Page:Mrs. Siddons (IA mrssiddons00kennrich).pdf/42

30 My wife joins me in respects to Mrs. Garrick and yourself. I remain, my dear Sir (after writing a damned jargon, I suppose, of unintelligible stuff in haste),

Ever yours most truly,

Worcester, 12th August, 1775. P.S.—Direct to me at the "Hop Pole." To David Garrick, Esq., Adelphi, London.

,

I received your very friendly letter, and take the first post from hence to answer it. I found it unnecessary to make the intimation you desired to the husband, since he requires only to be employed in any manner you shall think proper; and as he is much more tolerable than I thought him at first, it may be no very difficult matter to station him so as to satisfy the man, without burdening the property. I saw him the other evening in Young Marlow in Goldsmith's Comedy, and then he was far from despicable; neither his figure nor face contemptible. A jealousy prevailing through the theatre, upon a suspicion of their leaving them, the acting manager seems determined that I shall not see her again in any character wherein she might give me a second display of her theatrical powers. I am resolved, however, to continue the siege till they give her something capital, knowing that must speedily be the case, or the garrison must fall by famine.

She has already gone six months, so that pretty early in December she will be fit for service; as you certainly mean to open the ensuing campaign, by charging in person at the head of your lines, I conceive she will come at a very favourable crisis to take a second command, when the retreat from the field may be politically necessary. I am strongly for her first appearance in Rosalind; but you may judge better, perhaps, after a perusal of the list on the other side; the characters marked under [in italics] are those which she prefers to others:—

Jane Shore. Alicia. Roxana. Grecian Daughter. Matilda. Belvidera. Calista. Monimia. Juliet. Cordelia. Horatia. Imogen. Marianne. Lady Townley. Portia. Mrs. Belville. Violante. Rosalind. Mrs. Strickland. Clarinda. Miss Aubrey. Charlotte. Widow Brady.