CHAPTER XIX.

Retrospective and supplementary remarks-Miss Mellon's first appearance in old Drury Lane Theatre-Its enormous dimensions-Miss Mellon highly esteemed in provincial circles-Her talents as an actress-Viva voce offer of marriage by a midshipman-Her good humour-Miss Mellon at " 'Twig Hall"-Her position with Mr. Coutts during his first wife's lifetime much misrepresentedInstances of the great regard Mr. Coutts entertained for his second wife-Jeu d'esprit-The kaleidoscope-Mrs. Coutts accuses Sir David Brewster of stealing the idea from her juvenile "raree-shows"-Mrs. Coutts's widowhood-H. R. H. the late Duke of York and R. W. Elliston, suitors to the rich widow-Distinguished visitors -Attacks of the public press-Marriage with the Duke of St. Albans-Her bequest of the large fortune to Miss Angela Burdett-Curious calculations-Romantic character of the Duchess of St. Albans' existence-Reflections.

We have now followed this singular individual throughout a career, perhaps the most varied and fortuitous of any female in modern times. We have seen "the little girl of the

in

players" raised from poverty, nay, even from wretchedness, to the dignity of the peerage, the possession of wealth, not only commensurate with such an elevation, but more than sufficient to support it in the height of afflu

ence.

Amidst every change of fortune the heroine of these pages enjoyed the regard of all those by whom she was surrounded; and the candid will not refuse to acknowledge that her character as a daughter, as a wife, as a friend and benefactress, was such as to render her worthy of the good fortune she ultimately attained. Warm-hearted, unaffected, and generous, her path through life was cheered by the friendship of those of her own rank, as well as blessed by the gratitude of her inferiors in station.

The picture of honesty struggling against poverty is always a pleasing one, but should the struggle, despite every temptation, prove successful, it is more than pleasing-it becomes instructive. Such a virtuous example does the conduct of Miss Mellon and her otherwise faulty mother present on their first arrival in London. With no friends, few acquaintances, and less

2

money, they managed not only to keep out of debt, but to command the respect of all who knew them, and to persevere in spite of every difficulty.

It was a bold experiment for a girl so young as Miss Mellon then was to go through the fiery ordeal of a "London appearance," surrounded by such a host of talent. But another circumstance, by no means to be overlooked, must have operated, in no small degree, to shake the nerves of a timid aspirant, who had hitherto exhibited her talents in rooms only, or in small-sized theatres-namely, the enormous size of the wilderness," as Mrs. Siddons called the old Drury Lane theatre; which must have seemed to require the voice of a Boreas, and the actions of a giant, to convey proper expression to the multitudinous audience.*

* Some particulars relative to the old Drury Lane Theatre may not be considered out of place here.

In 1791-2, old Drury, better known as Garrick's Theatre, was pulled down, as Suett said, to prevent the unpleasantness arising from its coming down of its own accord. Whilst the

process of removing the old and building the

new theatre

went on, the performers went to the Haymarket, not at first under the direction of the Drury Lane proprietors, but by their

Her gay spirit was not, however, to be overcome by difficulties; she came out, and obtained a situation of thirty shillings per week,which was at that time quite equal to Miss Mellon's humble expectations.

consent; they lent Colman the patent, and he engaged whomsoever he pleased, with this proviso, that for the proprietor's sake he would take care to engage all those whose talents, if disengaged, might tempt the Covent-Garden manager into an offer. To the Haymarket they accordingly went, but left that theatre for a cause rather uncommon in these degenerate days, they were too attractive: the little theatre was incapable of holding the hundreds that crowded nightly to witness the exertions of Kemble, King, Suett, Bannisters, sen. and jun.; Mrs. Siddons, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Goodall, and Miss De Camp, in a theatre where every varying expression could be noted, every whisper heard. As it was found that they turned away money, it became desirable to get into more spacious quarters, and to the King's Theatre they accordingly went, where they for some time proved amazingly attractive.

The then "new" theatre was opened on the 12th March, 1794, with a grand selection of sacred music, and on the 21st April following the season commenced with "Macbeth,"The tyrant, by Kemble; Macduff, Palmer; Lady Macbeth, Mrs. Siddons; and Malcolm, by Charles Kemble, his first appearance. This short season closed on the 7th July, with a clear benefit for the widows and orphans of those who fell in the glorious action under Lord Howe. The regular season for the year was from the middle of September until the beginning of summer, and for this regular season Drury-Lane opened on the 16th of the last-named month. But so uncer

But this led to better things. Having now become an established London performer, her excursions into the country were highly profitable, particularly in those towns where she had

tain had R. B. Sheridan been as to the time of completion, that he had made very few engagements. This partly arose from carelessness, and partly from a reliance upon the attraction of the new theatre itself. All the world, at least all the fashionable part of it, viewed the theatre previous to its being publicly opened. Visitors were in raptures, praising its spledour, its extent; saying fine things about the Amphitheatre at Rome, &c. &c. The actors, on the contrary, shrugged up their shoulders, and complained that Melpomene would be forced to sprawl, and Thalia to bawl, if they hoped to be seen and heard. The dimensions of the theatre were as follows:

Diameter of the pit

Opening of the curtain

Height of ditto

Height from floors of the pit to the ceiling

There were 8 private boxes on each side of the

55 ft.

43 ft. wide

38 ft.

56 ft. 6 in.

pit, 29 round

the first tier, and 11 "back-front" boxes; 29 round the second tier, 10 on each side the gallery (now the slips), 9 ōn each side, in what was called the cove.