D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,

346 & 348 BROADWAY.

LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN.

1860.

ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by

GEORGE VANDENHOFF,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

CONTENTS.

I.

MY DÉBUT-Covent Garden Theatre-MADAME VESTRIS-CHARLES MA-

THEWS-Law versus Stage-" Rule a Wife and have a Wife "-Novices

and Old Actors--A Hornet's Nest-Mr. MACREADY and his Imitators-A

Family Picture,

PAGE

1

II,

ACCOMPLISHMENTS for the Stage-Genius, Talent-EDMUND KEAN-Charac-

teristics of his Acting-CooKE-Kean's Points-Anecdote-An Epitaph

with a Sting in it-Mrs. SIDDONS-Her First Dramatic Effort-MY FA-

THER-College Plays-His Career-The Castle Spectre-Children of Ac-

tors-A Remark of the late I. BRAHAM-A Novice's Trials-The Stage

as a Profession-A Night's Work,

III.

THEATRE ROYAL, Liverpool-A Bald Incident-Miss FAUCIT-RISTORI and

RACHEL Contrasted-ELLEN TREE--"Love" at Covent Garden-The

Study of a Character-A Word to Young Actors-The Prompter-Ni-

mium ne crede !—BARRY of Dublin-Anecdotes,

IV.

THE GREEN-ROOм of Covent Garden Theatre-Its Regulations-Queen's

Visits-DOLLY FITZ-Mrs. JORDAN and the Duke of Clarence-Reading

of New Plays-LEIGH HUNT-SHERIDAN KNOWLES-Casting a New Play

-The Plausible Manager,

19

38

50

V.

A reminiscence of Mr. C. KEMBLE-A lesson in Mercutio-Cibber's "Dou-

ble Gallant "-Cast-Milton's Comus-Clandestine Marriage, at Covent

Garden-A great cast with little cry about it-Mr. FARREN—A stage

trick-tit-for-tat-Mrs. GLOVER-Mrs. HUMBY--Mrs. ORGER-A tria-

logue-Mrs. NISBETT (Lady Boothby)--Rival Beauties-A scene in the

Green-Room--Miss FOOTE (Countess of Harrington)-J. P. HARLEY--

Miss F- the Columbine-Noblesse de Théatre,

VI.

PROVINCIAL ENGAGEMENTS, 1840-Starring it in England-Incidents-A one-

armed Tragedian-New Readings-Hamlet-Senna versus Seneca-A

grave-scene-Yorick's Skull ?-Tableau extraordinary-A queer Visitor

-A queer Manager-A strolling Company--Scaffolders-A succinct set-

tlement-A fortnight at Liverpool-Mr. ELTON,

VII.

RE-ENGAGED at Covent Garden, 1841-2-Old Maids-A Fencing Match--

ANGELO maitre d'armes-KNOWLES's Last Play-His Preaching against

the Stage-Metrical jeu d'esprit-Miss ADELAIDE KEMBLE-Her Nor-

ma-The Irish Heiress-Half Salaries-List of the Company-The Unit-

ed States in Perspective-Farewell at Liverpool-Miss J. BENNETT-

Mrs. BARROW-G. V. BROOKE-Decay of the Liverpool Theatre-Meliora

Speramus--Hey for America!

VIII.

CORALIE WALTON; the Country Actress: An Episode, from Real Life.

Chapter I. Mystery,

IX.

CORALIE WALTON. Chapter II. Love-The Amateur,

X.

CORALIE WALTON. Chapter III. Madness,

XI.

CORALIE WALTON. Chapter IV. Despair,

XII.

THE UNITED STATES --My First Season-Early Aspirations-The Passage-

Sails versus Paddles-Philosophy at Sea-Arrival in New York-Impres