Note 71 — Introductory material (continued 4)

A dandy of the first water in the time of the Regency. His vanity was superlative. He essayed to play Romeo, creating nothing but roars of laughter in the house. In the scene where Romeo dies, the audience applauded him ironically; but he took it in earnest, and, getting up, bowed, and died again, first of all carefully dusting the stage.