The mingling of the public with the players was a practice which so
annoyed the haughty French actor, Baron, that to suggest to the
audience the absurdity of it, he would turn his back on them for a
whole act, and play to the audience on the stage. Sometimes the
noise was so loud that an actor's voice would scarcely be heard. It
was about 1710 that the word encore was introduced at the operatic
performances in the Haymarket, and very much objected to by plain-
going Englishmen. It was also the custom of some who desired the
repetition of a song to cry Altra volta! Altra volta!
Even indirectly the history of the stage illustrates life, and
affords many unexpected lights on historical characters. Oliver
Cromwell, though he despised the stage, could condescend to laugh at,
and with, men of less dignity than actors. Buffoonery was not
entirely expelled [86] from his otherwise grave court. Oxford and
Drury Lane itself dispute the dignity of giving birth to Nell Gwynne
with Hereford, where a mean house is still pointed out as the first
home of this mother of a line of dukes, whose great-grandson was to
occupy the neighbouring palace as Bishop of Hereford for forty years.
At her burial in St.
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