Colley Cibber, Esq.; his Lives of the Late Famous Actors and Actresses.
By Anthony (vulgò Tony) Aston. Printed for the Author. 8vo. pp. 24." The
copy now before me, which was Isaac Reed's, sold at his sale for 2_l_.
5_s_. It is reprinted in a literary journal called _The Cabinet_, and in
Bell-chambers' excellent edition of Cibber's _Apology_.

Whilst on the subject of the stage, I should be glad if any of your
correspondents could inform me what has become of "Dick Leveridge's
History of the Stage and Actors in his own Time?" Leveridge himself
informed Oldys that he had compiled such a work, and Oldys, with his
usual care, noted the fact in one of his numerous memorandum books. I
have been long engaged in a history of _The Life and Times of Henry
Purcell_, and the said MS., if it could be recovered, would, without
doubt, enlighten us much upon the subject of Purcell's career as a
dramatic composer.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.


_Betterton's Essay._

The "best piece" of Betterton, for which T.J.L. inquires (p. 68.), is
contained in his Life, printed by Gosling, 1710; in fact, this is merely
a vehicle to introduce the treatise, the Life filling only from p. 5. to
11, and thus concluding:--"He was bury'd with great decency in
Westminster Abbey."


"The year before his death, (he) being at his country house in
Reading, my friend and I travelled that way.... One day, after