Letter from Thomas Death, Norwich, to Lord Chedworth, 1800 December 27 : autograph manuscript signed.

Sending a sad account of his theatrical company at Norwich, and commenting on individual actors; thanking him for his letter and the contribution of ten pounds which "...will essentially help to the relief of our perplex'd minds & be of real & inexpressible service in getting us through many difficulties which from these very oppressive times we labor under. As your Lordship observes you have visited the Theatre but seldom indeed & I am very apprehensive from the indifferent state of the Company if they do not soon augment it with some additional & better Performers the Managers must be sufferers. - I think with your Lordship that Mrs. Taylor is very ill treated by the manager - as she is indisputably a much superior speaker & Actress from Mrs. W-n but as you point out there is evidently a partiality shewn in thrusting on Mrs. W-n for all principal business both in Tragedy & Comedy - I am sorry to hear they treat Mrs. T-r so cavalierly - & I have not the least doubt from the merit she is possest of as an Actress, she might at any time command a much more comfortable situation. I recollect the Miss Smith your Lordship mentions indeed I think she really mistook her forte when she attempted the Stage as there was not in her whole composition either a glimmering of genius or merit as her distortions & Puppet like Attitude was truly laughable; continuing to discuss the merits of other actors and their roles; expressing his elation of the goodness he has bestowed on "three Deaths" and wishing him health and happiness.