come that dignity and figure which the poffeffes in fo eminent a degree.

I am now about to enter upon a very important event in my life, viz. the means by which I was prevented from publishing my letter to Mr. Calcraft. Had it found its way to the public at that time, it would, I flatter myself, have avenged me in fome measure of a man who had treated me with fuch unparalleled injustice, and have vindicated my conduct, with refpect to him, to the whole world. But as I was prevailed upon, Ι may fay compelled, not to do it then, when it would have been of much more fervice to me, and have prevented many misfortunes which have fince happened to me, I fhall, as I have already promised you, fend it to you by way of fupplement to my narrative; for, without it, many circumstances in my life will want elucidation.

4

As it makes fo interefting a part of my story, I fhall begin my next letter with it.-Nor will this be the only important circumftance that it will contain. You will read therein fome other incidents, which will tend to confirm the obfervation I have lately made, that no mortal ever found their hopes fo fuddenly and completely frustrated as I have done.

G. A. B.

LET

THE day of the reprefentation of the "

Eng"lish Merchant," as mentioned in my last, I had saufed an advertisement to be inferted in all the public papers, to the following purport: “Spee

dily will be published, a letter from George "Ann Bellamy, to John Calcraft, Efq;" with this

motto ;

"So comes the reck'ning when the banquet's o'er, « The dreadful reckʼning, and men fmile no more. GAY.

Juft before the piece was going to begin, Mr. Colman came into my dreffing-room, and informed me, that, in confequence of my advertisement, Mr. Calcraft had been at his houfe, vowing vengeance against the theatre, if I did not promife to give up all thoughts of fuch a publication; which, he faid, was at once putting a dagger into his heart, and a piftol to his head. He concluded, with many imprecations, that, if I did not at least give fome time, he would not only put his threats' into execution, but apply to the Lord Chamber-' fain to have me filenced; and, moreover, turn

'my

my children adrift, who should perish before he would afford them any affiffance.

Mr. Colman expreffed fome displeasure at the rudeness of Mr. Calcraft's behaviour, who departed abruptly. The manager, however, actuated, I doubt not, by a regard for me, used many arguments to induce me to give up the point. Among others, he defired me to remember that I was playing under a letter of licence, and confequently, by perfifting, I should greatly injure my creditors. To this he added every inducement that feemed likely to fucceed. I was, however, ftill obftinate.

He then entreated, that I would only defer the publication till the end of the season. At length, yielding to his reiterated entreaties, I gave him my promise that I would confent to his wishes : a promise that I have never ceased repenting of, from the hour in which I made it, to the prefent: for, had I perfevered in my intention, the world would have been clearly convinced of the cruelty with which I had been treated.

But Mr. Calcraft was not indebted to me in the leaft for this compliance. The esteem and regard. I entertained for the gentleman who negociated the affair, was my only inducement. To him, and not to my betrayer, was the conceffion made. I was fo exafperated at his having pro

pagated

pagated a report that our feparation was occafioned by fome gallantries of mine, particularly with the Earl of Harrington (as I have hinted be fore, and fhall further explain in my letter), that I ought in justice to myself to have expofed his fallacies at the time.

But it was always to be my lot unfortunately to be over-ruled, when the steps I was about to take were dictated by prudence. I can only attribute my imprudent conceffion, in this cafe, to the instigation of that evil genius, who generally counteracted every defign which feemed to be for my good. Not but that I am perfectly fatisfied Mr. Colman had no other motive for his folicitations than friendship; and this weighed much with me. The confideration of his own intereft was out of the question; for, had Mr. Calcraft and his affociates done any injury to the theatre, persons of fuch over-grown fortunes would doubtlefs have made ample amends for whatever lofs the proprietors might have fuftained. There was, in short, a fatality in it, the current of which I could not stem.

The following circumftance will likewife prove, that the fame evil genius, or fome other undifcoverable caufe, ufually prevented me from purfuing the path that led to my welfare. The rupture between the proprietors was now come

VOL. IV.

I

to

to a crifis. This, as I was informed, rendered it neceffary for Mr. Colman to get a paper figned by the performers, expreffing their approbation of his management, and containing an acquiefcence to be guided by his direction.

This paper the manager brought to me, and defired I would fign it. Upon which I frankly told him, that as I was engaged to all four of the proprietors, it did not appear to me, at first fight, to be prudent to fign any paper giving one a preference over rhe others. To which he replied, that, as by the articles which fubfifted between him and the other proprietors he was allowed to be the only acting manager, he could fee no impropriety in my figning a paper which merely related to that right. He then added, that he was fo well affured I fhould, upon due reflection, be of his way of thinking, that he would leave the paper with me, and eat a chop with me the next day,

Mr. Colman was fcarcely gone, before Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Woodward came in; and, I have fome reason to think, on the fame bufinefs; as the former immediately exclaimed, "Have you

figned it?" Upon my anfwering in the negative, but acknowledging that the paper was left with me for my confideration, Mr. Rutherford wanted me to fhew it to him. This I abfolutely refused