And should we fail to gain the wish'd applause, HAVING thus addressed the town, he shewed that his measures were well concerted. He foresaw that Romeo and Juliet would be the grand battery opened against him by the enemy. He had lectured Barry and Mrs. Cibber in that play, and now expected that they would employ his own weapons against himself. Accordingly he was determined to contend with them for victory. Though he had imparted his ideas to his antagonists, yet such a genius was not exhausted. To strike out new beauties in passages, where the most penetrating critic could not expect them, was his peculiar talent. It is certain, however, that he had no actress fit to enter the lists against Mrs. Cibber. To supply that deficiency, as well well as circumstances would permit, he took under his tuition a young actress, who had given an early promise of rising merit. This was Mrs. Bellamy, from the Dublin theatre, of a graceful figure, and a good voice. Instructed by so great a master, she was able to make a stand, though not to dispute the laurel with Mrs. Cibber. Woodward, in Mercutio, was a tower of strength; a character so highly finished, so whimsical, yet natural, so eccentric, yet sensible, and altogether so entertaining, cannot be found in any play whatever, and no actor ever reached the vivacity of Woodward. The play was acted at CoventGarden early in October, and Garrick declared war on the same day. Both houses continued to repeat it twenty nights, without intermission. Rich, at length, was tired of the contest. He announced another play, and Garrick, VOL. I. Garrick, as a signal of victory, played Romeo the one and twentieth time. The public, during the struggle, had reason to be discontented; they lost the pleasure of variety. The following Epigram appeared in the newspapers. Garrick, however, had reason to rejoice. The grand battery of the enemy was silenced. Barry lost nothing by the contest on the contrary, his performance was universally admired; he had in some passages such peculiar powers, that he was not to be excelled, perhaps not equalled. But Garrick's fertile genius was, in its turn, not to be rivalled. He struck out so many new lights, and raised such terror and and pity in the catastrophe, that the public opinion was much divided, and the palm of victory hung in suspense between the two competitors. THE consequence of these measures was, that the Covent-Garden league was disconcerted, and Garrick was prepared to follow his blow. Before the end of October, he revived Congreve's tragedy of the Mourning Bride. Notwithstanding some defects, it must be admitted, that this is an interesting play. The language, it is true, in some places swells into too false grandeur, but is often natural and pathetic. The business in the two first acts is conducted with uncommon skill. Almeria thinks, that her husband, Osmyn, (whose real name is Alphonso,) was lost in a storm at sea, when she herself was saved from the wreck. Osmyn, on his part, imagines that she perished in the deep. Their meeting is brought about by the most artful, yet probable means, at the tomb of Anselmo. Al meria enters the temple, and describes that awful structure in the following lines: No, all is hush'd, and still as death!-'tis dreadful! Whose ancient pillars rear their marble heads, heart "that if he Of this passage, Dr. Johnson says, "were to select from the whole mass of English poetry the most poetical paragraph, " he knows not what he could prefer to this description." This writer remembers to have heard |