pos'd to him this Expedient: That we should draw up a Remonftrance, neither feeming to refuse, or comply with this Order; but to ftart fuch Objections, and perplexing Difficulties, that should make the whole impracticable: That under fuch Diftractions, as this would raife in our Affairs, we could not be answerable to keep open our Doors, which confequently would deftroy the Fruit of the Favour lately granted to Booth, as well as of This intended to Dogget himself. To this Remonftrance we received an Answer in Writing, which varied fomething, in the Measures, to accommodate Matters with Dogget. This was all I defired, when I found the Style of Sic jubeo was alter'd, when this formidable Power began to parley with us, we knew there could not be much to be fear'd, from it: For I would have remonftrated 'till I had died, rather than have yielded to the rougheft, or smootheft Persuasion, that could intimidate or deceive us. By this Conduct, we made the Affair, at laft, too troublesome for the Eafe of a Courtier to go thro' with. For when it was confider'd, that the principal Point, the Admiffion of Booth was got over, Dogget was fairly left to the Law, for Relief.

Upon this Difappointment, Dogget accordingly preferred a Bill in Chancery against us. Wilks, who hated all Bufinefs, but that of entertaining the Publick, left the Conduct of our Cause to me; in which we had, at our first letting out, this Advantage of Dogget,

that

that we had three Pockets to fupport our Expence, where he had but One. My first Direction to our Solicitor was, to ufe all poffible Delay, that the Law would admit of; a Direction, that Lawyers feldom neglect; by this means we hung up our Plaintiff about two Years, in Chancery, 'till we were at full Leisure to come to a Hearing before the LordChancellor Cooper; which did not happen 'till after the Acceffion of his late Majefty. The Iffue of it was this. Dogget had about fourteen Days allow'd him to make his Election, whether he would return to act, as ufual: But he declaring, by his Counsel, That he rather chofe to quit the Stage, he was decreed Six Hundred Pounds for his Share, in our Property, with 15 per Cent. Intereft, from the Date of the laft Licenfe: Upon the Receipt of which, both Parties were to fign GeneralReleafes, and feverally to pay their own Cofts. By this Decree, Dogget, when his Lawyer's Bill was paid, fcarce got one Year's Purchase, of what we had offer'd him without Law, which (as he furviv'd but feven Years after it) would have been an Annuity of Five Hundred Pounds, and a Sine Cure for Life.

Tho' there are many Perfons living, who know every Article of these Facts, to be true: Yet it will be found, that the strongest of them, was not the strongest Occafion of Dogget's quitting the Stage. If therefore the Reader fhould not have Curiofity enough to know, how the Publick came to be depriv'd of fo

valuable

valuable an Actor, let him confider, that he is not obliged to go through the rest of this Chapter, which I fairly tell him before-hand, will only be fill'd up with a few idle Anecdotes, leading to that Discovery.

After our Law-fuit was ended, Dogget, for fome few Years could scarce bear the Sight of Wilks, or myself; tho' (as fhall be fhewn) for different Reafons: Yet it was his Misfortune to meet with us almoft every Day. Button's Coffee-houfe, fo celebrated in the Tatlers, for the Good-Company, that came there, was at this time, in its higheft Requeft. Addifon, Steele, Pope, and feveral other Gentlemen of different Merit, then made it their conftant Rendezvous. Nor could Dogget decline the agreeable Converfation there, tho' he was daily fure to find Wilks, or myfelf, in the fame Place, to four his Share of it: For as Wilks, and He were differently Proud; the one rejoicing in a captious, over-bearing, valiant Pride; and the other, in a stiff, fullen, Purse-Pride, it may be easily conceiv'd, when two fuch Tempers met, how agreeable the Sight of one was to the other. And as Dogget knew, I had been the Conductor of our Defence, against his Law-fuit, which had hurt him more, for the Lofs he had fuftain'd, in his Reputation of understanding Bufinefs, which he valued himself upon, than his Difappointment had, of getting fo little by it; it was no wonder if I was intirely out of his good Graces, which I confefs, I was inclin'd upon

any

any reasonable Terms to have recover'd; he being of all my Theatrical Brethren, the Man I moft delighted in: For when he was not in a Fit of Wisdom, or not over-concerned about his Intereft, he had a great deal of entertaining Humour: I therefore, notwithstanding his Reserve, always left the Door open to our former Intimacy, if he were inclined to come into it. I never failed to give him my Hat, and, Your Servant, wherever I met him; neither of which he would ever return, for above a Year after; but I ftill perfifted, in my ufual Salutation, without obferving, whether it was civilly received, or not. This ridiculous Silence between two Comedians, that had fo lately liv'd in a conftant Course of Raillery with one another, was often fmil'd at, by our Acquaintance, who frequented the fame Coffee-houfe: And one of them carried his Jeft upon it fo far, that when I was at fome Distance from Town, he wrote me a formal Account, that Dogget was actually dead. After the firft Surprize, his Letter gave me was over, I began to confider, that this coming from a droll Friend to both of us, might poffibly be written, to extract some Merriment out of my real belief of it: In this I was not unwilling to gratify him, and returned an Anfwer, as if I had taken the Truth of his News for granted; and was not a little pleas'd, that I had fo fair an Opportunity of speaking my Mind freely of Dogget, which I did, in fome Favour of his

Character;

Character; I excufed his Faults, and was juft to his Merit. His Law-fuit with us, I only imputed to his having naturally deceived himfelf in the Juftice of his Caufe. What I most complain'd of was, his irreconcilable Difaffection to me, upon it, whom he could not reafonably blame, for ftanding in my own Defence; that not to endure me, after it, was a Reflection upon his Senfe, when all our Acquaintance had been Witneffes of our former Intimacy; which my Behaviour in his Lifetime, had plainly fhewn him, I had a mind to renew. But fince he was now gone (however great a Churl he was to me) I was forry my Correfpondent had loft him.

This Part of my Letter, I was fure, if Dogget's Eyes were ftill open, would be fhewn to him; if not, I had only writ it to no Purpose. But about a Month after, when I came to Town, I had fome little Reafon to imagine it had the Effect I wish'd from it: For, one Day fitting over-against him, at the fame Coffee-houfe, where we often mixt at the fame Table, tho' we never exchanged a fingle Syllable, he graciously extended his Hand, for a Pinch of my Snuff: As this feem'd, from him, a fort of breaking the Ice of his Temper, I took Courage upon it, to break Silence on my Side, and ask'd him how he lik'd it? To which, with a flow Hefitation, naturally affifted by the Action of his taking the Snuff, he reply'd --- Umh! the best --- Umb! --- I have tasted a great while! ---- If the Reader, who may

poffibly