rtune,
made his way to the Bedford, where Foote was supreme among the wits
and critics. Like Foote, Collins was fond of fine clothes, and
walked about with a feather in his hat, very unlike a young man who
had not a single guinea he could call his own. A letter of the time
tells us that "Collins was an acceptable companion everywhere; and
among the gentlemen who loved him for a genius, may be reckoned the
Doctors Armstrong, Barrowby, Hill, Messrs. Quin, Garrick, and
Foote, who frequently took his opinions upon their pieces before
they were seen by the public. He was particularly noticed by the
geniuses who frequented the Bedford and Slaughter's Coffee-houses."

* * * * *

Ten years later (1754) we find Foote again supreme in his critical
corner at the Bedford. The regular frequenters of the room strove
to get admitted to his party at supper; and others got as near as
they could to the table, as the only humor flowed from Foote's
tongue. The Bedford was now in its highest repute.

Foote and Garrick often met at the Bedford, and many and sharp were
their encounters. They were the two great rivals of the day. Foote
usually attacked, and Garrick, who had many weak points, was mostly
the sufferer. Garrick, in early life, had been in the wine trade,
and had supplied the Bedford with wine; he was thus described by
Foote as living in Durham-yard, with three quarts of vinegar in the
cellar, calling himself a wine-merchant. How Foote must have abused
the Bedford wine of this period!

One night, Foote came into the Bedford, where Garrick was seated,
and there gave him an account of a most wonderful actor he had just
seen. Garrick was on the tenters of suspense, and there Foote kept
him a full hour. Foote brought the attack to a close by asking
Garrick what he thought of Mr. Pitt's histrionic talents, when
Garrick, glad of the release, declared that if Pitt had chosen the
stage, he might have been the first actor upon it.

Another night, Garrick and Foote were about to leave the Bedford
together, when the latter, in paying the bill, dropped a guinea;
and not finding it at once, said, "Where on earth can it be gone
to?"--"Gone to the devil, I think," replied Garrick, who had
assisted in the search.--"Well said, David!" wa