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London June 17th/59
28 Surrey Street
Strand
My dear Father + Brothers
You will say at least that I commence a punctual correspondence, even if I should fall off in the frequency of my letters hereafter.
But as events transpire so rapidly at present I feel it my duty to let you know each succeeding change until I am out of my uncertain position and engaged in some reliable enterprize of professional promise.
Since writing my last I have had an interview with the manager of the “Royal Standard Theatre,” where the celebrated (and acknowledged
the best) English Tragedian, Mr Phelps is now playing, and he has intimated that I can have an opening with him as soon as Mr Phelps engagement terminates if I like, or the privilege of deferring it until the commencement of the Fall season, which he admits will be much more favorable than now, the warm summer season.
I perfectly agreed with him on that point and have arranged to meet him again tomorrow night (which will be too late for this mail) and settle definitely upon terms &c. He appears most anxious for the arrangement and I have no doubt of its being fully concluded before this letter is far embarked upon its home mission.
I can say something more than most American Actors
who have come to this country in having an engagement offered so soon after my arrival, as many have had to wait from six months to a year before they could effect an opening, and several have had to return without doing anything at all. Therefore under such pressing difficulties I may consider myself one of the fortunate adventurers.
My business motive in writing now is to ask John to see Ms Holloway and try to purchase the music of “Gio, the Armorer of Tyre,” and the Indian play of “Outahlanchet” which he arranged for the National Theatre Boston. = I offered to purchase it of him at the time, but he was inclined to ask more than I thought he should – in taking into consideration the favors I had done him by playing gratuitously for his own Benefit and also for the Orchestra in which he was a participant besides which he had availed himself of the privilege I gave him to take
a copy of my nick of the woods music and also of Johns "Macbeth“ Music &c. I therefore felt vexed and would not gratify his, what I considered unjust exorbitant demand. But John knows + everybody else that he is small in money matters, and perhaps may have repented his meanness in the affair.
Be that as it may, I now wish John to see if he can effect anything with him in the purchase of the same as it will save me considerable trouble in getting it done here, and perhaps expense as I suppose they would take advantage of my necessity and change accordingly. Besides which Hollowways arrangement is very good and I should then have all the parts ready for the first-rehearsal of each piece + not have the delay of beating into some stupid leaders noddle the kind of music I wanted for each scene.
I think Holloway asked ten dollars for each play or parts, and I offered Eight, that is, sixteen for the two. John, however will know how to talk with him and if he succeeds, tell him to get the Chorusses of Gio, as well as the other music – Jos