Among these patriots was Mr. T.P. Cooke--(it
was just after his promotion to the honorary rank of Admiral of the Blue).
The Covent-garden managers jumped at the offer of the actor, who was in
due time announced as having, in the true play-bill style, "most
generously volunteered his services for six nights!" Cooke was advertised
for _William_; Elliston having "most generously lent [N.B. this was _not_
put in the bill] his musical score of _Black-Eyed Susan_, together with
the identical captains' coats, worn at a hundred-and-fifty court-martials
at the Surrey Theatre!" Cooke--the score--the coats, were all accepted,
and made the most of by the now prosecuting managers of Covent-garden, who
cleared out of the said Cooke, score, and coats, one thousand pounds at
half-price on the first six nights of their exhibition. This is a fact;
nay, we have lately heard it stated that all the sum was specially banked,
to be used in a future war against the minors. Cooke was then engaged for
twelve more nights, at ten pounds per night--a hackney-coach bringing him
each night, hot from the Surrey stage, where he had previously made
bargemen weep, and thrown nursery-maids into convulsions.
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