him. During the preceding fcene, which, though interefting, was not much to her mind, fhe had indulged herself with a nap. In this fhort nap fhe was conveyed in idea back to her ftall in the city; and the duties of her bufinefs, which fhe left but on fuch particular · occafions, being uppermoft on her mind, she was crying her rumps and burrs, as if she had been ftanding at her own door. As foon, however, as her favourite actor appeared, she awoke. But I was fo much difconcerted by the good woman's fleeping flight, that though I fhould have continued on during the whole fcene, I foon left Mr. Polydore to substitute what he pleased for the entertainment of his polite audience, and to fpeak his defcriptive conclufion alone.

Methinks I hear you laugh at the foregoing ridiculous fcene-I affure you I did, and that most heartily, when it happened; that is, as foon as I had recovered from the confufion into which it had thrown the immortal Rofcius and myself.

G. A. B.

LETTER

XLV.

Oct. 9, 17

A

T the conclufion of this winter, I loft my much valued friend Mifs Conway. Having overheated herfelf at a ball, ine in

discreetly

difcreetly drank lemonade, which occafioned her dying in a few hours in the most excruciating pains. As I have already observed, this best and most delicate of women, expired. in my arms. And I was happy in being prefent to footh, by every tender endearment, the bitterness of death.

I received about this time, alfo, a very warm invitation from Mifs St. Leger, to pass the enfuing fummer with her in the South of France. Her uncle, Lord Doneraile, fhe informed me, was dead, and had left her thewhole of his fortune, exclufive of his lady's jointure. To which, fhe added, that she was married to Major Burton, but ftill enjoyed fuch a bad ftate of health, as to be unable to return to England.

I was obliged, by a fimilar affliction, not only to decline this lady's invitation, but to poftpone my conqueft of Louis the Fifteenth, and to fuffer that monarch to enjoy his liberty a little longer. My indifpofition was productive of a laffitude, which prevented my forming parties, as I used to do, or from carrying into execution any favourite project. It however left me at leifure to enjoy the placid fociety of thofe friends who honoured me with their company. Such being my fituation, nothing material happened during this fummer.

At the opening of the enfuing season, Mr. Garrick produced two new performers. G 5 These

Thefe were Mr. Moffop and Mr. Rofs. The former in the caft of parts which had belonged to the inimitable Quin, who this winter retired from the ftage; the other in thofe of lovers and genteel comedy. Mr. Moffop had a fine voice, but an uncouth manner. For a more particular description of him, I will refer you to Churchill's Rofciad." Mr. Rofs was handfome, his figure elegant, and his voice agreeable. He would have been a valuable acquifition to the theatre, had not his indolence, and love of conviviality, prevented his exercifing that application, without which it is impoffible to fhine on the ftage. He feemed to wifh to imitate Mr. Quin in being a bon vivant; without remembering that that great man never gave loofe to his favourite paffion till his business at the

theatre was over.

The aid of thefe two gentlemen was not productive of that fuccefs the manager hoped for. They pleafed; but they did not excite the public attention. And except the nights on which Garrick himfelf performed, there, were but indifferent houfes. The manager had this feafon accepted of four new pieces, and he revived "The Mourning Bride,' in which he played Ofmyn. I had unintentionally offended him, by fending to Doctor Young, to beg the favour of reading his new piece of "The Brothers," during my illness. This unpardonable crime was to be revenged

by

by teaching Mrs. Pritchard the part of Zara, and neglecting the poor Bride. My fuccefs, however, in Almeria (pardon the feeming vanity) was as great even as Garrick's acting, which was beyond defcription. But notwithstanding the unbounded applause he defervedly met with in the character of Ofinyn, and the moft confiderable receipts, for eight nights, that had, at that time, ever been known; I believe he would gladly have facrificed both his reputation and his profit, fooner than I fhould have acquired the approbation of the public, as I did in the character of Almeria.

Doctor Young's tragedy of " The Bro"thers" was first put in rehearsal. And from a fuppofition that it was fuperior to his "Revenge," great hopes were entertained of its fuccefs. The parts were delivered out at the fame time for Mr. Moore's comedy of "Gill Blas." In the fuccefs of which, the manager, from his friendship for the author, greatly interested himfelf. Mr. Garrick fent me a part in the firft mentioned piece, which I declined accepting.

This gave him great offence, and provoked him to write to me in the following terms. "Since you have humbugged the town, I "fuppofe you think you are intitled to do "whatever you please. The liberty you have "taken in afking to perufe Doctor Young's "piece, is unwarrantable.. And I will con"vince

G 6

"vince you that I alone am the perfon to be "addreffed in whatever concerns the theatre. "I fhall find means to repay the contempt

you have been pleafed to fhow me." In this doughty manner did he write to me for having committed an unintentional offence, (if it can be conftrued into an offence) as he was tenacious in the extreme of every branch of his managerial prerogative.

As it cannot be supposed that I would willingly be upon bad terms with the director of the corps in which I ferved; and only meant to haften the piece by endeavouring to study the part intended for me, which I had been informed was very long, I could not help answering the manager's undeferved epiftle with fome afperity. I informed him that I had not meant to infringe upon his authority, or to leffen his great dignity. But that, notwithstanding I was to be governed with the greateft eafe by complacency, yet no power on earth fhould rule me with a rod of iron.

This produced a declaration of war; as it lighted up a flame which had long laid fmothering in his bofom.-This great little man, for fo he was in the literal fenfe of the word, was poffeffed of as much meanness as merit. This is a bold affertion I acknowledge; efpecially as he was allowed by perfons of the greatest judgment to be the moft complete actor that ever trod the stage;

yet