permitted, or pofted away to one of the numerous meetings, which are established at the public houfes of the metropolis, under the denomination of SPOUTING CLUBS, where he indulged himself in reciting fpeeches from the parts he met admired, and very speedily distinguished himfelf by the force of his powers, and the propriety of his action. The first time, however, as he himUu2 felf 340 THE BRITISH THEATRE. felf has frequently declared, that he ventured to speak any part of a cha racte, was in a faw pit with a faw. yer's apprentice. From the hour he had leen one play, the only books into which he could bear to look, were the dramatic authors. Thele, as faft as he could procure them, were read with inconceivable avidity, and among others Hamlet, in which he has fince been allowed fuch excellence, cla.med a peculiar fhare of his attention. Paffing one day, while Hamlet was all alive in his mind, by a faw-pit, he was alarmed with a voice from below, exclaiming in the language of Laertes, after Ophelia's remains are interred, with prodigious pathos, gave On the first found of the voice Powell approached the pit with great eagernefs, and growing more and more warm, as the young fawyer proceed ed in his rant, he at laft leaped violently in, and replied, in the character of Hamlet, with a fpirit that the leather-aproned Laertes a very high idea of his abilities: in confequence of which the latter, who was an eminent performer at a spout. ing club, and is now an approved comedian at Drury-lane houfe, intro duced him that evening to one of thefe focieties, who received him with the warmest marks of approbation. From this period he entertained a hope of appearing one day on the fage, and imbibed, if poffible, an encreafed enthusiasm for the drama. The effects of this enthufiafm were indeed foon apparent in his averfion to befines: the pen became intole rable to him; he fickened at the bare imagination of the counting houfe, and grew, in a little time, so exceedingly inattentive, through his theasrical ftudies, and his attendance on the reheartal, or exhibition, of private plays, that even Sir Robert Ladbroke, of whofe goodness and generofy he always fpoke in terms of the despot deference, was frequently provoked into lectures and remonstrances July On fuch occafions Powell conftantly profeffed the fincereft resolution of amendment, but as conftantly found himself unable to keep his word; and though Sir Robert's kindness led him fo far as to fupprefs a fpouting club, in the neighbourhood of Doctors Commons, where our young gentleman and fome of his companions were frequently affembled, ftill he went on, finning and repenting, during the whole term of his apprenticehip, inceffantly deferting the desk, and as inceffantly promifing a reformation. About the expiration of his apprenticeship, Mr. Powell married the amiable Mifs Brantton, the daughter of a loved with the most tender affection: reputable citizen, whom he had long by this lady, whom his death has plunged into an affliction not to be defcribed, he has left two daughters, who, even at this early period of life, difcover, in the beauty of their perfons as well as in the fenfibility of their minds, a fomething, which bids fair, at a maturer age, to be the object of universal admiration. Though Mr. Powell, on his marriage, removed from Sir Robert Ladbroke's houte, be ftill continued in his fervice, at a falary of fifty pounds per annum, tỉh the time of his first engagement at Drury-lane theatre, which took place in 1763, by the advice and introduction of Mr. Holland, with whom Mr. Powell had long lived in the cloleft friendship. Powell, in the fullness of his heart, would often say what a happy fellow Holland was, to make an income of several hundreds annually, in a profeffion too that held him up to the general applaufe of the public, while he was obliged to plod away in obfcurity upon a poor fifty pounds year. The other on this would con antly reply, that it was Powell's own fault, if he did not try his abilines, and affured him that many perions, with talents greatly inferior, made a very comfortable livelihood by the ftage. Powell knew this to be true, and burned to embark in a profelfion, where his circumstances were not only to be improved, but where the first wifh of his heart was to feel the moft ample gratification. The generous pride, however, which ac companies real genius, for a confiderable time reftrained him; the idea of 1769. THE BRITISH THEATRE. being a fubaltern wfhocking to his reflection; and he could not bear to enter on the mufter-roll of perfor mers without some reasonable prof. pect of a distinguished fituation. At length the flattering opinion of his friend Mr. Holland determined him; and he was introduced by that gentleman to Mr. Garrick, in the fum. mer of 1763, who received him with all the politeness of a breeding the most perfect, and heard him with all the indulgence of a good nature the moft encouraging. An immediate engagement for three years, at a moderate, but certain falary, was the confequence, and Mr. Powell prepared, with indefatigable industry, for his appearance at Drury-lane the winter following. The opinion entertained of Mr. Powell's fuccefs were fo very warm, that though Mr. Garrick intended to pass the winter in Italy, he refolved to revive a play for his firft effort, in which he should have the advantage of appearing wholly an ori. ginal to the public: in conformity to this view, Mr. Colman, who was then connected with Drury-lane houfe, and defervedly placed on the first forum of dramatic reputation, kindly undertook to alter Philafter from Beaumont and Fletcher, a task which he executed with the judgement of a mafter; and the 8th of October, the critical day, arrived, on which our young citizen was to offer himself a candidate for theatrical reputation. The house was uncommonly crouded, the expectation of the town had been greatly raised, by