knew that my fuccefs was infured, and that "Cleone" bid fair to run a race with any of the modern productions.

The repetition of this circumstance, I own, favours of egotifm; but when it is confidered, that the involuntary praise of one of the first geniuses in the world must excite the moft flattering fenfations in every mind defirous of meriting the approbation of the fenfible, I hope I shall stand excused for not paffing it over in filence. When I appeared to fpeak the epilogue, I had leisure to practife all the curtefies taught me by my dancing-mafter over and over again; fo favourable was the reception I met with_from the audience.

I was fo greatly fatigued when I got home, that I was not able to go to Mr. Calcraft's apartment. Having heard from Doctor Francis the public opinion that was entertained at the Rehearfal, and my indifpofition giving him likewife not much room to expect I fhould be fuccefsful, he confidered this want of my ufual attention as a sign of chagrin at my difappointment. His impatience to be fatisfied of the cause made him run the hazard of a relapfe. For notwithftanding our apartments were as far diftant from each other as Channel-row from Parliament-street, and through a long paffage, he would come himself to know the fate of "Cleone," I had just faintly answered his enquiry,

enquiry, by faying, "Well enough!" when in ran the Doctor, almoft breathlefs, and crying out, "O Calcraft! it is beyond de

fcription. I have haftened, as faft as I "could, wifhing to be firft, to acquaint you "of the uncommon applaufe, and deferved "fuccefs fhe has met with."

The next day I was congratulated upon my fuccefs, by all those who frequented our houfe. Among this number were Lord Lyttelton, and Sir Charles Hanbury Williams. The former expreffed his congratulations in the warmest terms, declaring, at the fame time, that he was happy that his conjecture had not taken place. I then went up to Sir Charles, and asked him if he thought that violent madnefs would have had the defired effect? Without making me any answer, he ftared wildly upon me, and appeared to be going to lay hold of me. Lord Lyttelton, obferving this, pulled me away. And Mr. Harris, who was fitting befide his friend Sir Charles, on the fofa, held him down, whilft I made my escape from his fury. For he fnatched up a knife, which lay upon the table with the breakfast equipage, and vowed he would find me out, and murder me.

This circumftance appeared the more ftrange, as, till then, Sir Charles had fhewn no figns of infanity. And even fo lately as his entering the room, he had honoured me with the warmeft compliments on my performance.

formance. He furvived but a few days; and, ftrange to tell, to the last moment of his life perfifted in wishing to destroy me. The fymptoms and effects of madness are not to be accounted for, nor do they convey any cenfure; elfe this feeming inveteracy towards me would have made me unhappy. But as he had always profeffed the greatest regard for me, till the inftant his infanity became apparent, the ill-will he fhewed could only be the effect of his difordered mind.

The uncommon run of " Cleone" took up a great part of my time. It would have continued much longer, had my health permitted me to perform; for, to make ufe of the theatrical phrafe, I never faved myself, but often fuffered my feelings to poffefs me fo entirely, as that they deprived me of the power of voice, notwithstanding it was allowed to be extenfive. Mrs. Cibber said, upon this occafion, that I pranced my galloping nags too faft; for I went beyond the poft, and confequently was jockeyed. I received a letter of gratulation upon my fuc cefs from Mrs. Clive. This lady poffeffed good-nature to an eminent degree, and was glad to have an opportunity of bestowing her quantum of praife. It was the more flattering to me, as her fincerity could never be doubted.

My time was at this period precious. As befides the letters I had to copy, I had cor

refpon

refpondents in all parts of the world, the military being upon expeditions in Europe, Afia, Africa, and America. I had likewife fair correfpondents upon the continent, as well as in Ireland and Scotland. And what added to the fatigue of my other avocations was, that Mr. Calcraft having been ordered to Bath, in hopes of fixing the gout in the extremities, I had all his private letters to look into, and to write him the fubftance of them every night.

With his returning health, returned my difguft. For, though humanity induced me. to do every thing in my power to affift him during his illness; he was more indebted to the natural tenderness of my disposition for it, than to any predilection in his favour. And I formed a refolution to infift, as foon as he returned from Bath, upon his publicly marrying me, and paying all my debts.

What made me more anxious than ever for the accomplishment of the latter, was the following circumftance: the spring before, hearing repeated complaints from the army in Germany, that the fhirts of the common foldiers came unfewed the first time they were washed, and that their fhoes and ftockings were made in as bad a manner; my philanthropy prompted me to endeavour to remedy this impofition on the poor fellows. I accordingly made enquiry into the affair, and finding that an addition of a penny for making the fhirts, and three halfpence per pair

pair in the fhoes, and in the stockings, would be of more than proportionable advantage to them, I agreed with the contractor, who was a relation of Fanning, Mr. Fox's gentleman, to allow him that additional price for all that were fent to Germany, to the regiments Mr. Calcraft was agent to. In confequence of which, in the courfe of eight months, he brought me in debtor to the amount of nine hundred pounds.

Lord Granby, upon his return from Germany that winter, gave me, befides my benefit ticket, an additional hundred pounds, and Mr. Fox another, which was all the emolument I received for fo public-fpirited an action, except indeed the honour of the centinels in the Park refting to me as I paffed through it. The death of Lady Granby, which was occafioned by her fears for his Lordship, whilft fhe lay in, as he was reported to have been killed, I felt very feverely, as well upon my own account, as my Lord's, who doated upon her.

But my forrow was greatly augmented from hearing that the report of the Marquis's death had arifen from the death of Lord Downe, who was fhot as he stood centry at the door of the English General's tent. Impelled by his natural bravery, or rather by an unaccountable fatality, he went out as a volunteer to the army in Germany. And, notwithstanding his noble birth and great

fortune,