agreeable Company, and kind Reception, were but so many importunate Additions to the Torment I was in.  A Gentleman of the Family observed my Condition; and soon after the Queen’s Health, he, in the Presence of the whole Company, with his own Hand degraded me into an old Pair of his own Shoes.  This operation, before fine Ladies, to me (who am by Nature a Coxcomb) was suffered with the same Reluctance as they admit the Help of Men in their greatest Extremity.  The Return of Ease made me forgive the rough Obligation laid upon me, which at that time relieved my Body from a Distemper, and will my Mind for ever from a Folly.  For the Charity received I return my Thanks this Way. Your most humble Servant.  Epping, April 18.

  SIR,

We have your Papers here the Morning they come out, and we have been very well entertained with your last, upon the false Ornaments of Persons who represent Heroes in a Tragedy.  What made your Speculation come very seasonably amongst us is, that we have now at this Place a Company of Strolers, who are very far from offending in the impertinent Splendor of the Drama.  They are so far from falling into these false Gallantries, that the Stage is here in its Original Situation of a Cart. Alexander the Great was acted by a Fellow in a Paper Cravat.  The next Day, the Earl of Essex [1] seemed to have no Distress but his Poverty:  And my Lord Foppington [2] the same Morning wanted any better means to shew himself a Fop, than by wearing Stockings of different Colours.  In a Word, tho’ they have had a full Barn for many Days together, our Itinerants are still so wretchedly poor, that without you can prevail to send us the Furniture you forbid at the Play-house, the Heroes appear only like sturdy Beggars, and the Heroines Gipsies.  We have had but one Part which was performed and dressed with Propriety, and that was Justice Clodpate:  [3] This was so well done that it offended Mr. Justice Overdo; [4] who, in the midst of our whole Audience, was (like Quixote in the Puppet-Show) so highly provok’d, that he told them, If they would move compassion, it should be in their own Persons, and not in the Characters of distressed Princes and Potentates:  He told them, If they were so good at finding the way to People’s Hearts, they should do it at the End of Bridges or Church-Porches, in their proper Vocation of Beggars.  This, the Justice says, they must expect, since they could not be contented to act Heathen Warriors, and such Fellows as Alexander, but must presume to make a Mockery of one of the Quorum.  Your Servant.

R.

[Footnote 1:  In ‘The Unhappy Favourite’, or the Earl of Essex, a Tragedy of John Banks, first acted in 1682.]

[Footnote 2:  Lord Foppington is in the Colley Cibber’s ’Careless Husband’, first acted in 1794.]

[Footnote 3:  Justice Clodpate is in the Shadwell’s ‘Epsons Wells’, first acted in 1676.]