Event Comment: Benefit for
Macklin. Afterpiece: A Comedy in 2 acts written by
Foote, with
Prologue and Epilogue by him.
Miss Macklin did
Calista and a part in
the farce,-all went well (
Cross). A Comedy in answer to
the French Farce A Frenchman in London, with a
Dialogue Prologue, spoken by Macklin & his wife.
Epilogue spoken by
Miss Macklin. All by Foote. Part of Pit laid into
the boxes, with an amphi
theatre on stage, all at 5s. Full Prices (
Winston MS 8).
The Englishman at Paris has been better recev'd that I expected.
Garrick, &c., &c....say kinder things of it than modesty will permit me to repeat. Upon
the whole it was damnably acted, Macklin miserably imperfect in
the words
and in
the character (a stain to Comedy). You might have seen what I meant,--an
English Buck, by
the power of dulness instantaneously transformed into an
Irish chairman.
Miss Roach, accompany'd by some frippery French woman occupy'd, to
the no small sc
andal of
the whole house,
the Prince's box, whilst
the duchess of Bedford &c., &c. were oblig'd to take up with seats upon
the stage.
The piece will be printed
the 25th instant, which I will enclose to you (
Samuel Foote to
Mr Delaval, MS in
Folger Shakespeare Library, written ei
ther 24 March, or, perhaps more likely, 24 April, since Foote states later in
the letter he is leaving for foreign parts
the first of May)