12. PRYNNE 246 13. SIR RICHARD STEELE 274 14. THOMAS DOGGET--From a rare contemporary print 310 15. POPE AND DR. GARTH--By Hogarth 317 16. SPILLER'S BENEFIT TICKET--By Hogarth 337 17. THE NEW AND OLD THEATRES ROYAL, HAYMARKET--1720-1821 356 18. BARTON BOOTH 391 LIST OF TAILPIECES ON WOOD. VOLUME I. PAGE 1. MR. GARRICK AS SIR JOHN BRUTE IN "THE PROVOKED WIFE" 36 2. MR. GARRICK AS KING LEAR--Act iii. Scene 1 135 3. MRS. BARRY AND MR. GARRICK AS DONNA VIOLANTE AND DON FELIX IN "THE WONDER" 236 4. MR. GARRICK AS HAMLET--Act i. Scene 4 355 5. MR. FOOTE AS THE DOCTOR IN THE "DEVIL UPON TWO STICKS" 390 6. MR. GARRICK AS ABEL DRUGGER IN THE "ALCHYMIST" 426 [Illustration: THE BEAR GARDEN] CHAPTER I. PROLOGUE. The period of the origin of the drama is an unsettled question, but it has been fixed at an early date, if we may accept the theory of a recent writer, who suggests that Moses described the Creation from a visionary pictorial representation, which occupied seven days from the commencement to the close of the spectacle! Among the most remote of the Chinese traditions, the theatre holds a conspicuous place. In Cochin-China there is at this day a most primitive character about actors, authors, and audience. The governor of the district enjoys the least rude seat in the sylvan theatre; he directs the applause by tapping with his fingers on a little drum, and as at this signal his secretaries fling strings full of _cash_ on to the stage, the performance suffers from continual interruption. For the largesse distributed by the patron of the drama, and such of the spectators as choose to follow his example, the actors and actresses furiously scramble, while the poor poet stands by, sees his best situations sacrificed, and is none the richer--by way of compensation.