The essays of Elia . landed property whichI could ever call my own—situate near the roadwayvillage of pleasant Puckeridge, in Hertfordshire. WhenI journeyed down to take possession, and planted footon my own ground, the stately habits of the donordescended upon me, and I strode (shall I confess thevanity ?) with larger paces over my allotment of three-quarters of an acre with its commodious mansion in themidst, with the feeling of an English freeholder that aUbetwixt sky and centre was my own. The estate haspassed into more prudent hands, and nothing but anagrarian can restore it. In those day
The essays of Elia . landed property whichI could ever call my own—situate near the roadwayvillage of pleasant Puckeridge, in Hertfordshire. WhenI journeyed down to take possession, and planted footon my own ground, the stately habits of the donordescended upon me, and I strode (shall I confess thevanity ?) with larger paces over my allotment of three-quarters of an acre with its commodious mansion in themidst, with the feeling of an English freeholder that aUbetwixt sky and centre was my own. The estate haspassed into more prudent hands, and nothing but anagrarian can restore it. In those days were pit orders. Beshrew the uncom-fortable manager who abolished them !—^with one ofthese we went. I remember the waiting at the door—not that which is left—but between that and an innerdoor in shelter (O when shall I be such an expectantagain !) with the cry of nonpareils, an indispensable playhouse accompaniment in those days. As near as I canrecollect, the fashionable pronunciation of the theatrical 132. 1 REMEMBER TH^ ^ nJ^- MY FIRST PLAY fruiteresses then was, Chase some oranges, chase somenumparels, chase a bill of the play ;—chase pro when we got in, and I beheld the green curtain thatveiled a heaven to my imagination, which was soon to be disclosed the breathless anticipations I endured ! I had seen something like it in the plate prefixed to Troilusand Cressida, in Rowes Shakspeare—the tent scenewith Diomede—and a sight of that plate can alwaysbring back in a measure the feeling of that evening.—The boxes at that time, full of well-dressed women ofquality, projected over the pit; and the pilasters reach-ing down were adorned with a glistering substance(I know not what) under glass (as it seemed), resembUng—a homely fancy—but I judged it to be sugar-candy—yet to my raised imagination, divested of its homelierqualities, it appeared a glorified candy !—^The orchestralights at length rose, those fair Auroras ! Once thebell sou
Size: 1346px × 1857px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorlambchar, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1910
