Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 62: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 49 4) KR SS eA —— A = = i Hy A i a EE ————— LMT QL i = OL TTLTTTTA, LMM —¥ ZZ or performance—but chiefly of all with the personal | was like, and joyously anticipating an experience beauty and the graceful dancing of Violet Morti- | of that pleasure which the other portion of the mer. They declared that the representations in | domestics had revelled in on the previous evening. the play-bills were in no wise exaggerated—and | On entering the establishment, Charles—according that this young lady was a perfect prodigy of love- | to promise—kept me by his side: we had front liness, elegance, and fascination. It appeared that | seats in the gallery, and could therefore command the theatre was crowded to excess—and that Miss | an excellent view of the stage and the whole house, Mortimer was called before the curtain and enthu- | every part of which was perfectly crammed. We siastically applauded. My curiosity was now more | beheld the Ravenshills and the Bousteads seated than eyer excited;* and I noticed that Charles | in a box near the stage; and, amongst the rest of himself,—hitherto the only one who had talked | the company, we recognised many of those families coldly of the affair—began to be inspired with the | who were accustomed to visit at Charlton Hall. same sentiment. The curtain drew up; and then, for the first On the following evening I entered the omnibus | time in my life, I beheld the attractions of a stage. in company with those of my fellow-servants whose | I have since seen the great metropolitan theatres ; turn if now was to visit the theatre. Lord Ravens- | and, as a matter of course, in comparison there- hill had taken a box for this occasion—where him- | with, a small provincial one sinks into utter insig- self, her ladyship, and Mr. Walter were to be | nificance: but to me who was then contemplating joined by the Bousteads, During the drive of three | the spectacle for the first time, it was fraught with miles 2 the town I sat wondering what a theatre | the most pleasing and exciting interest. The actors st seuss anes GOmMmiicdvoo cS (E(@)