as well as comick, in one Piece, would render it ftill more likely to make a favourable Impreffion on the Audience. There is a Gentleman, not unequal to fuch a Tafk, who was once tempted to begin a Piece of this Sort; but, I fear, he has too much Love of Eafe and Indolence, and too little Ambition of literary Fame, ever to complete it.

But to conclude:

Have I, Sir, been wafting all this Ink and Time in vain? Or may it be hoped that you will extend fome of that Care to the reft of our old Authors, which you have fo long beftowed on Shakespeare, and which you have fo often lavished on many a worse Writer, than the most inferior of those here recommended to you? It is certainly your Interest to give Variety to the Publick Tafte, and to diverfify the Colour of our Dramatick Entertainments. Encourage new Attempts; but do Juftice to the Old! The Theatre is a wide Field. Let not one, or two Walks of it alone be beaten, but lay open the Whole to the Excurfions of Genius! This, perhaps, might kindle a Spirit of Originality in our modern Writers for the Stage; who might be tempted to aim at more Novelty in their Compofitions, when. the Liberality of the popular Tafte rendered it lefs hazardous. That the Narrownefs of Theatrical Criticism might be enlarged, I have no Doubt. Reflect, for a Moment, on the uncommon Success of Romeo and Juliet, and Every Man in his Humour! and then tell me, whether there are not many other Pieces of as antient a Date, which, with the like proper Curtailments and Alterations, would produce the fame Effect? Has an induftrious Hand been at the Pains to scratch up the Dunghill of Dryden's Amphitryon for the few Pearls that are buried in it, and fhall the rich Treasures of Beaumont and Fletcher, Fonfon and Mainger, lie (as it were) in the Ore, untouched and difregarded? Reform your Lift of Plays!

Plays! In the Name of Burbage, Taylor, and Betterton, I conjure you to it! Let the veteran Criticks once more have the Satisfaction of feeing The Maid's Tragedy, Philafter, King and no King, &c. on the Stage!-Reftore Fletcher's Elder Brother to the Rank unjustly ufurped by Cibber's Love Makes a Man! and fince you have wifely defifted from giving an annual Affront to the City by acting The London Cuckolds on Lord-Mayor's Day, why will you not pay them a Compliment, by exhibiting The City Madam of Maffinger on the fame Occafion?

If after all, Sir, thefe Remonftrances fhould prove without Effect, and the Merit of thefe great Authors fhould plead with you in vain, I will here fairly turn my Back upon you, and addrefs myself to the Lovers of Dramatick Compofitions in general.. They, I am fure, will perufe thofe Works with Pleafure in the Clofet, though they lofe the Satisfaction of feeing them reprefented on the Stage: Nay, fhould they, together with you, concur in determining that fuch Pieces are unfit to be acted, you, as well as they, will, I am confident, agree, that fuch Pieces are, at least, very worthy to be read. There are many modern Compofitions, feen with Delight at the Theatre, which ficken on the Tafte in the Perufal; and the honeft Country Gentleman, 'who has not been present at the Reprefentation, wonders with what his London Friends have been fo highly entertained, and is as much perplexed at the Town-manner of Writing as Mr. Smith in The Rebearfal. The Excellencies of our old Writers are, on the contrary, not confined to Time and Place, but always bear about them the Evidences of true Genius.

Maflinger is perhaps the leaft known, but not the leaft meritorious of any of the old Class of Writers. His Works declare him to be no mean Proficient in the fame School. He poffeffes all the Beauties and

