No matter for that; this man, I assure you,
Has opened against us a new LITTLE Drury.
Tho' not in the face of our playhouse, good lack!
My lord, 'tis as bad, for he strikes in the back.
He gave Ph-p Ast-y (in cash he abounds)
For his wooden construction, 'bout three thousand
pounds;

And having white-wash'd and embellish'd the same,
Has borrow'd a LITTLE of Drury-Lane's name.
I enter against this new stage my protest,
And hope by your lordship it will be suppress'd.
To show what the law in this case too enacts,
I'll state to your lordship a few well known facts-
When Palmer the Royalty Theatre raised,
The managers seemed both perplexed and amazed,
They issued their threats in the newspapers daily,
And also in bills posted round the Old Bailey.
How great were the Royalty company's fears,
For vagrant and vagabond rung in their ears.
The act of George Two, at this time was referr'd

to, And lawyers, on both sides, accordingly heard too. However, the magistrates quickly agreed,

That Palmer had no legal right to proceed.
The regular drama one night grac'd his scenes,
Which was As you like it, and Miss in her Teens;

And, conscious he acted without regularity,
The profits were wisely bestow'd on a charity.
Unfortunate Palmer soon after began

To act little pieces on Sadler's Well's plan,

*

As against him the lawyers had given their voice,
What else but burlettas cou'd be Hobson's Choice.*
The managers still their informers dispatch'd,
Who all the performances narrowly watch'd,
And sent poor D-lp-i to quod, like a thief,
Because on the stage he had uttered "Roast beef."
So Palmer, now finding his labour was vain,
Return'd to the Theatre Royal again.

Here also Macready, sixteen years ago,
Attempted burlettas, and pantomime show;
But still there were spies sent to give information,
Which brought his attempt to a quick termination.
Your lordship, without any doubt, will allow,
What then was the law, is the very same now;
How comes it that E-ll-n, then, can do more
Than the veteran Palmer attempted before?
How comes it Macready cou'd not play as well
Burlettas as Scott, in his new Sans Pariel?
At the Circus-I mean Surry Theatre-they
Have given new editions of Shakespear and Gay,

* The name of the first burletta brought out at the Royalty Theatre.

ADDRESS II.

Anthony Pasquin to R~~ C——tɛ, Esq.

YOUR zeal for theatricals much I commend,
And hope to be, therefore, considered your friend.
You want popularity, I want the rhino,
And both are attainable, very well, I know;

own.

By puff and memoirs I shall soon raise your name, Provided that I've some reward for the same. I've written already the lives of comedians, Whose spirits have long ago sought other regions, But that I may be by yourself better known, I'll give you, good sir, a brief sketch of my In Dublin I made my first scribbling essay, As dramatist there I dress'd up an old play; But soon was my comedy laid on the shelf, And only the title, sir, liv'd in myselfYes, liv'd in myself, for, good sir, you must know, Ever after they call'd me The Unfortunate Beau! Quite mortified then, with such critics as these, Whom few are the authors that ever can please,

To London I came, where subsistence I sought;
To make now a fortune I really thought.

As satire had brought Peter Pindar such fame,
Of course a satirical bard I became;

And knowing he wrote by a title fictitious,

I borrow'd a name, wou'd I hoped be propitious.
The children of Thespis now dreaded my pen,
For I was resolv'd upon lashing them then.

By terror obliged, to my work they subscribed, And great were my profits, when thus I was bribed;

But Fortune is fickle, she frequently frowns,

And many, you know, are this world's ups and downs;

I had not a friend, and suffice it to say,
I found it expedient to go far away;
But in the mean time-very hard is my case,
My enemies loaded my name with disgrace.
I damages sought, as a fit compensation,
When greater, indeed, was my mortification,
That I was a libeller, oft was repeated,
And so it was deem'd I was properly treated.
However, some how my affairs I adjusted,
And then to my wits for subsistence I trusted.
So busy am I that I'm all over dirt,

I scarcely have time to put on a clean shirt.

Thus having with candor my station imparted,
I hope I shall find you, dear sir, tender-hearted;
A property handsome, I hear you inherit;
I'm willing by puffs to confer on your merit;
Henceforward shall you be an amateur called,
And all your performances highly extolled.
To write for you, sir, shall be my occupation,
I'll give you on hobbies a fine dissertation,
And in my accounts I shall take care to mention,
You act with a kind and praise-worthy intention
T'assist the unfortunate and the forsaken.
These panegyrics the public will take in;
I'll hold up your motives to such admiration,
Your acting shall meet with great approbation.
But I will expect, and its not out of reason,
You'll play for my benefit every season;
I'll borrow a widow's name on the occasion,

Or else get a friend's, by the dint of persuasion;
And by this manœuvre, perhaps, I may clear
A sum for my purposes, every year.

"Twill then be my interest to keep up your name; I'll publish to all your theatrical fame;

A favourite actor you'll be, I engage,

When sporting your legs on the Haymarket stage; Not only the Haymarket, but, I assure you,

The Opera House, the Lyceum, and Drury.