522 RECOLLECTIONS OF THE OLD ACTORS, &C. &C. 



formances of Foote had been the principal support of his own theatre, 

 and he had engaged to support it by acting in it only as a hired actor : 

 this engagement being terminated by death, Colman had to seek for 

 other assistance. Henderson was not known in London, and Colman 

 engaged him to perform during the whole of the Haymarket season 

 at his theatre, for a salary of one hundred pounds and a benefit. 

 This was not a large salary at that time, but satisfied Henderson, 

 whose principal object was to have an opportunity of being seen, 

 which Garrick had repeatedly and constantly denied him. 



The success of Henderson was very great; his performance of 

 Hamlet being very superior to any performance of the same that had 

 been seen for many years; and in the course of that summer he per- 

 formed several other characters with equal excellence, which had, for 

 want of proper representatives, been kept many years out of sight, 

 greatly to the increase of his own reputation and the public entertain- 

 ment. At the end of that season Sheridan engaged him at the highest 

 salary then given to performers at Drury-lane for three years : at the 

 end of that term he removed to Covent-garden, obtaining an increase 

 of salary as well as reputation, and continued to do so as long as he 

 lived. 



I regret to say, he did not requite the services he received from 

 Ireland in the manner they deserved. Ireland was largely en- 

 gaged in the trade of a watch-maker, in which he had extensive 

 engagements: he lived in a wide circle of artists, literati, and 

 professional men of various kinds. Into a house thus arranged he 

 received Henderson, a poor boy, then in distress supported him 

 promoted his interests according to his own inclinations went to 

 Bath to see him fixed there and when Henderson was engaged to 

 perform at the Haymarket, received him into his house as a friend, 

 as he always had done, without any expense, where he continued to 

 live in the same manner, till a change in poor Ireland's circumstances 

 unfortunately took place. 



Ireland received a large order for watches to be exported to 

 Turkey : to enable him to execute it, as his own funds were inade- 

 quate, he borrowed money from several friends ; among others, he 

 borrowed one hundred pounds from Henderson. The person for 

 whom the order was executed did not make good his payments 

 Ireland became distressed, and was made bankrupt. His affairs, 

 upon investigation, proved to be quite fair, and honourable to him- 

 self, as well as satisfactory to all his creditors. It was determined to 

 give him his certificate at once ; and, I regret to say, that Henderson 

 was the only individual WHO REFUSED TO SIGN IT. My old acquaint- 

 ance, Jesse Foot, who was intimate with all, as well as myself, was 

 engaged to solicit him. They had many meetings for that purpose, in 

 which Jesse could not prevail: the only reason Henderson alleged 

 for refusing was, that he could not afford to lose the money. After 

 many fruitless attempts, Jesse obtained his signature in a very un- 

 gracious manner, and the parties were reconciled to each other, 

 though the reconciliation was never very cordial. 



Henderson deserved very high consideration as an actor, and cer- 

 tainly not an actor who copied others. In the silence of obscurity he 



