does your conscience prick you? You rascal, that's my blood you drew just now." Quin, giving him a severe side-look, replied just loud enough to be heard by him, "Damn your blood, I say,' and then without the least hesitation went on with the speech; so that the major part of the audience scarce noticed the interruption. The only comment that shall be made upon this story is, that if it be true it was a proof of a most extraordinary presence of mind, vast coolness of temper, and uncommon fortitude; no small qualifications to perfect an actor; for not to be visibly flustered at any little interruption which he may meet with whilst upon the stage, or in the course of his speech, is one of those negative qualifications that may be put in competition with the more brilliant excellencies of capital performers. How few actors there are who, in similar circumstances, would not have deprived the audience of a material share of their entertainment, in one of the most principal scenes, the reader is left to determine from his own knowledge and experience.

I am sorry to find myself brought to that period of Mr. Quin's life which is equally disagreeable to recollect as it is to recite.

Every one who knew Mr. Quin whilst upon the stage must have been sensible that notwithstanding the rough fantastic manner which so much characterized him, no one was of a more humane disposition, or less addicted to revenge: this may be gathered from his behaviour upon various occasions, and particularly to the self-sufficient Theophilus Cibber. There was at this time upon Drury Lane Theatre a subaltern player, or rather faggot, whose name never made its appearance in the bills, and therefore will scarce be found in the annals of the theatres of that period: Williams, however, was the name he bore; he was a native of Wales, and was not the least nettlesome of his countrymen. He performed the part of the Messenger in the tragedy of Cato, and in saying "Cæsar sends health to Cato," he pronounced the last word Keeto; which so struck Quin that he replied, with his usual coolness, "Would he had sent a better messenger." This reply so stung Mr. Williams that he from that moment vowed revenge: he followed Quin into the green room when he came off the stage, and after representing the injury he had done him by making him appear ridiculous in the eyes of the audience, and thereby hurting him in his profession, he then called him to an account as a gentleman, and insisted upon satisfaction. But Quin, with his usual philosophy and humour, endeavoured to rally his passion. This did but add fuel to his antagonist's rage, who, without further remonstrance, retired, and waited for Quin under the Piazza, upon his return

from the tavern to his lodging. Williams drew upon him, and a rencounter ensued, in which Williams fell.

Quin was tried for this affair at the Old Bailey, and it was brought in manslaughter, to the entire satisfaction of the court and all who were acquainted with the origin and progress of this quarrel.

CHAPTER V.

The state of the theatre at the time of the Beggar's Opera coming out; its
success. The fate of Cibber's attempt in the same way, and of the
second part of Mr. Gay's opera. The origin of the licensing act;
to whom we are indebted for it. Mr. Quin's further progress

as an actor; engages at Drury Lane; the revolutions of
that theatre; the uncommon applause he meets with
in the character of Cato.

NOTWITHSTANDING Quin's great merit, added to the abilities of Ryan, Boherne, Spillar, Griffin, Egleton, and the two Bullocks, who were at that time considered as actors of the first class in their different walks, Booth and Wilks had so far the ascendency over the taste and judgment of the town that they carried all before them; and from the time of the run of the Merry Wives of Windsor Rich could never fill his house without orders, till he introduced pantomimes, and acted Harlequin himself; or rather, till he, with much reluctance, was prevailed upon to perform Gay's Beggar's Opera, which came out in 1727, and had such amazing success. Cato, it is true, met with great applause, but this opera had a run of forty nights longer than that muchadmired tragedy.

This uncommon reception of the Beggar's Opera induced Colley Cibber to attempt something of the same kind next year, under the title of Love in a Riddle; but how different was its reception from Gay's production! it was damned to the lowest regions of infamy the very first night, which so mortified Cibber, that it threw him into a fever; and from this moment he resolved, as soon as he conveniently could, to leave the stage, and no longer submit himself or his talents to the capricious taste of the town.

It was then generally thought that his jealousy of Gay, and the high opinion he entertained of his new piece, had operated so strongly, as to make him set every engine in motion to get the sequel of the Beggar's Opera, called Polly, suppressed, in order to engross the town entirely to Love in a Riddle. Whether Cibber did or did not bestir himself in this affair, it is certain that Gay and Rich had the mortification to see all their hopes of a succeeding harvest blasted, by the Lord Chamberlain's absolute prohibition of it, after it had been rehearsed and was just ready to bring out.

