nveterate enemy; and the greatest blow
that was ever struck at her reputation, was by that woman, who had
been before her friend. She was not content to inform persons who
began to know and esteem Mrs. Manley, that her marriage was a
cheat; but even endeavoured to make the duchess jealous of her new
favourite's charms, in respect of Mr. Goodman the player, who at
that time had the honour of approaching her grace's person, with the
freedom of a gallant.

As the duchess of Cleveland was a woman of a very fickle temper,
in six months time she began to be tired of Mrs. Manley. She was
quarrelsome, loquacious, fierce, excessively fond, or downright rude;
when she was disgusted with any person, she never failed to reproach
them, with all the bitterness of wit she was mistress of, with such
malice, and ill-nature, that she was hated, not only by all the world,
but by her own children and servants: The extremes of prodigality,
and covetousness, of love, and hatred, of dotage, and fondness, met
in her. A woman of this temper will be at no loss for the means of
effecting any one's ruin, and having now conceived an aversion to our
poetess, she was resolved to drive her from her house, with as much
reproach as possible; and accordingly gave out, that she had detected
Mrs. Manley in an intrigue with her own son, and as she did not care
to give encouragement to such amours, she thought proper to discharge
her. Whether or not there was any truth in this charge, it is
impossible for us to determine: But if Mrs. Manley's own word may be
taken, in such a case, she was perfectly innocent thereof.

When our authoress was dismissed by the duchess, she was sollicited by
lieutenant-general Tidcomb, to pass some time with him at his country
seat; but she excused herself by telling him, she must be in love with
a man, before she could think of residing with him, which she could
not, without a violation of truth, profess for him. She told him her
love of solitude was improved, by her disgust of the world, and
since it was impossible for her to be public with reputation, she was
resolved to remain in it concealed.

It was in this solitude she composed her first tragedy, which was much
more famous for the language, fire, and tenderness, than the conduct.
Mrs. Barry distinguished herself in it, and the author was often heard
to express great surprize, that a man of Mr. Betterton's grave sense,
and judgment, should think well enough of the produc