666 
PLAYHOUSE. 
feet: round it are the heads of Shakefpeare, Dryden, 
Congreve, and Betterton : on the coving on the left hand 
is painted the fcene of Cato pointing at the dead body of 
hisfon Marcus; in the middle that of Julius Caefar ftabb’d 
in the fenate-houfe; and, on the right, that of Marc 
Anthony and Oftavia, where the children are introduced, 
in All for Love. On the founding-board over the ftage, 
is a handfome piece of painting of Apollo and the nine 
Mufes.” Gent. Mag. vol. ii. p. 1028. 
Rich, who was alfo determined to enterprife, was at 
this time building Covent Garden theatre, which opened 
for the firft time in 173';. GifFard foon after, finding his 
Goodman’s-Fields fcheme unproductive, was advifed to 
repair to the vacant houfe in Lincoln’s-Inn Fields, that 
Rich had abandoned ; and he opened it in 1735, actually 
without any authority, unlefs there was a convention 
between him and Rich for the ufe of the dormant patent; 
and performed there during the two enfuing years. 
Soon afterwards, though at a time when fo many the¬ 
atres were employed to divert the public, and when none 
of them were in a flouriffiing date, the imprudence and 
extravagance of a gentleman, who pofleffed genius, wit, 
and humour, in a high degree, induced him to ftrike out 
a new fpecies of entertainment, which in the end pro¬ 
duced an extraordinary change in the conftitution of the 
dramatic fyftem. To extricate himfelf out of difficulties 
in which he was involved, and probably to revenge fome 
indignities which had been thrown upon him by people in 
power, that admirable painter and accurate obferver of 
life, Henry Fielding, efq. determined to amufe the town 
at the expenfe of fome perfons in high rank, and of great 
influence in the political world : for this purpofe he got 
together a company of performers, who exhibited at the 
theatre in the Haymarkef, under the whimfical title of 
the Great Mogul’s Company of Comedians. The piece 
he reprefen ted was “ Pafquin,” which was afted to 
crowded audiences for fifty fuccefiive nights. Encour¬ 
aged by the favourable reception this performance met 
with, he determined to continue at the fame place the 
next feafon, when he produced feveral new plays, fome of 
which were applauded, and others condemned. As 
foon as the novelty of the defign was over, a vifible dif¬ 
ference appeared between the audiences of the two years. 
The company, which, as the playbills faid, dropped from 
the clouds, were difbanded ; and the manager, not having 
attended to the voice of economy in his profperity, was 
left no richer nor more independent than when he fil'd: 
engaged in the projeft. 
The feverity of Mr. Fielding’s fatire in thefe pieces 
had galled the minifter to that degree, that the impreflion 
was not erafed from his mind even when the caufe of it 
had loft all efFeft. He meditated therefore a fevere re¬ 
venge on the ftage, and determined to prevent any 
attacks of the like kind for the future. In the execution 
of this plan he fteadily perfifted; and at laft had the 
fatisfaftion of feeing the enemy, which had given him fo 
much uneafinefs, effeftually reftrained from any power of 
annoying him on the public ftage. 
An aft of parliament palled, in the year 1737, which 
forbade the reprefentation of any performance not pre- 
vioully licenfed by the Lord Chamberlain, or in any 
place except the city of Weftminfter and the liberties 
thereof, or where the royal family ftiould at any time 
refide. It alfo took from the crown the power of licen/ing 
any more theatres, and inflifted heavy penalties on thole 
who ftiould hereafter perform in defiance of the regula¬ 
tions in the ftatute. This unpopular aft did not pafs 
without oppofition. It called forth the eloquence of lord 
Chefterfield, in a fpeech, wherein all the arguments in 
favour of this odious law were anlwered, the dangers 
which might enfue from it were pointed out, and the 
little necefiity for fuch hoftilities againft the ftage clearly 
demonftrated. It alfo excited an alarm in the people 
at large; many pamphlets were publifhed againft the 
principle of the aft ; and it was combated in every 
fhape in which wit, ridicule, or argument, could oppofe 
it. All thefe, however, availed nothing ; the minifter 
had refolved, and the parliament was too compliant to 
flight a bill which came recommended from fo powerful 
a quarter. It therefore palled into a law ; and freed the 
then, and all future, minifters from any apprehenfions of 
mifchief from the wit or malice of dramatic writers. See 
Biographia Dramatica, article Golden Rump. 
