pay 80 guineas for the expense, as in the instance of Amphytrion: this occasioned the mistake, which I did not discover till lately. Though it is very reasonable to take fourscore pounds for the expense of the house, yet as we have not yet regulated this matter, I cannot possibly agree that Dr. Smollet shall be the first precedent. I have enclosed a draught upon Mr. Clutterbuck for the sum due to you. I am, most sincerely,

"Your most obedient,
humble Servant,

D. GARRICK."

From this time not only all animosities between the manager and the doctor ceased, but a very warm and reciprocal friendship commenced, which lasted till Smollet's death. He was truly desirous of making amends for his many illiberal and bitter censures of Mr. Garrick; and at the close of his history speaks of him not only with justice, but with all the warm colouring of laboured panegyrick. In giving a sketch of the Liberal Arts during the reign of George II., Smollet expresses himself of Garrick in the following words:

"The exhibitions of the stage were improved to the most exquisite entertainment by the talents and management of Garrick, who greatly surpassed all his predecessors of this, and, perhaps, every other nation, in his genius for acting, in the sweetness and variety of his tones, the irresistible magick of his eye, the fire and vivacity of his action, the elegance of attitude, and the whole pathos of expression."

Not content with this publick declaration of his sentiments with respect to Mr. Garrick, upon the latter's presenting him with his Winter's Tale, altered from Shakspeare, in acknowledging the receipt of his favour, Smollet tells him, with an earnest protestation, "that in what he had published concerning him, in his account of the Liberal Arts, he had spoken the language of his heart; that he could not, in such a part of his work forbear doing justice to a genius who had no rival. Besides, he thought it a duty incumbent on him to make a publick atonement, in a work of truth, for the wrongs done him in a work of fiction."

He concluded in expressing a deep regret that his ill health prevented him from a personal cultivation of his good will, and that it deprived him of the unspeakable enjoyment he should derive from his private conversation.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Mr. Macklin's farce of Love Alamode.... Its success.... Mr. Sheridan's engagement with the managers of Drury-lane... Terms of agreement ....Mr. Sheridan supposed to have raised the jealousy of Mr. Garrick by his merit in acting.... Brooke's Earl of Essex....King John... The king's opinion of the acting that character.... The quarrel between Mr. Garrick and Mr. Sheridan....Comedy of the Discovery ....Sir Antony Branville.

ABOUT the year 1760, Mr. Macklin offered his farce of Love Alamode to the managers of Drurylane. Some of the players had so little expectation of its being relished by the publick, that they foretold its approaching destruction; and, I believe, one or two principal characters were refused by them on various pretences. What Mr. Garrick's opinion of it was before it was acted, I never heard ; but it was well rehearsed under the care and inspection of the author himself, who intended, I believe to have acted Sir Callachan O'Brallaghan, had he found a proper person for Sir Archy M'Sarcasm. But it was, perhaps, fortunate for the piece, that the Scotchman fell to his own share. Moody acted the Irishman, aud 'Squire Groom fell to the lot of Mr. King; and both acquitted themselves highly to the satisfaction of the publick.

This little piece was a just and severe satire on the base duplicity, pride and meanness of some Scotchmen, and the wretched attachment of our young nobility and gentry to horse-racing. Sir Callachan

was a good portrait of a brave, honest, and blundering Irishman; a Jew Broker was another character; all of them lovers to a young lady of very considerable fortune.

The several scenes in which these well drawn characters were introduced, are full of shrewd remarks, strong humour, and poignant satire, with pertinent observations on the manners and customs of the times.

During the first run of this farce, some gentlemen of North Britain were highly offended at the character of M'Sarcasm, which they very imprudently declared was a satire upon the whole kingdom of Scotland. Many imprecations, almost in his hearing, were bestowed upon the author. That Scotland, as well as England and Ireland, can furnish materials to draw pictures of pride, flattery, duplicity, vanity and meanness, cannot surely be denied ; but as 'Squire Groom would not be acknowledged to be a faithful representative of England, nor a blundering Irishman of Hibernia, neither can we suppose that M'Sarcasm was chosen to stand forth as a member elect for the whole kingdom of Scotland. prejudices of some gentlemen of that country were very strong for a long time, and not easily removed; while others, of the same nation, enjoyed the joke as highly as the rest of the audience. The piece certainly has great and unquestioned merit; but I doubt whether it would have succeeded so greatly, if the resentment of those Scotch gentlemen who disliked it, had not provoked the mirth of others, and spread the fame of Love Alamode all over the town,

The

George the Second, who was then in the 77th year of his age, and had, for some time, discontinued his appearance at the theatre, had heard so much of Love Alamode, that he sent for the manuscript, and commanded an old Hanoverian gentleman to read it to him. This person spent eleven weeks in misrepresenting the author's meaning. He was totally void of humour, and unacquainted with the English language. The king, however, was much pleased with the Irishman's getting the better of his rivals, and gaining the lady.

Mr. Sheridan, thinking it not prudent to oppose the new managers, Barry and Woodward, in Dublin, in their first career, after letting his playhouse to some adventurers, set out for London.

The acquisition of such an actor as Mr. Sheridan must have been desirable to the managers of either of the London theatres. It was the mutual interest of Mr. Garrick and Mr. Sheridan to come to a reasonable agreement; this was soon effected, notwithstanding a coldness had for some time subsisted between them. It was stipulated that Mr. Sheridan should act a certain number of nights, and receive a fourth share of profits, after deducting 801. for the expenses of the theatre. Mr. Sheridan had been long esteemed a man of eminence in his profession; and notwithstanding Mr. Garrick's great reputation for acting, some criticks did not scruple to compare, nay prefer Sheridan's performance of certain capital characters, such as Macbeth and Hamlet, to the other's utmost efforts in those parts.