o
more _Harlequin_; his humour was quite disconcerted; his conscience
could not, with the same effrontery, declare against nature, without the
cover of that unchanging face, which he was sure would never blush for
it; no, it was quite another case; without that armour his courage could
not come up to the bold strokes that were necessary to get the better of
common sense.'

Amongst the more notable performances of _The Emperor of the Moon_ were
two at Dorset Garden on the 16 and 21 November, 1706, when Estcourt
acted Scaramouch, and Pinkethman, Harlequin. On 3 September, 1708, at
Drury Lane, Bullock was Scaramouch; Bickerstaffe, Harlequin; Johnson,
the old Doctor; Powell, Don Cinthio. At Lincoln's Inn Fields, 28 June,
1717, Bullock again sustained Scaramouch and had Spiller as his
Harlequin. Four years later, 6 February, 1721, they were acting the same
roles at this theatre, with Mrs. Cross as Bellemante, and Quin, Ryan, in
the cast. The farce was repeated on 25 October of the same year. Bullock
and Spiller kept their favourite parts, Hall was Baliardo; Quin,
Cinthio; Ryan, Charmante; Mrs. Egleton, Mopsophil; Mrs. Bullock,
Bellemante. Doggett's _The Country Wake_ was played the same night. Ten
years later, still at this theatre, on 20 October, 1731, Hall was again
Baliardo and Mrs. Egleton, Mopsophil. On this occasion Pinkethman played
Harlequin; Hippisley, Scaramouch; Milward, Charmante; and Chapman,
Cinthio. The farce was put on as a first piece at Covent Garden, 14
February, 1739. Pinkethman was Harlequin; Rosco, Scaramouch; Arthur, the
Doctor; Hallam, Charmante; Hall, Cinthio; Mrs. James, Mopsophil; Mrs.
Vincent, Elaria; and the fair Bellamy, Bellemante. In 1748 there was a
curious rivalry between the two theatres when both produced _The Emperor
of the Moon_ on the same night, 26 December. At Covent Garden, where it
was billed 'not acted 10 years', and produced as a first piece at
considerable expense with magnificent decorations, Cushing played
Harlequin; Dunstall, Scaramouch; Sparks, Baliardo; Ryan, Charmante;
Delane, Cinthio; Peg Woffington, Bellemante; and the Bellamy, Elaria.
It was, however, a dead failure and only acted twice. Contrary to
expectation Cushing was very bad as Harlequin, whilst at Drury Lane
Woodward was excellent. At the Lane, where it was played with Mrs.
Centlivre's _A Bold Stroke for a Wife_ and billed 'not acted 20 years',
Yates took Scaramouch; Palmer, Charmante; King, Cinthio; Winstone,
B