ON Mrs. Pritchard's benefit-night, was acted an interlude between the play and the farce, written by Garrick, called the Farmer's Return from London. It is a well imagined satire on the manners of the metropolis. The Farmer (performed by Garrick), relates to his wife all that he has seen in town. The scribblers in newspapers, the coronation, the lord mayor's show, and the playhouses, pass in review before him. He saw a play too (The School for Lovers) and thought it pure stuff; but the critics disliked it, because, they wanted to laugh, and were ready to cry. A critic, he says, is a man that won't sin himself, and hates those that can. The piece was much applauded, and hotly called for, several nights during the remainder of the season.

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CHAP. XXX.

COLMAN'S Farce of the MUSICAL LADY-Observations on its A Party formed against GARRICK, on the Subject of Halfprice-The Male-contents were for establishing on every Night, except during the Run of a New Pantomime-Violent Riot in the Playhouse-GARRICK obliged to submit-The like Attempt on the following Night at Covent-GardenThe Two Ring-Leaders taken up by Lord MANSFIELDS WarTant-That Nobleman, after giving them a severe Reproof, prevails on Mr. BEARD to drop his Prosecution-The Two Culprits dismissed, and the Riots end-MALLET's Tragedy of ELVIRA-That Writer's Stratagem to get his Play acted -He practises a Delusion on GARRICK-Remark of Dr. WARBURTON on Mr. MALLET-ELVIRA, little more than a Translation of INES DE CASTRO, by LA MOTTE-It was acted Nine Nights, and then expired-The Season closes—GARRICK, in the Summer, forms a Resolution to visit the Continent, and absent himself for some time from the Stage-He sets out with Mrs. GARRICK, on the 16th Septembc., 1763, and leaves the Management of Drury-Lane to Mr. LACY, and to GEORGE GARRICK.

September 1762 to

June 1763.

IN the beginning of December Mr. Colman produced a farce, called the Musical' Lady. This

piece had peculiar good luck. It was part of the Jealous Wife, till Garrick saw it, and discarded it as mere surplusage. It was thus reserved for a better fate. The folly of pretending to a fine ear, without a true taste, is what the author exposes to ridicule. When we add, that King, Yates, and Miss Pope, played the leading characters, nobody will wonder that the piece, supported further by intrinsic merit, had great success.

GARRICK, in the course of his management, had every reason to be happy in his situation, if we except the disturbance about the Chinese Festival. Nothing occurred to give him the smallest discontent; during the whole time he had enjoyed halcyon days. As an actor, he was, with good reason, the idol of the people, and as a manager, to give variety

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to the public entertainments was his grand study. Dramatic poetry, it may be fairly said, was rising every day to higher perfection. He basked in the sunshine of public admiration, but he was at times molested by the enemies, that are ever sure to be provoked by superior merit; and malice and envy were incessantly at work.

Sole sub ardenti resonant arbusta cicadis.

Soon after Christmas clouds began to gather, and storms and tempests lowered over DruryLane playhouse. It happened about the beginning of 1763, that the manager gave notice of a new regulation, in consequence of which, during the run of a new play, no half-price was to be admitted. The mal-contents thought this a good ground for a riot; they did not consider

consider that the expence attending à new production, is often very considerable, and

with the addition of the author's benefitnights, amounts to a large sum. This, undoubtedly, was sufficient to justify the managers, but reason with the lovers of tumult is a feather in the scale. In the beginning of January, Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona, with alterations by Benjamin Victor, at that time treasurer to the house, and a most worthy man, was presented with good success, and no half-price was received. This was deemed a good opportunity for a quarrel, and a party was accordingly formed. On the tenth night of acting this altered play, the malevoli determined to begin their attack. A gentleman of the name of Fitzpatrick, who possessed great taste and learning, put him-self at the head of the conspiracy. He had Bb 2 been