BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 261
Welwyn. He was called Lee Lewes, in consequence of Colonel Lee, a son of
the Doctor’s lady by a former husband, having been his godfather..
Of a lively, restless temper, Lee Lewes began his theatrical career at an early
age, and after a short probation in the country towns, was engaged at Covent
Garden, his fame as a harlequin having brought him into notice. O’Keeffe,
in his Recollections, ascribes his “ coming before a London audience “ to the
interference of Macklin, to whom he was recommended as an excellent Xpuire
Groom for his “ Love-a-la-Mode.” “ Lee Lewes,” says O’Keeffe, “ afterwards
became capital in what is termed low comedy, though very good in every one
of his characters. His peculiar merit was great volubility, with distinct articulation.’
William Lewis also got an engagement at the same theatre, and having
made his first appearance in Belcour, in Cumberland‘s ‘West Indian,’ and parts
of that kind, the two performers were distinguished by the appellation of Lee
Lewes and Gentleman Lewis : the former had two much sense and good humour
ever to be offended at this mode of distinction, nor did the latter pride himself
in it.’’
The “ Memoirs of Lee Lewes ” are extremely barren of detail in relation to
himself. With the exception of one or two amusing incidents while a “strolling
player,” his work is chiefly taken up with sketches of contemporary
performers; and a great portion of it is devoted to an account of the rise
and progress of the Scottish stage, in which he is at considerable pains to
vindicate the character of Mr. Stephen Kemble, and is not very charitable in
his exposure of Mr. Jackson. During the period which elapsed betwixt his
first and second visits to Edinburgh he went out to India ; but, disappointed
in his hope of bettering his circumstances, he returned to England after an
absence of little more than a year.’
Indeed, with all his success in making others laugh, Lee Lewes seems to
have entirely failed himself in winning the smiles of fortune. Out of an
engagement for a length of time, his latter years were the reverse of affluent.
This he did not attribute so much to a decline of popularity as to the “whim
and caprice of managers,” and the undue encouragement given to foreign
performers.
According to a septuagenarian’s remark, the comedian’s voice was somewhat husky, yet every
word he uttered was distinctly heard by the audience.
a At a subsequent period he appears to have formed the project of visiting India with a regular
company of performers :-“So far back as 1793, Lee Lewes, a comedian of considerable merit, actnally
got together a company, including performers of eminence in every department of stage business.
His memorial to the Court of Directors underwent considerable discussion, but it was rejected. “he
impolicp of throwing all practicable impediments in the way of colonisation-the h dof the almost
proverbial libertinism of theatrical persons, whose private lives at that time would not endure a severe
scrutiny-and the calculation that, in the usual course of things, many of the Jnlieta and Cordelias
would require a temperarp retirement from the stage-the spirit of intrigue that a handsome actress
might encourage amongst the younger part of the civil service, not forgetting that occasionally a grave
judge or member of council might be found not aul3ciently on his guard against similar lapses : these
considerations prevailed over everything urged in favour of the application.” Anglo-India, Social,
Moral, and Political. 3 vols. London, 1838. 8vo. VoL i p. 144.