The actors that Macklin used to talk most of, and with whom he seemed most pleased in discussing their merits, were Wilks, Booth, Mills, Johnson, Quin, Boheme, and Ryan; and as in the younger parts of his life, he himself played characters of all descriptions, it is probable that he selected more or less from these models. A brief inquiry, therefore, how they stood as actors of reputation (which we shall give from his opinion of them, as well as from other authorities) we trust will not be thought irrelative in this place.

Though we have no very favourable account of Wilks from Colley Cibber, who hated him personally, as well as Dogget, (though he had more prudence in concealing it during Wilks's life;) and though he always preferred Powel to him, "who," he says, "excelled him in voice and ear in Tragedy, as well as humour in Comedy;" yet he, on the whole, is obliged to allow him qualifications which leave him a very considerable actor; particularly in his Sir Harry Wildair, Essex, Mark Antony, Valentine, Plume, &c. &c. To these he adds his uncommon attention to be perfect in his parts, which he was so exact in, that "I question," says Cibber, "if, in forty years, he ever five times changed or misplaced an article in any one of them."

Of

Of his determined perseverance in this exercise of memory, he adds the following curious instance: "In some new Comedy he happened to complain of a crabbed speech in his part, which he said gave him more trouble to study than all the rest; upon which he applied to the author, either to soften or shorten it. The author, that he might make matters perfectly easy to him, fairly cut it all out: but when Wilks got home from the rehearsal, he thought it such an indignity to his memory that any thing should be too hard for it, that he actually made himself perfect in that speech, though he knew it was never to be made use of."

Wilks's general merits as an actor, may be divided into the gay and fashionable characters of Comedy, and the animated pathetic scenes of Tragedy. As a lover, no person since the death of Mountford, who was his predecessor, could reach him; nor was he, perhaps, ever equalled, till the laurel descended upon Barry; and Davies, who had seen him act, speaks highly of his Edgar, Macduff, Mark Antony, Prince of Wales, &c.

Of Mark Antony, he says, "As soon as Wilks entered on the stage, without taking any notice of the conspirators, he walked quickly up to the dead body of Cæsar, and knelt down: he then paused for some time before he spoke, and, after surveying

A a

surveying the corpse with manifest tokens of the deepest sorrow, he addressed it in a most affecting and pathetic manner."

Of his Prince of Wales he speaks in still higher

terms.

"The Prince, by Wilks," says he,

66 was

one of the most perfect exhibitions of the Theatre, who, with great skill and nature, threw aside the libertine gaiety of Hal, when he assumed the princely deportment of Henry. At the Boar's Head, he was lively and frolicksome; in the reconciliation with his father, his penitence was gracefully becoming, and his resolution of amendment manly and affecting.

"In his challenge of Hotspur, his defiance was equally gallant and modest: in his combat with that Nobleman, his fire was tempered with moderation; and bis reflections on the death of the great rebel, generous and pathetic. The Hotspur of Booth, though a noble portrait of courage, humour, and gallantry, was not superior to the Prince of Wales by Wilks."

Macklin used to praise him in three parts, which, perhaps, were the only characters he might have seen him in; and these were, his Mark Antony, Captain Plume, and Lord Townly. He spoke highly of the first, but with the most unqualified applause of the two last, which were perfect mo

dels

dels of ease and good breeding. To these testimonies we shall add that of an Irish Barrister of great eminence, who died about thirty years ago, and who was always considered not more eminent in the walks of his profession, than in those of dramatic criticism. From him we have been informed, that whatever Wilks did upon the stage, let it be ever so trifling, whether it consisted in putting on his gloves, or taking out his watch, lolling on his cane, or taking snuff, every movement was marked with such an ease of breeding and manner, every thing told so strongly the involuntary motion of a gentleman, that it was impossible to consider the character he represented in any other light than that of a reality."

"But what was still more surprising," said the Gentleman, in relating this anécdote, "that the person who could thus delight an audience from the gaiety and sprightliness of his manner, I met the next day in the street hobbling to an hackney coach, seemingly so enfeebled by age and infirmities, that I could scarcely believe him to be the same man." Such is the power of illusion, when a great genius feels the importance of character! *

The above event took place in the year 1729, two years before the death of Wilks, who, as Cibber tells us, "was múch more enfeebled by the constant irritations of his temper than he was by bis declining years."

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We cannot conclude the character of this great Actor without mentioning the following circumstance, which does him great professional honour, and which, considering the general irritability of his temper, shews with what moderation, and even good-breeding, he could bear reproof, when it came from the mouth of a judicious friend.

With Wilks's general talents for Tragedy, there were some parts that he was unequal to; and in particular the Ghost in Hamlet. One day at rehearsal, Booth took the liberty to jest with him upon it. "Why, Bob," says he, "I thought last night you wanted to play at fisty cuffs with me, (Booth played Hamlet to his Ghost,) you bullied me so, who, by the bye, you ought to have revered. I remember when I acted the Ghost with Betterton, instead of my awing him, he terrified me-But there was a divinity hung 'round that man!"

To this rebuke, Wilks, feeling its propriety, modestly replied, "Mr. Betterton and Mr. Booth could always act as they pleased; but for my part, I must do as well as I can."

Booth, who was the next model after Wilks in the old School, of which Macklin is supposed to have drawn his information from, we have already touched on in the course of these Memoirs;

and,