The Old Showmen and the Old London Fairs Part 6

"I am myself a proof of what I a.s.sert," said he. "I was born a Swiss, and came to England without a farthing, where I have found means to gain five thousand a year and to spend it. Now, I defy the most able Englishman to go to Switzerland and either to gain that income, or to spend it there."

He was never averse to a joke upon his own ugliness, and once made a wager with Lord Chesterfield that the latter would not be able, within a certain given time, to produce a more ugly man in all London. The time elapsed; and Heidegger won the wager. Yet he could never be persuaded to have his portrait painted, even though requested by the King, and urged by all his friends to comply with the royal wish. The facetious Duke of Montagu, the concoctor of the memorable bottle-conjuror hoax at the Haymarket, had recourse to stratagem to obtain Heidegger's likeness, which afterwards gave rise to a laughable adventure. He gave a dinner at the Devil Tavern, near Temple Bar, to several of his friends and acquaintances, selecting those whom he knew to be the least accessible to the effects of wine, and the most likely to indulge in vinous conviviality. Heidegger was one of the guests, and, in a few hours after dinner, became so very much inebriated that he was carried out of the room in a state of insensibility, and laid upon a bed.

An artist in wax, a daughter of the famous Mrs. Salmon, was ready to play her part in the plot, and quickly made a mould of Heidegger's face in plaster. From this a mask was made; and all that remained to be done was to learn from his valet what clothes he would wear on a certain night, and procure a similar suit and a man of the same stature. All this the Duke accomplished before a masked ball took place, at which the King had promised to be present, and the band of the Opera House was to play in a gallery. The night came; and as the King entered, accompanied by the Countess of Yarmouth, Heidegger directed the band to play the national anthem. He had scarcely turned his back, however, when the counterfeit Heidegger told them to play "Charlie over the water."

Consternation fell upon all the a.s.sembly at the sound of the treasonable strains; everybody looked at everybody else, wondering what the playing of a Jacobite air in the presence of the King might presage. Heidegger ran to the orchestra, and swore, stamped, and raved, accusing the musicians of being drunk, or of being bribed by some secret enemy to bring about his ruin. The treasonable melody ceased, and the loyal strains of the national anthem saluted the royal ears. Heidegger had no sooner left the room, however, than his double stepped forward, and standing before the music-gallery, swore at the musicians as Heidegger had done, imitating his voice, and again directed them to play "Charlie over the water." The musicians, knowing his eccentricity, and likewise his addiction to inebriety, shrugged their shoulders, and obeyed. Some officers of the Guards resented the affront to the King by attempting to ascend to the gallery for the purpose of kicking the musicians out; but the Duke of c.u.mberland, who, as well as the King and his fair companion, was in the plot, interposed and calmed them.

The company were thrown into confusion, however, and cries of "shame!

shame!" arose on every side. Heidegger, bursting with rage, again rushed in, and began to rave and swear at the musicians. The music ceased; and the Duke of Montagu persuaded Heidegger to go to the King, and make an apology for the band, representing that His Majesty was very angry. The counterfeit Heidegger immediately took the same course, and, as soon as Heidegger had made the best apology his agitation would permit, the former stepped to his side and said, "Indeed, sire, it was not my fault, but that devil's in my likeness." Heidegger faced about, pale and speechless, staring with widely dilated eyes at his double. The Duke of Montagu then told the latter to take off his mask, and the frolic ended; but Heidegger swore that he would never attend any public entertainment again, unless that witch, the wax-work woman, broke the mould and melted the mask before him.

