A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833. John Thomas Smith
in the British Museum, that Benjamin Clitherow and Samuel Clanfield had also been employed as fire-workers.
Doctor Kenrick delivered his lectures on Shakspeare in these Gardens this year.[118]
1775.—After frequent inquiries, and a close examination of the newspapers of this year, I could not find any advertisement like those of preceding times with singing and fireworks. The Gardens are thus mentioned during the first part of the season, in the Morning Chronicle and London Advertiser of Monday, May 29th:—
“AT MARYBONE GARDENS,
To-morrow, the 30th instant, will be presented
THE MODERN MAGIC LANTERN,
“In three Parts, being an attempt at a sketch of the Times in a variety of Caricatures, accompanied with a whimsical and satirical Dissertation on each Character.
By R. Baddeley, Comedian.[119]
“BILL OF FARE.
Exordium.
PART THE FIRST.
A Sergeant at Law.
Andrew Marvel, Lady Fribble.
A bilking Courtesan.
A Modern Widow.
A Modern Patriot.
A Duelling Apothecary, and
A Foreign Quack.
PART THE SECOND.
A Man of Consequence.
A Hackney Parson.
A Macaroni Parson.
A Hair-dresser.
A Robin Hood Orator.
Lady Tit for Tat.
An Italian Tooth-drawer
High Life in St. Giles’s.
A Jockey, and
A Jew’s Catechism.
And Part the Third will consist of a short Magic Sketch called
“Punch’s Election.
“Admittance 2s. 6d. each, Coffee or Tea included. The doors to be opened at seven, and the Exordium to be spoken at eight o’clock.
“Vivant Rex et Regina.”
At the foot of Mr. Baddeley’s subsequent bills the Gardens are announced to be still open on a Sunday evening for company to walk in. Some of the papers of this year declare, under Mr. Baddeley’s advertisements, that “no person going into the Gardens with subscription tickets will be entitled to tea or coffee.”
The next advertisement was on Tuesday, June 20th.
“MARYBONE GARDENS.
This Evening will be delivered
A LECTURE ON MIMICRY,
BY GEORGE SAVILLE CARY.[120]
In which will be introduced
“A Dialogue between Small Cole and Fiddle-stick; Billy Bustle, Jerry Dowlas, and Patent; with the characters of Jerry Sneak in Richard the Third, Shylock in Macbeth, Juno in her Cups, Momus in his Mugs, and the Warwickshire Lads. To conclude with a dialogue between Billy Buckram and Aristophanes, in which Nick Nightingal, or the Whistler of the Woods, will make his appearance, as he was lately shown at the Theatre Royal, in the character of a Crow.
“Admittance 2s. 6d., coffee or tea included.
“The Lecture will be repeated To-morrow, Thursday, and Saturday.”
“June 21st.
MARYBONE GARDENS.
This Evening will be delivered
A LECTURE ON MIMICRY,
by
GEORGE SAVILLE CARY.
“After a new Poetical Exordium, a variety of THEATRICAL DELINEATIONS will be introduced.
“Mr. Fiddle-stick, Mr. Small Coal, Mrs. Artichoke, Mrs. H—l—y; Bustle the Bookseller; Mr. Patent, Mr. G——k; Jerry Sneak, Richard III., Mr. W——; another Richard, Mr. S—th; Shylock, in Macbeth, M—n—.
“ ‘What, alas! shall Orpheus do?’ Sig. M—ll—o; ‘Juno in her Cups,’ Miss C—t—y; ‘The Early Horn,’ Mr. M. D—— B——y; ‘This is, Sir, a Jubilee,’ Mr. B—n—r; ‘Where, Which, and Wherefore,’ Sig. L—at—ni; ‘Within my Breast,’ Mr. V.; ‘Sweet Willy O,’ Mrs. B—d—y; ‘The Mulberry Tree,’ M—k—r; ‘Ye Warwickshire Lads,’ Mr. V. and Mr. D.
Scene in Harlequin’s Invasion, Mr. D——d, Mr. P——ns, and Mr. B—n—by.
Othello, Mr. B——y; Nurse, Mrs. P——t; Cymbeline, Mr. H——st; Iachimo, Mr. P——r; Mr. Posthumous, Mr. R——h; Pantomime, Mr. F——t and Mr. W——n.[121]
The Doors to be opened at Seven o’clock, and to begin at Eight.
“Admittance 2s. 6d. each, coffee or tea included.
“The Lecture will be repeated to-morrow and Saturday next.”
“June 23rd.
MARYBONE GARDENS.
“By Virtue of a Licence from the Board of Ordnance, a
MOST MAGNIFICENT FIREWORK
will be exhibited on Tuesday next at
MARYBONE GARDENS,
In honour of His Majesty’s Birthday.
“Further particulars will be advertised on Monday next.”
“Indeed, Sir!” is the general exclamation of a passenger in a stage coach, whenever any one observes that he had seen Garrick perform; at least, such an observation has fallen from many of my fellow-travellers, when I have asserted that I had had the pleasure of seeing that great actor. On the 25th of November, 1775, my father first took me to a play, and it was with one of Mr. Garrick’s orders, when he performed in The Alchemist.[122]
1776.—Marylebone Gardens opened this year on the 11th of May, by authority. The “Forge of Vulcan” was represented.[123] On the 16th of the same month the Fantoccini was introduced; on June 3rd Breslaw exhibited his sleight of hand, and also his company of singers, upon which occasion handbills were publicly distributed. Admittance 2s.[124] On the 25th Mrs. Stuart had a ball, and Signor Rebecca (well known for his productions at the Pantheon) painted some of the transparencies.[125]
Subscription tickets to the Gardens were issued at £1, 11s. 6d. to admit two persons every evening of performance. The Gardens were opened on Sunday evenings, with tea, coffee, and Ranelagh rolls. Caillot was the fire-worker this season.
THE ROYAL COCKPIT, WESTMINSTER
This, as well as the preceding year, was particularly famous for the breed of Canary birds, consisting of Junks, Mealies, Turncrowns, and the Swallow-throats. They were all “fine in feather and full in song,” and could sing in the highest perfection many delightful strains, such as the nightingale’s, titlark’s, and woodlark’s, by candle-light as well as day. The breeders lived in Norwich, Colchester, Ipswich, etc. The sellers in London were principally publicans, and those most in vogue kept the signs of the “Queen’s Arms,” Newgate Street; the “Green Dragon,” Narrow Wall, Lambeth; the “Crown and Horse-shoe,” Holborn; the “Wheatsheaf,” Fleet Market; the