chronicles of the canongate-第6章

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he　ruder　stages　of　society；　the　love　of　dramatic　representations　has　increased；　and　all　works　of　this　nature　have　keen　improved　in　character　and　in　structure。　They　had　only　to　turn　their　eyes　to　the　history　of　ancient　Greece；　although　he　did　not　pretend　to　be　very　deeply　versed　in　its　ancient　drama。　　Its　first　tragic　poet　commanded　a　body　of　troops　at　the　battle　of　Marathon。　　Sophocles　and　Euripides　were　men　of　rank　in　Athens　when　Athens　was　in　its　highest　renown。　They　shook　Athens　with　their　discourses；　as　their　theatrical　works　shook　the　theatre　itself。　　If　they　turned　to　France　in　the　time　of　Louis　the　Fourteenththat　era　which　is　the　classical　history　of　that　countrythey　would　find　that　it　was　referred　to　by　all　Frenchmen　as　the　golden　age　of　the　drama　there。　　And　also　in　England　in　the　time　of　Queen　Elizabeth　the　drama　was　at　its　highest　pitch；　when　the　nation　began　to　mingle　deeply　and　wisely　in　the　general　politics　of　Europe；　not　only　not　receiving　laws　from　others；　but　giving　laws　to　the　world；　and　vindicating　the　rights　of　mankind。　　（Cheers。）　There　have　been　various　times　when　the　dramatic　art　subsequently　fell　into　disrepute。　　Its　professors　have　been　stigmatized；　and　laws　have　been　passed　against　them；　less　dishonourable　to　them　than　to　the　statesmen　by　whom　they　were　proposed；　and　to　the　legislators　by　whom　they　were　adopted。　　What　were　the　times　in　which　these　laws　were　passed？　Was　it　not　when　virtue　was　seldom　inculcated　as　a　moral　duty　that　we　were　required　to　relinquish　the　most　rational　of　all　our　amusements；　when　the　clergy　were　enjoined　celibacy；　and　when　the　laity　were　denied　the　right　to　read　their　Bibles？　　He　thought　that　it　must　have　been　from　a　notion　of　penance　that　they　erected　the　drama　into　an　ideal　place　of　profaneness；　and　spoke　of　the　theatre　as　of　the　tents　of　sin。　　He　did　not　mean　to　dispute　that　there　were　many　excellent　persons　who　thought　differently　from　him；　and　he　disclaimed　the　slightest　idea　of　charging　them　with　bigotry　or　hypocrisy　on　that　account。　　He　gave　them　full　credit　for　their　tender　consciences；　in　making　these　objections；　although　they　did　not　appear　relevant　to　him。　　But　to　these　persons；　being；　as　he　believed　them；　men　of　worth　and　piety；　he　was　sure　the　purpose　of　this　meeting　would　furnish　some　apology　for　an　error；　if　there　be　any；　in　the　opinions　of　those　who　attend。　　They　would　approve　the　gift；　although　they　might　differ　in　other　points。　　Such　might　not　approve　of　going　to　the　theatre；　but　at　least　could　not　deny　that　they　might　give　away　from　their　superfluity　what　was　required　for　the　relief　of　the　sick；　the　support　of　the　aged；　and　the　comfort　of　the　afflicted。　　These　were　duties　enjoined　by　our　religion　itself。　　（Loud　cheers。）

