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"When, the season of youth and its jollities past, "For refuge we fly to the goblet at last,

"Then we find-who does not? in the flow of the soul,

"That truth, as of yore, is confined to the bowl.

"When the box of Pandora was open'd on earth, "And Memory's triumph commenced over Mirth, Hope was left-was she not? but the goblet

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we kiss,

"And care not for hope, who are certain of bliss.

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Long life to the grape! and when summer is

flown,

"The age of our nectar shall gladden my own. "We must die-who does not? may our sins be

forgiven!

"And Hebe shall never be idle in Heaven."

Dining with him another day, the subject of private theatricals was introduced.

"I am very fond of a private theatre," said he. "I remember myself and some "friends at Cambridge getting up a play;

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" and that reminds me of a thing which happened, that was very provoking in itself, but very humorous in its conse66 quences.

"On the day of representation, one of "the performers took it into his head to "make an excuse, and his part was ob"liged to be read. Hobhouse came for"ward to apologize to the audience, and "told them that a Mr.

"to perform his part, &c.

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had declined

The gentle

man was highly indignant at the 'a,' and "had a great inclination to pick a quarrel

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with Scroope Davies, who replied, that he

supposed Mr. wanted to be called

"the Mr. so and so. He ever after went "by the name of the 'Definite Article.'

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"After this preface, to be less indefinite, suppose we were to get up a play. "My hall, which is the largest in Tus

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cany, would make a capital theatre; and

"we may send to Florence for an audi

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ence, if we cannot fill it here. And as

to decorations, nothing is easier in any "part of Italy than to get them: besides that, Williams will assist us."

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It was accordingly agreed that we should commence with " Othello." Lord Byron was to be Iago. Orders were to be given for the fitting up of the stage, preparing the dresses, &c., and rehearsals of a few scenes took place. Perhaps Lord

a variety in its

Byron would have made the finest actor in the world. His voice had a flexibility, tones, a power and pathos beyond any I ever heard; and his countenance was capable of expressing the tenderest, as well as the strongest emotions. I shall never forget his reading Iago's part in the handkerchief scene.

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Shakspeare was right," said he, after he had finished, " in making Othello's jea"lousy turn upon that circumstance.* The

*

Calderon says, in the Cisma de l'Inglaterra, (I have not the original,)

"She gave me, too, a handkerchief,—a spell"A flattering pledge, my hopes to animate"An astrologic favour-fatal prize,

"That told too true what tears must weep

these eyes!"

"handkerchief is the strongest proof of

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love, not only among the Moors, but all "Eastern nations: and yet they say that "the plot of 'Marino Faliero' hangs upon "too slight a cause."

All at once a difficulty arose about a Desdemona, and the Guiccioli put her Veto on our theatricals. The influence of the Countess over Lord Byron reminded me of a remark of Fletcher's, that Shelley once repeated to me as having overheard: That it was strange every

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woman should be able to manage his Lordship, but her Ladyship!"

Discussing the different actors of the day, he said:

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