The Case of Mrs. Clive Part 2

I know Appeals of this Nature, which relate to Di?putes that happen at a Theatre, are by ?ome thought pre?uming and impertinent, ?uppo?ing they are too trifling to demand Attention: But, as I per?uade my ?elf that Inju?tice and Oppre??ion are by no means thought Matters of Indifference by any who have Humanity, I hope I ?hall not be thought to take too great a Liberty. 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.

As only two Theatres were authori?ed, the Managers thought it was in their Power to reduce the Incomes of tho?e Performers, who could not live independant of their Profe??ion; but in order to make this appear with a better Face to the Town, it was agreed to complain of the Actors Salaries being too great, and accordingly a fal?e Account was publi?hed of them in the daily Papers, by whom I will not ?ay: Whether, or no, ?ome particular Salaries were ?o, I will not pretend to determine; yet, in the whole, they did not amount to more than had been allowed for many Years, when the Theatre was under a frugal and exact Regulation; when the Managers punctually fulfilled, not only all Engagements to their Actors, but to every other Per?on concerned in the Theatre, and rai?ed very con?iderable Fortunes for them?elves.

But ?uppo?ing the Expence of the Theatre too high, I am very certain it was not the Actors refu?ing to ?ubmit to a proper Reduction of them, which made ?o many of them quit the Stage, but from great Hard?hips they underwent, and greater which they feared would happen from an Agreement ?uppo?ed to be concluded betwixt the two Managers, which made 'em apprehend, that if they ?ubmitted to act under ?uch Agreements, they mu?t be ab?olutely in the Managers Power; and the Event has proved that their Fears were not ill-grounded, as I doubt not but I ?hall make appear.

When the Actors Affairs obliged 'em to return to the Theatres la?t Winter, under ?uch Abatements of their Salaries as hardly afforded the greater Part of them a Sub?i?tence, I was offered, by the Manager of _Drury-Lane_ Theatre, ?uch Terms as bore no Proportion to what he gave other Performers, or to tho?e he had offered me at the beginning of the Sea?on. They were ?uch as I was advi?'d not to accept, becau?e it was known they were propo?ed for no rea?on but to in?ult me, and make me ?eek for better at the other Theatre; for I knew it had been ?ettled, by ?ome dark Agreement, that Part of the Actors were to go to _Covent-Garden_ Theatre, and others to _Drury-Lane_; I did, indeed, apprehend I ?hould meet with better Terms at _Covent-Garden_, becau?e that Manager had made many Overtures to get me into his Company the preceding Sea?on, and many times before: But when I apply'd to him, he offered me exactly the ?ame which I had refu?ed at the other Theatre, and which I likewi?e rejected, but was per?uaded to accept ?ome very little better, rather than ?eem ob?tinate in not complying as well as others, and yielded ?o far to the Nece??ity of the Time, as to Act under a much le?s Salary than ?everal other Performers on that Stage, and ?ubmitted to pay a Sum of Money for my Benefit, notwith?tanding I had had one clear of all Expence for Nine Years before; an Advantage the fir?t Performers had been thought to merit for near Thirty Years, and had grown into a Cu?tom.

When I was fixed at that Theatre I determined to ?tay there; I did, in all things which related to my Profe??on, ?ubmit intirely to that Manager's Direction, and, with the help of other princ.i.p.al Performers, did greatly promote his Intere?t, as was evident from the Audiences after we went to Act there; but I found, by his Behaviour to me, it was de?igned I ?hould not continue with him, but return the next Sea?on to _Drury-Lane._

The Agreements betwixt that Manager and me were verbal, but made before two Gentlemen of Character and Fortune, on whom I mu?t depend for the fulfilling of them; they were for one Year. At the end of the Acting-?ea?on the Manager ?ent an Office-keeper to me with ?ome Salary that was due, who required a Receipt in full; I told him a very great Part of my Agreements were yet due, and reque?ted to ?ee the Manager, who came and acknowledged them, and promi?ed to bring one of the Gentlemen who was pre?sent at our Ingagements in a Day or two and pay me, and then he ?aid he had done with me; but he has not paid me, nor have I ever ?een him ?ince, or as much as heard from him.

