This accident happening on the last night but four of the season, it was deemed prudent not to re-open the house that year.[43] Such performers as were entitled to benefits, and had not yet taken them, took them at the Circus; and thus terminated the season of 1807, the most melancholy termination of a season which Sadler's Wells Theatre had ever known.
[43] The house closed, but re-opened for two nights on Monday, November 2, and Tuesday, November 3. The whole proceeds were given to the relations of the deceased, and to the maimed sufferers on that luckless night, the 15th of the preceding month. The entire company engaged in the theatre tendered their services gratuitously: the two nights' representations produced 290l. 7s., which was beneficially and impartially distributed by the proprietors, a proceeding which elicited the following declaration:—
"We, the magistrates, who have acted on this occasion, feel it incumbent upon us to express to the public our approbation of the conduct of the proprietors of Sadler's Wells, who used, as it appears, every possible exertion at the time, and have shown every attention to alleviate, as much as was in their power, the distress occasioned by so melancholy an event; and at the same time we feel a pleasure in bearing our testimonies to the grateful deportment of those who have experienced the attention, the humanity, and the liberal relief which has been afforded them.
"A. Cumming.
W. Wix.
Richard Lendon.
"Sadler's Wells, Nov. 27, 1807."
On the 26th of December, was produced "Harlequin in his Element; or, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air," in which Bologna and Grimaldi were the harlequin and clown. It was highly successful, and in Grimaldi's opinion deservedly so, for he always considered it one of the best pantomimes in which he ever played. During this season, he also performed in an unsuccessful melodrama, entitled "Bonifacio and Bridgetino,"[44] and also Baptiste, in "Raymond and Agnes," which latter piece went off very well, and was repeated several times.
[44] Bologna, jun. and Grimaldi were the two heroes in this piece, produced for the first time at Covent Garden Theatre, on Thursday, March 31, 1808.
At this time he had a cottage at Finchley,[45] to which place he used to drive down in his gig after the performances. If there were no rehearsal, he remained there until the following afternoon; if there were, he returned to town immediately after breakfast. His principal reason for taking the house originally, was that his young son, of whom he was extremely fond, might have the benefit of country air: but both he and his wife became so much attached to it, that when his original term expired he renewed the lease, and retained it altogether for several years.
[45] On the edge of the common, between the seventh and eighth mile stone, on the left-hand side of the road from town.
He met with numerous little adventures during these night-drives after the theatre: sometimes he fell asleep as soon as he had turned out of town, and only awoke when he arrived at his own gate. One night he was so fatigued with his performance that he still continued to sleep, when the horse, a very steady one, who could always find his way home without assistance, had stopped at the gate. The best of it was, that upon this particular night, the man-servant, who always sat up for him, had fallen asleep too; so there sat he slumbering on one side of the fence, while on the other side, not six feet off, sat his master in the gig, fast asleep too; and so they both remained, until the violent snorting of the horse, which probably thought it high time to turn in for the night, awoke the man, who roused the master, and speedily set all to rights. But as one circumstance which occurred to him during these night journeys will be narrated at greater length in another part of the volume, we will leave the subject for the present.