sketches of young gentlemen-第8部分

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first；　and　says　no　earthly　power　shall　induce　him　to　take　the

character。　　It's　a　fine　part；　too　…　excellent　business；　I'm　told。

He　has　to　kill　six　people　in　the　course　of　the　piece；　and　to　fight

over　a　bridge　in　red　fire；　which　is　as　safe　a　card；　you　know；　as

can　be。　　Don't　mention　it；　but　I　hear　that　the　last　scene；　when　he

is　first　poisoned；　and　then　stabbed；　by　Mrs。　Flimkins　as　Vengedora；

will　be　the　greatest　thing　that　has　been　done　these　many　years。'

With　this　piece　of　news；　and　laying　his　finger　on　his　lips　as　a

caution　for　you　not　to　excite　the　town　with　it；　the　theatrical

young　gentleman　hurries　away。



The　theatrical　young　gentleman；　from　often　frequenting　the

different　theatrical　establishments；　has　pet　and　familiar　names　for

them　all。　　Thus　Covent…Garden　is　the　garden；　Drury…Lane　the　lane；

the　Victoria　the　vic；　and　the　Olympic　the　pic。　　Actresses；　too；　are

always　designated　by　their　surnames　only；　as　Taylor；　Nisbett；

Faucit；　Honey；　that　talented　and　lady…like　girl　Sheriff；　that

clever　little　creature　Horton；　and　so　on。　　In　the　same　manner　he

prefixes　Christian　names　when　he　mentions　actors；　as　Charley　Young；

Jemmy　Buckstone；　Fred。　Yates；　Paul　Bedford。　　When　he　is　at　a　loss

for　a　Christian　name；　the　word　'old'　applied　indiscriminately

answers　quite　as　well：　　as　old　Charley　Matthews　at　Vestris's；　old

Harley；　and　old　Braham。　　He　has　a　great　knowledge　of　the　private

proceedings　of　actresses；　especially　of　their　getting　married；　and

can　tell　you　in　a　breath　half…a…dozen　who　have　changed　their　names

without　avowing　it。　　Whenever　an　alteration　of　this　kind　is　made　in

the　playbills；　he　will　remind　you　that　he　let　you　into　the　secret

six　months　ago。



The　theatrical　young　gentleman　has　a　great　reverence　for　all　that

is　connected　with　the　stage　department　of　the　different　theatres。

He　would；　at　any　time；　prefer　going　a　street　or　two　out　of　his　way；

to　omitting　to　pass　a　stage…entrance；　into　which　he　always　looks

with　a　curious　and　searching　eye。　　If　he　can　only　identify　a

popular　actor　in　the　street；　he　is　in　a　perfect　transport　of

delight；　and　no　sooner　meets　him；　than　he　hurries　back；　and　walks　a

few　paces　in　front　of　him；　so　that　he　can　turn　round　from　time　to

time；　and　have　a　good　stare　at　his　features。　　He　looks　upon　a

theatrical…fund　dinner　as　one　of　the　most　enchanting　festivities

ever　known；　and　thinks　that　to　be　a　member　of　the　Garrick　Club；　and

see　so　many　actors　in　their　plain　clothes；　must　be　one　of　the

highest　gratifications　the　world　can　bestow。



The　theatrical　young　gentleman　is　a　constant　half…price　visitor　at

one　or　other　of　the　theatres；　and　has　an　infinite　relish　for　all

pieces　which　display　the　fullest　resources　of　the　establishment。

He　likes　to　place　implicit　reliance　upon　the　play…bills　when　he

goes　to　see　a　show…piece；　and　works　himself　up　to　such　a　pitch　of

enthusiasm；　as　not　only　to　believe　（if　the　bills　say　so）　that　there

are　three　hundred　and　seventy…five　people　on　the　stage　at　one　time

in　the　last　scene；　but　is　highly　indignant　with　you；　unless　you

believe　it　also。　　He　considers　that　if　the　stage　be　opened　from　the

foot…lights　to　the　back　wall；　in　any　new　play；　the　piece　is　a

triumph　of　dramatic　writing；　and　applauds　accordingly。　　He　has　a