the many accounts circulated of Powell's natural abilities; his friends were numerous, and the whole audience waited for his entrance, with an impatience actually incredible. At length he appeared, but confused, apprehenfive, and finking with terror. An univerfal thunder of applaufe,however, gave him fpirits to go on; his fears gradually fubfided, as he found himfelf encouraged by the grateful acclamation of the public, and he went through his part with a grace, a pathos, and a propriety, that, even on his firft effay, gave him a confpicuous rank in the catalogue of celebrated actors. In reality, fuch was the general idea of his merit, that the play of Philafter, though evidently chofen more for the fake of a character in 341 which he could have no competitor, than on account of its own intrinsic excellence, ran almoft twenty nights in the course of that fingle season; a circumftance very extraordinary in the annals of the ftage, especially when we obferve that the fame performer was alfo continually undertaking fome principal part, in the most approved pieces, and that the attention of the town was of courfe diminished to the Philafter in proportion as the object of that attention gratified it with novelty. Mr. Powell having fucceeded thus capitally, and having proved a most valua. ble acquifition to the managers of Drury-lane theatre, the managers on their part acted with the greatest generolity, and though he was engaged to them for a certain term of three years at a falary not exceeding three pounds a week, they immediately made his appointments equal to ten, and in a fhort time after, cancelling his original article, voluntarily railed his income to twelve, pounds a week: fo confiderable a revenue, joined to the profits of his benefit, which were always very large, through the kindness of his many friends, who vied with each other in liberality on this occafion, enabled him to make a very ele gant appearance, and gave him an added ambition of meriting the favour of that public, which diftinguifhed him with fuch unremitting munificence. This grateful folicitude did not pass unrewarded, his merits in his profeffion, joined to the unoffending propriety of his private conduct, were every where fpoken of and the inhabitants of Bristol, who had been charmed with his performance, on his first fummer excurfion, and were defirous to retain him to themselves, on every fubfequent recefs of the London houfes, eagerly opened a fubfcription to provide him with a commodious theatre. Of this theatre, when built, they made him joint manager with Mr. Clarke, ■ choice which was amply juftified by the fpirited behaviour of the two actors, who instead of wishing to engrofs the advantages to themselves, immediately facrificed their own inte reft to the entertainment of their benefactors, and invited Mr. Holland to a fhare of the management, who proved an auxiliary of the most pow erful 342 THE BRITISH THEATRE. While Fame feemed courting Mr. Powell with fo paffionate a fondness, Fortune appeared equally defirous to mark him as her favourite, and opened fill more flattering profpects to his view. By the death of Mr. Rich, the property of Covent-Garden theatre devolved to a number of heirs, who were defirous of getting a certain fum as an equivalent for their legacies, and did not choofe any longer to continue even in a profitable undertaking, when attended with fatigue, or repugnant to their inclinations. On this account they determined to difpofe of the patent, and of every other intereft in their houfe, which they estimated in the grofs at no lefs than fixty thousand pounds. Confiderable as this demand may be thought at a first glance, there was actually a competition for the purchase; the advantages accruing from a play-houfe in London were fuppofed to be prodigious, and the direction of fo polite an entertainment had numberless charms for many gay imaginations. Two gentlemen, however, Mr. Harris and Mr. Rutherford, who were earlier in their application to Mr. Rich's legatees than any other bidders, were declared the buyers; and the bargain was no fooner clofed, than it appeared that Mr. Powell was a partner with them in the tranfaction. Mr. Harris and Mr. Rutherford were gentlemen in trade, no way converfant with dramatic affairs, and no way calculated to manage a concern of fo much confequence; previous therefore to their agreement with Mr. Rich's executors, they thought it neceffary to fecure fone principal actor, whofe acquaintance with the stage, and whofe weight with the public, might not only furnish them with an able director, but give a reputation to their houfe, which had long fuffered in the eftimation of the town, and parti. cularly in the tragic department, from the want of a masterly performer: ftimulated by motives of this nature, they addreffed themfelves to Mr. Powell, and offered him a joint fhare with themselves in the purchafe, Powell was greatly ftruck at the propofal, but defpaired of raifing twenty thousand pounds, and had befides too modeft an opinion of his own abilities, July to undertake fo difficult a task as the management of a theatre. He never. theless required a little time to reAlect maturely on a circumftance of fuch moment to his fortune, advifing them to extend their partnership to another share, and to difpofe of this fhare to Mr. Colman, whom he pronounced the propereft person they could obtain for an acting manager, and affirmed, with much truth, to be at least the fecond best judge of theatrical bufinefs in the kingdom. Mr. Powell's behaviour on this oc cafion was no less grateful than unprefuming; he looked upon himself as much indebted to Mr. Colman's friendfhip for his great fuccefs on the ftage, and wished therefore to have him in cluded in any treaty which wore an afpect of advantage; for this reason he not only chearfully propofed to encrease the shares, but even urged the expediency of calling in a