GARRICK, DAVID, descended from a French Protestant family of the name of Gerrit, or Garrique, was born on the 20th of February 1716, at the Angel Inn, Hereford. His father was Captain Peter Garrick, of the Old Buffs, then recruiting in that city, and his mother, whose maiden name was Arabella Clough, was the daughter of one of the vicars of Lichfield Cathedral. At ten years of age he was placed under the care of Mr. Hunter, master of the gremmar-school of Lich field ; and in 1727 showed his predilection for the stage by performing Serjeant Kite, in Farquhar's comedy of tho Recruiting Officer.' Shortly afterwards he went to Lisbon on a visit to his uncle, a wine merchant there, and by his agreeable manners became a great favourite not only with the English residents, but amongst the young Portu guese nobility. In the following year he returned to school at Lichfield, and during occasional visits to London encouraged his growing passion for theatricals. In 1735 he became the pupil of Dr. (then Mr.) Samuel Johnson, with whom, on the 2nd of March 1736, he set out for the metropolis, and on the 9th of the same month entered himself in the Society of Lincoln's Inn. In 1737 be commenced a course of studies under Mr. Colson, the mathematician, at Rochester.
Shortly afterwards, on the death of his father, be commenced business as a wine-merchant, in partnership with his elder brother, Peter Osrrick. This partnership was however soon dissolved, and in 1741 David Garrick finally resolved upon the profession of the stage, and made his first appearance at Ipswich under the name of Lydda], and in the part of Aboan, in the tragedy of Oroonoko.' His success
was undoubted, and he soon became a great favourite in that town, playing not only tragedy and comedy, but exhibiting his grace, humour, and acuity as harlequin. In the autumn he returned to London with the manager of the Ipswich company, who was also proprietor of the theatre in Goodman's Fields; and on the boards of that establishment Mr. Garrick made his first appearance as Richard III., October 19th, 1741. The fame of the young actor, then only In his twenty-sixth year, spread in a few weeks throughout the metropolis; and from the time of his first benefit, December 2nd, on which occasion he performed Lothario, in 'The Fair Penitent,' persons of every condition flocked from all parts of the town to see him, and entirely deserted the theatres at the West-end. At the close Of the season, May 26, 1742, Mr. Garrick played three nights at Drury Lane Theatre, as Bayes, Lear, and Richard, and then set off for Dublin, accompanied by Mrs. Woffington. In Ireland ho sustained his repu tation, and the theatre was crowded to ouch a degree as, in conjunction with the heat of the weather, to produce an epidemic, which was called the Garrick fever. He returned to London for the winter season, and commenced an engagement at Drury Lane on the 5th of October, as Chamont, In Otway's tragedy of ' The Orphan.' In 1745 he again visited Dublin, and became joint manager, with Mr. Sheridan, of the Theatre Royal in Smock Alley. In 1746 he returned to England,