GarrickbeingnowvestedwiththeatricalpowerbybeingmanagerofDrury-lanetheatre，hekindlyandgenerouslymadeuseofittobringoutJohnson’stragedy，whichhadbeenlongkeptbackforwantofencouragement。ButinthisbenevolentpurposehemetwithnosmalldifficultyfromthetemperofJohnson，whichcouldnotbrookthatadramawhichhehadformedwithmuchstudy，andhadbeenobligedtokeepmorethanthenineyearsofHorace，shouldberevisedandalteredatthepleasureofanactor。YetGarrickknewwell，thatwithoutsomealterationsitwouldnotbefitforthestage。Aviolentdisputehavingensuedbetweenthem，GarrickappliedtotheReverendDr。Taylortointerpose。Johnsonwasatfirstveryobstinate。’Sir，saidhethefellowwantsmetomakeMahometrunmad，thathemayhaveanopportunityoftossinghishandsandkickinghisheels。’Hewas，however，atlast，withdifficulty，prevailedontocomplywithGarrick’swishes，soastoallowofsomechanges；butstilltherewerenotenough。
Dr。AdamswaspresentthefirstnightoftherepresentationofIrene，andgavemethefollowingaccount：’Beforethecurtaindrewup，therewerecatcallswhistling，whichalarmedJohnson’sfriends。
ThePrologue，whichwaswrittenbyhimselfinamanlystrain，soothedtheaudience，andtheplaywentofftolerably，tillitcametotheconclusion，whenMrs。Pritchard，theheroineofthepiece，wastobestrangleduponthestage，andwastospeaktwolineswiththebowstringroundherneck。Theaudiencecriedout“Murder!
Murder!“Sheseveraltimesattemptedtospeak；butinvain。Atlastshewasobligedtogooffthestagealive。’Thispassagewasafterwardsstruckout，andshewascarriedofftobeputtodeathbehindthescenes，astheplaynowhasit。TheEpilogue，asJohnsoninformedme，waswrittenbySirWilliamYonge。Iknownothowhisplaycametobethusgracedbythepenofapersonthensoeminentinthepoliticalworld。
NotwithstandingallthesupportofsuchperformersasGarrick，Barry，Mrs。Cibber，Mrs。Pritchard，andeveryadvantageofdressanddecoration，thetragedyofIrenedidnotpleasethepublick。