The UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE for FEBRUARY, 1794. 81

MEMOIRS of the LIFE and WRITINGS of Mr. COLLEY CIBBER: With a ftriking Likeness of that celebrated Actor and Dramatic Writer.

COLLEY CIBBER was born in

Southampton Street, London, on the 6th of November, 1671. His father, Caius Gabriel Cibber, was a native of Holftein, and a ftatuary of confiderable merit, who came into England, to exercise that profeffion, fome time before the restoration *. His mother was the daughter of William Colley, efq. of Glaifton, in Rutlandshire, whofe father, fir Anthony Colley, by his zealous attachment to the royal caufe, during the civil war, reduced his eftate from three thousand to about three hundred pounds per annum. The fubject of this article was fent to the free-fchool, at Grantham, in Lincolnshire, in 1682, when he was little more than ten years of age. He continued at this fchool till he had gone through it, from the lowest form to the highest; and he informs us himself, that fuch learning as this school afforded, was the most that he could pretend to, and was not afterward much improved by ftudy. He was taken hence, about the year 1687, in order to ftand at the election of boys to be received into Winchester College, where his 'father hoped he would be admitted, on account of his being defcended, by the mother's fide, from William of Wykeham, the founder. But in this he was unsuccessful, for want of proper recommendations. The father felt fome difappointment on the oc

cafion: but the son, who was na

turally cheerful and volatile, and averse to reftraint, was delighted to find that he had obtained a reprieve from the confined life of a school-boy. The very fame day, on which the election had decided him to be an unfuccessful candidate, he rode poft to London, that he might have time enough to fee a play, before his mother should be able to require of him an account of his travelling expences. About this time he imbibed a strong inclination for the ftage, but concealed it from his father, to whom he knew it would give great offence. He therefore, as he expreffes it, fuppreffed the bewitching ideas of fo fublime a station,' and wrote to his father, then employed at Chatsworth, informing him of his difinclination to wait another year for an uncertain admission at Winchester, and requesting him to fend him immediately to the univerfity. His father wrote him word, that he would foon go with him himfelf, and fettle him in fome college; but that he preferred the university of Cambridge, because he had refided there fome time, having been employed in making fome ftatues for Trinity College library, where he had contracted fome acquaintance with the heads of houses, who might assist him in his intentions in his favour. But, after fome months were elapsed, he fent for him to Chatsworth, that

The most capital of his works are the two figures of melancholy and raving madnefs before the front of Bethlehem. The bas-reliefs on two fides of the monument ae by his hand too. So are the fountain in Soho-fquare, and one of the fine vales at Hampton-court, faid to be done in competition with a foreigner who executed the other, but nobody has told us which is Cibber's. He carved most of the ftatues of kings round the Royal-exchange, as far as king Charles; and that of fir Thomas Gresham in the piazza beneath. The firft duke of Devonshire employed him much at Chatfworth; where two fphinxes on large bafes, well executed, and with ornaments in good tafte, are of his work, and till very lately there was a ftatue of Neptune in a fountain, still better. He carved there feveral door-cafes of alabafter with rich foliage, and many ornaments in the chapel; and on each fide of the altar is a ftatue by him, Faith and Hope: the draperies have great merit, but the airs of the heads are not fo good as that of the Neptune. Cibber built the Danish church in London, and was buried there himself.

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excited more attention by performing the part of lord Touchwood in the Double Dealer, to which character he was particularly recommended by Mr. Congreve, on the indifpofition of Kynafton, by whom that part was originally performed. The play had been ordered by queen Mary, and was undertaken by Cibber at a day's notice; Congreve declared, that he had not only answered, but exceeded his expectations; and in confequence of his recommendation, his falary was augmented to twenty fhillings a week. His father alfo fettled twenty pounds a year upon him, and being now in his twenty-fecond year, he ventured to enter on the matrimonial state. The lady he married, whose name was Shore, had not the confent of her father to this connexion; though, he was afterward fo far reconciled to it as to give her fome fortune.

