I have been told of an ingenious observation by Mr. Gibbon, that 'The Beggar's Opera may, perhaps, have sometimes increased the number of highwaymen; but that it has had a beneficial effect in refining that class of men, making them less ferocious, more polite, in short, more like gentlemen.' Upon this Mr. Courtenay said, that 'Gay was the Orpheus of highwaymen.' BOSWELL.
[1099] 'The play like many others was plainly written only to divert without any moral purpose, and is therefore not likely to do good; nor can it be conceived without more speculation than life requires or admits to be productive of much evil. Highwaymen and house-breakers seldom frequent the play-house, or mingle in any elegant diversion; nor is it possible for any one to imagine that he may rob with safety, because he sees Macheath reprieved upon the stage.' Works, viii. 68.
[1100] 'The worthy Queensb'ry yet laments his Gay.'
The Seasons. Summer, l. 1422. Pope (Prologue to the Satires, l. 259) says:--
'Of all thy blameless life the sole return My verse, and Queensb'ry weeping o'er thy urn.'
Johnson (Works, viii. 69) mentions 'the affectionate attention of the Duke and Duchess of Queensberry, into whose house he was taken, and with whom he passed the remaining part of his life.' Smollett, in Humphry Clinker, in the letters of Sept. 12 and 13, speaks of the Duke as 'one of the best men that ever breathed,' 'one of those few noblemen whose goodness of heart does honour to human nature.' He died in 1778.
[1101] This song is the twelfth air in act i.
[1102] 'In several parts of tragedy,' writes Tom Davies, 'Walker's look, deportment, and action gave a distinguished glare to tyrannic rage.' Davies's Garrick, i. 24.
[1103] Pope said of himself and Swift:--'Neither of us thought it would succeed. We shewed it to Congreve, who said it would either take greatly or be damned confoundedly. We were all at the first night of it in great uncertainty of the event, till we were very much encouraged by overhearing the Duke of Argyle say, "It will do--it must do! I see it in the eyes of them!" This was a good while before the first act was over, and so gave us ease soon: for that duke has a more particular knack than any one now living in discovering the taste of the publick. He was quite right in this, as usual: the good-nature of the audience appeared stronger and stronger every act, and ended in a clamour of applause.' Spence's Anec. p. 159. See The Dundad, iii. 330, and post, April 25, 1778.
[1104] R. B. Sheridan married Miss Linley in 1773.
[1105] His wife had L3000, settled on her with delicate generosity by a gentleman to whom she had been engaged. Moore's Sheridan, i. 43.
[1106] 'Those who had felt the mischief of discord and the tyranny of usurpation read Hudibras with rapture, for every line brought back to memory something known, and gratified resentment by the just censure of something hated. But the book, which was once quoted by princes, and which supplied conversation to all the assemblies of the gay and witty, is now seldom mentioned, and even by those that affect to mention it, is seldom read.' The Idler, No. 59.
[1107] In his Life of Addison, Johnson says (Works, vii. 431):--'The reason which induced Cervantes to bring his hero to the grave, para mi solo nacio Don Quixote y yo para el [for me alone was Don Quixote born, and I for him], made Addison declare, with undue vehemence of expression, that he would kill Sir Roger; being of opinion that they were born for one another, and that any other hand would do him wrong.'
[1108] 'It may be doubted whether Addison ever filled up his original delineation. He describes his knight as having his imagination somewhat warped; but of this perversion he has made very little use.' Johnson's Works, vii. 431.
[1109] 'The papers left in the closet of Pieresc supplied his heirs with a whole winter's fuel.' The Idler, No. 65. 'A chamber in his house was filled with letters from the most eminent scholars of the age. The learned in Europe had addressed Pieresc in their difficulties, who was hence called "the attorney-general of the republic of letters." The niggardly niece, though entreated to permit them to be published, preferred to use these learned epistles occasionally to light her fires.' D'Israeli's Curiosities of Literature, i. 59.
[1110] Boswell was accompanied by Paoli. To justify his visit to London, he said:--'I think it is also for my interest, as in time I may get something. Lord Pembroke was very obliging to me when he was in Scotland, and has corresponded with me since. I have hopes from him.' Letters of Boswell, pp. 182, 189, and post, iii. 122, note 2. Horace Walpole described Lord Pembroke in 1764 as 'a young profligate.' Memoirs of the Reign of George III, i. 415.
[1111] Page 316. BOSWELL.
[1112] Page 291. BOSWELL.
[1113] In justice to Dr. Memis, though I was against him as an Advocate, I must mention, that he objected to the variation very earnestly, before the translation was printed off.