yet the dexterity of his management was equal to his performance. Of which I fhallgive the following fpecimen. He used to send Mr. Varney, the housekeeper, round among the ladies of quality, to inform them, as a matter of favour, that his master played fuch a part on fuch a night; to which Mr. Varney ufed to add, "And, if poffible, I will fecure a box for your lady"fhip. " I have been prefent when he has called on ladies with this ftory, who have acknowledged themselves much obliged to him for his intelligence, and have given him a guinea for this particular mark of attention, exclufive of the ufual prefent at Chriftmas,. and at his benefit. And this he has done at the time, that to my certain knowledge, there has not been one box really engaged in the book for the night of performance he has mentioned. Upon my appearing in the green-room for the first time after the before-mentioned letters had paffed, the manager accofted me with, "Ah, ah, ah, madam, you are come "at laft.-It was unfortunate for us, that "the Doctor infifted upon your being his "heroine." To this I readily affented; as I really thought with him that Mrs. Pritchard would have appeared in the character to much more advantage; as I had fuch a natural diflike to haughtinefs, that it was with difficulty I could affume it; and when I did, I was I was never fuccefsful. I publicly expreffed thefe fentiments, which were not uttered from pique or refentment to the manager, but were the real dictates. of my heart. To this I added, that I fincerely thought his favour- ̈ ite, Mrs. Pritchard, would gain more credit to herself and the piece, than I should; and, confequently, be the means of acquiring more confiderable emoluments for the author. And being thus confcious of my inability, I was ready to give up the part. Here the Doctor cried out, "No! no!" which did not feem to pleafe the manager. Indeed he appeared to be much mortified at my fansfroid. But as I had declared with fo much difinterestedness, that I had no great hopes of fuccefs in the character, there was nothing further left for him to fay upon the occafion. When the piece was read, I objected to a line, which I imagined came with but an ill grace from the mouth of a lady; even from fo high-flighted a one as the Princefs Irexine. This was the fentence. "I will speak to you in thunder. " Upon my making the objection, the author replied, that he thought it the moft forcible line in the piece. To which I answered, that it would be much more fo, if he joined lightening to it. Hearing this, he began to wax warm; and declared that the performance then reading reading was the best he had ever wrote. I could not now refift faying, "I fear, Doctor, I fhall "lose your favour, in the fame manner as "Gill Blas, upon a fimilar occafion, did that "of the Bishop of Toledo. And I cannot help "reminding you of a tragedy called the "Revenge." My having given the Doctor's thunder a companion, had fet the rifible features of the performers in motion. This unfortunately increafed the agitation I had put him into, by not allowing him to be able to judge of the merit of his own compofitions, and threw him into the most extravagant paffion. I now repented of my petulance to the doctor, as I had the highest efteem for him, and had lived in the ftricteft intimacy with his daughter. I therefore went up to him, and taking him by the hand, requested that he would not only forgive me for what I had faid, but that he would likewife recall to his memory thofe divine precepts he had promulgated in his "Night Thoughts; " left, by thus giving way to fuch immoderate anger, he fhould convince us, that even be, only knew and gave us the theory, without being master of the practical part. The Doctor thanked me cordially for the rebuke;' and ftriding two or three times across the room, apparently in as much diftrefs as we may fuppofe Jephtha to have been, when he carried into execution his rafh vow; he took his his pen, and to the astonishment of Mr. Garrick, ftruck out the line which had occafioned the conteft. He then fat down, as compofed as if nothing had happened. me. But what greatly added to my triumph, and to the furprize of the manager, who well knew the Doctor's tenacious difpofition, was his inviting himself home to dine with This mark of reconciliation, you may be affured, I received with pleasure; and Mr. Quin, coming to town that day, he joined us. A more happy trio, I believe, never fat down to table together. What greatly inhanced the pleasure of the Doctor was, that Mr. Quin had been in poffeffion of the character of Zanga, in his "Revenge," alone and unrivalled for years. The Doctor acquainted my much-loved friend with the fracas that had happened in the green-room. To which Mr. Quin humourously replied, "Oh Doc"tor! if you knew what that girl could do "as well as fay, you would not be furprized "at any thing relative to her. " I well knew this was intended by Mr. Quin as an eulogium to me, yet I much feared the Doctor would not efteem it fo. He however, faid, that he had been informed of the goodness of my heart, which induced him to impute what I had uttered to fincerity; whereas, he fhould otherwise have esteemed it conceited impertinence. The The force of prejudice has often furprised me. Its influence is unbounded. There is fcarcely an adage that has more truth in it, or will bear a more extenfive application, than that vulgar one of "Give a dog an ill 6c name," &c. A few brilliant actions will frequently establish a character, of which, from the general tenor of their conduct, the perfon is not deferving. And on the contrary, one unguarded action will damn their faireft fame. Thus, though by fome trifling inftances of humanity, from which I could not arrogate to myfelf any merit, (the impulfe, as I have before faid, being irrefiftible) I ftamped an impreffion in my favour on the minds of two men, who may truly be faid to be most valuable members of fociety. G. A. B. THE LETTER XLVI. Oct. 18, 17 HE good Doctor's piece ran ten nights. But this arose more from the author's character being fo univerfally revered, than from any intrinfic merit there was in it. Rofcius had appeared in " Gill Blas; " which was played firft, and of which, had the parts that he and Woodward filled, been reverfed, and had a more juvenile figure represented the young lady, fo premature a fate might not have been its portion. It was, however, con demned |