Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/377

Foote On 1 Nov. 1745 he appeared at Drury Lane as Sir Harry Wildair in the 'Constant Couple.' He afterwards appeared as Lord Foppington, Bayes, Sir Courtly Nice, and other parts played by Colley Cibber. He had meanwhile conceived the idea of turning to advantage his talent for mimicry, and on 22 April 1747 he opened the Haymarket with a concert, a farce extracted from the 'Old Bachelor,' called 'The Credulous Husband,' in which Foote was Fondlewife, and an entertainment by himself called 'The Diversions of the Morning.' In this, with the assistance of Shuter and other actors, he met with much success. His career was, however, stopped by the Westminster magistrates, and Foote then hit upon the device of summoning his friends, for 25 April at noon, to take with him a 'dish of chocolate,' for which was subsequently substituted a 'dish of tea.' Tickets for this were obtained at George's Coffee-house, Temple Bar. On the invitation appeared 'N.B. - Sir Dilbury Diddle will be there, and Lady Betty Frisk has absolutely promised.' According to a statement of Tate Wilkinson (Memoirs, i. 24 et seq.), which Genest says 'is not to be reconciled with the bills,' the entertainment was principally made up of satirical mimicry of actors, such as Quin, Delane, Ryan, Woodward, Mrs. Woffington, and of Garrick, upon whom he was especially severe. In November 1747 Foote, still at the Haymarket, gave 'Tea at 6.30 ;' in March 1748 he substituted for this 'Chocolate in Ireland,' and soon afterwards produced an entertainment similar in kind called 'An Auction of Pictures.' In 1748-9 this class of entertainment was continued until March or April, when Foote produced the two-act comedy, the 'Knights,' printed 1754, 8vo, in which he played Hartop. This piece ended with a feigned concert between two cats, in which Italian opera was ridiculed. Various persons of more or less importance had been libelled in these productions ; but the complaints and retorts of those injured only added to the piquancy of the production. A second fortune having been left him, Foote disappeared to Paris, whence, after some years' absence, he returned with 'Taste,' a two-act comedy produced unsuccessfully at Drury Lane 11 Jan. 1752, 8vo, 1753, with a prologue written and spoken by Garrick. The 'Englishman in Paris,' Covent Garden, 24 March 1753, 8vo, 1756, was more fortunate. Foote let Macklin have the piece for his benefit. Macklin played Buck, a character which Foote took when he transferred the play, 20 Oct. 1753, to Drury Lane stage. In the course of this season Foote played Fondlewife, Ben in 'Love for Love,' Brazen in the 'Recruiting Officer,' and gave his lastingly popular 'Tea.' The following two seasons he appeared at Covent Garden, where he played, 3 Feb. 1756, Buck in the 'Englishman Returned from Paris,' a piece in three acts, 8vo, 1756, the idea and incidents of which Foote took from Murphy, the dramatist, who indiscreetly confided them to him. On 1 March 1756 he played Sir Paul Plyant in the 'Double Dealer,' and 30 March Lady Pentweazel in 'Taste.' In 1756-7 he returned to Drury Lane, where, 5 Feb. 1757, he produced the 'Author,' 8vo, 1757, a two-act piece, in which, as Cadwallader, he mimicked a Mr. Aprice, a friend of his own, who had interest enough to obtain the suppression of the play. An additional scene, which he intended to introduce into it for his benefit, is given in the 'Monthly Mirror,' vii. 39-41. e also played Gomez in Dryden's 'Spanish Friar.' In December 1757, in company with Tate Wilkinson, Foote visited Dublin, where he had a favourable reception, socially and artistically, but played no new part. Wilkinson and Foote were engaged by Garrick, and appeared at Drury Lane 17 Oct. 1758. For his benefit Foote appeared, 18 Dec. 1758, as Shylock, and was a failure. With 100l., which he borrowed from Garrick, he visited Scotland. According to the 'Courant' he reached Edinburgh 15 March 1759, and appeared on the 20th at the Canongate Concert Hall. He played many parts, and was made much of. He is said to have given the first afternoon entertainment in Edinburgh. He returned in May, and in the autumn went once more to Dublin, where, at the Crow Street Theatre, he produced, 28 Jan. 1760, his comedy the 'Minor,' originally in two acts, 8vo, 1760. In this he played Shift, a character designed to satirise his associate, Tate Wilkinson. Piece and excursion alike failed, and Foote, in want of funds, opened in the summer of 1760 the Haymarket, where, with a company hastily assembled, he produced the 'Minor,' now enlarged to three acts. In this, Foote's best comedy, his title to a portion of which has been disputed, he satirised Whitefield and the methodists. In its new shape it was a great success. Foote, who played at the Haymarket the characters of Shift, Smirke, and Mrs. Cole, is said to have sent the manuscript to the Archbishop of Canterbury, with a request that he would excise or alter whatever was objectionable. It was returned untouched, the archbishop shrewdly surmising that Foote wished to advertise it as 'corrected and prepared for the press by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.' Once more at Drury Lane he was the original Scotchman in the 'Register