CHAPTER I. GARRICK AS MANAGER. Now, at last, the fall of Fleetwood could be no longer averted. We are now (says Mr. Victor) arrived to the year 1745, when Mr. Fleetwood (whose body was as much impaired by an excessive gout as his fortune by his misconduct) began to think of retreating from an employment he was no longer able to appear in, and wished to retire to the south of France. Having already mortgaged the patent to Sir John de Lorme and one Mr. Masters for 3000l., he took up 70001. more on the cloaths, scenes, etc., of one Mr. More, who was put into possession of the house and treasury, that he might pay himself out of the receipts, Mr. Fleetwood having induced him to believe that the said 7000l. would release the patent and satisfy all other demands upon the theatre. The truth was soon after revealed by an advertisement, in which notice was given that the patent was to be sold before a Master in Chancery. Mr. More, offended at the chicanery he had met with, would advance no more money; and, on the other hand, he wished to have the patent to secure what he had advanced. A significant comment on the extravagance of this "fast manager is furnished by a sale advertisement of that day: To be sold by auction, at Craven House, by Mr. Tones, on Thursday, May 1st, 1740, the rich household furniture of Charles Fleetwood, Esq., at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, consisting of rich Genoa damask, all sorts of furniture made in the most elegant manner, a most valuable collection of original pictures by the most celebrated masters; plate, china, and curiosities; with books, most of them gilt-lettered and printed on large paper. The public may be assured that this is a genuine sale. There is one scene which adds a tragic interest to the fate of this ruined manager. Mrs. Howard, a lady who was later married to the Duke of Norfolk, happened to be at Bruges with a companion, daughter of a baronet. At the same place good family, and was Mrs. Fleetwood, herself a lady of daughter to Lord Gerard. Hearing that Mrs. Howard was in the town, she went up on a visit and flung herself upon her knees to ask pardon of Mrs. Howard's companion. She had prevented her son marrying this lady, to whom he was attached, but who had little fortune. She had married him to a lady with much more, and he plunged into dissipation, ruined himself by gambling, setting out first as a dupe, afterwards turning sharper. At length he died unpitied and, it is said, of a broken heart.* Lacy-"a man of the name of Lacy"-is described by Sir John Hawkins in a very contemptuous fashion. Entering, it seems, into a sort of mountebank competition with "Orator Henley," he had been delivering a sort of profane lecture, which he called "Peter's Visitation," and soon attracted the attention of the authorities, who seized and imprisoned him as a vagrant. This was not of much promise for the manager of a theatre. After which, the law having silenced the Haymarket Theatre, he read lectures at York Buildings, designed and erected the spacious building for musical entertainments in Ranelagh Gardens at Chelsea, and having sold it to one "Burnaby, Esq.," for 4000l. premium, became an assistant-manager to Mr. Rich. Related in the Duke of Norfolk's "Thoughts, Essays," etc. When the patent was advertised for sale, two reputable persons in the City, strangers to Mr. Lacy, came to a resolution to buy it, in case he, Mr. Lacy, could be prevailed upon to undertake the management of the company. The terms offered were a joint partnership, they to lay down the whole purchase-money and hold Mr. Lacy's third in mortgage, in case it did not suit him to make his own deposit, till his share of the profits should gradually discharge it. A meeting of the parties followed, but the very next day all was disjointed again by the sudden indisposition of one of the contractors, which rendered him incapable of carrying the affair into execution, to the great concern of Messrs. Green and Amber, bankers, who were present at this meeting, and who were to have been bankers to the theatre in case any surplus cash had arisen from it. To these gentlemen Mr. Lacy was not unknown, and, after what had passed, it was but natural for them to think of putting themselves in the citizens' places. They did so, and proposed the same conditions to Mr. Lacy, provided he could prevail first on Mr. Fleetwood to accept of an annuity during the term of the patent, and secondly on Mr. More, to let his mortgage lie. Mr. Lacy succeeded in both. Mr. More acquiesced on having his security for the former sum strengthened by the addition of the patent, and Mr. Fleetwood was very well satisfied to receive 600l. a year out of a wreck which, as to him, scarce appeared to be worth saving. And Messrs. Green and Amber paid down 32007. for the patent. They broke some time afterwards, and the ignorant and malicious were pleased to surmise that their misfortunes were owing to this purchase, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Messrs. Green and Amber, being "receivers" of taxes, were at that time accountable to the Exchequer for about 20,000l. (of which 3200l. was but a small part), and not being in a condition to answer so great a demand, sunk under it. With the state of the kingdom that of the theatre sympathised. Thin audiences produce but thin receipts, debts consequently were contracted. Mr. Lacy's situation was now become a very uneasy one, but his candour and integrity, like the other's courage and perseverance, carried him through them all. One attempt, indeed, was made to overturn him, |