The Case of Mrs. Clive | Page 8

me ??eek for better at the other Theatre; for I knew it had been ??ettled, by ??ome dark Agreement, that Part of the Actors were to go to _Covent-Garden_ Theatre, and others to _Drury-Lane_; I did, indeed, apprehend I ??hould meet with better Terms at _Covent-Garden_, becau??e that Manager had made many Overtures to get me into his Company the preceding Sea??on, and many times before: But when I apply'd to him, he offered me exactly the ??ame which I had refu??ed at the other Theatre, and which I likewi??e rejected, but was per??uaded to accept ??ome very little better, rather than ??eem ob??tinate in not complying as well as others, and yielded ??o far to the Nece????ity of the Time, as to Act under a much le??s Salary than ??everal other Performers on that Stage, and ??ubmitted to pay a Sum of Money for my Benefit, notwith??tanding I had had one clear of all Expence for Nine Years before; an Advantage the fir??t Performers had been thought to merit for near Thirty Years, and had grown into a Cu??tom.
When I was fixed at that Theatre I determined to ??tay there; I did, in all things which related to my Profe????on, ??ubmit intirely to that Manager's Direction, and, with the help of other principal Performers, did greatly promote his Intere??t, as was evident from the Audiences after we went to Act there; but I found, by his Behaviour to me, it was de??igned I ??hould not continue with him, but return the next Sea??on to _Drury-Lane._
The Agreements betwixt that Manager and me were verbal, but made before two Gentlemen of Character and Fortune, on whom I mu??t depend for the fulfilling of them; they were for one Year. At the end of the Acting-??ea??on the Manager ??ent an Office-keeper to me with ??ome Salary that was due, who required a Receipt in full; I told him a very great Part of my Agreements were yet due, and reque??ted to ??ee the Manager, who came and acknowledged them, and promi??ed to bring one of the Gentlemen who was pre??sent at our Ingagements in a Day or two and pay me, and then he ??aid he had done with me; but he has not paid me, nor have I ever ??een him ??ince, or as much as heard from him.
It has always been a Cu??tom in Theatres, that if ever any Actor or Actre??s was to be di??charged, or their Allowance le????en'd, they were acquainted with it at the End of the Sea??on; the Rea??on of this will appear to be the giving them a proper Notice to provide for them??elves: This the Manager of _Covent-Garden_ did to all his Company whom he de??igned to di??charge, or who??e Allowance was to be le????en'd, except to me, which made me actually then conclude he determined I ??hould continue with him, 'till I was undeceived by his Play-Bills with the Names of other Actre????es in Parts I u??ed to perform; ??o that he has not only broke thro' the Cu??toms of the Theatre, but tho??e in practice almo??t every where, in di??mi????ing me, and has done me a real Injury in ??uch an unprecedented Act of Inju??tice; for had I been informed of his De??ign at the End of the Sea??on, I could have made Terms to have acted in Ireland, where I had met with mo??t uncommon Civilities, and received very great Advantages, which I ??hall ever remember with the utmo??t Gratitude, and take this and every other Opportunity to acknowledge.
As I have ??aid, it has been a Cu??tom to give Actors Notice of a Di??charge: I mu??t at the ??ame time ob??erve, That it never was a Cu??tom to di??charge any, but upon Neglect of their Bu??ine??s, or ??uch as were obnoxious to the Publick; this Maxim extended even to tho??e of the lowe??t Cla??s; but to tho??e, on who??e Performances the Town had been plea??ed to ??tamp a Value, by their Indulgence and Applau??e, the Stage was always a Support, even after Age or any Accident had made 'em incapable of their Profe????ion; for the then Patentees thought it as great a Piece of In??olence to deprive the Publick of their Plea??ures, as of Cruelty and Inju??tice to deny tho??e a Sub??i??tence who had contributed towards 'em; for they knew and acknowledged, that the Publick was the only Support of all, con??equently had an indi??putable Right to be plea??ed in the be??t manner po????ible.
It is pretended by the Managers, that they have the ??ame Right to di??charge an Actor that a Ma??ter has to turn away a Servant, than which nothing can be more fal??e and ab??urd; for, when a Ma??ter di??mi????es a Servant, there are many thou??ands be??ides to apply to; but when the Managers di??mi??s an Actor, where are