[169] No. 67.
[170] See No. 62.
[171] Printed in Swift's Works.
[172] Thomas Betterton was born in Westminster about 1635, and was
apprenticed to a bookseller. There are various accounts of how he came
to go on to the stage, but in 1661 he joined Sir William Davenant's
company at Lincoln's Inn Fields. Davenant's son afterwards gave
Betterton a share in the management, and the company ("the Duke's")
moved to Dorset Garden. In 1682 this company united with the King's
company. Betterton lost all his savings in a speculation in 1692. Soon
afterwards the patentee of the theatre quarrelled with the actors about
their salaries, and Betterton and his friends obtained a licence to set
up a theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Betterton does not seem to have
been a good manager, and he was often in straitened circumstances. In
April 1709 the benefit described in No. 1 of the _Tatler_ was arranged
for his benefit; on that occasion Betterton, though over seventy, acted
the youthful part of Valentine in "Love for Love." The performance
brought Betterton £500. Writing on the occasion of his death, Steele
paid a high tribute to the actor's powers in No. 167.
It is interesting to note what Zachary Baggs, treasurer at Drury Lane,
stated to be the salary paid to, and the amount made by benefits by,
the principal performers. I quote from a rare quarto paper of two
leaves, issued by Baggs in July 1709 upon the threatened secession of
the actors. He says that during the season, October 1708 to June 1709,
135 days--
£. _s._ _d._
Wilks was paid by salary 168 6 8
By his benefit play 90 14 9
Betterton was paid, by his salary £4 a week, and
£1 a week for his wife, although she does
not act 112 10 0
By a benefit, besides what he got by high prices
and guineas 76 4 5
Estcourt was paid at £5 a week salary 112 10 0
By his benefit play 51 8 6
Cibber was paid at £5 a week salary 112 10 0
By his benefit play 51 0 10
Mills was paid £4 a week salary, and £1 for
his wife, for little or nothing 112 10 0
By his benefit play (not including hers) 58 1 4
Mrs. Oldfield had £4 a week salary, making
for fourteen weeks and a day 56 13 4
She was also paid for costumes 2 10 7
And by her benefit play she had 62 7 8
-------------------
In all £1077 3 8
But Baggs adds that at each benefit performance the actor gained much
by the special prices paid for seats, and estimating those extra
profits at the benefits above mentioned at £880, he arrives at the
conclusion that the six actors named earned £1957 in all during the
season, though it was broken in upon by the death of Prince George, and
brought to a premature close in June.
[173] Villages near Oxford.
[174] Epistle "To my honoured kinsman John Driden, of Chesterton,
Esq.," 204:--
"Two of a house few ages can afford,
One to perform, another to record."
[175] See No. 45.
No. 72. [STEELE.
From _Thursday, Sept. 22_, to _Saturday, Sept. 24, 1709_.
_White's Chocolate-house, Sept. 23._
I have taken upon me no very easy task in turning all my thoughts
on panegyric, when most of the advices I receive tend to the quite
contrary purpose; and I have few notices but such as regard follies and
vices. But the properest way for me to treat, is to keep in general
upon the passions and affections of men, with as little regard to
particulars as the nature of the thing will admit. However, I think
there is something so passionate in the circumstances of the lovers
mentioned in the following letter, that I am willing to go out of my
way to obey what is commanded in it.
"SIR,
_London, September 17._
"Your design of entertaining the town with the characters of the
ancient heroes, as persons shall send an account to Mr. Morphew's,
encourages me and others to beg of you, that in the meantime (if
it is not contrary to the method you have proposed) you would give
us one paper upon the subject of Pætus and his wife's death, when
Nero sent him an order to kill himself: his wife setting him the
example, died with these words, 'Pætus, it is not painful.' You
must know the story, and your observations upon it will oblige,
"Sir,
Your most humble Servant."
When the worst man that ever lived in the world had the highest station
in it, human life was the object of his diversion; and he sent orders
frequently, out of mere wantonness, to take off such-and-such, without
so much as being angry with them. Nay, frequently his tyranny was so
humorous, that he put men to death because he could not but approve of
them. It came one day to his ear, that a certain married couple, Pætus
and Arria, lived in a more happy tranquillity and mutual love than any
other persons who were then in being. He listened with great attention
to the account of their manner of spending their time together, of
the constant pleasure they were to each other in all their words and
actions; and found by exact information, that they were so treasonable
as to be much more happy than his Imperial Majesty himself. Upon which
he wrote Pætus the following billet:--
"Pætus, you are hereby desired to despatch yourself. I have heard
a very good character of you; and therefore leave it to yourself,
whether you will die by dagger, sword, or poison. If you outlive
this order above an hour, I have given directions to put you to
death by torture.