y fomented divisions, and wrought over to his
side some of the inferior actors, reserving a trap-door to himself,
to which only he had a key. This entrance secured, this cunning
person, to complete his company, bethought himself of calling in
the most eminent of strollers from all parts of the kingdom. I have
seen them all ranged together behind the scenes; but they are many
of them persons that never trod the stage before, and so very
awkward and ungainly, that it is impossible to believe the audience
will bear them. He was looking over his catalogue of plays, and
indeed picked up a good tolerable set of grave faces for
counsellors, to appear in the famous scene of 'Venice Preserved,'
when the danger is over; but they being but mere outsides, and the
actors having a great mind to play 'The Tempest,' there is not a
man of them, when he is to perform anything above dumb show, is
capable of acting with a good grace so much as the part of
Trinculo. However, the master persists in his design, and is
fitting up the old 'storm'; but I am afraid he will not be able to
procure able sailors or experienced officers for love or money.

"Besides all this, when he comes to cast the parts, there is so
great a confusion amongst them for want of proper actors, that for
my part I am wholly discouraged. The play with which they design to
open is, 'The Duke and No Duke';[342] and they are so put to it,
that the master himself is to act the conjurer, and they have no
one for the general but honest George Powell.[343]

"Now, sir, they being so much at a loss for the _dramatis personae_,
viz., the persons to enact, and the whole frame of the house being
designed to be altered, I desire your opinion, whether you think it
advisable for me to undertake to prompt them? For though I can
clash swords when they represent a battle, and have yet lungs
enough to huzza their victories, I question, if I should prompt
them right, whether they would act accordingly. I am

"Your Honour's most humble Servant,
"J. Downes.

"P.S. Sir, since I writ this, I am credibly informed, that they
design a new house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, near the Popish
chapel,[344] to be ready by Michaelmas next; which indeed is but