ur occupation, dreads the least prejudice against the
establishment in the minds of any of our company, says the place already
has quite ruined her, and with tears in her eyes protests that any jokes
at her additional expense in print would drive her mad. By the body of
Caesar, the scene was incredible! It's like a preposterous dream."
Something of our play is disclosed by the oaths a la Bobadil, and of our
actors by "the jokes" poor Miss Kelly was afraid of. We had chosen EVERY
MAN IN HIS HUMOUR, with special regard to the singleness and
individuality of the "humours" portrayed in it; and our company included
the leaders of a journal then in its earliest years, but already not
more renowned as the most successful joker of jokes yet known in
England, than famous for that exclusive use of its laughter and satire
for objects the highest or most harmless which makes it still so
enjoyable a companion to mirth-loving right-minded men. Maclise took
earnest part with us, and was to have acted, but fell away on the eve of
the rehearsals; and Stanfield, who went so far as to rehearse Downright
twice, then took fright and also ran away:[107] but Jerrold, who played
Master Stephen, brought with him Lemon, who took Brainworm; Leech, to
whom Master Matthew was given; A'Beckett, who had condescended to the
small part of William; and Mr. Leigh, who had Oliver Cob. I played
Kitely, and Bobadil fell to Dickens, who took upon him the redoubtable
Captain long before he stood in his dress at the footlights; humouring
the completeness of his assumption by talking and writing Bobadil, till
the dullest of our party were touched and stirred to something of his
own heartiness of enjoyment. One or two hints of these have been given,
and I will only add to them his refusal of my wish that he should go and
see some special performance of the Gamester. "Man of the House.
_Gamester!_ By the foot of Pharaoh, I will _not_ see the _Gamester_. Man
shall not force, nor horses drag, this poor gentleman-like carcass into
the presence of the _Gamester_. I have said it. . . . The player Mac hath
bidden me to eat and likewise drink with him, thyself, and short-necked
Fox to-night--An' I go not, I am a hog, and not a soldier. But an' thou
goest not--Beware citizen! Look to it. . . . Thine as thou meritest.
BOBADIL (Captain). Unto Master Kitely. These."

The play was played on the 21st of September with a success that out-ran
the wildest expectation; and turned