While the houses were thus contending, Foote was filling the little theatre in the Haymarket with an entertainment of his own; but there were authors of a higher class offering more intellectual pieces to the town. Fourteen years before, when Samuel Johnson was keeping school near Lichfield, he wrote his tragedy "Irene," which, in its rough state, he brought to London, when he and Garrick came up together in search of fortune. With poet, as with actor, the aspects of life had improved; but most with the latter. Johnson, now about forty, had been long known for his _London_, and had at this time put the finishing touches to his _Vanity of Human Wishes_. Garrick produced his friend's tragedy, and Johnson was present on the first night in gala dress, but not to be crowned, as Voltaire was, when the lively old Frenchman attended the representation of _his_ "Irene." For nine nights, yielding the poet three benefits--Garrick, Demetrius; Barry, Mahomet; and Mrs. Cibber and Mrs. Pritchard as Aspasia and Irene, exerted themselves--with indifferent success. There is no local colour in this Turkish piece; the language and sentiment are elevated, but they are never oriental in form or spirit. The unities are strictly preserved, but not nature; and therewith the piece was set aside, and Johnson never tried the drama again. In this season, too, kindly, over-speculating, fanciful Aaron Hill, brought his efforts to a close, with "Merope;"--and creditably, although he challenged comparison with Corneille, and in some things was allowed to have stood it with advantage. The piece was successful, but the author did not live to profit by it.[52] His family were weeping for his death, while audiences were shedding tears at the acting of Garrick, Dorilas; and Mrs. Pritchard, Merope. Not only did this tragedy long hold the stage, but the subject of a mother suffering because of a lost son, was so agreeable, it would seem, that Browne, Whitehead, and Home, adopted it in "Barbarossa," "Creusa," and "Douglas."