It has always been a Cu?tom in Theatres, that if ever any Actor or Actre?s was to be di?charged, or their Allowance le??en'd, they were acquainted with it at the End of the Sea?on; the Rea?on of this will appear to be the giving them a proper Notice to provide for them?elves: This the Manager of _Covent-Garden_ did to all his Company whom he de?igned to di?charge, or who?e Allowance was to be le??en'd, except to me, which made me actually then conclude he determined I ?hould continue with him, 'till I was undeceived by his Play-Bills with the Names of other Actre??es in Parts I u?ed to perform; ?o that he has not only broke thro' the Cu?toms of the Theatre, but tho?e in practice almo?t every where, in di?mi??ing me, and has done me a real Injury in ?uch an unprecedented Act of Inju?tice; for had I been informed of his De?ign at the End of the Sea?on, I could have made Terms to have acted in _Ireland_, where I had met with mo?t uncommon Civilities, and received very great Advantages, which I ?hall ever remember with the utmo?t Grat.i.tude, and take this and every other Opportunity to acknowledge.

As I have ?aid, it has been a Cu?tom to give Actors Notice of a Di?charge: I mu?t at the ?ame time ob?erve, That it never was a Cu?tom to di?charge any, but upon Neglect of their Bu?ine?s, or ?uch as were obnoxious to the Publick; this Maxim extended even to tho?e of the lowe?t Cla?s; but to tho?e, on who?e Performances the Town had been plea?ed to ?tamp a Value, by their Indulgence and Applau?e, the Stage was always a Support, even after Age or any Accident had made 'em incapable of their Profe??ion; for the then Patentees thought it as great a Piece of In?olence to deprive the Publick of their Plea?ures, as of Cruelty and Inju?tice to deny tho?e a Sub?i?tence who had contributed towards 'em; for they knew and acknowledged, that the Publick was the only Support of all, con?equently had an indi?putable Right to be plea?ed in the be?t manner po??ible.

It is pretended by the Managers, that they have the ?ame Right to di?charge an Actor that a Ma?ter has to turn away a Servant, than which nothing can be more fal?e and ab?urd; for, when a Ma?ter di?mi??es a Servant, there are many thou?ands be?ides to apply to; but when the Managers di?mi?s an Actor, where are they to apply? It is unlawful to act any where but with them; Nece??ity or Inclination brings every one to the Stage; if the former happens to be the Ca?e, they will not readily find an Employment; and if the latter, they will not be fit for one; ?o that it will appear an Act of great Inju?tice and Oppre??ion. If it ?hould be objected, That the Actors Demands are ?o exorbitant, that the Managers cannot comply with 'em? I have already endeavoured to ?how, that tho' two or three Salaries might be thought ?o in general, they did not amount to more than had been allowed, and very con?iderable Profits ari?ing to the Patentees. But there is a very melancholy In?tance, that the Actors Demands is not the Rea?on of di?mi??ing 'em, but the Will of the Manager alone; since la?t Sea?on an Actor and Actre?s returned to _Drury-Lane_ under ?uch Abatements as that Manager thought proper, and ?uch as were in no degree equal to their Merit; and yet, at the beginning of this Sea?on, were di?mi??ed, after having been from their Infancy on the Stage, and having no other Profe??ions to live by, and very numerous Families to ?upport.

The Manager of _Drury-Lane_ tho' he can't but know I am di?engag'd from the other Theatre, has not made any Application to me to act with him, which he has done to ?everal others who quitted that Stage at the Time I did: The Rea?ons which obliged me to leave him ?till ?ub?i?t: He owes me a Hundred and Sixty Pounds, twelve s.h.i.+llings, which he has acknowledged to be ju?tly due, and promi?ed Payment of it by la?t _Chri?tmas_ to a Per?on of too great Con?equence for me to mention here, the greater Part of it Money I expended for Cloaths for his U?e. He offer'd me, la?t Sea?on, not near half as much as he afterwards agreed to give another Performer, and le?s than he then gave to ?ome others in his Company; ?o that I mu?t conclude, as every one knows there are Agreements betwixt the Managers, that there is a De?ign to di?tre?s me, and reduce me to ?uch Terms as I cannot comply with.

