Here's Whittington's cat, and the tall dromedary,
The chaise without horses, and Queen of Hungary;
Here's the merry-go-rounds, 'Come, who rides? come, who rides?' Sir;
Wine, beer, ale, and cakes, fire-eating besides, Sir.
The fam'd learned dog, that can tell all his letters;
And some men, as scholars, are not much his betters."
Drury-lane Theatre was much improved in 1762, by lengthening the stage, enlarging the boxes and pit, and rebuilding the galleries. This alteration probably originated from the hopes of additional profit. Another in the management had its rise from the same cause; but the publick were less satisfied than with the former, as in the latter the advantage was by no means mutual between the proprietors and their patrons. The managers intimated that nothing under full prices would be taken during the performance; and the intimation received no opposition till January 1763: at that period symptoms of resistance appeared; and the publick complained that the time had been when they were admitted to the boxes for 4s. 6d. to witness plays performed by Booth, Wilkes, Cibber, Doggett, Norris, Penkethman, Johnson, Griffin, Porter, and Oldfield; and were then compelled to pay 5s. to hear half a play acted by Garrick, Cibber, Yates,
King[236:A], Packer[236:A], Holland, Obrien[236:B], Bransby, Palmer, and Ackman.
The audience of Covent-garden Theatre seized the first opportunity of demanding that full prices should no longer be insisted upon for half plays and the farce, except when new pieces were represented; and received a promise from the proprietors of acceding to their wishes.
Mr. Garrick of Drury-lane Theatre resisted, and published this notice in the Advertiser: