HAD cleared at my benefit the last season I pounds. was owing to several causes. I had for fome time been allowed to be fole dictatrefs among the polite ranks in the article of drefs. My judgment in this point was held in fo much estimation, that the ladies would have been wretched who did not confult me relative to their birth-day or fancy cloaths. A masquerade had been given by the foreign Ambaffadors, which was the moft fplendid entertainment of the kind ever seen in England. This afforded me and my dreffer, Mrs. Tinns (whom I had left behind me at Drury-lane when I removed from that Theatre) fufficient employment. Fancy was tortured to fix on difB VOL. III. ferent ferent dreffes for the crouds of ladies that applied to us. Had I fuffered it, there would have been a hundred Eltrudas. Lady Kildare and Lady Granby were now added to my lift of patroneffes. In return for the affiftance I had given the numerous ladies upon this occafion, they each of them made a point to employ all their interest to increase the emoluments of my night. Dr. Francis having been promoted through my application to Mr. Fox, and his promotion much talked of, I was looked up to as a proper person through whom to feek for preferment. All the military gentlemen, therefore, feized this opportunity to court my favour; and as the fureft way to do fo, paid a handsome tribute to my theatrical merit. Lord Kildare, Lord Granby, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Digby who was now returned from abroad, took four tickets at one hundred pounds each; and the three laft continued their liberality to me till death. All these circumstances combined, account for the largenefs of the before-mentioned fum. I befides received prefents from Afia, Africa, and America, together with others the produce of our own climate. In short I was now in poffeffion of every thing that could excite the envy of the world. And yet amidst all this, even in the very zenith of my fplendor, I was not happy. Like the celebrated Harlequin Carolin, who wept 6 under under the mafque, while he excited peals of laughter from his admiring audience, my. fmiles covered an uneafy mind. And many a time when I have been thought by my furrounding guests to be as happy as affluence and the acquifition of fame could make me, I have fecretly exclaimed: "Where art thou "to be found, O happiness! Thy only re"fidence can be with those bleffed votaries "to Heaven, who having never experienced "the delufive pleasures and corroding cares "of the world, fecure within the cloistered "walls, the peaceful abode of innocence, "know not a wifh but to render themselves "acceptable to their God." The conftant perturbation I underwent from these uneafy reflections, and the unceafing fatigue I had gone through, had greatly impaired my health. It was therefore thought adviseable for me to go to Bristol for a few weeks, before the ensuing season commenced. I was accompanied by the Widow Delany, who, as ufual, was generally with me, and who had married one of Mr. Calcraft's clerks whofe name was Walker. When we reached Marlborough, as we drove into the yard of the Castle, Mr. Ryan ran out to receive me, and greeted me with the pleafing intelligence, that my Daddy Quin was in the house; adding, that he would go and wake him. It being eight o'clock in the evening, I was apprehenfive, from his being in bed, that Mr. Quin was indifpofed. But I was informed by Mr. Beard, who was likewise one of the company, that my worthy friend, having been detained longer in town, the last time he visited the metropolis, than he wished, through his engagements with his numerous acquaintance; he had made a refolution not to go to London again. And as he did not choose to be totally deprived of the fociety of a few of his particular friends, he had requested them to make a party, and meet him every fummer at Smith's. It was agreed that they should remain here till they had drank fuch a quantity of wine. I cannot now re collect how much that was; but when Mr. Beard mentioned it, I thought it was fufficient to serve them for a year. Whilst I was receiving this information, by which time we had reached the garden, I heard his much-loved voice calling out to me, "I will come to you prefently!" Turning about, I perceived him at the window, with his night-cap on; and before I could fuppofe he had pulled it off, he joined us. As he came along, he had ordered Smith to drefs every thing in the larder; and if he could procure any niceties in the town, to do. fo. His orders were obeyed to the very letter of the command; and my journey being protracted by this unexpected encounter, before ten o'clock we fat down to dinner, fix and |