he might be under his own eye, till he fhould be at leisure to go with him to Cambridge. Some events, however, afterward took place, which entirely prevented his being educated for the church, for which his father had intended him. Before he fet out on his journey to Chatsworth, information was received in London, that the prince of Orange had landed in the west of England; and when young Cibber arrived at Nottingham, he found his father in arms there, among the forces which the earl of Devonshire had raised in defence of the liberties of the nation. But the old man, having little inclination for a military life, and being from his age ill qualified to endure its fatigues, entreated the earl of Devonshire to accept his fon in his room, and to permit him to return to finish the works which he had undertaken to execute at Chatsworth. To this his Notwithstanding the approbation lordship readily confented, and also which Cibber had received from Conpromised, that when affairs were fet- greve, he continued, for a confideraled, he would provide for his fon. able time, to receive but little enYoung Cibber now engaged in the couragement from the theatrical maprofeffion of a foldier with great ala- nagers. On the opening of Drury crity; but the manner in which the Lane theatre, in 1695, with the rerevolution was happily effected, gave mainder of the old company, on the him no opportunity of difplaying his revolt of Betterton and feveral of the courage. After the revolution, he principal performers to Lincoln's-Innquitted the military life, and had Fields, an occafional prologue which fome profpect of obtaining preferment Cibber had written, though acknowof a different kind by the intereft of ledged to be the best that had been the earl of Devonshire: but this was offered, and readily paid for, was reprevented by the vehement defire fufed acceptance on any other terms, which he had formed of becoming an than his abfolutely relinquishing any actor, which he had preferred to every claim to the fpeaking of it himself. other profeffion. Accordingly, in But he foon after obtained confider1689, he became a player at the able reputation, by performing the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane; though part of Fondlewife in the Old Bachehe did not at first meet with much en- lor. This character had been admi couragement, being full three quar- rably played by Dogget, who had ters of a year upon the ftage, or at then quitted the ftage; and his manleaft an attendant at the theatre, be- ner had been clofely studied by Cibfore he was admitted to a falary of ber, which enabled him to imitate ten fhillings a week. He thought him very happily at a fhort notice. himfelf, however, extremely happy In 1696, he brought upon the stage in this fituation: but the first cha- his firft play, entitled, Love's laft racter in which he appeared to any Shift, or the Fool in Fashion." He advantage was the Chaplain in the met with much difficulty in 'getting it Orphan of Otway. He afterward introduced to the theatre; for as the

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ledge his merits as an actor, they were not more inclined to admit his pretenfions as an author. But Mr. Southern, the dramatic writer, having heard Cibber read his play, liked it fo well, that he immediately recommended it to the patentees. In this play Cibber aligned to himself the part of fir Novelty Fashion, which was thought a good portrait of the foppery then prevalent. But even Mr. Southern entertained great doubts about his capacity to do juftice to that character; and, therefore, when Cibber was prompting the prologue at a rehearsal, Southern took him by the hand, and faid, 'Young man, I pronounce thy play a good one. I will answer for its fuccefs, if thou doft not Spoil it by thy own action.' He fucceeded, however, fo well, both in his play, and his performance of the character, that lord Dorfet, then lord chamberlain, said, It was the best first play that any author in his memory had produced; and that for a young fellow to show himself fuch an actor, and fuch a writer, in one day, was fomething extraordinary.'

players were little difpofed to acknow- that it came out too foon after his first play, from his defire of the profits which he expected from it, and for which his increafing family made him the more folicitous. His next attempt was in tragedy, his Xerxes being performed in 1699, but with ftill lefs fuccefs than the piece which preceded it. The following year, his comedy of Love makes a Man, or the Fop's Fortune,' was performed at Drury Lane with great applaufe. This play continues ftill to give equal pleasure whenever it makes its appearance. The plot of it is taken partly from Beaumont and Fletcher's Cultom of the Country,' and partly from the Elder Brother,' of the fame authors There are numberless abfurdities, and even impoffibilities in the conduct of the piece; yet the fprightlinefs in the character of Clodio, the manly tendernefs and openness of Carlos, and the entertaining teftinefs of Don Cho~ leric, form fo pleasing a mixture of comic humour, as would atone for even greater faults than are to be found in this drama. The fame year he brought Shakspeare's King Richard the Third upon the ftage, with alterations; but it was much mutilated by the mafter of the Revels who then licenfed all pieces for the theatre.