Blemishes

Blemishes common to the Writers of that Age. He has, like the reft of them, in Compliance with the Cuftom of the Times, admitted Scenes of a low and grofs Nature, which might be admitted with no more Prejudice to the Fable, than the Buffoonry in Venice Preferved. For his few Faults he makes ample Atonement. His Fables are, most of them, affecting; his Characters well conceived, and strongly fupported; and his Diction, flowing, various, elegant, and manly. His two Plays, revived by Betterton, The Bondman, and The Roman Actor, are not, I think, among the Number of his beft. The Duke of Milan, The Renegado, The Picture, The Fatal Dowry, The Maid of Honour, A New Way to pay Old Debts, The Unnatural Combat, The Guardian, The City Madam, are each of them, in my Mind, more excellent. He was a very popular Writer in his own Times, but fo unaccountably, as well as unjuflly, neglected at prefent, that the accurate Compilers of a Work, called, The Lives of the Poets, publifhed under the learned Name of the late Mr. Theophilus Cibber, have not fo much as mentioned him. He is, however, take him for all in all, an Author, whofe Works the intelligent Reader will peruse with Admiration: And that I may not be fuppofed to withdraw my Plea for his Admiffion to the modern Stage, I fhall conclude thefe Reflections with one more Specimen of his Abilities; fubmitting it to all Judges of Theatrical Exhibitions, whether the most masterly Actor would not here have an Opportuity of difplaying his Powers to Advantage.

The Extract I mean to fubjoin is from the laft Scene of the firft Act of The Duke of Milan.Sforza, having efpoufed the Caufe of the King of France against the Emperor, on the King's Defeat, is advised by a Friend, to yield himself up to the Emperor's Difcretion. He confents to this Mea

fure,

fure, but provides for his Departure in the following Manner:

Sfor. Stay you, Francifco.

-You fee how Things fland with me?
Fran. To my Grief:

And if the Lofs of my poor Life could be
A Sacrifice, to restore them as they were,
I willingly would lay it down.

Sfor. I think fo;

For I have ever found you true and thankful,
Which makes me love the Building I have rais'd,
In your Advancement; and repent no Grace
I have confer'd upon you: And, believe me,
Though now I fhould repeat my Favours to you,
The Titles I have given you, and the Means
Suitable to your Honours; that I thought you
Worthy my Sifter, and my Family,

And in my Dukedom made you next myself;
It is not to upbraid you; but to tell you

I find you're worthy of them, in your Love
And Service to me.

Fran. Sir, I am your Creature ;

And any Shape that you would have me wear,
I gladly will put on.

Sfor. Thus, then, Francifco;

I now am to deliver to your Truft

A weighty Secret, of fo ftrange a Nature,
And 'twill, I know, appear fo monstrous to you,
That you will tremble in the Execution,
As much as I am tortur'd to command it:
For 'tis a Deed fo horrid, that, but to hear it,
Would ftrike into a Ruffian flefh'd in Murthers,
Or an obdurate Hangman, foft Compaffion;
And yet, Francifco (of all Men the dearest,
And from me moft deferving) fuch my State
And strange Condition is, that Thou alone
Muft know the fatal Service, and perform it.

Fran.

Fran. These Preparations, Sir, to work a Stranger,' Or to one unacquainted with your Bounties, Might appear ufeful; but, to Me, they are Needlefs Impertinencies: For I dare do Whate'er you dare command.

Sfor. But thou must swear it,

And put into thy Oath, all Joys, or Torments
That fright the Wicked, or confirm the Good :
Not to conceal it only (that is nothing)

But, whenfoe'er my Will fhall fpeak, ftrike now!
To fall upon't like Thunder.

Fran. Minifter

The Oath in any Way, or Form you please,
I ftand refolv'd to take it.

Sfor. Thou must do, then,

What no malevolent Star will dare to look on,
It is fo wicked: For which, Men will curfe thee
For being the Inftrument; and the Angels
Forfake me at my Need, for being the Author:
For 'tis a Deed of Night, of Night, Francifco,
In which the Memory of all good Actions,
We can pretend to, thall be buried quick :
Or, if we be remember'd, it fhall be
To fright Pofterity by our Example,
That have outgone all Precedents of Villains.
That were before us; and fuch as fucceed,

Though taught in Hell's black School, fhall ne'er
-Art thou not fhaken yet!
Fran. I grant you move me:

But to a Man confirm'd

Sfor. I'll try your Temper:

What think you of my Wife?
Fran. As a Thing facred;

[come near us.

To whofe fair Name and Memory I pay gladly

These Signs of Duty.

Sfor. Is the not the Abstract

Of all that's rare, or to be wifh'd in Woman?

[Kneels.

Fran It were a Kind of Blafphemy to difpute it:

-But to the Purpose, Sir.