And, again, take this short sketch: 'And our rakely young Fellows live as much by their Wits as ever; and to avoid the clinking Dun of a Boxkeeper, at the End of one Act, they sneak to the opposite Side 'till the End of another; then call the Boxkeeper saucy Rascal, ridicule the Poet, laugh at the Actors, march to the Opera, and spunge away the rest of the Evening. The Women of the Town take their Places in the Pit with their wonted Assurance. The middle Gallery is fill'd with the middle Part of the City: and your high exalted Galleries are grac'd with handsome Footmen, that wear their Master's Linen.'[438] [Footnote 438: _Humours of the Army_, Chas. Shadwell, 1713.] Such then was the appearance in front of the stage; and, to thoroughly realise the scene, we must remember, _en passant_, that necessary individual the 'Candle Snuffer,' and those bold young women, whose class Nell Gwynne made famous, the 'Orange Wenches.' Four or five hours in such theatres were almost insupportable without some slight refreshment, and this was supplied by these girls, who continually circulated throughout the audience. Their class is sufficiently alluded to in a passage in the _Spectator_, No. 141: 'A Poet sacrifices the best Part of his Audience to the Worst; and as one would think neglects the Boxes, to write to the Orange Wenches.' They seem to have fulfilled other duties besides supplying refreshment:-- Now turn, and see where loaden with her Freight, A Damsel Stands, and Orange-wench is hight; See! how her Charge hangs dangling by the Rim, See! how the Balls blush o'er the Basket-brim; But little those she minds, the cunning _Belle_ Has other Fish to Fry, and other Fruit to sell; See! how she whispers yonder youthful Peer, See! how he smiles, and lends a greedy Ear. At length 'tis done, the Note o'er Orange wrapt Has reach'd the Box, and lays in Lady's Lap.[439] [Footnote 439: _The Stage_, N. Rowe.] Bad weather occasionally militated against the poor players. 'Her Majesty's Servants at the Theatre Royal (the weather being chang'd) intend to act on Wednesdays and Fridays till Bartholomew Fair.'[440] This and bad trade made them look out for novelties, such as acting a play the characters in which were sustained entirely by women, or having amateurs on the stage. 'At the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, to morrow being Friday the 7th of July, will be reviv'd a Play call'd, The Orphan, or, the Unhappy Marriage.[441] All the Men's parts to be perform'd by young Gentlemen for their Diversion.'[442] Or they would try the effect of 'a New Prologue by a Child of 4 years of Age,' or 'a New Epilogue by Mrs. Pack in a Riding Habit, upon a Pad-Nagg representing a Town Miss Travelling to Tunbridge.' [Footnote 440: _Daily Courant_, July 26, 1704.] [Footnote 441: By Thos. Otway.] [Footnote 442: _Daily Courant_, July 6, 1704.]