There was no help for it. The summer passed, Rich opened the Lincoln's
Inn Fields playhouse and sent for Lavinia. He gave her quite an
important part and Lavinia was elated, albeit the play was one of
Wycherley's most repulsive productions, "The Country Wife." But all
through the winter season this part was her only opportunity for
distinction. John Rich, like most actor managers, had but an eye for
himself as the central figure and in his own special province--dancing
and posturing. His "Harlequin" entertainment "The Rape of Proserpine"
proved to be one of his biggest successes and ran uninterruptedly for
three months.
Lavinia's line in the piece was simply to "walk on" among the "lasses"
but she had the gratification of seeing her name announced in the
advertisements--a sufficient proof that she was rising in Rich's
estimation. She had at last a chance of showing what she could do. Her
old acquaintance, Mrs. Egleton, took her benefit along with Hippisley,
one of the best low comedians of the day, and selected Farquhar's "The
Beaux' Stratagem"--partly so she said, for Lavinia's sake.
"You were made for Cherry, my dear," said she. "The part'll fit you as
easily as an old glove."
And so it did, but the next night Rich went back to "The Rape of
Proserpine" and the piece continued to run until the summer, and then
the theatre closed as usual for three months.
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