William Fothergill Cooke

“ Yet in some delusive hope, In some vague desire to cope, One still came to view the rope Walked by Cooke.
Amid Beauty's bright array, On that strange eventful day, Partly hidden from the spray, In a nook,
Stood Florinda Vere de Vere; Who with wind-dishevelled hair, And a rapt, distracted air, Gazed on Cooke.
Then she turned, and quickly cried To her lover at her side, While her form with love and pride Wildly shook,
"Clifford Snook! oh, hear me now! Here I break each plighted vow: There's but one to whom I bow, And that's Cooke!"
Haughtily that young man spoke: "I descend from noble folk. ”

“ Doc., born in 1734, was the son of Benjamin Cooke, who kept a music-shop in New Street, Covent Garden. His mother's maiden name was Eliza Wayet, and she was a member of a Nottinghamshire family. The elder Cooke died before his son was nine years old, but the boy had been already placed under Dr. Pepusch, with whom he made such progress that at the age of twelve he was appointed deputy to Robinson, the organist of Westminster Abbey. ”

“ John’s grandfather brought the water into the town to the East Street conduit. At the age of fifteen his mother, then a widow, put John apprentice to Chaster, a saddler in Exeter, and on the death of Chaster, Cooke succeeded to the business at the age of twenty-one, and was highly esteemed in the county for the excellence of his work and his knowledge of how to fit the back of a horse. He made saddles for Lord Rolle, Sir Stafford Northcote, Sir John Duntze, Sir Robert and Sir Lawrence Palk, Sir Thomas Acland, and last, but not least, for Lord Heathfield. ”

“ And Mr. Roundjacket hurled his ruler at Verty's desk, with the accuracy of an experienced hand. The ruler came down with a crash, and aroused the sleeper. Longears also started erect, looked around, and then laid down again.
"Ah!" murmured Verty, who woke like a bird upon the boughs, "what was that, ma mere?"
"There's his outlandish lingo—Delaware or Shawnee, I have no doubt!" said Mr. Roundjacket.
Verty rose erect.
"Was I asleep? he said, smiling.
"I think you were."
"This place makes me go to sleep," said the boy. "How dull it is!"
"Dull! do you call this office dull? ”

“ Through these a spectator naturally discerns the essential nature of an actor. The image of George Frederick [Pg 74] Cooke, pointing with his long, lean forefinger and uttering Sir Giles's imprecation upon Marrall, never fades out of theatrical history. Garrick's awful frenzy in the storm scene of King Lear, Kean's colossal agony in the farewell speech of Othello, Macready's heartrending yell in Werner, Junius Booth's terrific utterance of Richard's "What do they i' the north?" ”

“ Cooke was then not yet the great banker and financier he became during the Civil War, but he was easily recognized as a man of uncommon ability, energy, and public spirit. The attention of the Cookes was mainly attracted by the beauty, grace, and ingenuous conversation of my wife, in her naïve German-English, and as they were evidently good-hearted people of frank and simple manners, we soon became fast friends and remained so for many years. ”

“ She, therefore, gazed at Verty with more overwhelming dignity than ever, and not deigning to make any reply to his rhapsody, sailed by with a stiff inclination of the head, toward the door. But Verty was growing gallant under Mr. Roundjacket's teaching. He rose with great good humor, and accompanied Miss Lavinia to her carriage—he upon one side, the gallant head clerk on the other—and politely assisted the lady into her chariot, all the time smiling in a manner which was pleasant to behold. ”

“ Roundjacket sniffed.
"Don't be sorry," said Verty.
"I cannot refrain, sir," said Roundjacket, in a tone of acute agony; "it is more than I can bear. See here, sir, again: 'High Jove! great father!' is changed into 'By Jove, I'd rather!' and so on. Sir, it is more than humanity can bear; I feel that I shall sink under it. I shall be in bed to-morrow, sir—after all my trouble—'By Jove!'"
With this despairing exclamation Roundjacket let his head fall, overcome with grief, upon his desk, requesting not to be spoken to, after the wont of great unfortunates. ”

“ In the season of 1802, Cooke's indispositions became more frequently sudden, and lasted longer. On the days of his acting nights, his manager was accustomed to entertain him, supervise his supply of liquor, and carry him to the theatre; but George Frederick often escaped, and could not be traced. In many old characters he sustained his high reputation, but [229] his Hamlet and Cato only added to that of Kemble. Perhaps his Peregrine, in "John Bull," of which he was the original representative, would have been a more finished performance but for—not the actor, but the author's indiscretion. ”