The　performers　are　in　a　particular　manner　entitled　to　the　support　or　regard；　when　in　old　age　or　distress；　of　those　who　have　partaken　of　the　amusements　of　those　places　which　they　render　an　ornament　to　society。　　Their　art　was　of　a　peculiarly　delicate　and　precarious　nature。　　They　had　to　serve　a　long　apprenticeship。　　It　was　very　long　before　even　the　first…rate　geniuses　could　acquire　the　mechanical　knowledge　of　the　stage　business。　　They　must　languish　long　in　obscurity　before　they　can　avail　themselves　of　their　natural　talents；　and　after　that　they　have　but　a　short　space　of　time；　during　which　they　are　fortunate　if　they　can　provide　the　means　of　comfort　in　the　decline　of　life。　　That　comes　late；　and　lasts　but　a　short　time；　after　which　they　are　left　dependent。　Their　limbs　failtheir　teeth　are　loosenedtheir　voice　is　lost　and　they　are　left；　after　giving　happiness　to　others；　in　a　most　disconsolate　state。　　The　public　were　liberal　and　generous　to　those　deserving　their　protection。　　It　was　a　sad　thing　to　be　dependent　on　the　favour；　or；　he　might　say；　in　plain　terms；　on　the　caprice；　of　the　public；　and　this　more　particularly　for　a　class　of　persons　of　whom　extreme　prudence　is　not　the　character。　　There　might　be　instances　of　opportunities　being　neglected。　　But　let　each　gentleman　tax　himself；　and　consider　the　opportunities　THEY　had　neglected；　and　the　sums　of　money　THEY　had　wasted；　let　every　gentleman　look　into　his　own　bosom；　and　say　whether　these　were　circumstances　which　would　soften　his　own　feelings；　were　he　to　be　plunged　into　distress。　　He　put　it　to　every　generous　bosomto　every　better　feelingto　say　what　consolation　was　it　to　old　age　to　be　told　that　you　might　have　made　provision　at　a　time　which　had　been　neglected（loud　cheers）and　to　find　it　objected；　that　if　you　had　pleased　you　might　have　been　wealthy。　　He　had　hitherto　been　speaking　of　what；　in　theatrical　language；　was　called　STARS；　but　they　were　sometimes　falling　ones。　　There　was　another　class　of　sufferers　naturally　and　necessarily　connected　with　the　theatre；　without　whom　it　was　impossible　to　go　on。　　The　sailors　have　a　saying；　Every　man　cannot　be　a　boatswain。　　If　there　must　be　a　great　actor　to　act　Hamlet；　there　must　also　be　people　to　act　Laertes；　the　King；　Rosencrantz；　and　Guildenstern；　otherwise　a　drama　cannot　go　on。　　If　even　Garrick　himself　were　to　rise　from　the　dead；　he　could　not　act　Hamlet　alone。　　There　must　be　generals；　colonels；　commanding…officers；　subalterns。　　But　what　are　the　private　soldiers　to　do？　　Many　have　mistaken　their　own　talents；　and　have　been　driven　in　early　youth　to　try　the　stage；　to　which　they　are　not　competent。　　He　would　know　what　to　say　to　the　indifferent　poet　and　to　the　bad　artist。　　He　would　say　that　it　was　foolish；　and　he　would　recommend　to　the　poet　to　become　a　scribe；　and　the　artist　to　paint　sign…posts。　　（Loud　laughter。）　　But　you　could　not　send　the　player　adrift；　for　if　he　cannot　play　Hamlet；　he　must　play　Guildenstern。　　Where　there　are　many　labourers；　wages　must　be　low　and　no　man　in　such　a　situation　can　decently　support　a　wife　and　family；　and　save　something　off　his　income　for　old　age。　What　is　this　man　to　do　in　later　life？　　Are　you　to　cast　him　off　like　an　old　hinge；　or　a　piece　of　useless　machinery；　which　has　done　its　work？　　To　a　person　who　had　contributed　to　our　amusement；　this　would　be　unkind；　ungrateful；　and　unchristian。　　His　wants　are　not　of　his　own　making；　but　arise　from　the　natural　sources　of　sickness　and　old　age。　　It　cannot　be　denied　that　there　is　one　class　of　sufferers　to　whom　no　imprudence　can　be　ascribed；　except　on　first　entering　on　the　profession。　　After　putting　his　hand　to　the　dramatic　plough；　he　cannot　draw　back；　but　must　continue　at　it；　and　toil；　till　death　release　him　from　want；　or　charity；　by　its　milder　influence；　steps　in　to　render　that　want　more　tolerable。　　He　had　little　more　to　say；　except　that　he　sincerely　hoped　that　the　collection　to…day；　from　the　number　of　respectable　gentlemen　present；　would　meet　the　views　entertained　by　the　patrons。　　He　hoped　it　would　do　so。　　They　should　not　be　disheartened。　　Though　they　could　not　do　a　great　deal；　they　might　do　something。　　They　had　this　consolation；　that　everything　they　parted　with　from　their　superfluity　would　do　some　good。　　They　would　sleep　the　better　themselves　when　they　had　been　the　means　of　giving　sleep　to　others。　　It　was　ungrateful　and　unkind　that　those　who　had　sacrificed　their　youth　to　our　amusement　should　not　receive　the　reward　due　to　them；　but　should　be　reduced　to　hard　fare　in　their　old　age。　　We　cannot　think　of　poor　Falstaff　going　to　bed　without　his　cup　of　sack；　or　Macbeth　fed　on　bones　as　marrowless　as　those　of　Banquo。　　（Loud　cheers　and　laughter。）　As　he　believed　that　they　were　all　as　fond　of　the　dramatic　art　as　he　was　in　his　younger　days；　he　would　propose　that　they　should　drink　〃The　Theatrical　Fund；〃　with　three　times　three。

Mr。　MACKAY　rose；　on　behalf　of　his　brethren；　to　return　their　thanks　for　the　toast　just　drunk。　　Many　of　the　gentlemen　present；　he　said；　were　perhaps　not　fully　acquainted　with　the　nature　and　intention　of　the　institution；　and　it　might　not　be　amiss　to　enter　into　some　explanation　on　the　subject。　　With　whomsoever　the　idea　of　a　Theatrical　Fund　might　have　originated　（and　it　had　been　disputed　by　the　surviving　relatives　of　two　or　three　individuals）；　certain　it　was　that　the　first　legally　constituted　Theatrical　Fund　owed　its　origin　to　one　of　the　brightest　ornaments　of　the　profession；　the　late　David　Garrick。　　That　eminent　actor　conceived　that；　by　a　weekly　subscription　in　the　theatre；　a　fund　might　be　raised　among　its　members；　f