ROBERTSON. 275 



cause of its predecessor, ' Douglas,'* having succeeded 

 through merit, and partly because of high patronage, 

 is a very middling performance, and, like all Mr. 

 Home's plays, except ' Douglas,' has long since sunk 

 into deserved oblivion. Dr. Robertson's amiable zeal 

 for his friend, and his exultation at the success of his 

 piece, is very striking in this letter. 



" MY DEAR SlB, " Thursday, March 16th. 



" When I wrote you the history of ' Agis,' I certainly 

 foresaw some of the purposes for which it would serve, and 

 that you would naturally employ it for an use of mortification 

 to the wicked, as well as of comfort to the pious. I could not, 

 however, have any presage either of the absurdity of the 

 players, or of the malice and credulity of Home's enemies, 

 which rendered my account doubly seasonable. I now put 

 it in your power to mortify them with still fuller accounts 

 of the triumphs of ' Agis.' Never were there more crowded 

 houses than during the whole run of the play. The Prince 

 of Wales was present no less than three different nights, one 

 of which a benefit night. Such honourable distinction was 

 never formerly bestowed upon any new piece. The snarlers 

 and small critics are somewhat enraged at this, and every one 

 against Lord Bute ; though I can assure you, the frequency of 

 the Prince's attendance was his own proper motion, and pro- 

 ceeded from his admiration of ' Agis.' But what is still more 

 honourable for Home, since the ninth night, ' Agis' has been 

 acted twice, and both times the house was more crowded (if 

 possible), and the applause louder than ever. There has ap- 



* * Douglas' was the second in date of composition, though the first 

 performed. Garrick had rejected it peremptorily; and it was 

 brought out with great success at Edinburgh. Garrick had also 

 rejected all Home's other pieces ; until Lord Bute and other persons 

 of distinction patronised the poet, when the manager, following his 

 ignoble nature, suddenly became the zealous and forward patron of 

 all he wrote, and joined those noble supporters in fencing the very 

 poor tragedy of < Agis' on the public. 



T 2 



