acquainted with it at the End of the Seaſon; the Reaſon of this will
appear to be the giving them a proper Notice to provide for themſelves:
This the Manager of _Covent-Garden_ did to all his Company whom he
deſigned to diſcharge, or whoſe Allowance was to be leſſen'd, except to
me, which made me actually then conclude he determined I Å¿hould
continue with him, 'till I was undeceived by his Play-Bills with the
Names of other Actreſſes in Parts I uſed to perform; ſo that he has not
only broke thro' the Cuſtoms of the Theatre, but thoſe in practice
almoſt every where, in diſmiſſing me, and has done me a real Injury in
ſuch an unprecedented Act of Injuſtice; for had I been informed of his
Deſign at the End of the Seaſon, I could have made Terms to have acted
in _Ireland_, where I had met with moſt uncommon Civilities, and
received very great Advantages, which I Å¿hall ever remember with the
utmoſt Gratitude, and take this and every other Opportunity to
acknowledge.

As I have ſaid, it has been a Cuſtom to give Actors Notice of a
Diſcharge: I muſt at the ſame time obſerve, That it never was a Cuſtom
to diſcharge any, but upon Neglect of their Buſineſs, or ſuch as were
obnoxious to the Publick; this Maxim extended even to thoſe of the
loweſt Claſs; but to thoſe, on whoſe Performances the Town had been
pleaſed to ſtamp a Value, by their Indulgence and Applauſe, the Stage
was always a Support, even after Age or any Accident had made 'em
incapable of their Profeſſion; for the then Patentees thought it as
great a Piece of Inſolence to deprive the Publick of their Pleaſures, as
of Cruelty and Injuſtice to deny thoſe a Subſiſtence who had contributed
towards 'em; for they knew and acknowledged, that the Publick was the
only Support of all, conſequently had an indiſputable Right to be
pleaſed in the beſt manner poſſible.