great　notion　of　trap…doors　too；　and　thinks　any　character　going　down

or　coming　up　a　trap　（no　matter　whether　he　be　an　angel　or　a　demon　…

they　both　do　it　occasionally）　one　of　the　most　interesting　feats　in

the　whole　range　of　scenic　illusion。



Besides　these　acquirements；　he　has　several　veracious　accounts　to

communicate　of　the　private　manners　and　customs　of　different　actors；

which；　during　the　pauses　of　a　quadrille；　he　usually　communicates　to

his　partner；　or　imparts　to　his　neighbour　at　a　supper　table。　　Thus

he　is　advised；　that　Mr。　Liston　always　had　a　footman　in　gorgeous

livery　waiting　at　the　side…scene　with　a　brandy　bottle　and　tumbler；

to　administer　half　a　pint　or　so　of　spirit　to　him　every　time　he　came

off；　without　which　assistance　he　must　infallibly　have　fainted。　　He

knows　for　a　fact；　that；　after　an　arduous　part；　Mr。　George　Bennett

is　put　between　two　feather　beds；　to　absorb　the　perspiration；　and　is

credibly　informed；　that　Mr。　Baker　has；　for　many　years；　submitted　to

a　course　of　lukewarm　toast…and…water；　to　qualify　him　to　sustain　his

favourite　characters。　　He　looks　upon　Mr。　Fitz　Ball　as　the　principal

dramatic　genius　and　poet　of　the　day；　but　holds　that　there　are　great

writers　extant　besides　him；　…　in　proof　whereof　he　refers　you　to

various　dramas　and　melodramas　recently　produced；　of　which　he　takes

in　all　the　sixpenny　and　three…penny　editions　as　fast　as　they

appear。



The　theatrical　young　gentleman　is　a　great　advocate　for　violence　of

emotion　and　redundancy　of　action。　　If　a　father　has　to　curse　a　child

upon　the　stage；　he　likes　to　see　it　done　in　the　thorough…going

style；　with　no　mistake　about　it：　　to　which　end　it　is　essential　that

the　child　should　follow　the　father　on　her　knees；　and　be　knocked

violently　over　on　her　face　by　the　old　gentleman　as　he　goes　into　a

small　cottage；　and　shuts　the　door　behind　him。　　He　likes　to　see　a

blessing　invoked　upon　the　young　lady；　when　the　old　gentleman

repents；　with　equal　earnestness；　and　accompanied　by　the　usual

conventional　forms；　which　consist　of　the　old　gentleman　looking

anxiously　up　into　the　clouds；　as　if　to　see　whether　it　rains；　and

then　spreading　an　imaginary　tablecloth　in　the　air　over　the　young

lady's　head　…　soft　music　playing　all　the　while。　　Upon　these；　and

other　points　of　a　similar　kind；　the　theatrical　young　gentleman　is　a

great　critic　indeed。　　He　is　likewise　very　acute　in　judging　of

natural　expressions　of　the　passions；　and　knows　precisely　the　frown；

wink；　nod；　or　leer；　which　stands　for　any　one　of　them；　or　the　means

by　which　it　may　be　converted　into　any　other：　　as　jealousy；　with　a

good　stamp　of　the　right　foot；　becomes　anger；　or　wildness；　with　the

hands　clasped　before　the　throat；　instead　of　tearing　the　wig；　is

passionate　love。　　If　you　venture　to　express　a　doubt　of　the　accuracy

of　any　of　these　portraitures；　the　theatrical　young　gentleman

assures　you；　with　a　haughty　smile；　that　it　always　has　been　done　in

that　way；　and　he　supposes　they　are　not　going　to　change　it　at　this

time　of　day　to　please　you；　to　which；　of　course；　you　meekly　reply

that　you　suppose　not。



There　are　innumerable　disquisitions　of　this　nature；　in　which　the

theatrical　young　gentleman　is　very　profound；　especially　to　ladies

whom　he　is　most　in　the　habit　of　entertaining　with　them；　but　as　we

have　no　space　to　recapitulate　them　at　greater　length；　we　must　rest