In 1742, the first place in Bartholomew Fair was again held, but for the last time, by Hippisley and Chapman, who revived the ever-popular Scapin in what they called "the most humorous and diverting droll, called _Scaramouch Scapin_ or the _Old Miser caught in a Sack_," the managers playing the same characters as in 1740. Hallam had made his last appearance at the fair in the preceding year, and his booth was now held by Turb.u.t.t and Yates, who set it up opposite the hospital gate, and produced _The Loves of King Edward IV. and Jane Sh.o.r.e_. Yates personated Sir Anthony Lackbrains, Turb.u.t.t was Captain Blunderbuss, and Mrs. Yates, Flora. A new aspirant to public favour appeared in Goodwin, whose booth stood opposite the White Hart, near Cow Lane, and presented a three act comedy, called _The Intriguing Footman_, followed by a pantomimic entertainment "between a soldier, a sailor, a tinker, a tailor, and Buxom Joan of Deptford." Fawkes and Pinchbeck announced that "Punch's celebrated company of comical tragedians from the Haymarket," would perform _The Tragedy of Tragedies_, "being the most comical and whimsical tragedy that was ever tragedized by any tragical company of comedians, called _The Humours of Covent Garden_, by Henry Fielding, Esq."

In 1743, the erection of theatrical booths in Smithfield was prohibited by a resolution of the Court of Aldermen, and the interdict was repeated in the following year. The prohibition did not extend to Southwark Fair, however, though held by the Corporation; for Yates was there in the former year, with a strong company from the theatres royal playing _Love for Love_, with Woodward as Tattle, Macklin as Ben, Arthur as Foresight, Mrs.

Yates as Mrs. Frail, and Miss Bradshaw as Miss Prue. The after-piece was _The Lying Valet_, in which Yates appeared as Sharp, and his wife as Kitty Pry.

It was in 1744 that the famous Turkish wire-walker appeared at Bartholomew Fair, where he performed without a balancing-pole, at the height of thirty-five feet. He juggled while on the wire with what were supposed to be oranges; but this feat lost much of its marvellousness on his dropping one of them, which revealed by the sound that it was a painted ball of lead. He had formidable rivals in the celebrated Violantes, man and wife, the latter of whom far exceeded in skill and daring the famous Dutch woman of the latter years of the seventeenth century. These Italian _artistes_, like the Turk, performed at a considerable height, which, while it does not require greater skill, gives the performance a much more sensational character.

Violante is the slack-rope performer introduced by Hogarth in his picture of Southwark Fair. The following feat is recorded of the _artiste_ by Malcolm, in his 'Londinium Redivivus,' in connection with the building of the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields:--"Soon after the completion of the steeple, an adventurous Italian, named Violante, descended from the arches, head foremost, on a rope stretched across St. Martin's Lane to the Royal Mews; the princesses being present, and many eminent persons."

Hogarth has introduced, in the background of his picture, another performer of this feat, namely, Cadman, who lost his life in 1740 in an attempt to descend from a church steeple in Shrewsbury. The epitaph on his gravestone sets forth the circ.u.mstances of the catastrophe as follows:--

"Let this small monument record the name Of Cadman, and to future times proclaim Here, by an attempt to fly from this high spire, Across the Sabrine stream, he did acquire His fatal end. 'Twas not for want of skill, Or courage to perform the task, he fell: No, no--a faulty cord, being drawn too tight, Hurried his soul on high to take her flight, Which bid the body here beneath good night."

The fairs of London were in the zenith of their fame during the period embraced in this chapter. During the second quarter of the eighteenth century, they were resorted to by all cla.s.ses of the people, even by royalty; and the theatrical booths by which they were attended boasted the best talent in the profession. They were not only regarded as the nurseries of histrionic ability, as the provincial theatres afterwards came to be regarded, but witnessed the efforts to please of the best actors of the London theatres, when in the noon of their success and popularity. Cibber, Quin, Macklin, Woodward, Shuter, did not disdain to appear before a Bartholomew Fair audience, nor Fielding to furnish them with the early gus.h.i.+ngs of his humour. The inimitable Hogarth made the light of his peculiar genius s.h.i.+ne upon them, and the memories of the old showmen are preserved in more than one of his pictures.

CHAPTER VI.

