| Citation |
PEP.775.002
26 Jan 1775:72 (1/2)
From the London Evening Post of Oct. 22.
ANECDOTES.
An elderly French lady retired to her country seat, to live
on her means; and had only one child, a son, who was a very
worthless young fellow, a gamester, and a debauchee. He
listed among the comedians for want of other means to live,
and because his mother would no longer see him, or feed his
extravagancies. By chance the company, to which he
belonged, went to pass the winter at a city, which was in
the neighbourhood of the old lady's seat. After four or
five representations, certain persons discovered our young
actor, and conveyed the news in all haste to his mother.
She was greatly surprised, but extremely desirous to see her
son act, and having never seen a play before, she was
determined to go incognito to the playhouse. A box was
privately taken for herself and two or three friends. The
play was Beverley, or the English Gamester. The strong
resemblance between her son and the principal character,
which he represented, was so singular, that the deception
had its full effect upon the good woman; for at every
passage relative to him, she muttered the following
exclamations: Ay, there he is! The Beggar! The scoundrel!
Always the same! He is no changeling! The delusion grew at
last so very powerful in the fifth act, that when Beverly
lifted up his hand to murder his child, the old lady cried
out with a terrible voice, and with all the emotions of
nature, "Stop thy hand, wretch, don't kill thy child! I'll
take it home with me!"
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