348 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [North Bridge.
musical farce, entitled HaZZow 3a+, which is not
included in tne ?? Biographia Dramatica.? Burns
wrote a prologue for him, attracted to him by his
having been a friend of his own predecessor,
Robert Fergusson.
With the old house whose history we have been
recording all the eminent literary men of Edinburgh
whose names have been of note between
1769 and 1859 have been intimately associated, and
none more than he who was the monarch of them
all-Sir Walter Scott A lover of the drama from
his earliest years, as soon as he had a home of his
own the chief objects of his lavish hospitality were
the leading actors, and among the first of his
theatrical friends was the famous tragedian Charles
Young ; and soon after he was on intimate terms
with Mrs. Siddons and Mr. John Kemble, When
the twenty-one years of the patent expired in 1809,
it was transferred to certain assignees, two of whom
were Mr. Walter Scott, and Henry Nackenzie
author of ?The Man of Feeling;? and it was
at the suggestion of the former that Mr. Henry
Siddons, only son of the great tragedienne, applied
for the patent, which was readily granted to him
and at the same time an arrangement was entered
into for the possession of the house.
Now, indeed, commenced the first part of the
most brilliant history of the Edinburgh Theatre
Royal, the second being unquestionably that of the
management of Mr. R. H. Wyndham.
CHAPTER XLIV.
EAST SIDE OF NORTH BRIDGE (coontinwed).
Old Theatre Royal-Management of Mr. Henry Siddons-Mr. Murray-Miss ONeill-Production of Rob Ray-Visit of George IV. to thc
Theatre-Edinbureh Theatrical Fund-Scott and his Novels-Retirement of Mr. Murray-The Management of Mr. and MIX. Wyndham -
-The Closing Night of the Theatre.
MR. SIDDONS? powers as an actor were very
respectable ; moreover, he was a scholar, a man of
considerable literary ability, and a well-bred gentleman;
and though last, not least, he possessed a
patrimony which he was not afraid to risk in the
new speculation. He hoped that his mother and
his uncle John would aid him by their powerful
influence, and to have them acting together on these
boards would be a great event in the history of the
theatre. Mr. Siddons agreed to be content with
half-the profits of the house and a free benefit;
Kernble asked the same terms, and added that he
would be glad to come North and play for some
time. ?It was indeed a brilliant time for the
house when it had Mr. H. Siddons for Archer,
Belcour, and Charles Surface ; Mr. Terry for Sir
Peter Teazle, Sir Anthony Absolute, and Lord
Ogleby; Mr. Mason for stern guardians and snappish
old men in general; William Murray for
almost anything requiring cleverness and good
sense; Mr. Berry for low comedy; Mrs. Henry
Siddons equally for Belvidera and Lady Teazle;
Mrs. Nicol for Mrs. Malaprop, and an endless
variety of inexorable old aunts and duennas ; and
Mrs. William Peirson for Audrey, Priscilla Tomboy,
and William in Rosina ; when Mrs. Joanna Baillie
had a play brought out on our stage, prologued by
Henry Mackenzie and epilogued by Scott, and
whenever the scenery and decorations were in tlie
hands of artists of such reputation as Mr. Nasmyth
and Mr. J. F. Williams. Mrs. Siddons came
in March, 18 I 0, and performed a round of her great
parts-still appearing in the eyes of our fathers
the female Milton of the stage, as she had done
twenty-six years before in the eyes of their fathers.
Mr. John Kemble,? continues this account, written
in 1859, ?? stalked on in July, the first time he had
graced the boards for ten years. . But the glories
of the season were not yet exhausted. The handsome
Irish Johnstone, with his inimitable Major
O?Flaherty and Looney McTwolter ; Emery, with
his face like a great copper kettle, in such English
rustic parts as Tyke and John Lump ; Mrs. Jordan
with her romping vivacity and good-nature in the
Country Girl and other such parts, were among
the rich treats presented to the Edinburgh public
in 1810.?
In 1815 Mr. Henry Siddons, after conducting
the theatre in the same spirited and generous
manner,? died prematurely of hard work and
anxiety, deeply regretted by the Edinburgh people
of every class, and his mot!ier, who had been
living in retirement, and was then in her sixtysecond
year, appeared for a few nights for the
benefit of his family, whom he left somewhat impoverished.
His widow carried on the house in conjunction
with her brother, the well-known WilIiam Murray,
as stage-manager, and it continued still to possess
an excellent company. The beautiful young Irish