A new Race of Showmen--Yeates, the Conjuror--The Turkish Rope-Walker--Pan and the Oronutu Savage--The Corsican Fairy--Perry's Menagerie--The Riobiscay and the Double Cow--A Mermaid at the Fairs--Garrick at Bartholomew Fair--Yates's Theatrical Booth--Dwarfs and Giants--The Female Samson--Riots at Bartholomew Fair--Ballard's Animal Comedians--Evans, the Wire-Walker--Southwark Fair--Wax-work Show--Shuter, the Comedian--Bisset, the Animal Trainer--Powell, the Fire-Eater--Roger Smith, the Bell-Player--Suppression of Southwark Fair.

The limitation of Bartholomew Fair to three days, and the interdiction of theatrical booths in two successive years, was a serious blow, regarding the matter from the professional point of view, to the interests of the fair. Though actors worked hard during the twelve or eighteen days of the fair, they earned higher salaries during that time than they would have received at the theatres, and looked forward to Bartholomew-tide as the labourer to harvest. Though the theatres remained open during the fair when theatrical booths and puppet-shows were interdicted by the Court of Aldermen, actors missed their extra earnings, and managers found their receipts considerably diminished. In these we have only a pa.s.sing interest; but the glory of the fairs began to wane when the great actors ceased to appear on the boards of the canvas theatres, for the n.o.bility and gentry withdrew their patronage when the luminaries of Drury Lane and Covent Garden were no longer to be seen, and fairs began to be voted low by persons of rank and fas.h.i.+on.

The removal of the interdict on theatrical booths had little or no effect in arresting the progress of the decadence which had commenced; for the three days to which Bartholomew Fair remained limited did not afford to actors engaged at the London theatres, opportunities for earning money sufficient to induce them to set up a portable theatre, which, except for Southwark Fair, they could not use again until the following year. The case was very different when the fair lasted two or three weeks, and the theatres were closed during the time; but when its duration was contracted to three days, the attendance of a theatrical company could be made remunerative only for inferior _artistes_ who strolled all through the year from one fair to another.

Towards the middle of the last century, therefore, a new race of showmen came prominently before the visitors to the London fairs, and two or three only of the names familiar to fair audiences afterwards re-appeared in the bills of the temporary theatres. Even these had, with the exception of Mrs. Lee, come into notice only since the fair, by being limited to three days, had lost its attractiveness for actors of the theatres royal. The site made famous by Fielding was occupied in 1746 by a new manager, Hussey, who presented a drama of Shakspeare's (without announcing the t.i.tle), sandwich-like, between the two parts of a vocal and instrumental concert, concluding the entertainment with a pantomime called _The Schemes of Harlequin_, in which Rayner was Harlequin, and his daughter, who did a tight-rope performance, probably Columbine. Rayner was an acrobat at Sadler's Wells, where his daughter danced on the tight rope. The pantomime concluded with a chorus in praise of the Duke of c.u.mberland, whose victory at Culloden in the preceding year had finally crushed the hopes of the disaffected Jacobites.

The younger Yeates joined Mrs. Lee in a theatrical booth facing the hospital gate, where they presented _Love in a Labyrinth_, a musical entertainment called _Harlequin Invader_, and "stiff and slack rope-dancing by the famous Dutch woman." This can scarcely be the woman who did such wonders on the rope about the time of the Revolution, though Madame Saqui performed on the rope at a very advanced age; she may have been the same, for she does not appear again, but, considering that she is spoken of as a woman at the time of her first appearance in England, it is more probable that the rope-dancer of Mrs. Lee's booth was another Dutch woman, perhaps a daughter of the elder and more famous performer.

Adjoining Mrs. Lee's booth was one of which Warner and Fawkes were the proprietors, and in which a drama called _The Happy Hero_ was performed, followed by a musical entertainment called _Harlequin Incendiary_, in which the parts of Harlequin and Columbine were sustained by a couple named Cus.h.i.+ng, who afterwards appeared at Covent Garden. Warner personated Clodpole, a humorous rustic. Not to be outdone in loyalty by Hussey, he concluded the performance by singing a song in praise of the victor of Culloden.

