GARRICK, DAVID, the celebrated English comedian, was born in the city of Hereford, and baptized on the 20th of February 1716. Ills grandfather was a French mer chant, who, on the revocation of the edict of Nantz, fled to England with other Protestants, and settled in London. His father, Peter Garrick, obtained a captain's commission in the army, and married a daughter of the Rev. Mr Clough, one of the vicars in Litchfield cathedral. Soon after that time, it appears that Captain Garrick sold his commission, and retired to Litchfield on half-pay. At the age of ten, his son David was sent to the grammar-school, under the tui tion of Mr Hunter ; but he does not seem to have displayeil any early disposition for study. He very soon, however, discovered a turn for mimickry ; and imbibed a relish for theatrical performances from the strolling players who oc casionally viitcd Litchfield. Having engaged a set of his school-fellows to undertake their several pacts in a comedy, lie exhibited the Recruiting Officer before a select audience, in the year 1727. Garrick was then eleven years old ; he performed tho character of Serjeant Kite, and is said to have acquitted himself with great humour.
In the year 1729 or 1730, Garrick was sent out to his uncle, a thriving wine-merchant at Lisbon ; but being found too volatile for a counting-house, he returned home in the following year. lie was once more placed under the care of Mr Hunter ; but his vivacity was still superior to serious application. In 1735, the celebrated Samuel Johnson, a native of Litchfield, formed the design of opening an aca demy for classical education, in which he was encouraged by Mr Gilbert Walmsley, register of the ecclesiastical court, a gentleman of most respectable character and at tainments, and a generous patron of genius. Garrick, at that time turned of eighteen, was, with several other young men, consigned to the care of Johnson, and began to apply, with some diligence, to the study of the classics. At the end of twelve months, however, the master grew tired of his undertaking, and resolved to abandon it altogether.
Soon afterwards, Johnson and Garrick, having become wea ry of the contracted sphere of a country town, and desirous of trying their fortune in a more extensive field, determin ed on an expedition to the metropolis.
These two friends, who were destined to attain a high degree of celebrity in their separate walks, accordingly set out from Litchfield on the 2d of March 1737, provided with letters of recommendation from Mr Walmsley to Mr Col son, a celebrated mathematician, at that time master of the school at Rochester. It was intended that Garrick should place himself under the tuition of Mr Colson ; but he seems to have relinquished that intention upon his arrival in Lon don. On the 9th of March 1737, he was entered a studert of Lincoln's Inn ; but the state of his finances did not enable him to pursue his profession. About the end of that year, his uncle arrived from Lisbon, with the intention of settling in London ; but his design was frustrated by a fit of illness, which in a short time put an end to his life. He left his ne! phew David I0001.; and upon this event, Garrick repaired to Rochester, and remained several months under the tui tion of Mr Colson. During his stay at Rochester, his fa ther died of a lingering illness ; and his mother did not sur vive her husband above a year. Garrick now tcok his leave of Mr Colson, and returned to the metropolis. 1Iis eldest brother, Peter, had commenced business as a wine merchant, and in 1733 David was induced to enter into partnership with him. This gave occasion to the saying of the facetious Samuel Foote, " that he remembered Gar rick living in Durham-yard, with three quarts of vinegar in the cellar, calling himself a wine-merchant." It is cer tain, however, that his business was upon a scale rather more extensive ; and his situation, in the neighbourhood of the two play-houses, gave him an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the actors of the time, and confirmed his previous inclination for the theatrical profession.