content　with　calling　the　attention　of　the　young　ladies　in　general

to　the　theatrical　young　gentlemen　of　their　own　acquaintance。







THE　POETICAL　YOUNG　GENTLEMAN







Time　was；　and　not　very　long　ago　either；　when　a　singular　epidemic

raged　among　the　young　gentlemen；　vast　numbers　of　whom；　under　the

influence　of　the　malady；　tore　off　their　neckerchiefs；　turned　down

their　shirt　collars；　and　exhibited　themselves　in　the　open　streets

with　bare　throats　and　dejected　countenances；　before　the　eyes　of　an

astonished　public。　　These　were　poetical　young　gentlemen。　　The

custom　was　gradually　found　to　be　inconvenient；　as　involving　the

necessity　of　too　much　clean　linen　and　too　large　washing　bills；　and

these　outward　symptoms　have　consequently　passed　away；　but　we　are

disposed　to　think；　notwithstanding；　that　the　number　of　poetical

young　gentlemen　is　considerably　on　the　increase。



We　know　a　poetical　young　gentleman　…　a　very　poetical　young

gentleman。　　We　do　not　mean　to　say　that　he　is　troubled　with　the　gift

of　poesy　in　any　remarkable　degree；　but　his　countenance　is　of　a

plaintive　and　melancholy　cast；　his　manner　is　abstracted　and

bespeaks　affliction　of　soul：　　he　seldom　has　his　hair　cut；　and　often

talks　about　being　an　outcast　and　wanting　a　kindred　spirit；　from

which；　as　well　as　from　many　general　observations　in　which　he　is

wont　to　indulge；　concerning　mysterious　impulses；　and　yearnings　of

the　heart；　and　the　supremacy　of　intellect　gilding　all　earthly

things　with　the　glowing　magic　of　immortal　verse；　it　is　clear　to　all

his　friends　that　he　has　been　stricken　poetical。



The　favourite　attitude　of　the　poetical　young　gentleman　is　lounging

on　a　sofa　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ceiling；　or　sitting　bolt

upright　in　a　high…backed　chair；　staring　with　very　round　eyes　at　the

opposite　wall。　　When　he　is　in　one　of　these　positions；　his　mother；

who　is　a　worthy；　affectionate　old　soul；　will　give　you　a　nudge　to

bespeak　your　attention　without　disturbing　the　abstracted　one；　and

whisper　with　a　shake　of　the　head；　that　John's　imagination　is　at

some　extraordinary　work　or　other；　you　may　take　her　word　for　it。

Hereupon　John　looks　more　fiercely　intent　upon　vacancy　than　before；

and　suddenly　snatching　a　pencil　from　his　pocket；　puts　down　three

words；　and　a　cross　on　the　back　of　a　card；　sighs　deeply；　paces　once

or　twice　across　the　room；　inflicts　a　most　unmerciful　slap　upon　his

head；　and　walks　moodily　up　to　his　dormitory。



The　poetical　young　gentleman　is　apt　to　acquire　peculiar　notions　of

things　too；　which　plain　ordinary　people；　unblessed　with　a　poetical

obliquity　of　vision；　would　suppose　to　be　rather　distorted。　　For

instance；　when　the　sickening　murder　and　mangling　of　a　wretched

woman　was　affording　delicious　food　wherewithal　to　gorge　the

insatiable　curiosity　of　the　public；　our　friend　the　poetical　young

gentleman　was　in　ecstasies　…　not　of　disgust；　but　admiration。

'Heavens！'　cried　the　poetical　young　gentleman；　'how　grand；　how

great！'　　We　ventured　deferentially　to　inquire　upon　whom　these

epithets　were　bestowed：　　our　humble　thoughts　oscillating　between

the　police　officer　who　found　the　criminal；　and　the　lock…keeper　who

found　the　head。　　'Upon　whom！'　exclaimed　the　poetical　young

gentleman　in　a　frenzy　of　poetry；　'Upon　whom　should　they　be　bestowed

but　upon　the　murderer！'　…　and　thereupon　it　came　out；　in　a　fine

torrent　of　eloquence；