WEWITZER’S SPENCER.
Mr. Wewitzer, late of Drury Lane Theatre, a gentleman no less distinguished for his merit as an actor and his good character as a man, than for the amenity of his manners and the neatness of his wit, having given orders to his tailor for a spencer, asked him how much it would cost. “I cannot,” said Stitch, “exactly say, but you may depend on’t, sir, that it will come very low.” “Then,” said the wit, “it will not be a spencer.”
DISAPPROBATION.
An actor played a season at Richmond Theatre for the privilege only of having a benefit. When his night came he had to sustain a principal part in the piece. The whole of his audience, however (being thirty in number), gave him every mark of disapprobation, and a great hissing, on which he came forward and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I return you my sincere thanks for your kindness, but when you mean to hiss me again on my benefit night, I hope it will be by at least six times as many as I have here to night.”
WOODWARD.
When Woodward first played Sir John Brute, Garrick was induced, from curiosity or perhaps jealousy, to be present. A few days after, when they met, Woodward asked Garrick how he liked him in the part, adding, “I think I struck out some beauties in it.” “I think,” said Garrick, “that you struck out all the beauties in it.”
TOM WESTON.
Tom Weston, of facetious memory, being in a strolling company in Sussex, when the success was even less than moderate, ran up a bill of three shillings with his landlord, who, waiting on the comedian, insisted on his money immediately. “Make yourself easy, my honest fellow,” said Weston, “for by the gods, I will pay you this night in some shape or another.” “See you do, Master Weston,” retorted the landlord, surlily, “and, d’ye hear, let it be as much in the shape of three shillings as possible.”
DELPHINI.