Entertainers are, as a cla.s.s, loyal, under whatever dynasty or form of government they live, providing that it does not interfere with the exercise of their profession; and in this instance their sympathies accorded with the popular political creed.

In the following year, Hussey's booth again stood in George Yard, and presented _Tamerlane the Great_, with singing and "several curious equilibres on the slack rope by Mahomet Achmed Vizaro Mussulmo, a Turk just arrived from Constantinople, who not only balances without a pole, but also plays a variety of excellent airs on the violin when on the slack rope, which none can perform in England but himself." Though said to have just arrived from Constantinople, this Turk was probably the same that had performed at Bartholomew Fair three years previously.

Warner disconnected himself from Fawkes this year, and joined Yeates and Mrs. Lee, whose booth stood in the same position as before, presenting the _Siege of Troy_, and an entertainment of singing and dancing. Adjoining it stood a new show, owned by G.o.dwin and Reynolds, with "a curious collection of wax-work figures, being the richest and most beautiful in England;" and a panoramic view of the world, "particularly an accurate and beautiful prospect of Bergen-op-Zoom, together with its fortifications and adjacent forts, and an exact representation of the French besieging it, and the Dutch defending it from their batteries, etc." The movements of this exhibition were effected by clock-work. Opposite the Greyhound was another new venture, Chettle's, in which a pantomimic entertainment called _Frolicsome La.s.ses_ was presented, with singing and dancing between the acts, and a display of fireworks at the end.

The only theatrical booth at Southwark Fair this year seems to have been Mrs. Lee's, in which the entertainments were the same as at Bartholomew Fair. In Mermaid Lane was exhibited "the strange and wonderful monstrous production of Nature, a sea-elephant head, having forty-six teeth, some of them ten inches long, fluted, and turning up like a ram's horn."

The shows increased in number and variety, though the theatrical booths could no longer boast of the great names of former years. George Yard was occupied in 1748 by a new theatre, owned by Bridges, Cross, Barton, and Vaughan, from the theatres royal, who availed of the interest created by recent events to present a new historical drama called _The Northern Heroes_, followed by dancing and a farce called _The Volunteers_, founded on the 'Adventures of Roderick Random.' Smollett was now running Fielding hard in the race of fame, and the new managers were keen in turning his popularity to account for their own interests. This booth was the most important one in the fair, and the charge for admission ranged from sixpence to half-a-crown.

Hussey's booth, at which the prices ranged from sixpence to two s.h.i.+llings, stood opposite the gate of the hospital. The entertainments consisted of the comedy of _The Constant Quaker_, singing and dancing, including "a new dance called Punch's Maggot, or Foote's Vagaries," and a pantomime called _Harlequin's Frolics_.

In Lee and Yeates's booth, opposite the Greyhound, _The Unnatural Parents_ was revived, "shewing the manner of her (the heroine) being forced to wander from home by the cruelty of her parents, and beg her bread; and being weary, fell into a slumber, in a grove, where a G.o.ddess appears to her, and directs her to a n.o.bleman's house; how she was there taken in as a servant, and at length, for her beauty and modest behaviour, married to a gentleman of great fortune, with her return to her parents, and their happy reconciliation. Also the comical humours and adventures of Trusty, her father's man, and the three witches." Then follow the _dramatis personae_, which show a strong company. "With the original dance performed by three wild cats of the wood. With dancing between the acts by Mr.

Adams and Mrs. Ogden. A good band of music is provided, consisting of kettle-drums, trumpets, French horns, hautboys, violins, etc. To begin each day at twelve o'clock. The scenes and clothes are entirely new, and the droll the same that was performed by Mrs. Lee fifteen years ago, with great applause."

Near Cow Lane stood another new theatrical booth, that of Cousins and Reynolds, at which the charges for admission ranged from threepence to a s.h.i.+lling. Here the romantic drama of _The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green_ was presented, with dancing between the acts, an exhibition of life-size wax figures, representing the Court of Maria Theresa, and the performance of the Italian sword-dancers, "who have had the honour of performing before the Prince of Wales, with great applause."

