John Gilbert

“ GILBERT (or Gylberde) , WILLIAM (1544–1603) , the most distinguished man of science in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and the father of electric and magnetic science, was a member of an ancient Suffolk family, long resident in Clare, and was born on the 24th of May 1544 at Colchester, where his father, Hierome Gilbert, became recorder. Educated at Colchester school, he entered St John’s College, Cambridge, in 1558, and after taking the degrees of B.A. and M.A. in due course, graduated M.D. in 1569, in which year he was elected a senior fellow of his college. ”

“ GILBERT, JOHN (fl. 1680) , son of John Gilbert of Salisbury, was born in 1659, entered Hart Hall, Oxford, as a commoner early in 1674, where he graduated B.A. on 16 Oct. 1677, and M.A. 25 June 1680 (Wood, Fasti, Bliss, ii. 360, 372) , afterwards took holy orders, and was vicar of St. ”

“ Which star do John and the brilliant men I have mentioned occupy?
I wonder!
[152]
Chapter XXIX
W. S. GILBERT
One of the most gifted men I have ever met was W. S. Gilbert, of Gilbert & Sullivan fame. He was not a very pleasant companion socially as he was more of a cynic than a wit, but at intervals he would make his cynicism subservient and become most agreeable.
At the Crystal Palace one evening I had the pleasure of being seated next to him at a banquet, where, Bernand, Editor of "Punch," was chairman. ”

“ He was shocked at the meanness and wickedness of John and the book-keeper in forming such a conspiracy against him. He was already learning the lesson of distrust, and that is never a pleasant lesson for any of us. Fortunately, we need not distrust everybody. He must be indeed unfortunate who does not find some true friends to keep up his faith in humanity. Our hero had found one, who, though but a boot-black, was likely to be of essential service to him.
It is said that ill news travels fast. That very evening Mrs. Briggs learned that Gilbert had lost his situation, and from what cause. ”

“ How on earth did he come to know her?”
“I can’t say,” answered Moore, coldly. “He is a very forward, pushing fellow. That may explain it.”
“I hate him,” said John.
“I don’t love him overmuch myself,” said Moore.
John and his cousin were not the only acquaintances who recognized Gilbert on that evening.
Randolph and his mother sat two rows behind the Vivians. Mr. Briggs had intended to come, but had a headache. He had suggested that the extra ticket be sent to Gilbert; but Mrs. Briggs had decisively objected.
“I don’t care about having that boy seen with us in Steinway Hall,” she said. ”

“ And occasionally he would add example to precept, for society and Fleet Street were not the only places for human intercourse. "At present," commented a journalist, "he is cultivating the local politics of Battersea; in secluded ale houses he drinks with the frequenters and learns their opinions on municipal milk and on Mr. John Burns."
"Good friends and very gay companions," Gilbert calls the Christian Social Union group of whom, beside Conrad Noel, were Charles Masterman, Bishop Gore, Percy Dearmer, and above all Canon Scott Holland. ”

“ John had been sent out on an errand, but had fallen into his old way of loitering and wasting the time which belonged to his employer. When he caught sight of Gilbert he started in surprise at his young companion.
219“Hallo, Greyson!” he said, by way of opening a conversation.
“Good-morning,” said Gilbert, coldly.
“Is that your sister?” asked John, looking hard at Emma.
“No,” answered Gilbert, shortly.
“Ho, ho!” laughed John. “I understand.”
“I am glad you do.”
“You’ve got a place as a girl’s nurse. That’s good.”
“You are very witty,” said Gilbert.
“How much wages do you get?” continued John. ”

“ GILBERT, JOHN (1810–1889) , American actor, whose real name was Gibbs, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on the 27th of February 1810, and made his first appearance there as Jaffier in Venice Preserved. He soon found that his true vein was in comedy, particularly in old-men parts. ”

“ Mr. Sands is not such a fool as to believe you.”
“Are you going?” demanded the book-keeper, menacingly. “John, put him out.”
John advanced cautiously towards our hero, who smiled unterrified.
“Come, go out!—do you hear?” he said.
“I won’t put you to the trouble of putting me out,” said Gilbert, good-naturedly. “I’ll step out for the present.”
“And go away from here,—do you hear? Don’t you hang around the office.”
Gilbert, however, did not see fit to obey this last order. He waited in the neighborhood for Mr. Sands to arrive.
“He means to make trouble, Cousin Simon,” said John, uneasily. ”

