Three Years after, my Affairs carried me over to Ireland, where I had the Pleafure to find your GRACE the VICEROY. There my first Impreffions were greatly improved, by the illuftrious Character the LORD LIEUTENANT had fo univerfally obtained. There I found your GRACE the PROMOTER of the LINEN BOARD.. and by your appropriating appropriating a Fund of twenty thoufand Pounds a Year for its Establishment, it is now become not only the Staple Manufacture, but, by the Extent of its Exports, the chief Revenue of that Kingdom.

Thus, like a wife and difinterested GOVERNOR, your GRACE opened a Scene of future Wealth and Happiness to that Nation; as Plans of public Good, the beneficial

The DEDICATION.

vii

neficial Confequences of which are to defcend to POSTERITY, can only be fuggested, and carried into Execution, by a great and truly PATRIOT Mind.

But fuch Conduct was due to your GRACE'S REPUTATION; a CHARACTER early raised, and nobly fupported, by that fingular and unblemished Integrity, which fo powerfully recommended you to the best of MONARCHS.

I have the Honour to present this Book to your GRACE, not only as an Offering of my Refpect, but as. a Debt of Duty, having had the Happiness of being under your Care and Protection.

The powerful Patronage, which the DUKE and DUCHESS OF DORSET Confer

red

red on the Theatre, was the fure Means

of establishing its Succefs; this History therefore is, with PROPRIETY, as well as GRATITUDE, addreffed to your GRACE, by,

HISTORY

OF THE

THEATRE S

O F

LONDON and DUBLIN.

M

Y ingenious Friend the late COLLEY CIBBER Efq. Comedian and Poet Laureat, has given us a very valuable entertaining Tract, called, An APOLOGY FOR HIS LIFE, which contains an hiftorical View of the Stage during his own Time; a Work that has been univerfally read, and

justly admired. He has clofed that useful Book with the following Paragraph:

"What Commotions the Stage fell

"into the following Year, or from what "Provocations the greatest Part of the "Actors revolted, and fet up for them"felves in the Little House in the Hay"market, lies not within the Promise of

66

66

my Title-page to relate: Or as it

might set some Perfons living in a light "they poffibly might not chufe to be seen 66 in, I will rather be thankful for the invo

luntary Favour they have done me, "than trouble the Public with private

That happy Period of theatrical Succefs, and good Management, from the Year 1712 to 1730, has been juftly celebrated