8. Leigh's bt. Cæsar Borgia-Borgia Verbruggen. 24. Fieldhouse's bt. a new Farce called the Wit of a Woman-Capt. Gayford is in love with Aurelia, the daughter of Boastwit-Aurelia, in order to prevent her father from suspecting her of being in love with Gayford, tells him of Gayford's designs on her -Boastwit entrusts her with the writings relative to her fortune--she elopes with Gayford and marries him--Boastwit is reconciled to them-this is an indifferent piece in 3 acts-it is attributed to Walker, and printed without the names of the performers.

26. For bt. of Miss Evans and Miss Mountfort. Amorous Widow. Damaris Miss Mountfort: with dances and an Epilogue by Miss Evans--Miss Mountfort called herself Mrs. Mountfort the next season.

30. For bt. of Short and Mrs. Willis. Not acted 5 years, Comical Transformation, or the Devil of a Wife, with Mars and Venus-and singing and dancing by Mrs. Willis' two daughters, who never appeared before.

July 4. Cory's bt. the Villain by the Gentleman, who played Machiavel last year in imitation of Sandford.

10. Not acted for several years, Ignoramus.

14. For bt. of J. Smith. Circe.

24. For bt. of Short and Mrs. Willis. Madam Fickle, with a song by the eldest Miss Willis, and a dance by the youngest, not 5 years old-Their former bt. was probably a bad one-it will appear that it was not uncommon for a performer to have a second bt. when the first failed.

27. Maid in the Mill in 3 acts.

Aug. 1. Match in Newgate, with the dialogue in the Mad Lover by Boman and Pack-representing a drunken Officer and a town Miss.

9. Don Quixote and Cheats of Scapin

Note

we shall not dismiss, let the audience be what it will; and begin punctually at half past six at the furthest. 17. Not acted 6 years, Unfortunate Couple-with Comical Transformation, and Wit of a Womanwith a new Prologue and Epilogue by a Comedian from Dublin, who never appeared here beforethe Unfortunate Couple is the 4th act of Noveltysee L. I. F. 1697. (Bills from B. M.)

Rival Brothers -the running title of this play is A Fatal Secret, or the Rival Brothers-it is an indifferent T. by an unknown author-it had been acted at L. I. F. and was printed in 1704, but without the names of the performers-the plot is nearly the same as that of the Orphan-both the plays seem to have been founded on the same novel.

Betterton and his associates seem to have been very successful for some few years after their removal to L. I. F.-but about this time their affairs began to decline owing to a variety of causes-they were too old to mend in their acting, whereas their competitors were greatly improved-the theatre was but small and poorly fitted up-their system of management which had been hastily formed, deprived Betterton of that authority, which is necessary for any person who undertakes to govern a company-he often complained to Booth of the difficulties he laboured under in this respect—and the novelties of French Tumblers &c. introduced at D. L. took with the multitude and procured better houses. (Cibber.)

The author of Courtship a-la-Mode 1700 says in his preface--"My play was entered at L. I. F., where "Betterton did me all the justice I could reasonably

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expect; but his example was not followed-for "Bowman kept the first character of my play for 6 "weeks and then could hardly read 6 lines of it"how far this way of management makes of late for "the interest and honour of that house, is easy to be judged-some, who valued their reputation more, "were indeed rarely or never absent to these I give my thanks; but finding that 6 or 7 people could "not perform what was designed for 15, I was obliged "to remove it after so many sham rehearsals, and in "less than 20 days it was acted at D. L.”

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If Betterton's influence with Bowman, who had married his adopted daughter, was so small, what must it have been with the rest of the company?

Betterton to gratify the desires and fancies of the Nobility and Gentry engaged from abroad the best dancers and singers, but they, being exorbitantly expensive, procured small profit to him and his company, but vast gain to themselves. (Downes.)

To recover to Betterton and his friends their due estimation a new project was formed, that of building them a stately theatre in the Haymarket-Capt. Vanburgh opened a subscription for that purpose, which was filled by 30 persons of quality at £100 each, in consideration whereof every Subscriber for his life was to be admitted, to whatever entertainments should be publickly performed there, without farther payment for his entrance-(Cibber.)-while this plan was in agitation, it was suggested to Betterton, that he should assign over to Vanburgh his License to

perform and for the future have no concern with the theatre but as an actor-to this he readily assented -he had now been on the stage above 40 years, and found the infirmities of age beginning to make inroads on his constitution-he was therefore desirous of repose and of being relieved from the fatigues of management-in the latter end of 1704 he assigned over his license and his whole company to Vanburgh. (B. D. and Downes.)

D. L. 1704-1705.

Christopher Rich got a footing in this theatre March 24th 1690-91 by Alexander Davenant assigning to him all his interest in that theatre, which in 1687 he derived from a similar assignment made to him by Charles Davenant, probably his brother—and from that time Rich had been considered as the principal Manager there-In the dedication of the World in the Moon to him in 1697, that piece which was acted at D. G., is said to have been played under his own roof-this information we derive from Malone, but neither he nor Cibber gives a satisfactory account how Rich who had only a certain interest (tho' a large one) in the theatre, contrived to act as sole Proprietor

Cibber indeed explains the arts by which he maintained himself in that authority, but not how he acquired it originally-he appears to have been a man of great cunning, and intimately acquainted with all the quirks of law-he was as sly a tyrant as was ever at the head of a theatre, for he gave the actors more liberty, and fewer days pay than any of his predecessors-he would laugh with them over a bottle and bite them in their bargains-he kept them poor, that they might not be able to rebel, and sometimes merry, that they might not think of it.

The Company which had been left at D. L. on the secession of Betterton and his associates, after struggling with unequal force against those excellent performers, began in the course of a few years to remove the prejudices which had been entertained against them, and to claim their share of applause-they had the advantage of youth; and having had the opportunity of exhibiting themselves in several new plays, where comparisons to their disadvantage could not be made, they came to be viewed in a more favourable light-by the acquisition of Mrs. Oldfield and Wilks, and the visible improvement of Cibber, Pinkethman, Johnson and Bullock, the reputation of the company was by this time much greater than in 1695-all the credit of this was due to the performers and none to the Patentee, who had no conception himself of theatrical merit either in authors or actors-yet his judgment was governed by a saving rule in both-he looked into his receipts for the value of a play, and from common fame he judged of his actors--he had purchased his share of the Patent solely with a view to make money by it-his taste about every thing to