“ Courtright and Gilbert made their first New York appearance at Charley White’s, 585 Broadway, October 12, 1872. Mr. Gilbert later eschewed burnt cork, and subsequently with Henry V. Donnelly and Eddie Girard starred in “Natural Gas.” Mr. Gilbert’s time is now mostly devoted to authoring theatrical sketches.
John D. Gilbert was born in Dublin, Ireland, September 3, 1857.
Wm. J. Sully (Sullivan) formed a partnership with Patsy Howard in 1873, doing a black-face act; they remained together one season. ”

“ Gilbert and Ninian and John, each in his way, had died finely. It might have been that he would have died meanly in Dublin, casually killed, for no purpose, for no cause.... Well, he had not been killed meanly. There was still time for him to live on the level of his friends. If youth has had committed to it the task of redeeming the world from the follies of the Old, Youth must not shrink from the labour, even though it may feel that the Old should redeem themselves....
He would go to Boveyhayne and marry Mary, and then he would take her to his home ... he must do that ... ”

“ At any moment, a door might open, and Gilbert would walk in and say, "Well, coves!" There was a printed copy of "The Magic Casement" in the house, and Henry would pick it up, and turn over the pages.... "But he can't be dead," he would say to himself, as he fingered the book. "It's absurd!..." Even when hope died, there came times when [Pg 488] the belief in Gilbert's survival thrust itself into his mind. When the Lusitania was torpedoed, he said to himself, "Why, we saw her just after the war began, Gilbert and I, and we cheered!..."
The brutality of the war smote him hard. ”

“ Doesn't it, Roger?"
"I don't despise my brain, Ninian!" Roger answered.
"Observe the modest demeanour of the truly great man," Gilbert exclaimed. "You'll have to go into politics, Roger. It isn't any good being a barrister unless you do!"
"I've thought of that," Roger answered. "At the moment, I'm wondering which side I'm on. I might manage to get a seat as a Liberal, but I don't believe it would be of much use to me if I got it. I think I shall join the Tories!..." ”

“ Moore,” said the broker, gravely, “I regret to say that, in this instance, I am forced to believe him rather than you. Wait a moment,”—seeing that Moore was going to interrupt him,—“it is only fair that I should give you my reason. Possibly you will 318remember one evening when, at an oyster-saloon, you and John concerted this very plot against Gilbert. I was in the next stall, and overheard all you both said. I was not, therefore, surprised to learn, upon my return, under what circumstances Gilbert had been discharged.”
Simon Moore and John looked at each other in silent dismay. ”

“ What's up, Gilbert?"
Gilbert put his arm in Henry's and made him move out of the Savoy courtyard. "Come down to the Embankment," he said. "It's quieter there. I want to talk to you!"
"But hadn't we better go home? We can talk on the way. It's late...."
"No. I want to go to the Embankment. Damn it all, Quinny, it's a sentimental place for a heart-to-heart talk, isn't it?"
"You aren't drunk, Gilbert, I suppose?"
"Never so sober in my life, Quinny. Besides, I don't get drunk. People who talk about beer and whisky as much as I do, never get drunk. Come along, there's a good chap!" ”

“ Gilbert tried to mock him out of his anger. "This emotion does you credit, young Quinny!" he said, "and we are touched, Ninian and I. Aren't we, Ninian! But you must be a man, Quinny! Four years hence, we shall all meet in London, Deo volente, and we'll be able to compare the education of Ireland with the education of England. Oh, Lordy God, I sometimes wish we hadn't got minds at all. I think it must be lovely to be a cow ... nothing to do but chew the damned cud all day. ”

“ Henry, who had not joined in the discussion, leant forward and smiled. "Oh, I like listening to you," he answered. "You're all so sure of yourselves!..."
Gilbert turned on him. "Well, aren't you sure of yourself?" he demanded.
"No, I'm not," Henry answered. "I never am!"
"That's queer," said Gilbert.
"Damned queer," said Ninian.
"Why are you so uncertain of yourself?" Roger asked.
"Don't you feel sure that you'll be a great novelist?" Gilbert added before Henry had time to reply to Roger's question.
"I know jolly well I shall be a clinking good engineer!" Ninian said. ”

“ Sands.
“Who else could have done it?” demanded Moore, triumphantly.
“I will answer that question,” said Gilbert. “John put the money in my pocket, in order to get me into a scrape.”
“Do you hear that, Cousin Simon?” exclaimed John, with virtuous indignation. “I didn’t think Gilbert could be so wicked as to say such things.”
“I expected it,” said Moore, regarding Gilbert maliciously. “A boy that will steal will lie also. Of course he only says it to screen himself.” ”

