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 :!44 ARTISTS AND AUTHORS atrical representation, from which nothing could turn him aside. When he was a little more than eleven years of age, he formed the project of getting a play acted by young gentlemen and ladies. After he had made some trial of his own and his companions' abilities, and prevailed upon the parents to give their consent, he pitched upon the " Recruiting Officer," for the play. He assembled his little com- pany in a large room, the destined place of representation. There we may suppose our young boy dis- tributed the several characters ac- cording to the merits of the per- former. He prevailed on one of his sisters to play the part of the chambermaid. Sergeant Kite, a character of busy intrigue and bold humor, he chose for himself. The play was acted in a manner so far above the expectation of the audience, that it gave general satis- faction, and was much applauded. The ease, vivacity,- and humor of Kite are still remembered with pleasure at Lichfield. The first stage attempt of our English Roscius was in 1727. Not long after, he was invited to Lisbon by an uncle, who was a considerable wine merchant in that city, but his stay there was very short, for he returned to Lichfield the year following. It is imagined that the gay disposition of the young gentleman was not very suitable to the old man's temper, which was, per- haps, too grave and austere to relish the vivacities of his nephew. However, during his short stay at Lisbon, young Garrick made himself agree- able to all who knew him, particularly to the English merchants who resided there, with whom he often dined. After dinner they usually diverted themselves by placing him upon the table, and calling upon him to repeat verses and speeches from plays, which he did with great readiness, and much to the satisfac- tion of the hearers. Some Portuguese young gentlemen of the highest rank, who were of his own age, were also much delighted with his conversation. He afterward returned to Lichfield, and in 1737 came up to town in com- pany with Samuel Johnson, who was to make so conspicuous a figure in the lit- erary world, and of whose life we have already given an account. Soon after his arrival in London, Garrick entered himself at Lincoln's Inn, and he also put himself under the tuition of Mr. Colson, an eminent mathemati- cian at Rochester. But as he applied himself little to the study of the law, his proficiency in mathematics and philosophy was not extensive. His mind was theatrically led, and nothing could 'divert his thoughts from the study of that to