1 This is a fubject which I could with delight enlarge upon; but I am convinced, from the conftant pleasure you feel in conferring favours, you would rather do a thoufand generous actions than be told ADVERTISEMENT. F this little book fhould by good chance afford an hour's amusement to the candid reader, he will owe that pleasure to Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON, who has long honoured me with his friendship and patronage. He prompted and encouraged me, juftly diffident as I was of my abilities, to write The Life of Mr. Garrick ; a work which fhould comprehend A HISTORY OF THE STAGE, during his adminiftration of it, with characters and anecdotes of other actors, his contemporaries. To him I am indebted for the early part of Mr. Garrick's life. Dr. Johnson was familiarly acquainted with his nearest relations; and often had the pleasure, as he informs us himself in his Life of Edmund Smith, to meet him at the houfe of their common friend, Mr. Walmsley, register of Lichfield. To To the fame excellent friend I am indebted for several diverting anecdotes in this narrative; and I heartily wish I could boaft of farther affiftance from one fo able to give it. A long acquaintance with the ftage, and an earnest inclination to excel in the profeffion of acting, to which I was for many years attached, afforded me an opportunity to know much of plays and theatrical history. I can truly fay, that I have no where willingly misreprefented either fact or character. Mistakes I may have fallen into; but I shall not incur the charge of falshood, for that implies an intention to deceive. In this Third Edition, I have endeavoured to remove fome miftakes and inaccuracies of the two former impreffions. CONTENTS FIRST VOLUM E. Some account of Mr. Garrick's family-His early acquaint- ance with Mr. Walmsley and Dr. S. Johnson-His voyage to Lifbon-Return to England-Becomes pupil to Dr. Mr. Garrick's arrival in London-Death of his uncle-He boards with Mr. Colfon-Death of his father and mother -Seriously refolves to commence actor-Introduced to the Characters of the actors when Mr. Garrick commenced player. P. 19 CHAP. Mr. Garrick's first appearance on a London flage His fuccefs- Mr. Pope's opinion of him - Acts a variety of characters Envied by Quin Spoken flightly of by Managers of Drury-lane and Covent-garden uneafy at the fuccefs of Goodman's-fields theatre Threaten Giffard and Garrick with a law-fuit - They are engaged to Fleetwood Mr. Garrick acting at Drury lane theatre-His Abel Prelude to the revolt of the comedians of Drury-lane - Fleet- wood's character and conduct Account of his favourite diverfions and companions Farms the theatre to his trea- furer - Mr. Garrick and feveral of the players fecede from Drury-lane- Their application to the lord chamber- lain - Their petition rejected - Contest between Garrick and Macklin Theatrical form Tancred and Sigif- |