Harris said, the measure being advisable, the sooner it was carried into execution the better. Mr. Powell accordingly gave the necessary orders; but when the bills came in, Mr. Harris and his colleague forbade the payment of the sum charged for two lustres to their Majesties box, saying it was a measure that had not been submitted to them.
"The pitiful charge concerning orders sent into the Theatre, as far as it is imputed to me as an artifice to support my reputation, Mr. Harris knows to be false. Mr. Rutherford and himself have told me more than once, that I sent in fewer orders than any of the proprietors. The little piece at which his malice points was, with all its faults, extremely successful, and of great advantage to our Theatre last season. The people sent to the house on one night in particular did not go at my desire in support of my piece, but at the instance of all the proprietors in support of the house, which was threatened to be pulled down; and it was thought a very cheap expedient to sacrifice a hundred pounds, to prevent a tumult which might perhaps have occasioned a loss of one or two thousand. As to the piece, good or bad, being very well acted, it brought great houses, and was received with much applause, so that however Mr. Harris may prove the soundness of his taste and judgment, he certainly does
not manifest his gratitude by a public disapprobation of it.
"I am now arrived at that period, where I should think any present appeal to the publick, if any were necessary, ought to have begun; but as T. Harris chose to go over the old ground again, I was obliged to follow him, and to trace him through all his doublings of cunning and sophistry. What follows is entirely new matter, which has arisen since the tenth of February, the date of my last publication.
"The first new act of hostility on the side of the negative managers was intended, like their late proceedings, as a negative general, being calculated to deprive us of the very sinews of war. On the 14th of February they sent, without our knowledge, the following letter to the bankers where our money was deposited.
'To Messrs. Freame, Smith, and Co.
'Gentlemen,
'We desire you will not pay any money, or deliver any property in your hands belonging to the proprietors of Covent-garden Theatre to any person whatsoever, until farther notice from us. And we desire you in like manner, to retain any further sums of money belonging to the said proprietors that may be sent to you. We are, &c.
T. Harris. J. Rutherford.
London, 14th Feb. 1768.'