Among the minor shows was one at "the first house on the pavement, from the end of Hosier Lane," where the sights to be seen were a camel, a hyaena, a panther, "the wonderful and surprising satyr, call'd by Latin authors, Pan," and a "young Oronutu savage." On the pavement, at the end of Cow Lane, was a smaller show, the charge for admission to which was threepence, consisting of a large hog, said to weigh a hundred and twenty stones, and announced as "the greatest prodigy in Nature;" and an "amazing little dwarf, being the smallest man in the world."

Bartholomew Fair was visited this year for the first time by the female dwarf who obtained such wide-spread celebrity as the Corsican Fairy. It will be seen from the following copy of the bill issued by her exhibitors that she was not shown in a booth, but in a room hired for the purpose:--

"To the n.o.bility and Gentry, and to all who are Admirers of the Extraordinary Productions of Nature.

"There is to be seen in a commodious Apartment, at the Corner of Cow Lane, facing the Sheep-Pens, West Smithfield, During the short time of Bartholomew Fair,

MARIA TERESIA,

the Amazing CORSICAN FAIRY, who has had the Honour of being shown three Times before their Majesties.

"[Pointing Hand] She was exhibited in c.o.c.kspur Street, Haymarket, at two s.h.i.+llings and sixpence each Person; but that Persons of every Degree may have a Sight of so extraordinary a Curiosity, she will be shown to the Gentry at sixpence each, and to Working People, Servants, and Children at Threepence, during this Fair.

"This most astonis.h.i.+ng Part of the Human Species was born in the Island of Corsica, on the Mountain of Stata Ota, in the year 1743. She is only thirty-four Inches high, weighs but twenty-six Pounds, and a Child of two Years of Age has larger Hands and Feet. Her surprising Littleness makes a strong Impression at first Sight on the Spectator's Mind. Nothing disagreeable, either in Person or Conversation, is to be found in her; although most of Nature's Productions, in Miniature, are generally so in both. Her Form affords a pleasing Surprise, her Limbs are exceedingly well proportioned, her admirable Symmetry engages the attention; and, upon the whole, is acknowledged a perfect Beauty. She is possessed of a great deal of Vivacity of Spirit; can speak Italian and French, and gives the inquisitive Mind an agreeable Entertainment.

In short, she is the most extraordinary Curiosity ever known, or ever heard of in History; and the Curious, in all countries where she has been shown, p.r.o.nounce her the finest Display of Human Nature, in Miniature, they ever saw.

"[Asterism] She is to be seen by any Number of Persons, from Ten in the Morning till Nine at Night."

Hussey's theatrical booth attended Southwark Fair, where it stood on the bowling-green, the entertainments being the same as in Smithfield. Lee and Yeates can scarcely have been absent from a scene with which the former had been so long and intimately a.s.sociated. Yeates took a benefit this year at the New Wells, near the London Spa, Clerkenwell, where a concert was followed by a performance of the _Beggar's Opera_, with the _beneficiaire_ as Macheath and his wife as Polly, and the farce of _Miss in her Teens_, in which the part of Captain Flash was sustained by the former, and that of Miss Biddy by his wife. The place was probably unlicensed for theatrical performances, as the dramatic portion of the entertainment was announced to be free to holders of tickets for the concert.

Tottenham Court Fair was continued this year for fourteen days, but does not appear to have been attended by any of the shows which contributed so much to the attractiveness of the fairs of Smithfield and Southwark Green.

