Marmozet was the sole occasion of my disappointment; that he
acted from first to last with the most perfidious dissimulation,
cajoling me with insinuating civilities, while he underhand employed
all his art and influence to prejudice the ignorant manager against
my performance; that nothing could equal his hypocrisy but his
avarice, which engrossed the faculties of his soul so much, that
he scrupled not to be guilty of the meanest practices to gratify
that sordid appetite; that, in consequence of this disposition,
he had prostituted his honour in betraying my inexperience, and in
undermining the interest of another author of established reputation,
who had also offered a tragedy to the stage, which he thought
would interfere with the success of the comedy he had bought, and
determined to bring on at all events.
"I was shocked at the description of such a monster, which I could
not believe existed in the world, bad as it is, and argued against
the asseverations of my friend, by demonstrating the bad policy of
such behaviour, which could not fail of entailing infamy upon the
author; and the small temptation that a man of Mr. Marmozet's figure
and success could have to consult his interest in such a grovelling
manner, which must create contempt and abhorrence of him in his
patrons, and effectually deprive him of the countenance and protection
he now enjoys in such an eminent degree.
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