mination.

Before the Disputes happened betwixt the Manager of _Drury-Lane_ Theatre
and his Actors, I had articled for Five Years to receive Three Hundred
Pounds a Year, tho' another Performer on that Stage received for Seven
Years Five Hundred Guineas, _per_ Year; and at the Expiration of my
Agreements the Manager offered me an additional Salary to continue at
that Theatre.

And since I have mentioned those Disputes, which ended so greatly to the
Disadvantage of the Actors, I must beg Leave to endeavour to set that
Matter in a clear Light, which hitherto has been misrepresented to the
Publick: I think my self obliged to this, as the Hardships I at present
labour under are owing to that Disagreement; if any think I treat this
Matter too seriously, I hope they will remember, that however trifling
such Things may appear to them, to me, who am so much concerned in 'em,
they are of great Importance, such as my Liberty and Livelihood depend
on.

As only two Theatres were authorised, the Managers thought it was in
their Power to reduce the Incomes of those Performers, who could not
live independant of their Profession; but in order to make this appear
with a better Face to the Town, it was agreed to complain of the Actors
Salaries being too great, and accordingly a false Account was published
of them in the daily Papers, by whom I will not say: Whether, or no,
some particular Salaries were so, I will not pretend to determine; yet,
in the whole, they did not amount to more than had been allowed for
many Years, when the Theatre was under a frugal and exact Regulation;
when the Managers punctually fulfilled, not only all Engagements to
their Actors, but to every other Person concerned in the Theatre, and
raised very considerable Fortunes for themselves.

But supposing the Expence of the Theatre too high, I am very certain it
was not the Actors refusing to submit to a proper Reduction of them,
which made so many of them quit the Stage, but from great Hardships they
underwent, and greater which they feared would happen from an Agreement
supposed to be concluded betwixt the two Managers, which made 'em
apprehend, that if they submitted to act under such Agreements, they
must be absolutely in the Managers Power; and the Event has proved that
their Fears were not ill-grounded, as I doubt not but I shall make
appear.

When the Actors Affairs obliged 'em to return to the Theatres last
Winter, under such Abatements of their Salari