This naturally leads me to say a few words upon the origin

and intent of the licensing act. Colley Cibber tells us that a broken wit collected a fourth company, who for some time acted plays in the Haymarket, which house the united Drury Lane comedians had quitted. This enterprizing person (Henry Fd -d—g) had sense enough to know that the best plays with bad actors would turn but to a very poor account; and therefore thought it necessary to give the public some pieces of an extraordinary kind, the poetry of which he conceived ought to be so strong, that the greatest dunce of an actor could not spoil it. He knew too, that as he was in haste to get money, it would take up less time to be intrepidly abusive, than decently entertaining; that to draw the mob after him, he must rake the channel, and pelt their superiors; that to shew himself somebody, he must come up to Juvenal's advice and stand the consequence. Such then was the nettlesome modesty he set out with; upon this principle he produced several frank and free farces, that seemed to knock all distinctions of mankind on the head. Religion, laws, government, priests, judges, and ministers, were all laid flat at the feet of this Herculean satyrist, this Drawcansir in wit, that spared neither friend nor foe; who to make his fame immortal, like another Erostratus, set fire to his stage, by writing up to an act of parliament to demolish it.

The most remarkable of these politico-satyrical pieces were Pasquin, The Historical Register, and Eurydice Hissed; but he did not confine himself solely to stage abuse; for about the same time he attacked Sir Robert W- -e in a most violent manner in the paper called The Champion, written as the title sets forth, by Hercules Vinegar; and doubtless the laureate obliquely hints at this title, when he calls him the Herculean satyrist.

To Henry Fd-g then are we indebted for the licensing act, and the theatrical power that is now lodged in the licenser; who exercised his authority for the first time in 1730, upon Gustavus Vasa, a tragedy written by Mr. Brooke. Whether it has been productive of some good or evil in its consequences, is a disquisition that would lead me too far out of my way; but such readers as choose to enter more largely upon this subject, are referred to the periodical productions of that time, wherein they will find it most elaborately discussed.

The next capital character that Quin appeared in at Lincoln'sInn-Fields (where the general applause he now met with, compelled the manager to think that he might have some small merit in Sir John Falstaff) was that of Sir John Brute in the Provoked Wife. This play which was written by Sir John Vanbrugh was revived at Drury-lane about the year 1725, after having been laid aside for some years on account of its immoral tendency. Many

of the most offensive parts were now omitted, and the whole night scene where Sir John Brute appears in women's apparel, was substituted for one wherein the Knight represented an inebriate parson, and as such a professed debauchee.

Soon after the revival of this play at Drury Lane, many unavoidable accidents, and none more than the bad reception Cibber's Love in a Riddle met with, brought on the dissolution of that company. Booth's ill state of health prevented him for some time before his death appearing on the stage. Mrs. Oldfield's death, which happened in the year 1730, deprived the theatre of one of its greatest ornaments. Mrs. Porter was about the same time lost to the stage, by the dislocation of her leg; and the death of Wilks in the year 1731, gave the finishing stroke to this declining company.

It is now that we may expect to find Mr. Quin shine forth in all his splendour, having no longer those powerful competitors and favourites of the town, Booth and Wilks, to contend with.

The run of the Beggar's Opera, about the time of the revival of the Provoked Wife at Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, prompted Quin to leave that theatre, where his talents lay dormant, as he could neither perform the part of Macheath, nor that still more illustrious one of Harlequin, which the manager considered as a more capital part than Hamlet or Cato, and therefore kept it entirely to himself; and to do him justice, it must be acknowledged he was very great in this particular walk.

When Quin first engaged at Drury-lane, he succeeded the elder Mills in all the capital parts of tragedy, and Delane supplied his place at Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, after having performed for some time with tolerable success at Goodman's Fields. But it was upon Booth's quitting the stage, on account of his illness, that Quin shone forth in all his splendour; and yet he had the diffidence upon the first night of his appearing in Cato, to insert in the bills, that the part of Cato would be only attempted by Mr. Quin. The modesty of this invitation produced a full house, and a favourable audience, but the actor's own peculiar merit effected more. When he came to that part of the play where his dead son is brought upon the bier, Quin, in speaking these words,

"Thanks to the Gods !-my boy has done his duty," so affected the whole house that they cried out with a continued acclamation, "Booth outdone! Booth outdone!"

Yet this was not the summit of his applause; for when he repeated the famous soliloquy he was encored to that degree, that, though it was submitting to an impropriety, he indulged the audience with its repetition.