Garrick now retired to his villa at Hampton, resolved to pass the evening of his life in peace and rural tranquil lity. Here he enjoyed the occasional society of a nume rous circle of friends. He lived in an elegant style, and to the luxuries of the table added the charms of his conver sation, and the polished manners of one who had enjoyed the best company. During the year 1778, his former com plaints returned with increased violence. But his courage had not deserted him ; and he endeavoured to conceal his sufferings by assuming an air of gaiety. lie was invited to pass the Christmas of that year at Altrop Park, the seat of Earl Spencer, in Northamptonshire ; but his enjoyment of that party was soon interrupted by a violent attack of his inveterate disorder. He arrived at his house in the Adclphi on the 15th of January 1779. Medical aid was found to be in vain. During the last four or five days he suffered excruciating pain with great fortitude, and on the 20th of January, at eight in the morning, he expired with out a groan. On the 1st of February his remains were conveyed from the Adelphi to Westminster Abbey, and deposited in Poet's Corner, near the monument of Shak speare. The funeral was magnificent ; it was attended by many noblemen and gentlemen of rank and Fashion, and by almost all the admirers of polite literature. The traln of carriages reached from Charing-Cross to the Abbey. A prodigious concourse of people lined the %lay, and by their mournful silence gave the most evident demonstration of their sorrow. A handsome monument was erected to the memory of Garrick by the late Mr Albany Wallis, at his own expence.
Garrick's stature did not rise above the middle size ; his frame was delicate ; his limbs well proportioned ; his countenance animated ; his voice clear, flexible, and melo dious; and his eyes were remarkably keen and penetrat ing. In private life he was greatly esteemed for his amia ble dispositions, as well as on account of his various ac complishments and agreeable manners. He had a fine flow of animal spirits, and a great share of wit and humour ; lie delighted in polite and liberal conversation, but generally avoided the discussion of political topics. In the outset of life, when his means were slender, he was a strict obser ver of economy, and his enemies gave it the name of ava rice; but as soon as his circumstances would afford it, he was distinguished by hospitality and munificence. He loved his friends, and his purse was often at their service. To merit in distress his benevolence was sure to be ex tended. Dr Johnson has been often heard to say, that when he saw a worthy family in distress, it was his custom to collect charity among such of his friends as he knew to be in a state of affluence ; and, on those occasions, he receiv ed from Garrick more than from any other person, and al ways more than he expected. He was tremblingly alive to his professional reputation, and his anxiety upon this subject sometimes bettayed him into strange revolutions of temper. However, he had a quick discernment of me rit in others, and was ever ready to acknowledge and re ward it.
As an actor, Garrick burst forth at once in a style of un rivalled excellence, and continued, during the whole course of his career, to stand at the very summit of his profession. It is impossible for us to convey a just notion of the strik ing effects of his performance, or to do justice to his va rious merit. Those traits of excellence, by which an ac tor draws forth the admiration of his contemporaries, are unsubstantial and evanescent ; and leave nothing behind from which an adequate judgment can be formed by pos terity. As Mr Sheridan has said, in the language alike of tt uth and poetry,— " The grace of action, the adapted mien, Faithful as nature to the :tried scene ; Th' expressive glance, whose subtle comment draws Entrane'd attention and a mute applause ; Vesture that marks, with force and feeling fraught, A sense in silence, and a will in thought Harmonious speech, whose pure and liquid tone Gil es verse a music, scarce confess'd its own ; As light from gems assumes a brighter ray, And, tleck'd with orient hues, transcends the day Passions will break, and frown that awes the sense, And ev'ry charm of gentler elonnence, All perishable!—like the electric fire, But strike the frame, and, as they strike, expire ; Incense too pure a bodied flame to bear, Is flagrance charms the sense, and blends pith air." Jl/onotilt to the Olcnury of Garrick.
We are therefore left to form a faint idea of his talents, from the testimony of those who were eye-witnesses of his performance. To a quick and just conception of the pe culiarities of every character, he added a wonderful power of adapting his looks and gestures to the circumstances and situation of the person t epresented. If we may be al lowed the expression, his very silence spoke ; his counte nance was itself a language. Before he uttered a single word, the varying passions visibly began to work, and wrought such rapid changes in his features, in his action, his attitudes, and the expression of his eye, that he was al most every moment a new man. His talents were versatile as they were powerful ; and he was equally sure of attain ing his object, whether his aim was to excite terror or pity, or to raise laughter. It was one great excellence of his acting, that he constantly held in remembrance the cha racter he played, throughout all its various stages. No situation of it whatever was neglected; nor was he ever, for a moment, inattentive to the business before him. By his extreme earnestness to appear always what he ought to be, he obtained complete possession of his audience, aLd roused them to a correspondent approbation of his action.
As an author, Garrick has displayed no contemptible powers. lie was not, indeed, an author by profession ; the duties of his situation engrossed too much of his time to permit him to apply regularly to literary composition. But the comedy of The Clandestine Marriage, his farces, and poetical pieces, sufficiently shew that he wanted leisure, rather than wit or genius, to have enabled him to produce works of greater value. See Davies' Memoirs of the Life of Garrick ; and The Life of Garrick, by Murphy. (z)