fully planted and kept clean, which, with a suitable proportion of turf, secured the year's provision both for man and beast. When these comforts were placed in their view, they were easily led to turn their attention to the better appearance of their persons, and this reform was not a little furthered by the premium of a Sunday's dinner to all, who should present themselves in clean linen and with well-combed hair, without the customary addition of a scare-crow wig, so that the swarthy Milesian no longer appeared with a yellow wig upon his coal-black hair, nor the yellow Dane with a coal-black wig upon his long red locks: the old barbarous custom also of working in a great coat loosely thrown over the shoulders, with the sleeves dangling by the sides, was now dismissed, and the bishop's labourers turned into the field, stript to their shirts, proud to shew themselves in whole linen, so that in them vanity operated as a virtue, and piqued them to excel in industry as much as they did in appearance. As for me, I was so delighted with contemplating a kind of new creation, of which my father was the author, that I devoted the greatest portion of my time to his works, and had full powers to prosecute his good intentions to whatever extent I might find opportunities for carrying them. This commission was to me most gratifying, nor have any hours in my past life been more truly satisfactory, than those in which I was thus occupied as the administrator of his unbounded benevolence to his dependant fellow creatures. My father, being one of the governors of the Linen Board, availed himself also of the opportunity for introducing a branch of that valuable manufacture into his neighbourhood, and a great number of spinning-wheels were distributed, and much good linen made in consequence of that measure. The superintendance of this improving manufacture furnished an interesting occupation to my mother's active mind, and it flourished under her care. In the month of October my father removed his family to Dublin, and from thence I returned to resume my official duty at the Board of Trade. In the course of this winter I brought out my first comedy, entitled The Brothers, at Covent Garden theatre, then under the direction of Mr. Harris and his associates, joint proprietors with him. I had written this play, after my desultory manner, at such short periods of time and leisure, as I could snatch from business or the society of my family, and sometimes even in the midst of both, for I could then form whole scenes in my memory, and afterwards write them down, when opportunity offered; neither was it any interruption, if my children were playing about me in the room. I believe I was indebted to Mr. Harris singly for the kind reception, which this offer met; for if I rightly remember what passed on that occasion, my Brothers were not equally acceptable to his brethren as to him. He took it however with all its responsibility, supported it and cast it with the best strength of his company. Woodward in the part of Ironsides, and Yates in that of Sir Benjamin Dove, were actors, that could keep their scene alive, if any life was in it: Quick, then a young performer, took the part of Skiff, and my friend Smith, who had prompted me to the undertaking, was the young man of the piece; Mrs. Green performed Lady Dove, and Mrs. Yates was the heroine Sophia. The play was successful, and I believe I may say that it brought some advantage to the theatre as well as some reputation to its author. It has been much played on the provincial stages, and occasionally revived on the royal ones. There are still such excellent successors in the lines of Yates and Woodward to be found in both theatres, that perhaps it would not even now be a loss of labour, if they took it up afresh. I recollect that I borrowed the hint of Sir Benjamin's assumed valour upon being forced into a rencounter from one of the old comedies, and if I conjecture rightly it is The Little French Lawyer. It may be said of this comedy, as it may of most, it has some merits and some faults; it has its scenes that tell, and its scenes that tire; a start of character, such as that of the tame Sir Benjamin, is always a striking incident in the construction of a drama, and when a revolution of that sort can be brought about without violence to nature, and for purposes essential to the plot, it is a point of art well worthy the attention and study of a writer for the stage. The comedy of Rule a Wife and have a Wife, and particularly that of Massinger's City Madam, are strong instances in point. It is to be wished that some man of experience in stage effect would adapt the latter of these comedies to representation. Garrick was in the house at the first night of The Brothers, and as I was planted in the back seat of an upper box opposite to where he sate, I could not but remark his action of surprise when Mrs. Yates opened the epilogue with the following lines "Who but hath seen the celebrated strife, My friend Fitzherbert, father of Lord St. Helen, was then with Garrick, and came from his box to me across the house to tell me, that the immortal actor had been taken by surprise, but was not displeased with the unexpected compliment from an author, with whom he had supposed he did not stand upon the best terms; alluding no doubt to his transaction with Lord Halifax respecting The Banishment of Cicero. From this time Mr. Garrick took pains to cultivate an acquaintance, which he had hitherto neglected, and after Mr. Fitz |