ted version of Macbeth, in which King Duncan, Hecate, the First
Murderer, and the Doctor were performed by one actor; the bleeding
soldier, one of the apparitions, and Seyton by another; and Fleance,
the Apparition of a crowned head, and the Gentlewoman by the juvenile
lady of the company, the characters of Donaldbain and Siward being
wholly omitted.

Harley's first theatrical engagement was with Jerrold, the manager of
a company at Cranbrook. His salary was fifteen shillings a week, and
in a representation of "The Honeymoon" he appeared as Jaques, Lampedo,
and Lopez, accomplishing the task with the assistance of several wigs
and cloaks. In "John Bull" he played Dan, John Burr, and Sir Francis
Rochdale; another actor doubling the parts of Peregrine and Tom
Shuffleton, while the manager's wife represented Mrs. Brulgruddery and
Frank Rochdale, attiring the latter in a pair of very loose nankeen
trousers and a very tight short jacket. The entire company consisted
of "four white males, three females, and a negro." Certain of the
parts were assigned in the playbills to a Mr. Jones. These, much to
his surprise, Harley was requested by the manager to assume. "Between
you and me," he whispered mysteriously to his young recruit, "there's
no such person as Mr. Jones. Our company's rather thin just now, but
there's no reason why the fact should be noised abroad." Other
provincial managers were much less anxious to conceal the paucity of
their company. A country playbill, bearing date 1807, seems indeed to
vaunt the system of doubling to which the _impresario_ had been
driven. The comedy of "The Busy Body" was announced for performance
with the following extraordinary cast:

Sir Francis Gripe and Charles Mr. Johnston.
Sir George Airy and Whisper Mr. Deans.
Sir Jealous Traffic and Marplot Mr. Jones.
Miranda and Scentwell Mrs. Deans.
Patch and Isabinda Mrs. Jones.

Among other feats of doubling or trebling may be counted the
performance, on the same night, by a Mrs. Stanley, at the Coburg
Theatre, of the parts of Lady Anne, Tressell, and Richmond, in
"Richard III." A Mr. W. Rede once accomplished the difficult feat of
appearing as Sir Lucius O'Trigger, Fag, and Mrs. Malaprop in a
representation of "The Rivals," the lady's entrance in the last scene
having been preceded by the abrupt exit of Sir Lucius and the omission
of the concluding passages of his part. The