The experience of her, thus gained, has revived an idea in
my mind which originally occurred to me at one of the "At Homes" of the
late inimitable Charles Mathews, comedian. I was in the Wine Trade at
the time, I remember. We imitated the Vintage-processes of Nature in
a back-kitchen at Brompton, and produced a dinner-sherry, pale and
curious, tonic in character, round in the mouth, a favorite with
the Court of Spain, at nineteen-and-sixpence a dozen, bottles
included--_Vide_ Prospectus of the period. The profits of myself and
partners were small; we were in advance of the tastes of the age, and
in debt to the bottle merchant. Being at my wits' end for want of money,
and seeing what audiences Mathews drew, the idea occurred to me of
starting an imitation of the great Imitator himself, in the shape of an
"At Home," given by a woman. The one trifling obstacle in the way was
the difficulty of finding the woman. From that time to this, I have
hitherto failed to overcome it. I have conquered it at last; I have
found the woman now. Miss Vanstone possesses youth and beauty as well
as talent. Train her in the art of dramatic disguise; provide her
with appropriate dresses for different characters; develop her
accomplishments in singing and playing; give her plenty of smart talk
addressed to the audience; advertise her as a Young Lady at Home;
astonish the public by a dramatic entertainment which depends from
first to last on that young lady's own sole exertions; commit the entire
management of the t hing to my care--and what follows as a necessary
con sequence? Fame for my fair relative, and a fortune for myself.
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