[ [164] M. Perrin, the late manager of the Theatre Français, was virulently attacked for giving la jeune troupe no opportunities, and so doing nothing to provide successors to the great actors of his time.
[ [165] After the death of Wilks and Booth, and the retirement of Cibber, the stage experienced a period of dulness, which was the natural result of the want of good young talent in the lifetime of the old actors. Such periods seem to recur at stated intervals in the history of the stage.
[ [166] "Venice Preserved" was acted at the Haymarket on 22nd February, 1707, but Dr. Burney's MSS. do not give the cast. On 15th November, 1707, Pierre was played by Mills.
[ [167] For an account of this matter, see ante, page 70.
[ [168] Davies ("Dram. Misc.," iii. 255) has the following interesting statement regarding Cibber and Wilks, which he gives on Victor's authority:—
"However Colley may complain, in his Apology, of Wilks's fire and impetuosity, he in general was Cibber's great admirer; he supported him on all occasions, where his own passion or interest did not interpose; nay, he deprived the inoffensive Harry Carey of the liberty of the scenes, because he had, in common with others, made merry with Cibber in a song, on his being appointed poet laureat; saying at the same time, he was surprised at his impertinence, in behaving so improperly to a man of such great merit."
[ [169] John Dennis, in an advertisement to the "Invader of his Country," remarks on this foible. He says:—
"I am perfectly satisfied that any Author who brings a Play to Drury-Lane, must, if 'tis a good one, be sacrificed to the Jealousie of this fine Writer, unless he has either a powerful Cabal, or unless he will flatter Mr. Robert Wilks, and make him believe that he is an excellent Tragedian." The "fine Writer" is, of course, Cibber.
[ [170] "In the trajedy of Mackbeth, where Wilks acts the Part of a Man whose Family has been murder'd in his Absence, the Wildness of his Passion, which is run over in a Torrent of calamitous Circumstances, does but raise my Spirits and give me the Alarm; but when he skilfully seems to be out of Breath, and is brought too low to say more; and upon a second Reflection, cry, only wiping his Eyes, What, both my Children! Both, both my Children gone—There is no resisting a Sorrow which seems to have cast about for all the Reasons possible for its Consolation, but has no Recource. There is not one left, but both, both are murdered! Such sudden Starts from the Thread of the Discourse, and a plain Sentiment express'd in an artless Way, are the irresistible Strokes of Eloquence and Poetry."—"Tatler," No. 68, September 15th, 1709.
The extraordinary language of Macduff is quoted from Davenant's mutilation of Shakespeare's play. Obviously it is not Shakespeare's language.