favour, I thought it my duty to be ready in case I fhould, that evening, be honoured with the preference.

When the curtain drew up, there was an univerfal cry for your humble fervant; and upon Cordelia's appearance, notwithstanding she was the favoured child of the families of the Rich's and the Wilford's, fhe was obliged to withdraw and give place to me. Being ready dreffed for the character, I immediately made my entrée, amidst an universal applause; and I do not recollect that I ever met with more tokens of approbation, in fo trivial a character, during my theatrical existence.

This event was the more flattering, as it affured me, that I was still held in estimation by the pub. lic. It might be alledged, that my fair rival, who was undoubtedly an excelent dancer, had not then arrived at any reputation as a tragedian; and the vifible depreffion of a declared partiality might strongly operate in my favour.

The young lady, whofe mortification, it must be supposed, was very great, came into the greenroom, and faid, fhe was furprized any performer would prefume to affront Mrs. Rich. I could have told her, that her good coufin affronted the public much more, by forcing her then uninformed relation upon them; but as I neither

dreaded

dreaded the frowns of the Lady Directrefs, nor hoped for her favour, I held the little Cordelia's fpeech in too much contempt to make any reply to it.

G. A. B.

LETTER

LXXXVI.

November 6,

At

T the conclufion of this feafon my agreement at Covent Garden expired; and at the same time the patent was difpofed of to Meffrs. Colman, Harris, Powell, and Rutherford. Hearing nothing for fome time from Mr. Colman, who was the acting manager, relative to a renewal of my articles, I gave over all hopes of engagement with them; however, Mr. Woodward called upon me one day, and informed me, that he had had an interview with the commandant, in which, having enquired whether I was engaged by them, our modern Terence had replied, "Yes! I depend upon "her; but multiplicity of business has prevented me from calling upon her; I fhall be obliged if will inform her, that I propofe

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" to you,

you

"doing myself the pleasure very foon."

I was not only happy at being affured of a new engagement, but being under the direction of a

manager,

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manager, whofe knowledge and talents I held in the highest eftimation. Accordingly, the next 'day, I had the fatisfaction of having my articles renewed for three years; and being, as I thought, upon favoured terms of opinion with Mr. Colman, I fuppofed I should be restored, by the preference he would fhew me, to my former eligible fituation in the theatre. Actuated by this hope, I determined to fpare no pains, in order to merit his continued approbation.

As Mr. Alderman Cracroft had lately married the beautiful Mifs Drax, he was employed in a higher circle than formerly, and had declined receiving and paying my falary among my creditors. Whilft I was an inhabitant of St. George'sfields, he fent over to defire I would give him a fresh fecurity for what I owed him, and I feel a fenfible concern when I reflect that I never faw him more.

Mr. Powell, of the Pay-Office, whofe premature death furnished, not long ago, a topic for general conversation, took upon him the execution. of this truft during one feafon; but as it was attended with fome trouble, he, at the end of that time, thought fit to decline it. This, I muft acknowledge, I confidered as very ftrange, and rather unkind; as I had every right to expect his friendship, from my having been the first means

of

of his being introduced to Mr. Fox, though I only knew him as deputy-treasurer of Covent_ Garden theatre. Undoubtedly he was poffeffed of every requifite for bufinefs; but when he came to be a great man, he, like many others, kicked down the ladder by which he had mounted.

As Mr. Woodward had fhewn a friendly forwardness to serve me upon every occafion, and his integrity was fo well known, I requested him to take upon himself the employment. This he did, and all my creditors were well pleafed with the nomination. His punctuality was fuch, that he left the dividend at his chambers, in Clement'sInn, fealed up for each feparately; fo that if he happened to be from home, they had not the trouble of calling a fecond time: and as he likewife left the receipts ready written, they were detained no longer than whilft they figned their

names.

Such punctuality and attention must secure perfons the refpect and good-will of all thofe who happen to have bufinefs with them.-Punctuality in every concern is not lefs laudable than its concomitant, honesty.-It is not, indeed, usually confidered as a principle of equal import; the advantages arifing to fociety from it will, however, be found to be very little fhort of those resulting from the latter.-Were it more attended to, how

would

would it fmooth the intercourse between man and man; especially those who constitute the commèrcial part of a people! So confpicuously needful is an attention to it, that what I have faid in fome of my former letters, relative to the observance of a promise (and as I am an enthufiaft in that point, my enforcement of it has not been lukewarm), will equally fuit the virtue I am here recommending; for a virtue it is, though not one of the cardinal ones.

We opened the campaign with fome eclat, as Mr. Powell was justly admired; and there is no doubt but he would have proved an ornament to the ftage, had he had time to acquire that knowledge which is requifite to make the profeffion a fcience. But very few give themfelves leifure, or take the trouble, to arrive at the goal. The intenfe application I have pointed out on a former occafion is abfolutely indifpenfable for arriving at perfection. For want of this, many who poffefs great abilities reach only mediocrity.

Our first appearance together was in Jaffer and Belvidera; and he was fo extravagant in his encomiums upon my playing, that I had every reafon to believe he had given over all thoughts of an engagement with Mrs. Yates. That he had this in view, was reported, and carried with it an air of probability; for, exclufive of the lady's extraordinary

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