Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Stevens, George Alexander
STEVENS, GEORGE ALEXANDER (1710–1784), author of ‘A Lecture upon Heads,’ was born in the parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn, in 1710. His father was a London tradesman, who apprenticed him to a trade; but the occupation soon proved uncongenial to Stevens, who joined a troupe of strolling players. He showed little talent, but his convivial temper made him popular with his fellow-actors, and the stage afforded him a subsistence. In 1750 he was playing at Lincoln. Next year he had a severe attack of illness, and published a dismal rhapsody called ‘Religion, or The Libertine Repentant’ (1751, 8vo). But the libertine was not repentant for long. In 1752 he was playing in Dublin, where he became intimate with a dissolute humorist, known as ‘Lord Chief Joker [Isaac] Sparks.’ With his co-operation he founded a jovial club called ‘Nassau Court,’ where mock trials and other buffooneries were enacted. At the same time he published pseudonymously, ‘Distress upon Distress … A Heroi-Comi-Parodi-Tragedi-Farci-cal Burlesque in two acts …’ by Sir Henry Humm, with notes by Paulus Purgantius Pedasculus, a nonsensical piece; the line ‘And common sense stood trembling at the door’ Churchill thought worthy of transference to his ‘Rosciad.’
In 1754 Stevens arrived in London to fulfil an engagement at Covent Garden Theatre. He had no success as an actor, but he met with some recognition as a wit, began an imitation of the ‘Dunciad’ called ‘The Birthday of Folly’ (1754), and was admitted to several convivial clubs, including ‘The Choice Spirits,’ near Covent Garden, for which he wrote a number of songs. He also wrote songs and benefit speeches for Edward Shuter [q. v.] and other performers. Some of his ditties were published in 1754 as ‘The Choice Spirit's Feast.’ There followed a concealed autobiography, ‘The History of Tom Fool’ (1760), and a short-lived periodical (in anticipation of the ‘Review of Reviews’) called ‘The Beauties of all the Magazines Selected,’ of which three volumes appeared (1762–4). Baker credits him with the authorship in 1762 of an interlude entitled ‘Hearts of Oak,’ consisting of ‘little more than a song and dances for sailors,’ but this statement is doubtful. The well-known sea song ‘Hearts of Oak’ (originally ‘Heart of Oak’) was first given in ‘Harlequin's Invasion,’ a Christmas pantomime of 1759, and has generally been attributed to David Garrick. It is quite certain that Stevens would have included it among his ‘Songs’ if he had had any claim to it (cf. Fitzgerald, Stories of Famous Songs, p. 173). In 1763 he gave to the world ‘The Dramatic History of Master Edward, Miss Anne, and others, the extraordinaries of these times’ (London, 8vo). This volume, which is of some rarity, although it is solely remarkable for its quaint cuts, is a curious libel in the form of a dialogue upon Shuter and Nancy Dawson. Shuter's offence was the refusal of a dramatic sketch upon which Stevens had lavished special pains. The rough draft of this sketch was the germ of Stevens's ‘Lecture on Heads,’ a skit, in the form of a series of characterisations, upon the reigning follies of the day. He enlarged his original plan, improved the details, and, having provided himself with the necessary properties, commenced operations in April 1764 by a lecture at the Haymarket, which he repeated in the provinces with great success and unprecedented profit. Despite his incompetence on the stage, his animation and quick perception apparently gave the entertainment a character for humorous extravagance which is not perceptible in the published words of the ‘Lecture.’ At the end of July he reappeared for a short while in London, lecturing in the ‘Long Room opposite to Sadler Wells,’ and soon afterwards he went for an extended tour in America, meeting with a very fair reception, especially in Boston and Philadelphia. This pioneer of the monologue entertainment is said to have amassed over 10,000l. by his lecture. In February 1766 he essayed a ‘Supplement, being a new Lecture on Heads, Portraits, and Whole Lengths,’ but this enjoyed little favour. In 1774 he disposed of his original ‘Lecture’ for a moderate sum to the actor, Charles Lee Lewes [q. v.], who ‘improved’ it from time to time, but failed to reproduce the full success of the inventor. A spurious edition of the ‘Lecture’ appeared as early as 1770 (London, 8vo), and of this there were several reissues with varying title-pages: a quarto version appeared in 1784. The first authentic edition is dated 1785 (London, 8vo), ‘with additions by Pilon, the whole edited by Lewes, with an Essay on Satire.’ Other editions include 1787, 8vo; 1788 (two editions); 1799, with twenty-four heads by Charlton Nesbit [q. v.], from designs by Thurston; Cooke's edition, with alterations and additions, 1800; 1806, 12mo, with forty-seven heads by Nesbit; 1808, 12mo, with twenty-five prints from drawings by G. M. Woodward; Baltimore, 1820, 16mo; 1821, 12mo, with forty-seven heads by Nesbit.
In the meantime Stevens had composed several feeble dramas. ‘The French Flogged, or English Tars in America,’ was produced at Covent Garden on 30 March 1761, with Shuter as Macfinin the Irish hero, and the author in a minor part, as a sailor; but it was a signal failure, and Stevens did not print it until 1767, when he had won fame by his ‘Lecture.’ In the same year Stevens was performing at Whitehaven, where a bookseller showed him a manuscript collection of popular songs by various writers and begged him to mark those of the greatest merit, and where possible to affix the names of the authors. Four years later the bookseller, without making any further communication with Stevens, issued the songs thus indicated under the title of ‘The Choice Spirits' Chaplet’ (Whitehaven, 8vo), and represented them as a selection by Stevens. The latter responded by issuing an authentic selection entitled ‘Songs, Comic and Satyrical’ (Oxford, 1772, 8vo; Dublin, 1778; 1801, with cuts by Bewick, and numerous subsequent editions). In this anthology the song ‘Hearts of Oak’ is definitely ascribed to ‘Mr. Garrick.’
Stevens was responsible for at least one fine song, ‘Cease, rude Boreas, blustering railer,’ which was adapted to the tune of ‘Old Hewson the cobbler’ (ap. the ballad opera ‘The Jovial Crew’ of 1731), and soon supplanted the rivals that were already in possession of that popular air. Another once popular ballad, ‘The Vicar and Moses,’ was suggested by the ‘Vicar of Wakefield.’ These and others of Stevens's songs were separately printed and hawked by chapmen (cf. Roxburghe Ballads, vol. iii. British Museum).
Stevens had already tried his hand at opera without success, and in 1773, in order to exploit such a popular topic as ‘the late naval review,’ he patched together in five days a number of detached scenes and called them ‘The Trip to Portsmouth.’ The piece was given at the Haymarket on 11 Aug. 1773, and, with Bannister and Weston in the leading rôles, had a certain success. In 1780 there appeared in his name a volume of selections entitled ‘The Cabinet of Fancy,’ but it is doubtful if he had any hand in the publication; so-called ‘Humorous Miscellanies’ were issued in his name as late as 1804. Before 1780 Stevens seems to have retired to Hampstead upon what little remained of his savings. About the same time his intellect began to decay, and he died in a state of imbecility at Baldock in Hertfordshire on 6 Sept. 1784. There appeared posthumously ‘The Adventures of a Speculist, or a Journey through London, by G. A. S.’ (London, 1788, 8vo). Stevens was an authority on city topics, and wrote a humorous poem on ‘The Stocks’ inscribed to ‘Bulls and Bears.’ The manuscript was found among Stevens's papers, having probably been written in 1762.
Stevens's rough and ready wit often found expression in reckless practical jokes, as when he threw a waiter out of window and told the host to put him down in the bill.