[ [201] "The Grub-Street Journal," 7th June, 1733, says: "One little Creature, only the Deputy and Representative of his Father, was turbulent enough to balk their Measures, and counterbalance all the Civility and Decency in the other scale.... To remedy this, the Gentleman who bought into the Patent first, purchased his Father's Share, and set him down in the same obscure Place from whence he rose."
[ [202] In "The Case of John Mills, James Quin," &c., given in Theo. Cibber's "Dissertations" (Appendix, p. 48), it is stated that "such has been the Inveteracy of some of the late Patentees to the Actors, that when Mrs. Booth, Executrix of her late Husband, Barton Booth, Esq; sold her sixth part of the Patent to Mr. Giffard, she made him covenant, not to sell or assign it to Actors."
[ [203] "I must own, I was heartily disgusted with the Conduct of the Family of the Cibbers on this Occasion, and had frequent and violent Disputes with Father and Son, whenever we met! It appeared to me something shocking that the Son should immediately render void, and worthless, what the Father had just received Thirty-one Hundred and Fifty Pounds for, as a valuable Consideration."—Victor's "History," i. 14.
[ [204] Cibber, in Chapter VIII. (vol. i. p. 283), alludes to this trial, and gives the first of these two suppositions as the reason of Harper's acquittal, but Victor ("History," i. 24) says that he has been informed that this is an error.
[ [205] "He was a Man of Humanity and strict Honour; many Instances fatally proved, that his Word, when solemnly given, (which was his Custom) was sufficient for the Performance, though ever so injurious to himself."—Victor's "History," i. 25.
[ [206] See ante, Chapter IX. (vol. i. Footnote 367 anchored on page 330)
[ [207] "The clamour against the author, whose presumption was highly censured for daring to alter Shakspeare, increased to such a height, that Colley, who had smarted more than once for dabbling in tragedy, went to the playhouse, and, without saying a word to any body, took the play from the prompter's desk, and marched off with it in his pocket."—"Dram. Misc.," i. 5.
[ [208] Produced at the Haymarket, 1737.
"Enter Ground-Ivy.
Ground. What are you doing here?
Apollo. I am casting the Parts in the Tragedy of King John.
Ground. Then you are casting the Parts in a Tragedy that won't do.
Apollo. How, Sir! Was it not written by Shakespear, and was not Shakespear one of the greatest Genius's that ever lived?
Ground. No, Sir, Shakespear was a pretty Fellow, and said some things that only want a little of my licking to do well enough; King John, as now writ, will not do——But a Word in your Ear, I will make him do.
Apollo. How?
Ground. By Alteration, Sir; it was a Maxim of mine when I was at the Head of Theatrical Affairs, that no Play, tho' ever so good, would do without Alteration."—"Historical Register," act iii. sc. 1.