MR. KING,

THE COMEDIAN.

THE character of an actor, in private life, has been usually beheld, throughout all Europe, with a certain degree of coolness, bordering on contempt. In Spain, we believe, comedians are not admitted to confeffion, at this very day; and it is well known, that in France, previously to the abolition, or at least the limitation of the Monarchy, they did not enjoy the rites of fepulture, or, in other words, were not permitted to participate in "a Chriftian burial." In this country, illiberal prejudices are happily of lefs avail, and the names of Shakspeare and of Garrick have contributed not a little to fhield the whole profeffion from indifcriminate contumely.

The object of this memoir, known to all lovers of the drama by the familiar name of "Tom King," feems to have received a better education than the bulk of the fraternity. His family, which was respectable, sent him to a good grammar-school in the country, whence, at a proper period, he was moved to London, and articled to an attorney.

He foon, however, became captivated with the ftage; and quitting his profeffion, accompanied Shuter, and joined a strolling company, about thirty miles from London. This, of course, irritated his parents, who, inftead of endeavouring to reclaim, abandoned and left him to shift for himself. If Tate Wilkinson is correct in his dates, Mr. King must 'now have been on the stage full half a century, for

he

he tells us, that he played under Mr. Garrick in

1748.

Those who have feen this excellent actor of late, will scarcely be induced to believe, that for many years after his first appearance he betook himself, almost exclusively, to tragedy. In 1748, he performed George Barnwell: and next year appeared in Dublin in the character of the Roman Father!

He at length obtained an engagement at Bath, where he contracted a friendship with Miss Baker, at that time a celebrated dancer, and who is at prefent his wife.

His fuccefs at Bath recommended him to the managers of Drury-lane, who employed him at a small falary, and entrusted him only with inferior parts; nor could he, for fome time, obtain any character in the least suitable to his talents. He therefore quitted that theatre, repaired again to Ireland, and acted in a confiderable number of comic characters with great applaufe. He had, by this time, contrived to form a very reputable fet of acquaintance in Dublin, and would probably have remained in that country, had he not foreseen the divifions which were likely to take place there in theatrical concerns. He accordingly applied to Mr. Garrick, and the fame of his abilities having reached England before his offer, he was engaged at a genteel falary.

Garrick immediately brought him out in the character of Tom, in the "Confcious Lovers;" in which, and many other comic fituations, he obtained uncommon applause. But what raised his fame to the

ftandard

ftandard at which it afterwards ftood, was his inimitable performance of Lord Ogleby, in the "Clandeftine Marriage," which he executed in fo mafterly a style, as to obtain the most flattering attention, and greatly affift the run of that excellent comedy.

Garrick, it is faid, intended to play the part himfelf, but could not fix on a mode of acting it to his mind. On this he defired King to try, and was fo pleased with the firft fpecimen he gave at the rehearsal, that he declared, if he could fupport the fame ftyle throughout, it would be one of the first comic characters on the ftage.

On the death of Mr. Powell, in 1768, Mr. King purchased his fhare of the Bristol theatre, which turned out profitable to him; and with his winter engagement at Drury-lane, produced a very handfome income. He fold it, however, a few years after, to Mr. Palmer, of the theatre at Bath (late of the poft-office), and purchased the property of Sadler's Wells; but this not being fo productive as he withed, he difpofed of it to Mr. Wroughton.

When Mr. Sheridan and the other partners purchafed Drury-lane house, that gentleman's inimitable play of "The School for Scandal" was brought out there. This afforded Mr. King a new opportunity of difplaying his talents for comedy, in the character of Sir Peter Teazle; and when Mr. 'S. embarked fo deeply in politics, as to prevent his attending the duty of the theatre, he delegated his power to King, and appointed him acting manager.

A little before this, Mr. K. had absented himself

during a whole season from the stage; on his return, he wrote an interlude for his introduction, called "A dramatic Olio," which was well received. He has also written "Love at firft Sight," a ballad-farce, acted at Drury-lane in 1765; and "Wit's laft Stake," another farce, played at the fame houfe in 1769.

But in the midft of this profperity, and after he had realized a handfome fortune, a paffion, which he had long fuppreffed, broke out, and deftroyed his pleasing profpccts. While under Mr. Garrick's dominion, and a candidate for public favour, he difcovered an infurmountable propenfity to play; which, although cautioned againft, he could not refift, but lost all his earnings at the gaming-table. One night, however, fortune fmiled, and he gained fo large a fum as 20001. On this he is faid to have immediately made a most folemn declaration, both to Garrick and his wife, "that he would never touch a dice-box again!" It has even been faid, that he executed a bond for a fum of money to the former, under penalty of forfeiture in cafe he ever gamed. King kept his refolution for many years, until, by the death of his friend "Davy," he perhaps deemed himself abfolved from his engagement. Having then an extenfive circle of genteel acquaintance, he was induced to enter himself, about the year 1784 or 1785, a member of the club at Miles's, merely from the love of fociety, and fully fecure, as he thought, against the allurements of play. He was, however, at laft tempted; and losing, at first, some small fums, became

vexed, and ventured deeper, until that fortune he had been fo long accumulating by his exertions was almost totally exhaufted. In confequence of this, he parted with his pretty little villa at Hampton, and exchanged his houfe in Gerrard-ftreet, for a finall one in Store-ftreet, Bedford-fquare.

Nor was the lofs of fortune the only disappointment that enfued. He was, at that very time, in treaty with Dr. Ford for a fhare of Drury-lane theatre; but this unlucky transfer of his property rendered him incapable of making good the payment. Some trifling difpute having occurred, in, confequence of this, Mr. King, in anger, refigned his two fituations, as actor and manager, at Drury-lane theatre.

He was, however, under the neceffity of relying once more on the stage for a maintenance; and accordingly, in 1788, he repaired to Dublin, the scene of his juvenile triumphs, where he was again received with all that warmth and enthusiasm fo delectable to an old favourite.

On his return, he performed a ftipulated number of nights at Covent garden theatre, both to the advantage of himself and the manager; and next season he refumed his fituation at Drury-lane.

Actuated by motives of fincere friendship, Mr. Smith, who had long quitted the ftage, came to town, about three years fince, exprefsly on purpose to play Charles, in the "School for Scandal," for his benefit; and the houfe, as might be expected, was, in the language of the theatre, "a bumper !"

Mr. King is undoubtedly the first comic actor the

stage