lks, who was to play Archer,
spoke of this criticism to Farquhar in the course of a visit to the
dying playwright. "Tell her," gaily replied the latter, "that for her
peace of mind's sake, I'll get a real divorce, marry her myself, and
give her my bond she shall be a real widow in less than a fortnight."
Poor fellow! He was faithful to Mistress Farquhar unto the end, but
who shall say that he had forgotten the old days which began so fairly
at the Mitre Tavern?

[Illustration: MRS. BRACEGIRDLE

As the Sultaness]

Soon there will be another theatrical revolution by which the rival
companies of the Haymarket and Drury Lane will be united under one
management at the latter house, while Owen Swiney will be left free to
devote his attention to Italian opera. This union comes about through
the efforts of Colonel Brett[A], a very _debonnaire_ gentleman from
Gloucestershire, whom Cibber, his warmest admirer, trots out for our
inspection in the perennial "Apology." It appears that Sir Thomas
Skipwith, who has a share in the Drury Lane Patent, becomes so
disgusted with the antics of Rich and his refusal to make any
accounting of the profits of the house, that he presents Brett with
his interest.[B] To the Colonel the gift is a congenial one; he has
passed many a pleasant hour behind the scenes at Drury Lane, and
doubtless thinks that in doing so he writes himself down a very
knowing dog.

[Footnote A: Colonel Brett was the father of Anne Brett, who became a
very dear friend of George I.]

[Footnote B: Sir Thomas afterwards asserted that he only gave his
share to Brett strictly "in trust."]

Probably he is, for Cibber says that though he spent some time at the
Temple, "he so little followed the Law there that his neglect of it
made the Law (like some of his fair and frail admirers) very often
follow him." As he had an uncommon share of social wit and a handsome
person, with a sanguine bloom in his complexion, no wonder they
persuaded him that he might have a better chance of fortune by
throwing such accomplishments into the gayer world than by shutting
them up in a study.

* * * * *

"The first view that fires the head of a young gentleman of this
modish ambition just broke lose from business is to cut a figure (as
they call it)in a side box at the play, from whence their next step
is to the Green Room behind the scenes, sometimes their _non ultra_.
Hither at last, then, in this hopeful q