The Case of Mrs. Clive | Page 8

Fears were not ill-grounded, as I doubt not but I Å¿hall make
appear.

When the Actors Affairs obliged 'em to return to the Theatres laſt
Winter, under Å¿uch Abatements of their Salaries as hardly afforded
the greater Part of them a Subſiſtence, I was offered, by the
Manager of _Drury-Lane_ Theatre, Å¿uch Terms as bore no Proportion
to what he gave other Performers, or to thoſe he had offered me at the
beginning of the Seaſon. They were ſuch as I was adviſ'd not to
accept, becauſe it was known they were propoſed for no reaſon
but to inſult me, and make me ſeek for better at the other Theatre;
for I knew it had been Å¿ettled, by Å¿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 Å¿hould meet with better
Terms at _Covent-Garden_, becauſe that Manager had made many
Overtures to get me into his Company the preceding Seaſon, and
many times before: But when I apply'd to him, he offered me exactly
the ſame which I had refuſed at the other Theatre, and which I
likewiſe rejected, but was perſuaded to accept ſome very little
better, rather than ſeem obſtinate in not complying as well as others,
and yielded ſo far to the Neceſſity of the Time, as to Act under a
much leſs Salary than ſeveral other Performers on that Stage, and
ſubmitted to pay a Sum of Money for my Benefit, notwithſtanding
I had had one clear of all Expence for Nine Years before; an Advantage
the firſt Performers had been thought to merit for near Thirty Years,
and had grown into a Cuſtom.
When I was fixed at that Theatre I determined to Å¿tay there; I did, in
all things which related to my Profeſſon, ſubmit intirely to that
Manager's Direction, and, with the help of other principal Performers,
did greatly promote his Intereſt, as was evident from the Audiences
after we went to Act there; but I found, by his Behaviour to me, it was
deſigned I ſhould not continue with him, but return the next
Seaſon to _Drury-Lane._
The Agreements betwixt that Manager and me were verbal, but made
before two Gentlemen of Character and Fortune, on whom I muſt
depend for the fulfilling of them; they were for one Year. At the end of
the Acting-ſeaſon the Manager ſent an Office-keeper to me with
Å¿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 requeſted to
ſee the Manager, who came and acknowledged them, and promiſed

to bring one of the Gentlemen who was preſsent at our Ingagements
in a Day or two and pay me, and then he Å¿aid he had done with me;
but he has not paid me, nor have I ever Å¿een him Å¿ince, or as much
as heard from him.
It has always been a Cuſtom in Theatres, that if ever any Actor or
Actreſs was to be diſcharged, or their Allowance leſſen'd, they
were acquainted with it at the End of the Seaſon; the Reaſon of this
will appear to be the giving them a proper Notice to provide for
themſelves: This the Manager of _Covent-Garden_ did to all his
Company whom he deſigned to diſcharge, or whoſe Allowance
was to be leſſen'd, except to me, which made me actually then
conclude he determined I Å¿hould continue with him, 'till I was
undeceived by his Play-Bills with the Names of other Actreſſes in
Parts I uſed to perform; ſo that he has not only broke thro' the
Cuſtoms of the Theatre, but thoſe in practice almoſt every where,
in diſmiſſing me, and has done me a real Injury in ſuch an
unprecedented Act of Injuſtice; for had I been informed of his
Deſign at the End of the Seaſon, I could have made Terms to have
acted in Ireland, where I had met with moſt uncommon Civilities,
and received very great Advantages, which I Å¿hall ever remember
with the utmoſt Gratitude, and take this and every other Opportunity
to acknowledge.
As I have ſaid, it has been a Cuſtom to give Actors Notice of a
Diſcharge: I muſt at the ſame time obſerve, That it never was a
Cuſtom to diſcharge any, but upon Neglect of their Buſineſs, or
Å¿uch as were obnoxious to the Publick; this Maxim extended even to
thoſe of the loweſt Claſs; but to thoſe, on whoſe
Performances the Town had been pleaſed to ſtamp a Value, by their
Indulgence and Applauſe, the Stage was always a Support, even after
Age or any Accident had made 'em incapable of their Profeſſion;
for the then Patentees thought it as great a Piece of Inſolence to
deprive