| Citation |
VGW(HU.769.139
28 Dec 1769:12, 13 (971)
From the Gentleman's Magazine. To give our readers as
particular and authentick an account of the jubilee at
Stratford as possible, we have procured, with some
solicitation, the following extract of a letter to a
gentleman in London.
. . . [21 lines, view of Stratford before event began] A
Banbury man indeed, employed to carry thither a double bass
viol (on which he was unable to play, but doubted not they
would show him how when he got there) told them it was to be
the celebration of the resurrection of Shakespeare. . . [8
lines] The great booth, of Shakespeare's hall, more
generally called the amphitheatre, I found a truly elegant
and tasteful room, of the shape but not quite so large as
Ranelagh, supported by a colonade of the Corinthian order,
distant about ten feet from the sides, and having a
chandelier of eight hundred lights hanging from the center
of the roof. . . [5 lines]
I rose early in the morning, though not in time for the
serenading, and got to the breakfasting in the town hall at
nine. The five windows were on this occasion filled with
paintings, of transparent silk, of Lear, Falstaff, Pistol,
Caliban, and the genius of Shakespeare, in a good stile,
which with the fifes and drums playing favourite marches
before the front of the hall had a prodigious effect. At
eleven we adjourned to the church, where the oratorio of
Judith was admirably performed, and met with universal
applause. . . [4 lines] Mr. Garrick (whose behaviour
exhibited the greatest politeness; with the truest
liveliness and hilarity) another to the memory of the bard,
to which was subjoined three cheers, at the instance of your
humble servant, most heartily. The performers in the
orchestra then began the catches and glees, which were
absolutely inspiriting, and the company joined in the
chorus. The whole closed with the old loyal song of God
Save the King, when every voice was exerted. At seven the
company withdrew, to prepare for the ball, which opened at
nine, and ended about three, remarkable chiefly for the most
elegant minuet that I ever saw, or shall see, by Mrs. G--
and Mr. --. . . . [1 paragraph, evidently from the Ode]
When Philip's fam'd unconquer'd son
Had every blood stain'd laurel won,
He sigh'd that his creative word,
Like that which rules the skies,
Could not bid other world arise,
To satisfy his yet unfated sword.
But when our Shakespeare's matchless pen,
Like Alexander's sword, had done with men,
He heard no sight, he made no moan,
Not limited to human kind,
His wonder turning mind
Rais'd other world and beings all his own.
And his introduction of Falstaff, accompanied by all his
power of voice, face, and gesture, compelled such applause
as I never heard before. His saying that the fat knight is
a comick world in one,
"And the world too is wicked and round, "
surely is genuine wit.
I could dwell for ever on the ode, which received every
advantage that the greatest orator of the age, himself the
author, could give. Nor should Dr. Arne's incomparable
taste in the musical parts of it be forgot, or the
unexpected entertainment which Mr. King's genuine humour, as
ambassadour from the society of the Macaroni to the good
folks Le Bas; but I am convinced that even in a personal
conversation I shall never be able to give you any competent
idea of the pleasure I felt in this performance, how vain
then to attempt it by letter! At four the publick dinner
was served up, followed by the songs, &c. as on the
preceding day, until seven. At nine the fireworks were
played off, . . . and at twelve began the masquerade. The
characters which were mistaken afforded me as much or more
diversion than those which were kept up, and many of them
indeed would have been really as well filled if they had
been filled with straw. Surely a masquerade taxes the
abilities of mankind in general too high: But one sailor
out of six could dance a hornpipe, and but one more box his
compass; . . . [16 lines on how the maskers managed their
characters] I enjoyed the night prodigiously, danced a
dance or two masked, many unmasked, and retired. . . [6
lines] Our company amounted, by my guess, to about 800 at
breakfasting, to 1500 at the dinners, at the oratorio, ball,
and masquerade, to about 2000. My good fortune or vigilance
procured me the best accommodations at each, so that I felt
no encumbrance from the crowd; nor was there much felt upon
the whole, I believe.
Conclusion of an Oration spoken in honour of Shakespeare,
at the late Stratford Jubilee, by Mr. Garrick.
To feel the powers of Shakespeare is at once pleasure and
praise. . . [24 lines]
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