in the public mind. Cibber, instead of striking out a new line for himself, which might jar with the public conception of the part, attempted the most minute imitation of Dogget, in voice, manner, face, and deportment. And so perfect was the resemblance, that many for some time thought it was Dogget himself on the stage, and the sight of that veteran actor in the pit, afforded no small gratification to the vanity of the successful copyist.
Still the verdict of the public was not responded to by the manager. If Cibber asked for a part different to what he had been accustomed to play, he was met with the chill rebuff that "it was not in his way." A remonstrance of his, in reply to some such observation, is worthy the attention both of actors and managers. "I thought," said he, "anything naturally written ought to be in any one's way that pretended to be an actor." This was thought then, as no doubt it would be now, an instance of conceit; and it is because the truth of this remark is not sufficiently recognised, that we see so much comic power degenerating into buffoonery, and authors pandering to an actor's oddities instead of studying truth and nature. In 1695, Cibber offered a play of his own, called "Love's Last Shift," which, through the intervention of Southerne, author of "Oronooko," was brought out in January of this year. This piece was afterwards translated into French, under the whimsical heading of "La dernière chemise de l'amour."
Southerne, though he thought highly of the play, had a less favourable opinion of the author's powers as an actor. "Young man, I pronounce thy play a good one," was his observation. "I will answer for its success if thou dost not spoil it by thy own action." Cibber had given himself the part of Sir Novelty Fashion, which was written to ridicule the tone of foppery then prevalent. The piece gave proofs of such ability, that Lord Dorset, the then
