Lavengro - George Borrow (nice books to read TXT) 📗

There was a great tumult, I remember, in the theatre. The man who was to perform the part of Richard, and who it was said was the best hand for interpreting the character that had ever appeared on the stage, had a short time before been involved in a disgraceful affair, and this was to be his first appearance on the stage since the discovery. The consequence was that crowds flocked to the theatre with the firm intention of expressing their indignation. “We will pelt his eyes out,” said a man who sat beside me in the pit⁠—for we sat in the pit⁠—and who bore the breach of all the commandments in his face. The actor in question, however, who perhaps heard the threats which were vented against him, very prudently kept out of the way, and the manager coming forward informed the public that another would perform the part⁠—whereupon there was a great uproar. “We have been imposed upon,” said the individual who sat beside me. “I came here for nothing else than to pelt that scoundrel off the stage.” The uproar, however, at length subsided, and the piece commenced. In a little time there was loud applause. The actor who had appeared in place of the other was performing. “What do you clap for?” said I to the individual by my side, who was clapping most of all. “What do I clap for?” said the man. “Why, to encourage Macready, to be sure. Don’t you see how divinely he acts? why, he beats Kean hollow. Besides that, he’s a moral man, and I like morality.” “Do you mean to say,” said I, “that he was never immoral?” “I neither know nor care,” said the man; “all I know is that he has never been found out. It will never do to encourage a public man who has been found out. No, no! the morality of the stage must be seen after.”

—⁠Knapp ↩

MS. “Charlie” and “Charlie’s” throughout. —⁠Knapp ↩

Oxford: This constant satirising of the great English university in connection with the publisher’s theory, doubtless grew out of a series of articles printed in the Magazine during the years ’23 and ’24, and which may be summarised by this notice in volume LVI, p. 349: “In a few days will appear a series of Dialogues between an Oxford Tutor and a Disciple of the new Commonsense Philosophy; in which the mechanical principles of matter and motion will be accurately contrasted with the theories of occult powers which are at present cherished by the Universities and Royal Associations throughout Europe.” —⁠Knapp ↩

Churchyard: St. Giles churchyard where Capt. Borrow was buried on the 4th of March previous. —⁠Knapp ↩

A New Mayor: Inexact. Robert Hawkes was mayor of Norwich in 1822. Therefore he was now ex-mayor. —⁠Knapp ↩

Man with a Hump: Thomas Osborn Springfield, was not a watchmaker so far as is known in Norwich, but “carried on the wholesale silk business, having almost a monopoly of the market” (Bayne’s Norwich, p. 588). —⁠Knapp ↩

Painter of the heroic: Benjamin Robert Haydon (1785⁠–⁠1846). —⁠Knapp ↩

The MS. adds: “ ‘It will, perhaps, be as well, first of all, to go to the exhibition of British art, which is at present open. I hear he has a picture there, which he has just finished. We will look at it, and from that you may form a tolerable estimate of his powers.’ Thereupon my brother led the way, and we presently found ourselves in the Gallery of British Art.” —⁠Knapp ↩

Norman Arch: The grand entrance and exit to the Norwich Cathedral, west side. —⁠Knapp ↩

Snap: The Snapdragon of Norwich is the Tarasque of the south of France, and the Tarasca of Corpus day in Spain. It represents a Dragon or monster with hideous jaws, supported by men concealed, all but their legs, within its capacious belly, and carried about in civic processions prior to the year 1835; even now it is seen on Guy Fawkes’ day, the 5th of November. —⁠Knapp ↩

Whiffler: An official character of the old Norwich Corporation, strangely uniformed and accoutred, who headed the annual procession on Guildhall day, flourishing a sword in a marvellous manner. All this was abolished on the passage of the Municipal Reform Act in 1835. As a consequence, says a contemporaneous writer, “the Aldermen left off wearing their scarlet gowns, Snap was laid up on a shelf in the ‘Sword Room’ in the Guildhall, and the Whifflers no longer danced at the head of the procession in their picturesque costume. It was a pretty sight, and their skill in flourishing their short swords was marvellous to behold.” —⁠Knapp ↩

Billy Blind and Owlenglass: Till Eulenspiegel: The German Rogue; or, the Life and Merry Adventures, Cheats, Stratagems, and Contrivances of Tiel Eulespiegle. Made English from the High-Dutch. London, 1720. —⁠Knapp ↩

Brandt and Struensee: For High-Treason in Denmark, 1772. See Celebrated Trials, IV, p. 465; and for Richard Patch (“yeoman Patch”), 1805, volume V, p. 584. —⁠Knapp ↩

Lord Byron: The remains of the poet lay in state from Friday 9th July, 1824, in Sir Edward Knatchbull’s house, Great George Street, to Monday the 12th when they were conveyed to Hucknall-Torkard in Nottinghamshire. On that day (12th July) Borrow witnessed the procession as described in the text. —⁠Knapp ↩

“Arden” throughout the MS. —⁠Knapp ↩

The text is: “Malheur, as the French say, that it is so choked.” —⁠Knapp ↩

Carolan’s Receipt: Torlough (i.e., Charles) O’Carolan, the celebrated Irish harper and bard, was born at Nobber, Co. Meath, in 1670, and died