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Article THE LIFE OF THE LATE MR. JOHN PALMER, ← Page 4 of 8 →
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The Life Of The Late Mr. John Palmer,
deserted the theatre a second time , but his good Genius directed the contrary , and he remained for some time as a dumb attendant on his Majesty's heels , to run on and off at the sound of the trumpet . The illness of Mr . Palmer , mentioned in Churchill ' s Rosciad , but no relation to the subjeft of these memoirs , at last brought him from obscurity . The Country Girl had been announced for Cautherly's benefitand from the indisposition' of the then great Palmeras we
, , will call him , for distinction ' s sake , a gentleman was wanted to represent Harcourt . The part -was offered to many , but refused at so short a notice . In this dilemma no thought had been turned to his name-sake , who , depending on memory , stepped forward , and offered to play it . ' To read it , ' said Garrick ; 'for I am sure you cannot study it . '
Palmer still persisted , on which the Manager , with a sneer , gave his consent . The next morning , at rehearsal , the part being read , arid not played , just for the purpose of being more perfect in the evening before the audience , Garrick exclaimed , ' I said so : I knew he could not study it : ' on which Mr . P . requested his patience , and in the evening went through it as perfectly as if he had performed in the play an hundred times .
This fortunate circumstance operated so much in his favour , that Mr . Garrick immediately articled him for four years , at two pounds per week , the first two seasons , and forty-five and fifty shillings for the two last . Pie was invited to the Manager's house at Hampton to rehearse parts with him ; and Mrs . Palmer , in one of these visits , being accidentall y introduced , Mr . Garrick offered to engage her at twenty shillings per weekalthough she had never attempted the
, stage , which was accepted . He likewise promised this couple his friendship , and that promise he faithfully observed . The succeeding spring , Mr . King gave up his situation at Liverpool , which was given to Palmer , and for this he relinquished his summer engagement- at the Haymarket . In Liverpool he was a great favourite ; but his dissipated character being known , as well
as the ill treatment endured by his wife , whom he had left in London , the whole town resolved to absent themselves from his benefit . Alarmed at such a loss , he posted to London , prevailed upon his wife to accompany him back to Liverpool , and they walked together in a public place on the next Sunday evening ; which so completely refuted the report in the public opinion , that his benefit was crowded and lucrative .
In the winter seasons he continued progressively advancing at Drury-Lane Theatre , and in the summer he performed sometimes at Liverpool , Dublin , and Birmingham , until he was finally engaged at the Haymarket . Soon after Messrs Sheridan , Ford , and Linley , became proprietors of the winter-house , an accident happened " to Mr . Palmer , which had nearly proved fatal . At the close of the Grecian Daughter , when the heroine stabs the tyrant , a part Mr . f . sustained , he received a severe blow from Mrs . Barry , owing to * e failure ofthe spring in the dagger . This circumstance confined "im . to his bed five months , during which time he was frequently
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life Of The Late Mr. John Palmer,
deserted the theatre a second time , but his good Genius directed the contrary , and he remained for some time as a dumb attendant on his Majesty's heels , to run on and off at the sound of the trumpet . The illness of Mr . Palmer , mentioned in Churchill ' s Rosciad , but no relation to the subjeft of these memoirs , at last brought him from obscurity . The Country Girl had been announced for Cautherly's benefitand from the indisposition' of the then great Palmeras we
, , will call him , for distinction ' s sake , a gentleman was wanted to represent Harcourt . The part -was offered to many , but refused at so short a notice . In this dilemma no thought had been turned to his name-sake , who , depending on memory , stepped forward , and offered to play it . ' To read it , ' said Garrick ; 'for I am sure you cannot study it . '
Palmer still persisted , on which the Manager , with a sneer , gave his consent . The next morning , at rehearsal , the part being read , arid not played , just for the purpose of being more perfect in the evening before the audience , Garrick exclaimed , ' I said so : I knew he could not study it : ' on which Mr . P . requested his patience , and in the evening went through it as perfectly as if he had performed in the play an hundred times .
This fortunate circumstance operated so much in his favour , that Mr . Garrick immediately articled him for four years , at two pounds per week , the first two seasons , and forty-five and fifty shillings for the two last . Pie was invited to the Manager's house at Hampton to rehearse parts with him ; and Mrs . Palmer , in one of these visits , being accidentall y introduced , Mr . Garrick offered to engage her at twenty shillings per weekalthough she had never attempted the
, stage , which was accepted . He likewise promised this couple his friendship , and that promise he faithfully observed . The succeeding spring , Mr . King gave up his situation at Liverpool , which was given to Palmer , and for this he relinquished his summer engagement- at the Haymarket . In Liverpool he was a great favourite ; but his dissipated character being known , as well
as the ill treatment endured by his wife , whom he had left in London , the whole town resolved to absent themselves from his benefit . Alarmed at such a loss , he posted to London , prevailed upon his wife to accompany him back to Liverpool , and they walked together in a public place on the next Sunday evening ; which so completely refuted the report in the public opinion , that his benefit was crowded and lucrative .
In the winter seasons he continued progressively advancing at Drury-Lane Theatre , and in the summer he performed sometimes at Liverpool , Dublin , and Birmingham , until he was finally engaged at the Haymarket . Soon after Messrs Sheridan , Ford , and Linley , became proprietors of the winter-house , an accident happened " to Mr . Palmer , which had nearly proved fatal . At the close of the Grecian Daughter , when the heroine stabs the tyrant , a part Mr . f . sustained , he received a severe blow from Mrs . Barry , owing to * e failure ofthe spring in the dagger . This circumstance confined "im . to his bed five months , during which time he was frequently