y knew they
might have better.

The best players attached themselves wholly to Betterton, and desired
him to turn his thoughts on some method of procuring himself and them
justice. Thus theatrical despotism produced its own definition, and the
very steps taken to render Betterton desperate, pointed out the way for
his deliverance. Mr. Betterton, who had a general acquaintance with
people of fashion, represented his case to them, and at last by the
interposition of the earl of Dorset, a patent was granted him for
building a new play-house in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, which he effected by
a subscription. The patentees, in order to make head against them, got
over to their party Mr. Williams, and Mrs. Mountford, both eminent
players; they had also recruits from the country, but with all the
art of which they were capable, they continued still unequal to Mr.
Betterton's company. The new theatre was opened in 1695, with very great
advantages: Mr. Congreve accepted of a share with this company, as Mr.
Dryden had formerly with the king's; and the first play they acted
was Congreve's Comedy of Love for Love. The king honoured it with his
presence, there was a large and splendid audience, Mr. Betterton spoke a
Prologue, and Mrs. Bracegirdle an Epilogue suited to the occasion, and
it appeared by the reception they met with, that the town knew how to
reward the merit of those the patentees used so ill. But with all these
vast advantages, Betterton's company were not able to maintain this flow
of prosperity, beyond two or three seasons: Mr. Congreve was a slow
writer, Vanbrugh, and Mr. Cibber, who wrote for the other house, were
more expeditious; and if they did not finish, they at least writ
pleasing Comedies.

The frequency of new pieces, however, gave such a turn in their favour,
that Betterton's company with all their merit, had been undone, had not
the Mourning Bride, and the Way of the World, come like reprieves, and
saved them from the last gasp[5]. In a few years however, it appearing
plainly, that without a new support from their friends, it was
impossible for them to maintain their superiority, or independance; the
patrons of Mr. Betterton set about a new subscription, for building a
theatre in the Hay-market, under the direction of Sir John Vanbrugh,
which was finished in 1706[6]; and was to be conducted upon a new plan;
music and scenery to be intermixed with the drama, which with the
novelty of a new house, was likely to