“ Roundjacket opened Mr. Rushton's door, and informed him where he was going, and for what purpose—a piece of information which was received with a growl, and various muttered ejaculations.
Verty had already put on his fur hat.
"The fact is," said Roundjacket, as they issued forth into the street of the town, followed by Longears, "the old fellow, yonder, is getting dreadfully bearish."
"Is he, sir?"
"Yes; and every year it increases."
"I like him, though."
"You are right, young man—a noble-hearted man is Rushton; but unfortunate, sir,—unfortunate." ”

“ It is a young man of about eighteen, mounted on a small, shaggy-coated horse, and clad in a wild forest costume, which defines clearly the outline of a person, slender, vigorous, and graceful. Over his brown forehead and smiling face, droops a wide hat, of soft white fur, below which, a mass of dark chestnut hair nearly covers his shoulders with its exuberant and tangled curls. Verty—for this is Verty the son, or adopted son of the old Indian woman, living in the pine hills to the west—Verty carries in one hand a strange weapon, nothing less than a long cedar bow, and a sheaf of arrows ”

“ Jinks.
"What more!"
"Is solitude the proper sphere of that divine sex which in all ages of the world—ahem!—has—"
"Oh, sir!"
And the flirting of the fan was heard.
"Should not woman have a companion—a consoler, who—"
The fan was evidently used to hide a number of blushes.
"Should not such a lovely creature as yourself," continued the enthusiastic Jinks, "choose one to—"
Redbud rose quickly, and said, blushing and laughing:—
"Oh, come, Verty!"
"No, no—listen!" said Verty, "I do believe—"
"No, no, no!" cried Redbud, hurriedly, "it was very wrong—"
"What?—courting." ”

“ In ten years more, his English race was done, and while Kemble was beginning the splendid evening of his career, Cooke passed over to America, prematurely ending his course, in disgrace and ruin, and occupying a grave which a civilised Yankee speedily dishonoured. ”

“ In 1789 Cooke was made captain to the sheriff's troop. "About this time there were commotions by the mobility in London against his Majesty's minister, Mr. Pitt. I went into the pot-houses at Exeter, and treated with mugs round, and gave loyal toasts and sentiments—my own motto, Any income-tax sooner than a French-come-tax; a long pull and a strong pull and a pull altogether—mind how the fox served the chicken, and said the grapes were sour—a speedy necklace to all traitors—Old England for ever, and those who don't like it, leave it. ”

“ Jinks, drawing back; "I have business, sir—important business, sir!"
"Have you?" said Ralph, restraining his desire to lay the lash of his whip over Fodder's back, and so inaugurate a new Iliad of woes for Mr. Jinks. "Then go on in your course, my dear fellow. I am going to see a young lady, who really is beginning to annoy me."
And the mercurial young fellow passed from laughter to smiles, and even to something suspiciously resembling a sigh.
"Farewell, my dear Jinks," he added, becoming gay again; "fortune favors the brave, recollect. ”

“ Roundjacket executed a pirouette upon his rheumatic leg, which caused him to fall back in his chair, making the most extraordinary faces, which we can compare to nothing but the contortions of a child who bites a crab-apple by mistake.
The twinge soon spent its force, however; and then Mr. Roundjacket and Verty resumed their colloquy—after which, Verty rose and took his leave, smiling and laughing to himself, at times.
He had reason. Miss Lavinia, who had denounced wife-hunters, was about to espouse Mr. Roundjacket, who had declared matrimony the most miserable of mortal conditions ”

“ Verty's face was more dreamy and thoughtful than ever. The dim smile still dwelt upon his lips, and though his countenance had as much of the forest Indian character as ever, there was a languor about the drooping eyelids, with their long lashes, and a stoop in the usually erect neck, which betrayed the existence in the boy's mind of some ever-present sadness. His costume was just what it had always been—moccasins, deerskin leggings, a shaggy forest paletot, and fringed leather gauntlets, which now lay by him near his white fur hat. He had not changed by becoming a lawyer's clerk ”

