the Month of February, in our first Season, 1754, I had the Happiness of receiving a Letter from his Grace of Dorfet's Secretary in London, to give me Notice that the Duke, who never forgot his Promise to his Friends, had, at his refigning the Government of Ireland, obtained his Majesty's Permission to fix me on the Establishment of that Kingdom.

During the two laft Years of the Duke of Dorfet's Refidence in Dublin as Lord Lieutenant, I had the Honour, on Account of my Office in the Theatre (to which the Duke was pleased to be a noblę Patron) of waiting every Friday Morning on his Grace, to receive his Commands for the following Week; at thofe Times, the Duke has often kept me half an Hour with him in his dreffing Room, and feem

ed

ed pleased with the Theatrical Accounts I gave him. This, in time, encouraged me to deliver in a Memorial relative to myself, fetting forth my Expectations and Disappointments of a Provision in the late Prince of Wales's Family, in the Year 1729; that from the Year 1746, I had conftantly wrote the Birth-Day Odes for the Court of Dublin to that Time; and as every Attendant on Royalty belongs to the Viceroy, it was furprizing, that in a Palace, where the Solemn Obfervance of his Majefty's Birthday was fo neceffary, the Office of Peet. Laureat, who certainly does fomething, fhould be unprovided for, in a Court where fo ufelefs Officers of State were paid for doing nothing. His Grace was pleafed to admit the Truth of this Obfervation, and promifed me his Affiftance; but, on hearing the afflicting News of the Duke's Refigning

many

Refigning the Government of Ireland, I gave up all Hopes of fucceeding, and therefore, the Honour of being remembered by his Grace, in Absence, and at that Juncture, was an Obligation that will live for ever in my grateful Heart. But to recover my Way.

We had a new Fragedy, called Injured Honour, brought to us this Seafon by Mr. Brooke, which made us ample Amends for the trouble little Jack had given. This Tragedy was founded on an old English Story,. the first Invasion of the Danes: Mr. Moffop acted the Part of Westmoreland, and Mrs. Gregory his Wife. This Play was well received, and justly admired by the best judges. There were fome masterly Scenes, and delicate Sentiments interfperfed, by which that Author has happily diftinguished himself..

At

At the latter End of April, we received Letters from Mr. Woodward in London, to inform us of his having obtained Leave from the Managers of Drury-Lane Theatre for his fetting off for Dublin to perform in nine Comedies with us, on Shares; which began about the fifteenth of May, and were all attended with the expected. Success. Woodward had, by Agreement, one of the Nights for himself, paying the Charges: fo that, added to his Third of the Profits. of the other Eight, he cleared fomething, more than two hundred Pounds by the Expedition.

And thus clofed our two Years in the: envied Office of MANAGERS of a THEATRE ROYAL: though fhort the Period, yet full of Cares, Anxieties, and Dangers: An honeft

honest Man fo circumstanced, can stand no other Chance than that of lofing his good Name. The many bad, envious, discontented Spirits that infeft a Theatre, vent all their Malice againft the Manager they cannot impofe on, and muft hate the Man who only treats them as they deserve..

When the Rage of Party was abated, and the Inhabitants of that populous City began to recover their Reafon; among. other lefs Confiderations, they expreffed themselves with fofter Sentiments of Mr.. Sheridan, and feemed to admit, that the Treatment he had met with was too fevere; and though he had committed a very great. Error, the Punishment inflicted was more than adequate to the Crime.

When