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124 1796a

S.B.N. GB: 576.02104.0

Republished in 1969 by Gregg International Publishers Limited 1 Westmead, Farnborough, Hants., England

Printed in offset by Anton Hain KG, Meisenheim/Glan
Western Germany

THE

LIFE

OF

DAVID GARRICK, Esq.

DAVID GARRICK was born at Hereford in the year 1717. His father followed the military profession and bad at the time of bis death been advanced to a Majority in the Army. Our Author received the first Rudiments of bis Education at the Free School at Litchfield, which be afterwards compleated at Rochester, under the celebrated Mr Colson, since Mathematical Professor at Cambridge. On the gth of March 1736, be was entered of the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn, being intended for the Bar; but whether be found the study of the Law too beavy, saturnine, and barren of amusement for his more active and lively disposition, or that a genius like bis could not continue circumscribed within the limits of any profession, but that to which it was more particularly adapted; like the Magnetic needle pointed directly to its proper centre, or perhaps both, it is certain that be did not long pursue the Municipal Law; for in the year 1740, be quitted it entirely for the Stage. Having performed a noviciate at Ipswich, be made bis appearance at Goodman's Fields; and October 19th 1741, acted Richard III. for the first time. His acting was attended with the loudest acclamations of applause; and bis fame was so quickly propagated through the town, that the more established Theatres of Drury Lane, and Covent Garden, were deserted. These Patentees, alarmed at the great deficiency in the receipts of their bouses, and at the crouds which constantly filled the Theatre of Goodman's Fields, united their efforts to destroy the new raised seat of Theatrical empire; in consequence of which, Garrick entered into an agreement with Fleetwood, Patentee of Drury Lane for £. 500 a-year. The fame of

our

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