The Life of David Garrick - v. 2 Author:Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IX. FITZPATRICK. 1762—1763. This clearing of the stage from the loungers was to be fraught with great difficulties, and even danger. Above all, th... more »e fiercest opposition would be raised by his own company, who on a benefit, would lose as much as a hundred pounds or more, by being curtailed of this privilege. Garrick, however, always on the side of propriety, was content to brave the first dangers; and the happy device of enlarging the house, and gaining in front, the accommodation that was sacrificed behind the curtain, took away all excuse for dissatisfaction among the actors. These alterations were done so judiciously, that the theatre gained, not only in 'size, but in beauty, and now held a receipt of £335 a-night. The opposition, and displeasure of the men about town, was more perilous still. They could not readily accept their dismission. Unfortunately, too, Garrick had been drawn into an open quarrel with their leader, "Thady" Fitzpatrick, the "fine gentleman" of the coterie, who affected a superior tone, from his West End connection. He would seem to have carried the extravagance of dandy dress andairs to its farthest limit—and the bitter satire which Garrick some years before had levelled at the fops of the town, was applied in a special degree to this arch- exquisite. It has been mentioned that he began by taking Mossop's side, in that actor's discussion with Garrick, as to a choice of parts, and artfully inflamed his irritation, by exaggerated praises and representations, that his abilities were kept down. He had now himself found a personal cause of quarrel with Garrick. At the Bedford, one night, among a group of Shakspearean admirers, it was proposed that some testimonial of honour should be offered to their "idol." The shape was being discussed, when ...« less