Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 27.djvu/122

Holcroft HOLCROFT, THOMAS (1745–1809), dramatist, novelist, and translator, was born in Orange Court, Leicester Fields, London, on 10 Dec. 1745 (O.S.), and was baptised at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields; the name is erroneously spelt ‘Howlcroft’ in the register (Memoirs, p. 7). His father, whose christian name was also Thomas, kept a shoemaker's shop in Orange Court, and let out riding horses for hire, but falling into difficulties left London and turned pedlar. Young Holcroft accompanied his parents in their wanderings, and at the age of thirteen became a stable-boy at Newmarket, where he remained nearly three years. Returning to London he worked for some time with his father, who then kept a cobbler's stall in South Audley Street. In 1764 he went to Liverpool, where he taught children to read in a small school, but in less than a year he returned to London, and resumed his trade of a shoemaker. About this time he appears to have written occasionally for the ‘Whitehall Evening Post,’ and one of his contributions to that newspaper was transcribed into the ‘Annual Register.’ After an ineffectual attempt to set up a day-school in the country, ‘where for three months he lived upon potatoes and buttermilk, and had but one scholar,’ he obtained a situation in Granville Sharp's family. From this he was subsequently dismissed in consequence of his constant attendance at ‘a reading-room or sporting club,’ the members of which indulged in dramatic recitations (ib. p. 67). Being now utterly destitute, he resolved to enlist in the East Indian army, but abandoned his intention on securing an engagement as prompter at a Dublin Theatre through a chance introduction to Macklin. He went to Ireland in September 1770, but returned to England in March 1771. After acting with several strolling companies in the provinces for the next six years and a half with little success, Holcroft obtained in 1778 an engagement at Drury Lane Theatre at twenty shillings a week, and here his first piece, called ‘The Crisis, or Love and Famine’ (not printed), was once performed, on 1 May 1778. In 1780 Holcroft published his first novel, ‘Alwyn, or the Gentleman Comedian,’ in which some of his own adventures as a strolling actor were described under the character of Hilkirk. His first comedy, called ‘Duplicity,’ was produced at Covent Garden in October 1781. Though it proved only a first-night success, Holcroft seems to have thought his fame established, and soon afterwards gave up his engagement at Drury Lane. In 1783 he visited Paris as correspondent of the ‘Morning Herald,’ directing his attention principally ‘to the discovery of new publications,’ with a view to translating them. In the autumn of the following year he paid a second visit to Paris in order to translate Beaumarchais's ‘Mariage de Figaro.’ Being unable to obtain a copy of the comedy, and being afraid of taking notes, Holcroft with his friend Bonneville nightly attended the theatre where it was being performed until they had committed the whole of it to memory (ib. p. 126). The translation was produced at Covent Garden with great success on 14 Dec. 1784, under the title of ‘The Follies of the Day,’ Holcroft appearing as Figaro, in the absence of the actor to whom that part had been allotted. Holcroft received 600l. for this adaptation, in addition to a considerable sum for the copyright. ‘The Road to Ruin,’ his best and most successful play, was performed for the first time at Covent Garden on 18 Feb. 1792. The character of Goldfinch, and the admirable impersonation of it by Lewis the comedian, quickly established the play in popular favour. It was acted no less than thirty-eight times during the season, and became a stock piece. But though the play is rich in the traditions of many histrionic triumphs, its literary merits are not high, and it is chiefly remarkable for ‘a certain measure of appropriateness in the language, some tolerably ingenious scenes, and one or two effective but conventional characters’ (Athenæum, 8 Nov. 1873). The play was revived at the Vaudeville in London on 1 Nov. 1873, when it ran for 118 nights, and has been frequently played since. Though opposed to the use of force, Holcroft ardently embraced the principles of the French revolution, and in November 1792 became a member of the ‘Society for Constitutional Information.’ In company with Thomas Hardy (1752–1832) [q. v.] and ten others Holcroft was indicted for high treason. On 6 Oct. 1794 the Middlesex grand jury returned a true bill against him, and on the next day, having voluntarily surrendered himself at Hicks's Hall, he was committed to Newgate, where he remained until 1 Dec. following, when, in consequence of Hardy's acquittal, he was brought up to the Old Bailey, and discharged without a trial (Annual Register, 1794, Chron., p. 39).

In 1799 Holcroft, owing to financial embarrassment, sold his books and pictures and went to Hamburg. Here he attempted to set up a journal called the ‘European Repository,’ which reached the second number only. He subsequently went to Paris, where he resided for two years. During his absence his ‘Tale of Mystery’ was produced at Covent Garden on 13 Nov. 1802. This adaptation from the French, the music for which was