“ Yielding, however, to his natural bent, his parents agreed that he should take up art in his own way, which included but little advice from others, his only teacher being Haydon’s pupil, George Lance, the fruit painter. This artist gave him brief instructions in the use of colour. In 1836 Gilbert appeared in public for the first time. This was at the gallery of the Society of British Artists, where he sent drawings, the subjects of which were characteristic, being “The Arrest of Lord Hastings,” from Shakespeare, and “Abbot Boniface,” from The Monastery of Scott. ”

“ John thought this rather hard, since the plot was of his cousin’s contriving. I may remark here that months passed before Simon Moore obtained another situation.
320 CHAPTER XXXVI.
MR. BRIGGS RETURNS FROM EUROPE. So Gilbert was reinstated in his old position, at an advanced salary. His income was now seventeen dollars a week,—an amount which enabled him to live very comfortably, and even to lay aside a few dollars every week. Of course, this required the exercise of economy; but Gilbert felt it to be his duty to be prudent, and prepare for a time when his income might be less. ”

“ Gilbert asked.
"No, not yet, but I won't be long changing!"
"Righto!" said Gilbert, going to the other window and looking across the fields. "Rum go about Ninian's uncle, isn't it?" he said, playing with the tassle of the blind.
"Eh?" said Henry.
"There must be something low in a man who marries a woman like that, don't you think?"
"Oh, I don't know. Why should there be?"
"Obvious, isn't it? I mean, there can't be much in common otherwise, can there? Unless the man's a sentimental ass. It's as if you or I were to marry one of the girls out there in the yard, milking the cows. ”

“ Gilbert ended, "it is true that a man who marries a village girl makes a mistake, isn't it?"
"Not always," Henry replied.
"Nearly always," said Gilbert.
"Uncle Peter made a mistake anyhow," Ninian said.
6
He went to his room, pleading that he was tired, to write his letter to Sheila before dinner. As he was going upstairs, Mary began to descend, and he saw that her look was brighter.
"Go back," she called to him, waving her hand as if to thrust him down the stairs again. "It's unlucky to pass people on the stairs. Don't you know that?" ”

“ Gilbert, as is the custom in England when introducing people, had spoken the name so indistinctly that she had not heard it.
"Quinn!" he said.
"Of course," she replied. "Mr. Quinn. I'm awfully stupid about names. You'll come, too?"
"I should like to!"
"Do. Gilbert, don't forget. Jimphy's very morose this evening. He's thirty-one to-day, and he thinks that old age is creeping over him!"
"All right," said Gilbert gloomily, and then he and Henry went to their seats. [Pg 244]
"Who is Jimphy?" said Henry, as they walked down the stairs into the auditorium. ”

“ Ninian said, "but it's silly to think that we're always equal now. We're not!..."
"And never will be," Gilbert interjected.
"I don't agree with you, Gilbert. I think that things like habits and manners can be fairly equalised!..."
"Minds can't!"
"No, of course not; but decent behaviour can, and it's silly to start mingling classes until you've done that. You rub each other the wrong way over little things that don't really matter, but that irritate like blazes. I've talked about it with mother. She used to think I was the sort of chap who'd do what Uncle Peter did. ”

“ I'm talking about the future," Gilbert replied. "We ought to have some notion of what we're going to do with our lives.... As a matter of fact," he continued, "your career's fairly certain, Roger. With all that brain oozing out of you, you're bound to become great. But what about little Ninian here? And Quinny? And me? Ninian's a discontented sort of bloke, and he's quite likely to make a mess of things unless we look after him. He may turn out to be a very great engineer or he may go back to Boveyhayne and play the turnip-headed squire!..."
"Always rotting a chap," Ninian mumbled. ”

“ Do cheer up, Jimphy, dear! Smile for the company!..."
Lord Jasper opened the door of the box and went out, and Henry, raging inwardly, followed him. Before he had quite shut the door again, Lady Cecily had turned to Gilbert. Her hand was on his sleeve, and she was saying, "But Gilbert, darling!..." He shut the door quickly and almost ran after Lord Jasper. She was in love with Gilbert, and Gilbert was in love with her. A woman would not put her hand so affectionately on a man's arm and call him "Gilbert, darling!" if she were not in love with him. She had wished to be alone with Gilbert ... ”