The only advertis.e.m.e.nt of the entertainments which I have been able to find mentions a "great theatrical booth," but it was devoted on the day to which the announcement relates to wrestling and single-stick playing. As a relic of a bygone time, it is curious enough to merit preservation:--

"For the entertainment of all lovers and encouragers of the sword in its different uses, and for the benefit of Daniel French, at the great theatrical booth at Tottenham Court, on Monday the 14th instant, will be revived a country wake. Three men of Gloucesters.h.i.+re to play at single-stick against three from any part, for a laced hat, value fifteen s.h.i.+llings, or half a guinea in gold; he that breaks most heads fairly in three bouts, and saves his own, to have the prize; half-a-crown for every man breaking a head fairly, besides stage-money. That gentlemen may not be disappointed, every gamester designing to engage is desired to enter his name and place of abode with Mr. Fuller, at the King's Head, next the booth, before the day of sport, or he will not be admitted to play, and to meet by eight in the morning to breakfast and settle the play for the afternoon. Money will be given for the encouragement of wrestling, sword and dagger, and other diversions usual on the stage, besides stage-money.

That no time may be lost, while two are taking breath, two fresh men shall engage. The doors to be opened at twelve o'clock, and the sport to begin precisely at three in the afternoon. Note, there will be variety of singing and dancing for prizes, as will be expressed in the bills and papers of the day. Hob, clerk of the revel."

Newspapers of this year contain advertis.e.m.e.nts of several shows which probably visited the London Fairs, where they were sufficiently announced by their pictures. There are no fewer than three menageries, all on a small scale. The best seems to have been Perry's, advertised as follows:--"This is to give notice to all Gentlemen, Ladies, and others, that Mr. Perry's Grand Collection of Living Wild Beasts is come to the White Horse Inn, Fleet Street, consisting of a large he-lion, a he-tiger, a leopard, a panther, two hyenas, a civet cat, a jackall, or lion's provider, and several other rarities too tedious to mention. To be seen at any time of the day, without any loss of time. Note.--This is the only tiger in England, that baited being only a common leopard." The note alludes to a recent baiting of a leopard by dogs, the animal so abused being described in the announcements of the combat as a tiger.

The second menagerie under notice was advertised as follows:--

"To be seen, at the Flying Horse, near the London workhouse, Bishopsgate Street, from eight in the morning till nine at night, the largest collection of living wild creatures ever seen in Europe. 1. A beautiful large he-tiger, brought from Bengal by Captain Webster, in the Ann. He is very tame, and vastly admired. 2. A beautiful young leopard, from Turkey.

3. A civet cat, from Guinea. 4. A young man-tiger, from Angola. 5. A wonderful hyaena, from the coast of Guinea. 6. A right man-tiger, brought from Angola by Captain D'Abbadie, in the Portfield Indiaman. This is a very curious creature, and the only one that has been seen in England for several years. It comes the nearest to human nature of any animal in the world. With several others too tedious to mention." Perry seems to have been in error in announcing that he had the only tiger in England; though the one exhibited at the Flying Horse may have been a more recent importation. The "man-tigers" of the latter collection were probably gorillas, though those animals seem to have been lost sight of subsequently until attention was recalled to them by M. Du Chaillu.

The third collection was advertised as follows:--

"To be seen, at the White Swan, near the Bull and Gate, Holborn, a collection of the most curious living wild creatures just arrived from different parts of the world. 1. A large and beautiful young camel from Grand Cairo, in Egypt, near eight feet high, though not two years old, and drinks water but once in sixteen days. 2. A surprising hyaena, from the coast of Guinea. 3. A beautiful he-panther, from Buenos Ayres, in the Spanish West Indies. 4. A young Riobiscay, from Russia: and several other creatures, too tedious to mention. Likewise a travelling post-chaise from Switzerland, which, without horses, keeps its stage for upwards of fifty miles a day, without danger to the rider. Attendance from eight in the morning till eight at night." What the riobiscay was is now beyond conjecture; but the panther from Buenos Ayres was, of course, a jaguar, the panther being limited to the eastern hemisphere. This collection was exhibited in Holbom early in the year, and removed at Easter to the Rose and Crown, near the gates of Greenwich Park.

There was a bovine monstrosity shown this year as a "double cow," probably at the fairs, as the following paragraph, extracted from a newspaper of the time, refers to a second locality:--