Mossop succeeded Quin, at Drury Lane, with credit.[62] Foote left "entertaining" at the Haymarket to play the Cibber parts in comedy, and he was ably seconded by Woodward, Mrs. Pritchard, and Kitty Clive. Miss Bellamy and Shuter passed to the Garden, the latter increasing in favour each night, as opportunity afforded. With the exception of minor pieces, and a revival of "King John," in which Garrick was an unlikely Faulconbridge, and Mossop a superb tyrant, the audiences were taken back to heavy classical tragedies. Drury played Glover's "Boadicea," a criticism of which is amusingly given by Walpole. "There is a new play of Glover's, in which Boadicea (Pritchard) rants as much as Visconti screams; but, happily, you hear no more of her after the third act, till, in the last scene, somebody brings a card with her compliments, and she is very sorry she cannot wait upon you, but she is dead. Then there is a scene between Lord Sussex and Cathcart, two captains" (Ænobarbus and Flaminius—Mossop and Havard), "which is most incredibly absurd; but yet the parts are so well acted, the dresses so fine, and two or three scenes pleasing enough, that it is worth seeing." Archbishop Herring thought the last two acts admirable. "In the fifth particularly, I hardly ever felt myself so strongly touched."
Of a second tragedy, Crisp's "Virginia," Walpole says it flourished through Garrick's acting. Murphy states that "the manner in which Garrick uttered two words, crowned the play with success; when in a low tone of voice that spoke the fulness of a broken heart, he pronounced, 'Thou traitor!' the whole audience was electrified, and testified their delight by a thunder of applause." It was, however, a poor play, even for a custom-house officer, who, by the way, made Appius (Mossop) propose to marry Virginia. Marcia was played by Mrs. Graham; Garrick did not think much of her; but we shall hear of her again as the great Mrs. Yates.
The third classical tragedy was Whitehead's "Creusa," founded on the Ion of Euripides. Walpole praises the interest, complexity, yet clearness and natural feeling of the plot. "It is the only new tragedy that I ever saw and really liked. The circumstance of so much distress being brought on by characters, every one good, yet acting consistently with their principles towards the misfortunes of the drama, is quite new and pleasing." As a reading play, I think "Creusa" is the greatest success Whitehead has achieved.
On the other hand, M'Namara Morgan's romantic tragedy "Philoclea" owed much of its ephemeral success to the fire, grace, beauty, and expression of Barry and Miss Nossiter (Pyrocles and Philoclea), the two lovers. The house literally "sighed like furnace" for very sympathy. The Rev. Mr. Genest says truly, "that the play is a poor play, but that the epilogue is not bad;"—it is a mass of uncleanness, worthy of the Ravenscroft whom Genest admired. As for Dr. Francis's "Constantine," in which Barry and Mrs. Bellamy played Constantine and Fulvia, it was a failure; but, therefore, Mrs. Bellamy recommended the author to the patronage of Fox; and it is certain that the father of Sir Philip Francis owed his promotion to the Suffolk rectory of Barrow to Lord Holland. There is something amusing in the idea of George Anne Bellamy indirectly nominating to Church benefices!
In the season of 1754-5, Garrick was relieved by the absence of Barry, who left Rich for Dublin, taking Miss Nossiter with him, at a salary of £1300 for both, for the season, and predicting ruin to Rich. The latter falsified the prediction, by bringing out Sheridan in all his best parts against Garrick, and in "Coriolanus," against Mossop. Sheridan and Dyer also played Romeo, greatly to the benefit of Barry; but Rich got well through his season with the above, and in spite of a tragedy, called "Appius," the ill success of which was reasonably attributed by the author, Moncrieff, to the fact that Sheridan had lopped off the fifth act; pantomime supplied its place.
Garrick, in addition to his old parts, created Achmet in "Barbarossa;" Mossop playing the tyrant, and Mrs. Cibber, Zaphira. His other novelties were the "Fairies," and the masque of Britannia;" the latter Apropos to the war. I do not know if Dr. Browne, the vicar of Great Horkesley, could have civilised the yet uncivilised dominion of Russia, as Catharine invited him to do; but he assuredly wrote a poor yet lucky tragedy, for it has lived while better have sunk into oblivion. It is "Merope" re-cast and dressed. "There is not one new thought in it," wrote Walpole; "and, which is the next material want, but one line of perfect nonsense. 'And rain down transports in the shape of sorrow!' To complete it, the manners are so ill-observed, that a Mahometan princess-royal is at full liberty to visit her lover in Newgate, like the banker's daughter in 'George Barnwell.'"
Walpole's criticism on the "Fairies" is not less smart. "Garrick has produced a detestable English opera, which is crowded by all true lovers of their country. To mark the opposite to Italian opera, it is sung by some cast singers, two Italians, a French girl, and the chapel-boys; and to regale us with sauce, it is Shakspeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream;' which," he adds, as if he inherited the feelings of Pepys with regard to this poetical play, "is forty times more nonsensical than the worst translation of any Italian opera books."
At the short summer season in the Haymarket, where Theophilus Cibber and his eccentric sister, Mrs. Charke, were at the head of "Bayes's" new-raised company of comedians, there appeared on the 21st of August, 1755, Miss Barton, in Miranda, to Cibber's Marplot. Besides this, and other comic characters, Miss Barton acted Desdemona. Not many years before this she was a shoeless flower-girl, purer looking than any of her own roses, in St. James's Park. We shall hear of her anon, under a name than which there is not a brighter in theatrical annals—the name of Abington.
The season of 1755-6 was remarkable for the fact that Garrick made three very absurd assaults on Shakspeare, by producing emendations of the "Winter's Tale," "Taming of the Shrew," and the "Tempest," cutting, clipping, adding, taking away, and saying the while:—