|
|
||
|
OLIYEE GOLDSMITH'S LIFE AND TIMES. [BOOK m.
1759. Backed by which honest purposes may he not again
jEtli. venture to tell his brother that he is very near quite resolved to be a player; as he has the best judgment of the best judges, who to a man are of opinion that he shall turn out (nay, they say that already he is) not only the best tragedian but comedian in England. "I would not," he prettily interposes here, " say so much to any body else ; but as this "may somewhat palliate my folly, you must excuse me. " Mr. Littleton was wth Me last Night, and took me by ye " hand and said, he never saw such playing upon ye English " Stage before." And for other more practical proofs of his success, he tells Peter that he has had great offers from Fleetwood; that they have had finer business than either Dmry Lane or Covent Garden; that Mr. Giffard himself had given him. yesterday twenty guineas for a ticket; and (for a climax) that next week he designed buying SOOZ. of his stock out of his profits of playing. So, as to the business between them, and the selling off of their joint stock in London, if his brother should want more money than his share comes to, he will supply it. In conclusion he admits that the trade is rather better than it was, but, his mind being quite turned another way, he desires to be released as soon as possible from it.
Now, that this was a highly practical, business-like letter,
though written by a flighty stage-player, even the obstinately unbelieving Peter appears to have felt. It went, at any rate, straight to the heart of the partnership affairs between them; and, however reluctantly, he would seem to have made up his mind to accept it as the best of a bargain that must be any way a bad one. But one matter he should like to have cleared up. Had his brother really "been playing Harleqmn, as reported, before he came out at Goodman's Fields ? |
||
|
|
||