“ Verty turned round, and interrogated Mr. Roundjacket with a look. He had evidently not heard the question.
"There, you are dreaming again, sir," said Mr. Rushton; "this will never do—come, write away. The idleness of this world is revolting!" he growled, returning to his sanctum, and closing the door with a bang.
Roundjacket pointed after him with his ruler.
"An odd fish, young man," he said, shaking his head; "take care not to make him your model. If you want a proper model to imitate, you need not go far. Modesty, which is my weakness, prevents my saying more." ”

“ Verty smiled, and let Cloud dip his muzzle into the trough of a pump which stood by the door, venerable-looking and iron-handled, like all parish pumps.
"What excuse have you, young man?" said Mr. Roundjacket. "The individual who arrives late at the locality of his daily exercitation will eventually become a candidate for the high and responsible position of public suspension."
"Anan? said Verty, who was not accustomed to paraphrase. Then turning his eyes toward the pigeon, he said:
"Pretty fellow! Oh! will you show me the way? ”

“ Then he faced the ocean blast, And he strode the cable last Touched by Cooke.
Vainly roared the angry seas; Vainly blew the ocean breeze; But, alas! the walker's knees Had a crook;
And before he reached the rock Did they both together knock, And he stumbled with a shock— Unlike Cooke!
Downward dropping in the dark, Like an arrow to its mark, Or a fish-pole when a shark Bites the hook,
Dropped the pole he could not save, Dropped the walker, and the wave Swift ingulfed the rival brave Of J. Cooke! ”

“ In his hand Verty carried his old battered violin; at his heels stalked the grave and dignified Longears.
"Good morning, Mr. Roundjacket," said Verty, smiling; "how do you do to-day?"
"Moderate, moderate, young man," said the gentleman addressed; "you seem, however, to be at the summit of human felicity."
"Anan?"
"Don't you know what felicity means, you young savage?"
"No, sir."
"It means bliss."
Verty laughed.
"What is that?" he said.
Mr. Roundjacket flourished his ruler, indignantly.
"Astonishing how dull you are occasionally for such a bright fellow," he said ”

“ Cooke was married (22 May 1758) to Miss Mary Jackson, who died 19 March 1784. According to her son, ‘she was a most amiable and affectionate woman, and possessed good property; was sister to Charles Jackson, esq., comptroller at the Foreign Office, General Post Office.’ By her he had ten children, five of whom died in infancy. Benjamin, his eldest son, a boy of great promise, was born 13 Aug. ”

“ Meanwhile our little Redbud gazed, too, from the brilliantly-illumined portico, toward the golden ocean in the west. The rich light lingered lovingly upon her golden hair, and tender lips and cheeks, and snowy neck, on which the coral necklace rose and fell with the pulsations of her heart. The kind, mild eyes were fixed upon the sunset sadly, and their blue depths seemed to hold more than one dew-drop, ready to pass the barrier of the long dusky lashes, which closed gradually as the pure white forehead drooped upon her hand. ”

“ It is almost wrong to remain in the house."
"Let us go forth then, my dear Madam Belle-bouche," said Sir Asinus.
"I see you retain that funny name for me," said the young girl with a smile.
"Yes: it is beautiful, as all about Shadynook is—the garden most of all—yourself excepted of course, madam."
"It was very adroitly done, that turn of the sentence," Belle-bouche replied, smiling again pleasantly. "Let us go into the garden, as you admire it so much."
And she rose.
Sir Asinus hastened to offer his arm, and they entered the beautiful garden, alive with flowers. ”

“ Beyond his play, practically nothing is known of Cooke. It is not even clear whether ‘Jo.’ stands for John, or for Joshua; the latter is suggested by the manuscript ascription on a copy of the anonymous How a Man may Choose a Good Wife from a Bad (q.v.) . Can Cooke be identical with the I. Cocke who contributed to Stephens’s Characters in 1615 (cf. App. C, No. lx) ? Collier, iii. ”

“ On the reorganization of the service in 1879, he was appointed assistant auditor of the Intercolonial Railway Company, and removed to Moncton, where he was appointed general storekeeper in October, 1880. Mr. Cooke has always taken a deep interest in Masonic matters. He joined the order in Truro in 1871, and is a past master of Cobuquid lodge, No. 37, Truro, and past high priest of Keith Chapter, Truro, and of St. John’s Chapter, Pictou, Royal Arch Masons. Holds past rank as past grand king of the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia, and is representative of the Grand Chapter of Nevada in that body. ”