being engaged for Dublin, where his success was as great as in London. He reappeared at Drury Lane for the season on October 5th, in the same year, as Bayes.

Notwithstanding Fleetwood's unthrifty habits, Drury Lane, thanks to Macklin, who was the manager, seems to have been tolerably prosperous for a time, but towards the close of the year 1743, the patentee's reckless extravagance had thrown its affairs into the utmost confusion; bailiffs were in possession, actors' salaries were unpaid, and they themselves treated with insolence, while the stage was disgraced by the most contemptible exhibitions from Sadler's Wells. It was a repetition. of the old story of Christopher Rich. The company determined to secede, and waited upon the Lord Chamberlain in the hope of obtaining a licence to open the Haymarket. This was peremptorily refused, and consequently they had no alternative but to return to Fleetwood. He consented to take back all the recalcitrants except Macklin, whom he regarded as the ringleader. Garrick offered to pay Macklin 6 a week

out of his own pocket until matters could be smoothed over, but the hot-headed Irishman would not listen to any compromise, and on the first night of the season, December 5th, 1743, with the aid of some friends, organised a riot in the theatre. Garrick was hissed and not allowed to speak; pamphlets were issued on both sides; and Fleetwood engaged some thirty bruisers, headed by the notorious Jack Broughton, the first of the champion prize-fighters, to deal with the rioters, who, as usual, chiefly congregated in the pit. The most disgraceful scenes were almost nightly enacted within the theatre, until Macklin was again engaged; though he did not gain this victory without having to make

submission in a prologue written for the occasion, in which he protested

"No revolution plots are mine, again

You see, thank Heaven, the quietest of men."

But Fleetwood's reign was nearly over; impaired in health and fortune, and hopelessly embarrassed, he had mortgaged the patent for £3,000, and had borrowed £7,000 on the dresses, scenery, and properties of the house, and now the lender was in possession as receiver. Fleetwood advertised that the patent was to be sold before a Master in Chancery. Two City men determined to be the purchasers, provided that James Lacy, who was at that time assistant manager to Rich at Covent Garden, would undertake the management. Lacy had formerly been a manufacturer at Norwich, but through misfortunes in business, and a taste for theatricals, he took to the stage, played under Rich at Lincoln's Inn Fields, and under Fielding at the Haymarket; he was also the builder of Ranelagh Music House, which he sold for £4,000. Lacy was to be a joint partner, but the purchasers were to lay down the whole of the money required, and to hold Lacy's third in the mortgage until his share of the profits enabled him to discharge his obligation.

After some complications, into which I need not enter, the matter was settled, and requiring a partner, Lacy proposed to David Garrick, who, having money, reputation, and ability, was a most desirable one, to join him; by the advice of his friends, Garrick accepted. The new patent was granted, and it was stipulated that the two partners were to be equal sharers in the profits, except that Garrick was to be paid a salary for acting.

Drury Lane opened under this new management on

September 15th, 1746. The business of the theatre was divided between the partners, Garrick entirely superintending the stage. Order, decency, and decorum were now strictly enforced; punctuality was insisted upon at rehearsals, at which as much attention was paid to the business of the scene as though the audience was already present; he also insisted upon the actors being perfect in their parts, and those who did not conform to his rules were suspended. Nor were his reforms less notable before the curtain; at the bottom of a bill for October, 1747, was printed the following notice: "As the admittance of persons behind the scenes has occasioned a general complaint on account of the frequent interruption in the performance, it is hoped that gentlemen won't be offended that no money will be taken there for the future." This struck a death-blow at the intolerable abuse of allowing spectators to be seated on the stage during the performance--a subject upon which I shall have more to say in a future chapter-but the rule does not seem to have been rigidly enforced, at least after a time. (See next chapter.)

Garrick gathered about him a noble company, including Macklin; Spranger Barry, who at Covent Garden had achieved a success scarcely inferior to his own; Mrs. Pritchard, a grand tragédienne; Mrs. Cibber, most tender and exquisite of Juliets and Ophelias; delightful Peg Woffington, most inimitable of high-comedy actresses, a Sir Harry Wildair second only to Wilks, and a tragic actress as well; Kitty Clive, unapproachable in the broader comedy, etc.

On March 19th, 1748, Macbeth, freed from most of Davenant's alterations, though still a long way from the text, was revived. The music, supposed to be by Locke, which had been foisted into Davenant's version, was