CHAPTER XI.

Fate of the Hue and Cry'-' Animal Magnetism,' its profits-Le Texier- The Child of Nature'-Removes to Frith Street-Dr. Warren; greatly admires him Her near connexions The Whitfields-Female Glee-Mr. Babb visits Rome-Spring of 1789-Close of her Covent-Garden engagement-Colman's season: acts there but once— e-Re-engagement offered by Mr. Harris, refused retrenchment in consequence-Horace Walpole, Gen. Conway-Recovery of the King-Public reception of the Queen - The Married Man '-Her two novels; combines them in one story-Davis-Holcroft's bad advice: Mrs. Broadhead's—' The World'-Topham and Este-Mr. Hastings-Mrs. Wells imitates the Impeachment-Mrs. Inchbald has her fortune told-Her illness in 1790-Dr. Warren's kindness-Sells her Simple Story' to George Robinson-Sundry adventures-Sits to Russel, the crayon painter.

THE French piece which Mr. Harris had brought for her translation was rendered into English at the close of January, 1788, and returned for alterations; these being read, the Covent-Garden manager made up his opinion, and refused to accept it. Nothing disconcerted by rejection, in February she sent it to Mr. Colman, and against the grain it was read in the Haymarket in the

month of August. The Hue and Cry' was the title prefixed to this play, though it would have been better placed after it. When at length it was done, three years after, for some benefit, it failed, as may be readily imagined; for what can be expected in the way of effect from a drama refused by the managers both summer and winter, and in its very original flimsy? However, Le Texier soon followed with the Animal Magnetism' he was to get from Paris. On the 3rd of March Mrs. Inchbald began her task; on the 19th she finished it, and placed it in Mr. Harris's hands the day following: it was put in rehearsal and brought out with all possible celerity, and met with the greatest applause. Le Texier had himself very excellent judgment in these matters; and, besides using his connexions with Paris to purvey for Harris, he had his own transcendent French readings in Lisle Street to enliven, with any popular novelty from the French wits; who, though unequal to Molière, were many of them writers of ready invention and lively parts, and all of them turned to structure in their performances, and working by a regular plan to a reasonable catastrophe. The comedy of Animal Magnetism' produced her, she says, one hundred and thirty pounds. Le Texier this year brought her, on his own account, a piece to translate: she finished it for him, and we suppose he paid her for her labours, but she says nothing more about it. In Sep

tember Mr. Harris was again at her door with a French comedy for her to prepare for his theatre; it was the fascinating Child of Nature,' taken from the Zelis' of Madame Genlis. No time was to be lost; she immediately locked herself up, closed her shutters, and was denied to every human being till she had completed her translation in four acts. In ten days this indefatigable spirit accomplished it, and on the 11th of September wrote to Mr. Harris stating her terms. They met afterwards to consult about the cast of it. She pursued her other designs without an hour's pause; but on the 11th of November the 'Child of Nature' was read, and brought out on the 28th of the month with the greatest effect, and to the entire satisfaction of the author. Dive was sent to offer her terms about it: she went to rehearsal at twelve o'clock, and there had high words with Mr. Harris upon the subject. She left the house in anger. Lewis, however, followed her home, and settled the affair to her mind. How it happened I cannot say, but her payment for this piece, fifty pounds, was much below what had previously been given for The Midnight Hour' and 'Animal Magnetism.' Perhaps there was some middle person whom the manager had also to pay, and he might have learned to consider mere translation as intitled but to slender remuneration. The habit was now confirmed among us of looking entirely to French

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invention, and managers grew cold to the actual produce of the British Minerva.

She this year quitted her lodgings in Great Russell Street, and in October removed to new ones at Mr. Grist's in Frith Street, Soho. She was there near to her friend Bannister, who had taken the house No. 4, in that street, on his marriage with Miss Harpur. Amid her unceasing labours she had very indifferent health, and in 1788 added a very distressing face-ache to her other complaints. With her usual humility and absence from all importance, she called at Dr. Warren's house for his advice, and thus commenced one of her most interesting friendships. Her female expression was, "he behaved sweetly:" but no man saw farther into character than Dr. Warren; he became one of her divinities at last.

Her near connexions were this year excessively troublesome to her. Her sister Dolly had been residing at Standingfield, but their brother George had gone wrong in his affairs, and there was an end to that accommodation for her she came accordingly to London, to live as she could for a time, chiefly we may be sure upon her sister Inchbald. Debby, who was prettier than Mrs. Inchbald, and lived, perhaps as bar-maid, with a Mr. Luttrel, called upon her occasionally; sometimes she got money from her, at others was refused admission. The two sons of her excellent husband besieged her by letter; but she refused to

see either of them this year. John Hunt, her sister's husband, had died in the month of April; there was nothing in relation to her thriving, but herself.

She passed her leisure time this year, if she could be said to have any, chiefly with her friends the Whitfields they went together in May to Epsom races, Mrs. Whitfield's brother, Mr. Lane, residing with her till he left England on a voyage to India.

The reader will smile at the girlish, or shall we say boyish, folly of the following memorandum; but Mrs. Inchbald's amiable character needs no management; we are sure never to despise her. "On the 29th of June (Sunday) dined, drank tea, and supped with Mrs. Whitfield. At dark, she and I and her son William walked out. I rapped at doors in New Street and King Street and ran away.' We are afraid Gray's ghostly prudes would here exclaim, "Jesu Maria, Madam Bridget, she's five-and-thirty to a minute!"

Whether the month of August saw her in higher glee or more tasteful amusement we will not decide; but she, Mrs. Whitfield, her sister Hunt and Nancy did not disdain to drink tea together in that place of vulgar resort, Bagnigge Wells, the exact character of which they did not, in all probability, entirely comprehend. Mrs. Inch

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