of any Substance, will venture to trade in it? If these valiant Gentlemen pretend to be Lovers of Plays, why will they deter Gentlemen, from giving them fuch as are fit for Gentlemen to fee? In a word, this new Race of Criticks seem to me, like the Lion-Whelps in the Tower, who are fo boisterously gamesome at their Meals, that they dash down the Bowls of Milk, brought for their own Breakfast.

As a good Play is certainly the most rational, and the highest Entertainment, that Human Invention can produce, let that be my Apology (if I need any) for having thus freely deliver❜d my Mind, in behalf of those Gentlemen, who, under fuch calamitous Hazards, may hereafter be reduced to write for the Stage, whofe Cafe I fhall compaffionate, from the fame Motive, that prevail'd on Dido, to affift the Trojans in Distress.

Non ignara mali miferis fuccurrere difco Virg. Or, as Dryden has it,

I learn to pity Woes fo like my own.

If those particular Gentlemen have fometimes made me the humbled Object of their Wit, and Humour, their Triumph at least has done me this involuntary Service, that it has driven me a Year or two fooner into a quiet Life, than otherwise, my own want of Judgment might have led me to: I left the Stage, before my Strength left me; and tho' I came to it again, for fome few Days, a Year or two 5.

after

after; my Reception there not only turn'd to my Account, but feem'd a fair Invitation, that I would make my Vifits more frequent: But, to give over a Winner, can be no very imprudent Refolution.

CHAP. VI.

The Author's first Step upon the Stage. His Difcouragements. The best Actors in Europe, ill-us'd. A Revolution, in their Favour. King William grants them a Licence to act in Lincoln's-Inn Fields. The Author's Dif trefs, in being thought a worse Actor than a Poet. Reduc'd to write a Part for himself. His Succefs. More Remarks, upon Theatrical Action. Some, upon himself.

H

AVING given you the State of the Theatre, at my firft Admiffion to it; I am now drawing towards the feveral Revolutions it fuffer'd, in my own Time. But (as you find by the setting out of my Hiftory) that I always intended myself the Heroe of it, it may be neceffary to let you know me, in my Obscurity, as well as in my higher Light, when I became one of the Theatrical Triumvirat.

The Patentees, who were now Masters of this united, and only Company of Comedians, feem'd to make it a Rule, that no young Per

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fons,

fons, defirous to be Actors, fhould be admitted into Pay under, at leaft, half a Year's Probation; wifely knowing, that how early foever they migh the approv'd of, there could be no great fear of lofing them, while they had, then, no other Market to go to. But, alas! Pay was the leaft of my Concern; the Joy, and Privilege of every Day feeing Plays, for nothing, I thought was a fufficient Confideration, for the beft of my Services. So that it was no Pain to my Patience, that I waited full three Quarters of a Year, before I was taken into a Sallary of Ten Shillings per Week; which, with the Affiftance of Food, and Raiment, at my Father's Houfe, I then thought a most plentiful Acceffion, and myself the happiest of Mortals.

The first Thing that enters into the Head of a young Actor, is that of being a Heroe: In this Ambition I was foon fnubb'd, by the Infufficiency of my Voice; to which might be added, an uninform'd meagre Perfon (tho' then not ill made) with a dismal pale Complexion. Under thefe Difadvantages, I had but a melancholy Profpect of ever playing a Lover, with Mrs. Bracegirdle, which I had flatter'd my Hopes, that my Youth might one Day, have recommended me to. What was moft promifing in me, then, was the Aptness of my Ear; for I was foon allow'd to fpeak justly, tho' what was grave and ferious, did not equally become me. The first Part, therefore, in which I appear'd, with any glimpse of Suc

cefs,

cefs, was the Chaplain in the Orphan of Otway. There is in this Character (of one Scene only) a decent Pleafantry, and Sense enough to shew an Audience, whether the Actor has any himself. Here was the firft Applause I ever receiv'd, which you may be fure, made my Heart leap with a higher Joy, than may be neceffary to describe; and yet my Tranfport was not then half fo high, as at what Goodman (who had now left the Stage) faid of me, the next Day, in my hearing. Goodman often came to a Rehearsal for Amusement, and having fate out the Orphan, the Day before; in a Converfation with fome of the principal Actors, enquir'd what new young Fellow that was, whom he had feen in the Chaplain? Upon which, Monfort reply'd, That's he, bebind you. Goodman then turning about, look'd earnestly at me, and, after fome Paufe, clapping me on the Shoulder, rejoin'd, If he does not make a good Actor, I'll be d-n'd! The Surprize of being commended, by one who had been himself fo eminent, on the Stage, and in fo pofitive a manner, was more than I could fupport; in a Word, it almost took away my Breath, and (laugh, if you please) fairly drew Tears from my Eyes! And tho' it you may be as ridiculous, as incredible, to tell what a full Vanity, and Content, at that time poffefs'd me, I will ftill make it a Question, whether Alexander himfelf, or Charles the Twelfth of Sweden, when at the Head of their first victorious Armies, could feel a greater Tranf

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Transport, in their Bofoms, than I did then in mine, when but in the Rear of this Troop of Comedians. You fee, to what low Parti culars I am forced to defcend, to give you a true Refemblance of the early and lively Follies of my Mind. Let me give you another Inftance, of my Difcretion, more desperate, than that, of preferring the Stage, to any other Views of Life. One might think, that the Madness of breaking, from the Advice, and Care of Parents, to turn Player, could not eafily be exceeded; But what think you, Sir, of Matrimony? which, before I was Two-and-twenty, I actually committed, when I had but Twenty Pounds a Year, which my Father had affur'd to me, and Twenty Shillings a Week from my Theatrical Labours, to maintain, as I then thought, the happiest young Couple, that ever took a Leap in the Dark! If after this, to complete my Fortune, I turn'd Poet too, this laft Folly, indeed, had fomething a better Excufe.-Neceffity: Had it never been my Lot to have come on the Stage, 'tis probable, I might never have been inclin'd, or reduc'd to have wrote for it: But having once expos'd my Perfon there, I thought it could be no additional Dishonour to let my Parts, whatever they were, take their Fortune along with it.-But, to return to the Progrefs I made as an Actor.

Queen Mary having commanded the Double Dealer to be acted, Kynafton happen'd to be fo ill, that he could not hope to be able next

Day