Et si vis similem pingere, pinge sonum, is enjoining an impossibility.  The most that a Vandyke can arrive at, is to make his portraits of great persons seem to think; a Shakespear goes farther yet, and tells you what his pictures thought; a Betterton steps beyond ’em both, and calls them from the grave, to breathe, and be themselves again, in feature, speech, and motion.  When the skilful actor shews you all these powers united, he gratifies at once your eye, your ear, and your understanding.  To conceive the pleasure rising from such harmony, you must have been present at it! ’tis not to be told you!

Thus was Betterton happy in his fortune, in the notice of his sovereign, in his fame and character, and in a general respect of all ranks of life; thus happy might he have continued, had he not been persuaded to attempt becoming rich, and unluckily engaged in a scheme that swept away all his capital, and left him in real distress.  This accident fell out in 1692; and is of too particular a kind to pass unnoticed.  Mr. Betterton had a great many friends amongst the wealthy traders in the city, and so amiable was his private life, that all who knew him were concerned, and interested in his success:  Amongst these, there was a gentleman, whose name the author of his life thinks proper to conceal, who entered into the strictest amity with this actor.  This gentleman in the year 1692 was concerned in an adventure to the East-Indies, upon the footing then allowed by the company’s charter, which vessels so employed were stiled interlopers.  The project of success was great, the gain unusually high; and this induced Mr. Betterton, to whom his friend offered any share in the business he pleased, to think of so large a sum as eight-thousand pounds; but it was not for himself, as he had no such sum in his power:  and whoever considers the situation of the stage at that time will need no other argument to convince him of it.  Yet he had another friend whom, he was willing to oblige, which was the famous Dr. Radcliffe; so Mr. Betterton advanced somewhat more than two-thousand pounds, which was his all, and the Dr. made it up eight-thousand.  The vessel sailed to the East-Indies, and made as prosperous a voyage as those concerned in her could wish, and the war with France being then, very warm, the captain very prudently came home north about, and arrived safe in Ireland; but in his passage from thence he was taken by the French.  His cargo was upwards of 120,000 l. which ruined Mr. Betterton, and broke the fortune and heart of his friend in the city:  As for doctor Radcliffe, he expressed great concern for Mr. Betterton, but none for himself; the Dr. merrily consoled himself with observing, ’that it was only trotting up 200 pair of stairs more, and things are as they were.’