CHAP. II.] DAVID GAEBIOK.

tions which imply the failure of self-reliance ; it poisoned his 1759.
entire and constant faith in all who were not solely governed m 31.
by his will; and it blinded him to the ridicule with which
even dependents listened to his public distress on the
mornings of crowded rehearsals, that to decline some
ambassador's proffered courtesies made Mm wretched, but
prior promises to countess dowagers must be kept.

A satisfaction of this kind was afforded to Mr. Ralph, when,
in the season (57-58) of this the appearance of his pamphlet,
the outraged manager, laughing heartily at all authors'
complaints and attacks, and tearing up their rebellious
pamphlets with as elaborate carelessness as he would the
card of a duke, lord, judge, or bishop, to strike awe and
admiration into bystanders, did yet, most laboriously and
most clumsily, bring out Doctor Smollett, in a piece alto-
gether unworthy of his genius.* The concession was appro-
priately followed by production of the Agis of Mr. Home ;
not without reason cried over, for its exclusively modern
Greek, by Douglas-loving Gray, and compared to " an
'•' antique statue, painted white and red, frizzed and dressed
" in a negligee made by a Yorkshire mantua-maker."t Then,
failure and laughter repaying this pains and warmth, the
cold fit came violently back; and in the season of '58 and'9
the wrongs of Robert Dodsley and Arthur Murphy, the
bereaved Cleone and deserted Orphan of China, were the
talk of the town. The topic seemed to force itself on
one who was delivering in a protest against the wrongs of
men of letters; and with the Enquiry into Polite Learning
appeared these remarks, in a chapter devoted to the stage.!

* The Reprisals, or the Tars of Old England,, written and acted to animate the
people against the French ; a poor comedy, or rather farce, but containing some
capital sailor-talk, and inimitable touches of caricature.

t Murphy's Gamck, i. 317. See also Gray's Worlcs, iii. 161, 188, &c.
J Chap. xii.ss his jeer about the harlequins.