Case, they will not
readily find an Employment; and if the latter, they will not be fit for
one; so that it will appear an Act of great Injustice and Oppression. If
it should be objected, That the Actors Demands are so exorbitant, that
the Managers cannot comply with 'em? I have already endeavoured to show,
that tho' two or three Salaries might be thought so in general, they did
not amount to more than had been allowed, and very considerable Profits
arising to the Patentees. But there is a very melancholy Instance, that
the Actors Demands is not the Reason of dismissing 'em, but the Will of
the Manager alone; since last Season an Actor and Actress returned to
_Drury-Lane_ under such Abatements as that Manager thought proper, and
such as were in no degree equal to their Merit; and yet, at the
beginning of this Season, were dismissed, after having been from their
Infancy on the Stage, and having no other Professions to live by, and
very numerous Families to support.

The Manager of _Drury-Lane_ tho' he can't but know I am disengag'd from
the other Theatre, has not made any Application to me to act with him,
which he has done to several others who quitted that Stage at the Time I
did: The Reasons which obliged me to leave him still subsist: He owes
me a Hundred and Sixty Pounds, twelve Shillings, which he has
acknowledged to be justly due, and promised Payment of it by last
_Christmas_ to a Person of too great Consequence for me to mention here,
the greater Part of it Money I expended for Cloaths for his Use. He
offer'd me, last Season, not near half as much as he afterwards agreed
to give another Performer, and less than he then gave to some others in
his Company; so that I must conclude, as every one knows there are
Agreements betwixt the Managers, that there is a Design to distress me,
and reduce me to such Terms as I cannot comply with.

I am sorry I am reduced to say any thing in favour of myself; but, as I
think I merit as much as another Performer, and the Managers are so
desirous to convince me of the contrary, I hope I shall be excused;
especially when I declare, that at this time, I am not in the least vain
of my Profession.

As to my Performances, the Audience are the only, proper Judges: But I
may venture to affirm, That my Labour, and Application, have been
greater than any other Performers on the Stage. I have not only acted in
almost all the Plays, but in Farces and Musical Entertainments; and very
frequ