THE FADING OF A STAR The life of Mistress Oldfield, like that of Barton Booth, was cast in pleasant places.

Yet the lady had her little agitations, and found them, no doubt, rather an incentive to existence than otherwise.

Take, for instance, the excitement surrounding the production, during the Drury Lane season of 1711-12, of Mrs.Centlivre's play, "The Perplexed Lovers." To the lovely Nance was entrusted the duty of speaking the epilogue thereto, wherein Prince Eugene (at that time on a visit to England) and the Duke of Marlborough were lauded in the true spirit of ancient flunkeyism.

But the animosity which politics doth breed ran high, and the first night of the performance went by without the introduction of the eulogy.

Some patriots objected to the sentiments which it contained, and the managers were cautious.