INTRODUCTION.
On Oct. 24, 1838, William Charles Macready, at this time manager as well as leading actor at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, wrote in his diary: "Letter from Bulwer, informing me that he had made out the rough sketch of a play, an historical comedy on the subject of Richelieu. I answered him, 'Delighted at the news.'"
The famous novelist's "Duchesse de la Vallère" had already failed, but "The Lady of Lyons," anonymously produced, had succeeded; and Macready, suffering all the annoyances of an actor-manager in sad need of a new play, was prepared to welcome with enthusiasm another attempt by Sir Edward George Bulwer, of whose ability, patience, and industry the diary of the player has preserved abundant proof.
Macready received the first draft of "Richelieu" on Nov. 12, and, between that date and the night of its successful production, March 7 of the following year (1839), the play was several times reconstructed. Its original form was a great disappointment to the actor, and Bulwer—at first reluctantly but finally gratefully—accepted the suggestions, and profited by the experience of the friend to whom he owed much of his success as a play-maker. There is no question but that, in its final form, the construction of the play was more Macready's than Bulwer's. It was the actor who suggested the admirable use, in Act V., of the incidents from Alfred de Vigny's "Cinq Mars," Hazlitt's translation of which was then very popular.
"Richelieu" was read to the company at Covent Garden, Jan. 5, 1839. When it was produced two months later, Macready, in the title rôle, was supported by Helen Faucit, now Lady Martin, as
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