fe to the horror and hostility
expressed by sectarians to plays and play-houses generally.
Independent of several of your plays which had obtained
possession of the stage, and were duly incorporated in the
legitimate drama, the first call to support the productions of a
fellow townsman, was, I think, Barker's opera of _The Indian
Princess_. Charles Ingersoll had previously written a tragedy, a
very able production for a very young man, which was supported
by all the "good society;" but Barker, who was "one of us," an
amiable and intelligent young fellow, who owed nothing to
hereditary rank, though his father was a Whig, and a soldier of
the Revolution, was in reality a fine spirited poet, a patriotic
ode writer, and finally a gallant soldier of the late war. The
managers gave Barker an excellent chance with all his plays, and
he had merit and popularity to give them in return full houses.

About this time, I ventured to attempt a little melo-drama,
under the title of "The Fortress of Sorrento" [1808], which, not
having money enough to pay for printing, nor sufficient
influence to have acted, I thrust the manuscript in my pocket,
and, having occasion to visit New-York, I called in at David
Longworth's Dramatic Repository one day, spoke of the little
piece, and struck a bargain with him, by giving him the
manuscript in return for a copy of every play he had published,
which at once furnished me with a tolerably large dramatic
collection. I believe the play never was performed, and I was
almost ashamed to own it; but it was my first regular attempt at
dramatic composition.

In the year 1812, while in Charleston, Mr. Young requested me to
write a piece for his wife's benefit. You remember her, no
doubt; remarkable as she was for her personal beauty and amiable
deportment, it would have been very ungallant to have refused,
particularly as he requested that it should be a "_breeches
part_," to use a green-room term, though she was equally
attractive in every character. Poor Mrs. Young! she died last
year in Philadelphia. When she first arrived in New-York, from
London, it was difficult to conceive a more perfect beauty; her
complexion was of dazzling whiteness, her golden hair and ruddy
complexion, figure somewhat _embonpoint_, and graceful carriage,
made her a great favour