| Citation |
NYGWPB.769.048
26 Jun 1769:33 (1382)
Extract of a letter of a "young gentleman" to his friend, on
seeing a piece inserted in Messrs. Robertson's Chronicle,
singed John Telltruth.
22d June, 1769.
My dear Friend, I suppose you have seen the piece in Messrs.
Robertson's Chronicle of to-day, wrote by some incendiary,
on purpose to blacken the characters of some "young
gentlemen," who for their amusement were to have been the
"Exhibitors" of a tragedy called, The Orphan, or The Unhappy
Marriage, on Tuesday evening last; but on the day of
performance, or the day before, the "young gentlemen" were
informed by some of their friends, that there were a parcel
of counterfeited tickets then selling about the town,
(perhaps Mr. Telltruth may assert, that they were not
counterfeits, but genuine; if he asserts so, he is mistaken;
for there were only 52 genuine tickets struck off, which
were given to the "Exhibitor's" particular friends) they
immediately on this information, resolved to postpone the
performance till some other opportunity, their intention
being only amusement, (as may be seen by the tenor of their
tickets) they thought it below their rank and characters to
perform for the sake of a little paltry gain, which persons
unacquainted with their circumstances might, by the
instigation of such a person as the author of the
'foremention'd piece (from his manner of writing) might be
led to think they did.---The ungenerous, ungentleman-like
writer "ought to have thought before he leapt," for though
he was put to the expence of buying one of the counterfeits
to satisfy his curiosity, it is to be hoped, that his
circumstances are not quite so bad as he need to fear the
horrors of a jail on account of the purchase of one of them,
and the expence his revenge has put him to. Mr. Telltruth
says false in every particular; but especially when he says,
"our exhibitors thought proper not to make their appearance
either in person or by their attornies," as the major part
of the "Exhibitors" which was to have been, were "personally
present" at or near the door of the house of exhibition from
5, until near 10 o'clock, that evening. I am, my dear
friend, Yours,&c. J. Scan.
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