Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 30.djvu/388

 ried in 1783 [see ]. Sealand in the ‘Conscious Lovers’ on 8 Oct., Bajazet in ‘Tamerlane’ on 4 Nov., Colredo in the ‘Heroine of the Cave,’ and perhaps other characters, followed before he returned into the country. As Othello, with his wife as Desdemona, he made, on 23 Feb. 1785, his first appearance in Edinburgh. On 18 May 1787 he appeared at the Haymarket as the King in ‘Hamlet.’ Much less in demand than his wife, he played during the five years in which he was a member of the company Dominic in the ‘Spanish Friar,’ Leonato in ‘Much Ado about Nothing,’ the King in the ‘King and the Miller of Mansfield,’ on which occasion his father Roger Kemble made his solitary appearance in London, and original parts in comedies by the younger Colman, Mrs. Inchbald, and other writers. A farce entitled ‘The Northern Inn, or the Days of Good Queen Bess,’ taken by him from Heywood's ‘Fair Maid of the West,’ was played at the Haymarket for his wife's benefit on 16 Aug. 1791 (for his partnership in a dramatisation of Scott's ‘Marmion,’ see ). In November 1791, owing to the bankruptcy of John Jackson (1761–1792) [q. v.], the theatres of Edinburgh and Glasgow were advertised to be let. At the instigation of Jackson, who was to be his partner in management, Kemble took the Edinburgh Theatre Royal, at a rent of 1,350l., over the head of Mrs. Esten. Jackson accused Kemble of sharp practice; Kemble withheld from him any share whatever in the management, and denied him admission into the house. Furious attacks were made on Kemble in print by Jackson and his friends. Kemble opened his theatre on 19 Jan. 1792 with the ‘Beggar's Opera,’ Mrs. Kemble playing Polly, and the rest of the company being for the most part from Newcastle. Kemble himself appeared on 2 Feb. He engaged John Kemble and Mrs. Siddons, playing Pierre in ‘Venice Preserved’ to the Belvidera of the latter. He also repeated Othello and other characters. Litigation with Mrs. Esten on the one hand, and with Jackson on the other, led him to remove from the Theatre Royal to the New Theatre which had been erected on the site of a building previously known as the Circus. This house he opened on 21 Jan. 1793 with the ‘Rivals.’ On 6 Feb. performances, at the motion of Mrs. Esten, were prohibited. With an expensive company on his hands, Kemble was now in straits, but by means of entertainments, ridottos, fêtes champêtres, &c., he managed to keep his head above water. By a payment of 1,000l. a year to Jackson's creditors, and 200l. to Mrs. Esten, he soon, however, obtained sole possession of the Theatre Royal, which he opened on 18 Jan. 1794 with ‘Hamlet,’ his wife playing Ophelia, John Kemble Hamlet, and C. Kemble Laertes. The management at this period was spirited and successful, although Kemble himself rarely appeared. The only contretemps consisted in a succession of fights in the house between the Scottish tories, including Walter Scott, and some Irish students of democratic tendencies. Kemble brought out Henry Erskine Johnston [q. v.] and other new actors, and introduced Incledon [q. v.] to the Edinburgh public. With declining success he retained possession of the theatre until 1800. As his company grew weaker he acted more parts himself. Sir Anthony Absolute and Bajazet are among the characters he essayed. On 30 July 1800 he took his farewell. Some hissing attended his speech. He then said: ‘I once thought to have left Edinburgh without a single enemy. It is, however, not wonderful that I am disappointed, for even our great Redeemer had his enemies; and after his great example I will be meek and submissive.’ This injudicious remark provoked a storm before which he hastily withdrew. Kemble also took part in the management of the Glasgow Theatre, which was associated with that of Edinburgh; directed theatres in Liverpool, Newcastle, and other country towns, and was for some years manager of the Sunderland circuit. While manager at Newcastle he was charged, in a sheet entitled ‘To the Public’ (1793), by John Edwin the younger [q. v.] with treating Edwin and his wife unjustly in the matter of salary. Kemble replied in another sheet with the same title, dated 10 June 1793, directly denying the imputation. Kemble also gave, during the same period, in the country recitations, which included the reading of a chapter from the Bible, and by these varied occupations he secured a competency.

On 17 Sept. 1806 he appeared at Covent Garden as Falstaff in the ‘Second Part of Henry IV.’ He had grown so stout that he played the part without padding. On the 24th he repeated the character in the ‘Merry Wives of Windsor.’ As Falstaff in the ‘First Part of Henry IV’ he appeared at Drury Lane on 7 Oct. 1816. Drury Lane opened under his stage-management on 12 Sept. 1818, his son Henry Stephen [q. v.] making as Romeo his first appearance there. Kemble was seldom seen except as Falstaff. At the close of the season Elliston became manager, Kemble remaining at the house and playing, 26 April 1820, the Miller in the ‘King and the Miller of Mansfield.’ He is said to have acted for the last time as Sir Christopher Curry in ‘Inkle and Yarico’ a fortnight be-