This fuccefs did not prevent his continuing to meet with fome difcouragements from the patentees; nor was he promoted to any confider- In 1703, his comedy, entitled, able caft of parts till the followingShe would, and fhe would not, or, year, when fir John Vanbrugh did the kind Impoftor,' was acted with him a double honour; firft, by bor- applaufe at Drury Lane. This is a rowing the hint of his comedy for the very bufy, fprightly, and entertaining writing of his Relapfe, by way of comedy, but the plot of it is borrowed fequel to it; and fecondly, by fixing either from Leonard's Counterfeits, on him for the performance of his fa- or elfe from the novel of the Trepanvourite character in it, that of lord ner trepanned, on which that novel Foppington. He performed this part itfelf was built. The following year, with fo much ability, that it greatly he produced his most celebrated draincreased his reputation. In 1697, matic performance, The Careless he produced another comedy, entitled, Husband,' which was applauded even Woman's Wit, or the Lady of by Mr. Pope. This comedy contains, Fashion: but this piece did not meet perhaps, the moft elegant dialogue, with much fuccefs; and the author and the moft perfect knowledge of himfelf acknowledged its defects, and perfons in real high life, that has yet

It made its first appearance at Lincoln's-inn-fields houfe, but with no fuccefs, making a stand of only one night, as may be gathered from an inventory of theatrical goods to be fold, humourously related in the Tatler, in which, among other things, are the imperial robes of Xerxes, never worn but once. L 2

appeared

appeared in any language. In 1706, he brought a tragedy upon the itage, entitled, Perolla and ladora * ;' and the following year two comedies, called, The Double Gallant, or the Sick Lady's Cure,' and the Lady's laft Stake, or the Wife's Refentment.' He appears at this time to have been confidered by Mr. Rich, the patentee, as an actor of confequence, by his excepting him from the number of the performers whom he permitted Mr. Swiney to engage for his theatre in the Haymarket; though Cibber, on thinking himself not well ufed by Rich, paid no regard to that exception, but joined Swiney. In the enfuing year, when his friend colonel Brett obtained a fourth fhare in the patent, and the performers formed a coalition, and returned to Drury lane, Cibber alfo conceded to the treaty, and returned with them. But, on the filencing of the patent in 1709, he, with Wilks, Dogget, and Mrs. Oldfield, went over again to Mr. Swiney. His comedy of The Rival Fools,' which was brought upon the flage this year, was very unsuccessful, and expofed him to fome degree of ridicule. In 1711, he became united as joint-patentee with Collier, Wilks, and Dogget, in the management of Drury-lane theatre. Collier farmed his fhare to the others for 700l. per annum, which anfwered very well to the three managing actors, their shares being never less than 1000l. annually to each of them, till the end of queen Anne's reign, when the licence was fuperceded. Cibber appears to have conducted himself as manager with great judgment, and with much fkill in theatrical business; but he found confiderable inconveniencies from the different tempers of Wilks and Dogget, who were both extremely intractable, though their difpofitions in other refpects were very oppofite.

At the acceffion of George I, a new

licence was granted to Cibber, Wilks, and Booth, in conjunction with fir Richard Steele, who obtained it by his intereft with the duke of Marlborough. In this connexion they were very happy for a confiderable time, and fir Richard attended to the Imanagement of the theatre, and to the promotion of its interefts: but his neceflities occafioning him very frequently to borrow money of the other managers, they at length found it expedient to decline advancing any farther fums to him, till the account between them should be fettled. This offended fir Richard so much, that he wholly abfented himself from their rehearfals, and gave himself no farther concern in the management of the theatre. The other managers then made themselves an allowance of 11, 13s. 4d. per diem, as a compenfation for their additional trouble in the management, in confequence of fir Richard's abfence. Matters continued in this ftate for about three years, when fir Richard was advised to conteft, in the court of chancery, the allowance, which the other managers had affigned to themfelves for his abfence. When the affair came to a hearing, in 1726, the business of theatrical management was fo little understood by the court, that Cibber was allowed to plead his cause himself before fir Jofeph Jekyll, then master of the rolls. He ftated the cafe with fo much perfpicuity and judgment, that though he had two counsellors against him, each of whom afterward attained to the dignity of lord-chancellor, he obtained a decifion of the court against fir Richard Steele, by which the claims of Cibber and the other managers were confirmed.

It was feveral years before this determination, that Mr. Cibber brought upon the ftage his comedy of The Nonjuror,' which was very fuccefsful, having a run of eighteen nights; and

As Cibber's tafte was very far from lying in the tragic ftrain of writing, it is not to be wondered at that this play, together with fome others of his tragedies, have been entirely fet afide from the theatre, and even forgotten in the closet, fince the period of their firft appearance.