all in public or in private worship, whofe tafte is grateful, and will be fo, till NATURE herfelf fhall change-No tint of words can fpor thy fnowy mantle, nor chymic power turn thy fceptre into iron. With thee to fmile upon him as he eats his cruft, the fwain is happier than the monarch, from whofe court thou art' * exiled."

I had fent to the proprietors, to let them know that I should be able to perform on the tenth of November; and as I had taken the lodging I was in for a certain term, I chose to refide there till the expiration of it. Accordingly at that time F obtained a Day-rule, and went to the theatre, but I found that my service was not needful. All the performers feemed happy to fee me at liberty; the manager alone appeared to be indifferent about it, having been influenced by his co-partner, Mrs. Rich, who had refolved that her coufin, Mifs Wilford, fhould fuperfede me.

5.

Prepoffeffion has great weight with the world in general. Humanity, however, is the leading characteristic of this nation. The public, confe quently, would not fuffer a child of their favour to be oppreffed, even though they were to be en tertained by what was fuppofed rifing merit. The proprietors had taken advantage of my unhappy fituation, to introduce the young lady juft men tioned

H 4

tioned in Cordelia. I could not with propriety object to this arrangement; but the public, being partial in my favour, did for me. This induced the proprietors to announce me.

Upon this occafion, as the daughter of miffortune, I was to be vifited by fome unforeseen event, that should tend to perplex and distress me. My maid had put into the coach, which took me to the theatre, a box, containing my remaining ornaments (which, indeed, were not of any great value), together with the properties I wanted for that night, and by fome means or other it was loft. Among the former were fome miniature portraits; one of which, and a locket, I fincerely regretted; as I alfo did the bracelets, left me by my deceafed friend Mifs Meredith.

The gain was trivial to the finder, but of fuch confequence to me, that I offered a reward of fifty pounds, though without fuccefs. A fimilar miffortune happened to me once before. Some years back, I unfortunately dropped a pocket-book in the Green Park, wherein there were four bank notes of one hundred pounds each. This I likewife had advertised, promifing to give up the notes, with a large reward befides, if the perfon who had found it would fend a paper which was therein. That advertisement had met with no better fuccefs than the prefent. Indeed I was in

formed,

formed, that I had acted wrong in making fuch an offer, as the acceptance of it would come under the denomination of felony. I am not, however, without my fufpicions, that another perfon found an advantage in my lofs. But as this is only conjecture, I fhall drop all thoughts of my lofs for ever; not doubting, but that even-handed justice will return the ingredients of the poisoned chalice, if not in " the corrupted currents of this "world, where offence's gilded hand may fhove "by justice; and oft 'tis feen the wicked prize "itself buys out the law; it will above, where "there is no fhuffling; where the action lies in "it's true nature; and we ourselves are compel"led, even to the teeth and forehead of our faults, "to give in evidence *."

The dilemma I was thrown into by the lofs of my box greatly increased the anxiety I felt from appearing for the firft time after my confinement; to which an ignominy is usually annexed, however undeserved that confinement may have been. I was fo curtailed in my drefs by the loss, that I was obliged to borrow even an under-petticoat. At length I was fupplied with every necessary by the kind attention of Mrs. Whitfield, my dreffer: as I have fince lain under greater obligations to this worthy woman, as will be seen in the fequel,. ✦ Hamlet, A&t III. Scene VIII.

I think it proper tó mention her name, and to add, that she is an honour to humanity. The public received me with marks of the warmeft approbation.

The lofs of my box made me refolve not to run the rifque of meeting with fuch an untoward accident again. I therefore changed my plan of refiding in my prefent lodging, and took one in Suffolk-ftreet.

The tragedy of "King Lear" was announced, in which Mifs Wilford had appeared in Cordelia at the last representation. Mr. Younger, the prompter, who had the beft of hearts, imagined, by the reception I met with upon my late performance, that no manager would endeavour to add to my depreffion, by forcing upon the public a perfon of whom they did not approve; he therefore obliterated her name, and put mine in the bills.

At twelve o'clock, I received a vifit from Mr. Gibson, the deputy-manager, who informed me of the mistake, and requefted that I would give up the part; telling me at the fame time, that the managers would, upon my doing fo, give out hand-bills to announce the error to the public. I was not then divefted of that difpofition which purns at injuries. I felt the affront with more irafcibility than prudence perhaps would have permitted;

6/

permitted; but prudence was a virtue which, at that period, my best friends did not allow me to be poffeffed of; nor could I, indeed, with justice, lay any claim to it. It cannot be fuppofed, therefore, that I confidered the conféquences that fhould refult from whatever anfwer I might give.

I inftantly replied, "I am an indulged fervant " of the public, and let what will happen, I will 66 not suffer my name to be altered; but play

"the character I will." Mr. Gibfon then left me, with feeming regret, declaring I should draw upon me the hatred of the family. To which I anfwered with fome warmth, "I have long fet "that at nought; I neither covet their favour,

nor fear, their malice. I depend upon that patronage I have ever met with; and will ftand "or fall by that candour and indulgence I have always been treated with by the public."

66

1

Upon fending my fervant to look at the play. bills, the brought me word that the men were at that moment changing them; and that the miftake was pointed out in a Nota Bene. Hearing this, I inftantly fent to have hand-bills printed, and diftributed among the audience as they went into the houfe. In this bill I only mentioned the circumftance which had occafioned it, fimply as it was; at the fame time telling them, that as I esteemed myself the acknowledged child of their

H 6

favour,