"'Tis my chief wish, my joy, my only plan,
To lose no drop of that immortal man!"
This season was also remarkable for the riot consequent on his producing the "Chinese Festival," when the public, hating the French, with whom we were at war, insisted on his asking pardon for the introduction of Swiss, Germans, and Italians! Garrick proudly answered, that if they would not allow him to go on with his part (Archer), he would never, never, again set foot on the stage! It was, further, famous for the failure of "Athelstan," by Dr. Browne, which fell, though it was a better tragedy than "Barbarossa." The disappointed author, it will be remembered, destroyed himself.[63] Still more famous was this season, for the fray between the Rival Queens, Woffington—Roxana, and Bellamy—Statira; when the superb dresses of the latter drove poor Peg into such fury, that she nearly stabbed her rival in downright earnest. Failing in her attempt, she stabbed her with words, and taunted Bellamy with having a minister (Henry Fox) who indulged her in such extravagances. "And you," retorted the other "gentle creature," "have half the town who do not!" But not for these things, nor for Foote's satirical farces against Murphy, nor for Murphy's against Foote, was the season so famous, as it was for being that in which Barry, now returned to Covent Garden, entered the lists once more against Garrick, after playing a round of his most successful characters, by acting King Lear with Miss Nossiter as Cordelia, which part Mrs. Cibber played to Garrick's King.
In this contest Garrick carried away the palm. Barry was dignified, impressive, pathetic, but unequal, failing principally in the mad scenes, which appear to have been over-acted. It was precisely there where Garrick was most sublime, natural, and affecting. There was no rant, no violence, no grimacing. The feeble, miserable, but still royal old man was there; slow of motion, vague of look, uncertain, forgetful of all things save of the cruelty of his daughters. It was said for Barry that he was "every inch a king;" for Garrick, that he was "every inch King Lear." The wits who admired the latter repeated the epigram—
"The town has found out diff'rent ways,
To praise the different Lears;
To Barry they give loud huzzas!
To Garrick—only tears."[64]
others quoted the lines alluding to Garrick's jealousy—
"Critics attend! and judge the rival Lears;