of your familiar
acquaintance, and the graces of action and utterance come naturally
under the consideration of a dramatic writer."]

[Footnote 251: Cicero.]

[Footnote 252: "Macbeth," act v. sc. 5, quoted inaccurately by Steele.]

[Footnote 253: Betterton married, in 1662, Maria Saunderson, an actress
who seems to have been as good as she was clever. She lost her reason
after the death of her husband, but recovered it before her death at the
end of 1711. By her will she bequeathed to Mrs. Bracegirdle, Mrs. Barry,
Mr. Doggett, Mr. Wilks, and Mr. Dent, twenty shillings a piece for
rings; and her husband's picture to Mrs. Anne Stevenson, whom she
appointed her residuary legatee.]

[Footnote 254: Possibly Lady Elizabeth Hastings (see Nos. 42, 49), or
perhaps Queen Anne, though it is not likely that she consulted Steele by
letter on the subject. The Queen gave Mrs. Betterton a pension on the
death of her husband, "but," says Cibber, "she lived not to receive more
than the first half year of it."]

[Footnote 255: See No. 129.]

No. 168. [STEELE.

From _Thursday, May 4_, to _Saturday, May 6, 1710_.

* * * * *

_From my own Apartment, May 5._

Never was man so much teased, or suffered half the uneasiness, as I have
done this evening, between a couple of fellows with whom I was
unfortunately engaged to sup, where there were also several others in
company. One of them is the most invincibly impudent, and the other as
incorrigibly absurd. Upon hearing my name, the man of audacity, as he
calls himself, began to assume an awkward way of reserve, by way of
ridicule upon me as a Censor, and said, he must have a care of his
behaviour, for there would notes be writ upon all that should pass. The
man of freedom and ease (for such the other thinks himself) asked me,
whether my sister Jenny was breeding or not? After they had done with
me, they were impertinent to a very smart, but well-bred man, who stood
his ground very well, and let the company see they ought, but could not
be out of countenance. I look upon such a defence as a real good action;
for while he received their fire, there was a modest and worthy young
gentleman sat secure by him, and a lady of the family at the same time,
guarded against the nauseous familiarity of the one, and the more
painful mirth of the other. This conversation, where there were a
thousand things sai