partner that must neceffarily leffen his own influence in the theatre. It was not the reflection of fifteen thousand being a fmaller fum than twenty thousand pounds, and confequently of being more eafily collected, that induced him to make the propofal; for the one was as much above his hope as the other; but the concurring refult of gras titude to his friend, and of justice to Mr. Harris and Mr. Rutherford. Whether Mr. H. and Mr. R. were pleased with his motive, or convinced by his arguments, is of little fignification to afcertain; it is enough that they liftened to his advice, while he fecretly ruminated upon measures to raise his portion of the purchase money. There is no fituation, in which a man can render himself more known, or poffibly more efteemed, than in an eminent rank on the ftage. Powell's acquaintance was very extensive, and moit of thofe who had ability, poffeffed alfo an inclination to ferve him. Among the number, Mrs. G―r, one of the most exquifite beauties that this or any other country ever produced, entertained a friendship of the moft generous nature for him, and repeatedly wifhed for opportunities of promoting his intereft effentially; the moment therefore the found him embarraffed for the fum in queftion, the applied to a noble earl, whofe prin cipal happiness is to oblige her, and reprefenting Powell as a man whofe welfare he had at heart, whofe talents 1769. THE BRITISH THEATRE. the warmly admired, and whofe private character the fincerely refpected, requested his lordship would not let a deferving young fellow lofe a fair oçça fion of making his fortune, for the want of a loan with which he could eafily accommodate him. The nobleman heard her with much pleasure, and gratified her requeft with more. He was fuperior to the little fufpicion which fuch a folicitation from an admired woman would have excited in a common bofom, and having eleven thousand pounds at that time in the four per cents. he liberally lent this fum at the fame intereft to Mr. Powell, and told him, if he was any way diftreffed for the remainder of his purchase money, to apply to him, and it should be inftantly advanced. Powell, however, having almoft unexpectedly obtained fo capital a part of what he wanted to raise, foon fatisfied Mr. Rich's executors for the deficiency, and with his three colleagues entered into the poffeffion of Covent-Garden theatre. It is not our intention, in this little fketch of Mr. Powell's hiftory, to enter into the diffentions which have fo long fubfifted between the CoventGarden proprietors; we fhall only take notice, that from the publications even of Mr. Harris and Mr. Rutherford, poor Powell appears to have laboured heartily for the restoration of peace, and to have fhewn an uncommon benevolence of temper: though equally concerned in the property, and though fo much depended upon his individual merit as an actor, he ftill forfeited all pretenfions to influence, for the fake of preferving the general repofe, and thought no facrifice too great at the altar of Tranquillity. Mr. Powell having now become a proprietor of a theatre in London, as well as in Bristol, and receiving very confiderable emoluments from his performance as an actor, to fay nothing of the univerfal eftimation he poffeft, it might naturally be expected that fo fudden a rise from a contracted income into an extenfive opulence, and fo quick an advancement from obfcu. rity into public regard, would have made a material alteration in his temper; few heads are fufficiently fteady to look from a pinnacle of unexpected good fortune, without turning giddy at the elevation. Greatly to Powell's honour, the cafe with him was ut 343 terly otherwife; his profperity gave him opportunities of obliging many of his old acquaintance, but filled him with no vain anxiety to forget them; on the contrary, he was never happier than to recognize the compa nions of his humbler fituation, unless when he found they could be benefitted by his affiftance; then indeed he experienced an exquifite fatisfaçtion, and feemed abfolutely tranfported with the reward of his own humanity. It was no wonder, therefore, that the news of his death fhould excite a very general regret. Thofe who only knew him in his profefhon, felt for the common lofs which the lovers of the drama had sustained : those who knew him in private life, felt an additional concern, and la mented alfo the lofs of the man. al, as to be extremely fond of comPowell was of a difpofition fo foci. pany, and as the friends, with whom he ufually mingled, were men of a convivial turn, entertaining to an excefs, and profeffed lovers of the glass, it frequently happened that tempe rance glowing hour of feftivity. Irregula was totally forgotten in the rities of this kind, joined to the great fatigue which he underwent in executing a wide variety of difficult cha racters, were too much for a conftitution naturally delicate this poor Powell fatally experienced; he was often indifpofed after any confiderable lapfe, and became at laft fubject to a kind of periodical rheumatism. On going down to Bristol, at the last clofe of Covent Garden house, he was attacked by this diforder, though not fo violently as to furnish any fuffi cient grounds of his imminent danger; but the attack being attended with a fever and a fore throat, proved too powerful for all the force of medicine, and he expired on Monday evening the 7th of July, in the thirty-fourth year of his age. The inhabitants of Bristol expreffed the most general concern at his death. The news reached the theatre early in the evening, during the exhibition of Richard the Third, and had such an effect upon the actors, that Mr. Holland was obli, ged to apologize to the audience for the apparent inequality of their performance. The audience were no fooner acquainted with the caufe, than they generously made every allowance for defects, and even appeared willing to difcontinue |