himself beside me in a moment.' Yes, you shall have _one_ friend at least,
my poor young woman,' said he, with the greatest expression in his honest,
sunburnt countenance; 'I will go bail for you to any amount. And as for
_you_ (turning to the frightened actor), if you don't bear a hand, and
shift your moorings, you lubber, it will be worse for you when I come
athwart your bows.' Every creature in the house rose; the uproar was
perfectly indescribable; peals of laughter, screams of terror, cheers from
his tawny messmates in the gallery, preparatory scrapings of violins from
the orchestra, were mingled together; and amidst the universal din there
stood the unconscious cause of it, sheltering me, 'the poor, distressed
young woman,' and breathing defiance and destruction against my mimic
persecutor. He was only persuaded to relinquish his care of me by the
manager pretending to arrive and rescue me, with a profusion of theatrical
banknotes."


Kean.--In the second year of Kean's London triumph, an elderly lady, whose
sympathy had been excited by his forlorn condition in boyhood, but who had
lost sight of him in his wanderings till his sudden starting into fame
astonished the world, was induced, on renewing their acquaintance, to pay a
visit of some days to him and Mrs. Kean, at their residence in
Clarges-street. She made no secret of her intention to evince the interest
she felt in his welfare by a considerable bequest in her will; but, on
accompanying Mrs. K. to the theatre to see Kean perform _Luke_, she was so
appalled by the cold-blooded villany of the character, that, attributing
the skill of the actor to the actual possession of the fiendlike
attributes, her regard was turned into suspicion and distrust. She left
London the next day, and dying soon afterwards, it appeared that she had
altered her testamentary disposition of her property, which had once been
made in Kean's favour, and bequeathed the sum originally destined for him