BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 257
No. CCLVI.
THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM PITT,
AND
’ HENRY DUNDAS, AFTERWARDS LORD MELVILLE.
TEE Caricature of the “MODERNC AIN’SL AMENTw”a s a bold satire on the
Prime Minister, at the time hostilities were commenced by Great Britain against
the Republican forces of France. In conjunction with his able coadjutor,
HENRYD UNDASP, m is represented as highly alarmed at the ma,pitude of
the undertaking he had been so instrumental in promoting.
Most readers will be capable of appreciating the effort of Kay’s pencil in
this flight of fancy. Of the light, fragile figure of the Minister he has taken
felicitous advantage ; while the features and more athletic form of his colleague
are strikingly characteristic of the self-possession and calmness for which he was
almost proverbial.
The friendship that existed betwixt Pitt and Dundas was of a warmer
description than what might be supposed to spring from a unison of political
sentiments alone. “As early as the year 1787,” says Wraxall Memoirs, “Dundas
had obtained a commanding influence which no other individual ever
acquired over ’Pitt’s mind. With the other members of the Cabinet, Pitt
maintained only a politicaI union : Dundas was his companion, with whom he
passed not only his convivial hours, but to whom he confided his cares and
embarrassments.”
No two individuals, nevertheless, could be more dissimilar in their deportment-
the one grave, stiff, and formal ; the other free, open, and even careless;
yet Dundas, by a sagacity and clearness of judgment peculiar to himself, became
the most influential member of the Cabinet ; and, by his talent in the House,
ably defended the measures of Government.
The commanding position attained by the Scottish Minister was a circumstance
not to be overlooked by the Opposition. They inveighed against what
they deemed his political inconsistency, and levelled their sarcasms with surpassing
skill and talent; yet their bitter invectives served only to render more
conspicuous the solidity of that influence which they wished to destroy, Alluding
to his ascendancy over the Premier, the “ Rolliad ” says-
“ True to public virtue’s patriot plan,
He loves the Minister and not the nzam :
Alike the advocate of North and wit,
The friend of Shelburne, and the guide of Piit.”
VOL 11. 2L
258 B I0 GR AP HI C AL S KET C HE S.
No. CCLVII.
MR. AND MRS. LEE LEWES,
IN THE CHARACTERS OF ‘‘ GOLDFINCH ” AND ‘‘ WIDOW WARREN.”
NEARLYh alf a century has elapsed since the above performers were in Edinburgh
; yet they are well remembered by many of the old play-going citizens,
who still revert to their early days as the golden age of the Scottish drama.
MR. and MRS. LEE LEWESf,r om the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, made their
first appearance in this city in 1787 ; at which period the Theatre was the
property, and under the management of Mr. Jackson. On the first night of
their engagement, which was limited to four nights, Lee Lewes enacted the part
of Sir John Falstaff ; the next, he appeared in “ Love Makes a Man “-the third,
in the “ Busy Body ”-and on the fourth night, he delivered a comic entertainment,
which was announced as follows :-
“MR. LEE LEWES
WILL EXHIBIT
THE ORIGINAL LECTURE ON HEADS,*
which, with all its whimsical apparatus, he purchased of the late Mr. G. A. Stevens, and lately
revived at the Theatre Iioyal, Covent Garden, several successive nights., with additions by Mr.
Pilon. The whole is a display of upwards of sixty different characters of approved
WIT AND HUMOUR-SATIRAEN D SENTIMENT.”
The success of his lecture was such as to induce a repetition on two subsequent
evenings; and the public were informed, through the medium of the press,
that the lecture, an “ admirable piece of satire,” was to be totally withdrawn
after Saturday night next [2d June]. ‘‘ An entertainment so comic, versatile,
and moral,” continues the paragraph, “ the public have seldom an opportunity
of seeing ; and we hope, for the honour of taste, its last representation will be
crowdedly attended.” Thus terminated the first short season of Lee Lewes on
the Scottish boards.
Jackson, the patentee, having become bankrupt, Mr. Stephen Kemble came
forward, and from the trustees took a lease of the Theatre for one year. This
he did at the suggestion of Mr. Jackson, who, according to a private missive,
was to have an equal interest in the concern. Mr. Kemble, however, refusing
to accept the security produced by Mr. Jackson, retained the sole management
1 That is since 1837, when this was written.
a The first complete edition of this clever jeu d’@t was published by Lee Lewes in 1785, with
an address to the public, written by him, prefixed.