The year 1741 was rendered remarkable in the theatri¬ 
cal world by the appearance of an aftor, wdiofe genius 
feemed intended to adorn, and whole abilities were de- 
ftined to fupport, the ftage. This was the late Mr. Gar¬ 
rick ; who, after experiencing fome flights from the ma¬ 
nagers of Drury Lane and Covent Garden, determined 
to make trial of his theatrical qualifications at the play- 
houfe in Goodman’s Fields, under the direftion of Mr. 
GifFard, who had rebuilt the houfe, and was permitted 
to perform without moleftation. The part he chofe 
for his firft appearance was that of Richard the Third ; 
in which he difplayed fo clear a conception of the charac¬ 
ter, fuch power of execution, and an union of talents fo 
varied, extenfive, and unexpefted, as foon fixed his repu¬ 
tation as the firft aftor of his oun or any former time. 
His fame fpread through every part of the town with the 
greateft rapidity; and Goodman’s Fields Theatre, which 
had been confined to the inhabitants of the city, became 
the refort of the polite, and was honoured with the 
notice of all ranks and orders of people. At Goodman’s 
Fields Mr. Garrick remained but one feafon ; after which 
he removed to Drury Lane, where he continued to in- 
creafe his reputation, and, by a prudent attention to the 
diftates of frugality and dilcretion, acquired a charafter 
which pointed him out as a proper perfon to fucceed to 
the management of the theatre a few years after; and a 
fortune which enabled him to accomplifh that point when 
the opportunity offered. 
The affairs of Drury Lane theatre fuffered all the mif- 
chiefs which could arife from the imprudence or inability 
of the manager. That gentleman had embarraffed his 
domeftic concerns by almoft every fpecies of mifconduft, 
and involved himfelf in fuch difficulties, that there 
remained no other means of extricating himfelf from them 
than by abandoning his country, and retiring abroad. 
About the year 1745 the whole of his property in the 
theatre was either mortgaged or fold ; and the patent, 
which had been affigned to fome creditors, was advertifed 
to be difpofed of by public auftion. Two bankers, 
Meffrs. Green and Amber, became the purchasers; and 
they received into the management the late Mr. Lacey, 
to whom the conduft of the theatre was relinquilhed. 
The calamities of the times aftefted the credit of many 
perfons at this junfture; and among the reft of the new 
managers, who found themfelves obliged to ftop pay¬ 
ment. Their misfortunes occafioned the patent again to 
become the objeft of fale : it was offered to feveral per¬ 
fons, but few appeared to have courage enough to venture 
upon it, even at the very low price then afked for it. Ac 
length it was propofed by Mr. Lacey, that he and Mr. 
Garrick fliould become joint-purchafers. The offer was 
accepted. A renewal of the patent was folicited and ob¬ 
tained. All the preliminaries were in a fliort time fet¬ 
tled ; and, in the year 1747, the houfe was opened with a 
prologue written by Dr. Johnfon, and fpoken by Mr. 
Garrick. 
From this period may be dated the flourifhing ftate of 
the theatre. The new partners were furniflied with abi¬ 
lities to make their purchafe advantageous to themfelves, 
and ufeful to the public. Mr. Garrick’s admirable per¬ 
formances infured them great audiences ; and the induftry 
and attention of Mr. Lacey were employed in rendering 
the houfe convenient to the frequenters of it. They 
both exerted their endeavours to acquire the favour of 
the town ; and the preference which was given to them 
over their rivals at the other theatre fufficiently proved 
the fuperior eftimation they were held in. The harmony 
7 which 
