mozet the copy, with a message,
expressing a desire that he would act in it next season. Nor was this
favourite actor backward in commending the piece, which he mentioned
with such expressions of regard, that I do not choose to repeat:
assuring me that he would appear in it, provided he should be engaged
to play at all during the ensuing season. In the meantime, he desired I
would give him leave to peruse it in the country, whither he intended
to remove next day, that he might have leisure to consider and point out
such alterations as might, perhaps, be necessary for its representation;
and took my direction, that he might communicate by letter the
observations he should make. Trusting to these assurances, and the
interest which had been made in my behalf, I hugged myself in the
expectation of seeing it not only acted, but acted to the greatest
advantage, and this I thought could not fail of recompensing me in ample
manner for the anxiety and affliction I had undergone; but six weeks
being elapsed, I did not know how to reconcile Mr. Marmozet's silence
with his promise of writing to me in ten days after he set out for the
country; however, I was at last favoured with a letter, importing that
he had made some remarks on my tragedy, which he would freely impart at
meeting, and advised me to put it, without loss of time, into the hands
of that manager, who had the best company; as he himself was quite
uncertain whether or not he should be engaged that winter. I was a good
deal alarmed at this last part of his letter, and advised about it
with a friend, who told me, it was a plain indication of Mr. Marmozet's
desire to get rid of his promise; that his pretended uncertainty about
acting next winter was no other than a scandalous evasion; for, to his
certain knowledge, he was already engaged, or at least in terms, with
Mr. Vandal; and that his design was to disappoint me, in favour of a new
comedy, which he had purchased of the author, and intended to bring upon
the stage for his own advantage.

"In short, my dear sir, this person, who, I must own, is if a sanguine
complexion, handled the moral character of Mr. Marmozet with such
severity, that I began to suspect him of some particular prejudice,
and put myself upon my guard against his insinuations. I ought to crave
pardon for this tedious narration of trivial circumstances, which,
however interesting they may be to me, must certainly be very dry and
insipid to the ear of on