Finally he yielded to expediency, and, coming forward to the centre of the stage, expressed his contrition.

At this, a puppy in the pit cried out "Kneel, you rascal!" and Evans, now thoroughly exasperated, tartly answered: "No, you rascal! I'll kneel to none but God, and my Queen." Then the performance began.[A] [Footnote A: "As there were many worthy gentlemen of the army who knew the whole affair, the new rais'd clamour ceas'd, and the play went through without any molestation, and, by degrees, things return'd to their proper channel By this we may see, it is some danger for an actor to be in the right."-- CHETWOOD.] How Chetwood bubbles over with a stream of ever-flowing anecdote.

Much that he gives us in his "General History of the Stage" is only gossip, yet what is there more fascinating than tittle-tattle about players?
The gossip of the drawing-room is merely inane, or else scandalous; but shift the scene to the theatre, and a story no longer bores; it is consecrated by the sacrament of interest.

Is any apology necessary, therefore, if the quotation marks be again brought into requisition.
This time the anecdote is of Thomas Griffith, an excellent comedian, and a harmless poet.
"After his commencing actor, he contracted a friendship with Mr.
Wilks; which chain remained unbroke till the death of that excellent comedian.

Tho' Mr.Griffith was very young, Mr.Wilks took him with him to London (from Dublin), and had him entered for that season at a small salary.