The Hurry,
And The Crowd, And The Bustle, And The Noise, And The Dust, Increased
As We Proceeded, Until I Saw The Great Cloud Of Smoke Hanging In The
Air, Like A Canopy Of State, Over This Queen Of Cities.
In this way, then, did I enter the metropolis; a strolling vagabond; on
the top of a caravan with
A crew of vagabonds about me; but I was as
happy as a prince, for, like Prince Hal, I felt myself superior to my
situation, and knew that I could at any time cast it off and emerge
into my proper sphere.
How my eyes sparkled as we passed Hyde-park corner, and I saw splendid
equipages rolling by, with powdered footmen behind, in rich liveries,
and fine nosegays, and gold-headed canes; and with lovely women within,
so sumptuously dressed and so surpassingly fair. I was always extremely
sensible to female beauty; and here I saw it in all its fascination;
for, whatever may be said of "beauty unadorned," there is something
almost awful in female loveliness decked out in jewelled state. The
swan-like neck encircled with diamonds; the raven locks, clustered with
pearls; the ruby glowing on the snowy bosom, are objects that I could
never contemplate without emotion; and a dazzling white arm clasped
with bracelets, and taper transparent fingers laden with sparkling
rings, are to me irresistible. My very eyes ached as I gazed at the
high and courtly beauty that passed before me. It surpassed all that my
imagination had conceived of the sex. I shrunk, for a moment, into
shame at the company in which I was placed, and repined at the vast
distance that seemed to intervene between me and these magnificent
beings.
I forbear to give a detail of the happy life which I led about the
skirts of the metropolis, playing at the various fairs, held there
during the latter part of spring and the beginning of summer. This
continual change from place to place, and scene to scene, fed my
imagination with novelties, and kept my spirits in a perpetual state of
excitement.
As I was tall of my age I aspired, at one time, to play heroes in
tragedy; but after two or three trials, I was pronounced, by the
manager, totally unfit for the line; and our first tragic actress, who
was a large woman, and held a small hero in abhorrence, confirmed his
decision.
The fact is, I had attempted to give point to language which had no
point, and nature to scenes which had no nature. They said I did not
fill out my characters; and they were right. The characters had all
been prepared for a different sort of man. Our tragedy hero was a
round, robustious fellow, with an amazing voice; who stamped and
slapped his breast until his wig shook again; and who roared and
bellowed out his bombast, until every phrase swelled upon the ear like
the sound of a kettle-drum.
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