BOTH play-houses being shut at the usual time, Rich was desirous of an engagement with Garrick for another year; but a change in the theatrical hemisphere made that scheme impracticable. Green and Amber, bankers in the Strand, who had purchased of Fleetwood, were reduced to the necessity of stopping payment. The patent, by an established custom, was at that time a grant from the crown for twenty-one years, and had no more than three or four to run. Lacy saw his opportunity, and, to secure a more permanent interest, obtained a promise from the Duke of Grafton, then Lord Chamberlain, that, if he purchased, he should have in due time a renewal of the patent. To this Mr. Pelham annexed a condition, that Lacy should pay into the Treasury a sum, not very great, which was due from Green and Amber. These preliminaries being settled, Lacy

VOL. I.

K

Lacy, in order to ensure success to his undertaking, invited Garrick to enter into the scheme, and be upon equal shares joint patentee. This was a tempting bait. Garrick jumped at it. The idea of being manager, and having in his own hands the direction of all theatrical entertainments, fired his imagination. He did not hesitate long. His friends encouraged him to proceed, and with their assistance, he advanced eight thousand pounds, and mounted the throne, to which he had long aspired.

CHAP.

CHAP. XII.

I

GARRICK Patentee of Drury-Lane, in Partnership with Mr. LACY-Mrs. CIBBER, Mrs. PRITCHARD, WOODWARD, HA VARD, and some others go over to Drury-Lane-BARRY continues to act at that Theatre-GARRICK opens the Season with a Prologue by Dr. JOHNSON-He resolves to restore Nature and SHAKESPEARE to the Stage He revives VENICE PRESERVED Plays JAFFIER; and BARRY, PIERRE-Analysis of the Play-The Character of JAFFIER examined, and delineated-Mrs. CIBBER in BELVIDERA.

September

WE enter now upon a new

1747, to æra in the history of the English

June 1748.

stage; the greatest and most splen

did that the drama of this country has ever

known. A glorious scene begins to

open, and

I say with pleasure,

Major rerum mihi nascitur ordo;

Majus opus moveo.

K 2

THE

THE two managers opened the season with a strong company. Mrs. Cibber, Mrs. Pritchard, Woodward, Havard, and others of useful talents, followed Garrick's banners, and engaged themselves at Drury Lane. Barry was under articles with Lacy, and continued to flourish at that theatre. It was opened on the 20th September 1747. Garrick spoke a

Prologue on the occasion, written by his friend, Samuel Johnson, in a stile, if we except Pope's to the tragedy of Cato, superior to every thing of the kind in the English language. The insertion of it in this place, will, we imagine, be acceptable to the reader.

PROLOGUE.

WHEN learning's triumph o'er her barb'rous foes First rear'd the stage, immortal Shakespeare rose. Each change of many-colour'd life he drew, Exhausted worlds, and then imagin'd new.

Existence

Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign,
And panting time toil'd after him in vain.
His pow'rful strokes presiding truth impress'd,
And unresisted passion storm'd the breast.

Then Janson came, instructed from the school,
To please by method, and invent by rule
His studious patience, and laborious art,

By regular approach assail'd the heart.
Cold approbation gave the ling'ring bayes,

For those who durst not censure, scarce could praise,

1

A mortal born, he met the gen'ral doom,bo

But left, like Egypt's Kings, a lasting tomb.

The wits of Charles found easier ways to fame, Nor wish'd for Jonson's art or Shakespeare's flame. Themselves they studied; as they felt they writ Intrigue was plot; obscenity was witori Xu, A Vice always found a sympathetic friend;

I

They pleas'd their age, and did not hope to mend. Yet bards like these aspirid to lasting praise,

And proudly hop'd to pimp in future days.