I am ?orry I am reduced to ?ay any thing in favour of my?elf; but, as I think I merit as much as another Performer, and the Managers are ?o de?irous to convince me of the contrary, I hope I ?hall be excu?ed; e?pecially when I declare, that at this time, I am not in the lea?t vain of my Profe??ion.

As to my Performances, the Audience are the only, proper Judges: But I may venture to affirm, That my Labour, and Application, have been greater than any other Performers on the Stage. I have not only acted in almo?t all the Plays, but in Farces and Mu?ical Entertainments; and very frequently two Parts in a Night, even to the Prejudice of my Health. I have been at a very great Expence in Ma?ters for Singing; for which Article alone, the Managers now give five and ?ix Pounds a Week. My additional Expences, in belonging to the Theatre, amount to upwards of one Hundred Pounds a Year, in Clothes, and other Nece??aries; and the pretended great Salaries, of ten and twelve Pounds a Week, which have been ?o artfully, and fal?ly repre?ented to the Town, to the Prejudice of the Actors, will, upon Enquiry, appear to be no more than half as much, ?ince they performed half Sea?on, at the Theatres, very ?eldom above three or four Days a Week; ?o taking in the long Vacation, when there are no Plays at all, to tho?e Days the pre?ent Managers omit acting, a Salary which appears to be great, will be found, in effect, to be very moderate; and tho?e which are le?s, not a Sufficiency.

I have now fini?hed all I propo?ed; I have ?hown in how aggravating a manner, without any Rea?on a??igned, and at a Time a very con?iderable Sum of Money was owing to me, I have been turn'd out of _Covent-Garden_ Theatre. The Manager of _Drury-Lane,_ tho' he can't but know what ju?t Rea?ons I had for quitting him, has never apply'd to me to return, nor made the lea?t Excu?e for not paying my Arrears, tho' due ?o long, and after promi?ing Payment near a Year, notwith?tanding I have, for many Years, not only endeavour'd, but ?ucceeded, in greatly promoting that Manager's Intere?t, as is known to him?elf and his whole Company.

The Rea?on of my taking the Liberty to communicate the?e Things to the Publick, is mo?t earne?tly to interceed for their Favour and Protection, from whom I have always met with great Genero?ity and Indulgence: For, as I have already declared, in a Letter publi?hed by me la?t Year in the Daily Papers, that I had not a Fortune to ?upport me, independent of my Profe??ion, I doubt not but it will appear, I have not made any con?iderable Acqui?ition to it ?ince, having not received two Hundred Pounds Salary for acting in Plays, Farces, and Singing; tho' other Performers have received more than twice that Sum. I have, in Con?ideration of the?e Hard?hips, been promi?ed the Protection of many Ladies, to whom I have the Honour to be per?onally known, and will not doubt the Concurrence of the Publick, in receiving my Performance in the be?t manner I am, at pre?ent, capable of, which I ?hall always mo?t gratefully Acknowledge.

C. CLIVE

FINIS.

WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY

PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT

The Augustan Reprint Society

PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT

1948-1949

16. Henry Nevil Payne, _The Fatal Jealousie_ (1673).

17. Nicholas Rowe. _Some Account of the Life of Mr. William Shakespear_ (1709).

18. Anonymous, "Of Genius," in _The Occasional Paper_, Vol. III, No. 10 (1719), and Aaron Hill, Preface to _The Creation_ (1720).

1949-1950

19. Susanna Centlivre, _The Busie Body_ (1709).

20. Lewis Theobald, _Preface to the Works of Shakespeare_ (1734).

22. Samuel Johnson, _The Vanity of Human Wishes_ (1749), and two _Rambler_ papers (1750).

23. John Dryden, _His Majesties Declaration Defended_ (1681).

1951-1952

26. Charles Macklin, _The Man of the World_ (1792).

31. Thomas Gray, _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard_ (1751), and _The Eton College Ma.n.u.script_.

1952-1953

41. Bernard Mandeville, _A Letter to Dion_ (1732).

1962-1963

98. Selected Hymns Taken Out of Mr. Herbert's _Temple_ ... (1697).

1964-1965

109. Sir William Temple, _An Essay Upon the Original and Nature of Government_ (1680).

110. John Tutchin, _Selected Poems_ (1685-1700).