The concluding incident of this play,--the double suicide of Memnon (Wilks) and Mandane (Mrs. Oldfield), found such favour in the author's own estimation, that he repeated it in his next two tragedies, in each of which a couple of lovers make away with themselves. This tripled circumstance reminds a critic of the remark of Dryden:--"The dagger and the bowl are always at hand to butcher a hero, when a poet wants the brains to save him." Dr. Young was at this time thirty-eight years of age, but was not yet "famous." Born when Charles II. was king and Dryden laureat, the Hampshire godson of the Princess Anne, was as yet only known as having been the friend of the Duke of Wharton, and of Tickell; as having first come before the public in 1713,[107] with a poem to Granville, in which there is good dramatic criticism; and of having since written poems of promise rather than of merit, the latest of which was a paraphrase on part of the book of Job, which, curiously enough, abounds with phrases which show the author's growing intercourse with the playhouse and theatrical people. "Busiris" was written in the year that "Cato" was played, but its performance was delayed till this year, and its dramatic death occurred long before "Cato" departed from the stage,--to be read, at least, as long as an admirer of Addison survives. [Illustration: Mr. Garrick as Hamlet.] FOOTNOTES: [102] Should be August. [103] Quin can hardly be said to have been even near the head of this company. [104] See page 175 for some curious facts relating to this. [105] Sir Joseph. [106] He was buried at St. Clement's. Six actors held the pall.--_Doran MS._ [107] 1712. [Illustration: THE NEW AND OLD THEATRES ROYAL, HAYMARKET.] CHAPTER XVII. THE PROGRESS OF JAMES QUIN, AND DECLINE OF BARTON BOOTH. Quin made great advances in the public favour in the season of 1718-19, at Lincoln's Inn, where, however, as yet, he only shared the leading business in tragedy and comedy with Ryan, and the less distinguished Evans. Southwark Fair, a fashionable resort, contributed to the company a new actor, Bohemia or Boheme, with great comic power; and Susan Mountfort replaced for a few weeks Mrs. Rogers, who had held for a time the tragic parts once acted by Mrs. Barry and Bracegirdle, and who died about this time. Of Susan Mountfort's touching end I will speak in a future page. Mrs. Rogers had been on the stage since 1692, and numbered among her original parts:--Imoinda, Oriana, Melinda, and Isabinda, in "Oroonoko," "Inconstant," "Recruiting Officer," and "Busy Body."