I, James Spiller, of Gloucestershire, having received an invitation from Hildebrand Bullock, of Liquorpond Street, London, to exercise the usual weapons of the noble science of defence, will not fail to meet this bold invader, desiring a full stage, blunt weapons, and from him much favour.”  At another time the same actor announced his benefit in a kind of mock electioneering address, requesting the vote and interest of the public on the ground of his being “a person well affected to the establishment of the theatre.”  To recite an epilogue while seated on the back of an ass was a favourite expedient of the comedians of the early Georgian period, while the introduction of comic songs and mimicry—­such as the scene of “The Drunken Man,” and the song of “The Four-and-Twenty Stock-Jobbers,” which Mr. Harper performed on his benefit-night in 1720—­was found to be a very attractive measure.  Authors who were on friendly terms with the actors, or had reason to be grateful to them, frequently gave them short pieces or wrote special epilogues for their benefits.  Sheridan’s farce, “St. Patrick’s Day, or the Scheming Lieutenant,” was a present to Clinch, the actor, and first produced on his benefit-night in 1775.  Goldsmith felt himself so obliged to Quick and Lee Lewes, who had been the original Tony Lumpkin and Young Marlow in “She Stoops to Conquer,” that for the one he adapted a farce from Sedley’s translation of “Le Grondeur,” and supplied the other with an occasional epilogue, written in his pleasantest manner.  When Shuter selected “The Good-natured Man” for his benefit, the gratified author, in a fit of extravagant kindness, sent the actor ten guineas—­possibly the last he had at the time—­for a box ticket.

On the occasion of his first benefit in London, Garrick furnished his patrons with a remarkable proof of his versatility, for he represented extreme age in “King Lear,” and extreme youth in the comedy of “The Schoolboy.”  At his second benefit he again contrasted his efforts in tragedy and comedy by appearing as Hastings in “Jane Shore,” and Sharp in the farce of “The Lying Valet.”  Kean, for his benefit, danced as harlequin, gave imitations of contemporary performers, and sang the song of “Tom Tug” after the manner of Mr. Incledon.  Other actors of very inferior capacity made similar experiments, the fact that the performance was “for a benefit,” and “for one night only,” being esteemed in every case a sufficient justification of any eccentricity.

It would be hopeless to attempt any detailed account of the many strange deeds done for the sake of benefits.  Actresses have encroached upon the repertory of their male playfellows, as when Mrs. Woffington appeared as Lothario, Mrs. Abington as Scrub, Mrs. Siddons as Hamlet, and when portly Mrs. Webb attempted the character of Falstaff.  Actors have laid hands on characters which usually were deemed the exclusive property of the actresses—­as when Mr. Dowton resigned his favourite part of Sir Anthony Absolute and donned