I am the more encouraged to hope this from Experience;
it having been ob??erved, that tho??e Performers, who have had the
Happine??s to plea??e on the Stage, and who never did any thing to offend
the Publick, whenever they have been injured by tho??e who pre??ided over
Theatres, have ??eldom, if ever, failed of Redre??s upon repre??enting the
Hard??hips they met with: And, as I at this time, apprehend my ??elf to
be greatly oppre????ed by the Managers of both Theatres, I hope I ??hall be
ju??tified in taking this Method of acquainting the Publick with my Ca??e,
??ubmitting it to their Determination.
Before the Di??putes happened betwixt the Manager of _Drury-Lane_ Theatre
and his Actors, I had articled for Five Years to receive Three Hundred
Pounds a Year, tho' another Performer on that Stage received for Seven
Years Five Hundred Guineas, _per_ Year; and at the Expiration of my
Agreements the Manager offered me an additional Salary to continue at
that Theatre.
And ??ince I have mentioned tho??e Di??putes, which ended ??o greatly to the
Di??advantage of the Actors, I mu??t beg Leave to endeavour to ??et that
Matter in a clear Light, which hitherto has been mi??repre??ented to the
Publick: I think my ??elf obliged to this, as the Hard??hips I at pre??ent
labour under are owing to that Di??agreement; if any think I treat this
Matter too ??eriou??ly, I hope they will remember, that however trifling
??uch Things may appear to them, to me, who am ??o much concerned in 'em,
they are of great Importance, ??uch as my Liberty and Livelihood depend
on.
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