e Duke's Theatre. 4to. 100% was Otway's last performance, is very unworthy of the au

See SOLDIER'S FORTUNE. 5. THE ATHEIST'S TRAGE or, The Honest Man's Revenge. Cyril Tourneur. 4to. 1612 lot of Levidulcia's conveying ian and Fresco out of her er, when surprised by the g of her husband Belleforest, en from Boccace, Dec. 7, This play possesses much , and is in several parts with great energy of

.

ATHELSTAN. Trag. by wne. Acted at Drury Lane. 56. This tragedy is founde British history, and has erit; yet seemed not to th the success that merit having been scarcely thought of since its first be struggles and conflicts passion, which Athelstan to undergo before his pa d domestic affections get - of a resentment which m into an act of treason s prince and country, supported, and perhaps celled in any of our mo dies. THELWALD. Trag. by Esq. Acted at Drury - 1731; 8vo. 1759. A e same subject by this

tress. The poet has greatly height- t ened the infidelity of Athelwold, by making him, previous to his 7 having seen Elfrida, to have seduced, under the most solemn promises of marriage, a worthy mai-t den, and her too the object of t adoration of his dearest friend i Leolyn; thus making him trebly f false, to friendship, love, and loyalty. The consciousness of this I ill-fated error, blended with the honour, courage, and tenderness, which constitute the other parts of I Athelwold's character, afford great opportunities to the author of paint- t ing the movements of the human C heart; nor has he lost those op- a portunities. The language is poetical and spirited, the characters chaste and genuine, and the descriptions affecting and picturesque. f This was the author's favourite g tragedy, and deserved a better reception than it met with. It was acted only three nights. The fol- I lowing six lines, with which it concludes, have been noticed for f their spirit and propriety:

Oh, Leolyn! be obstinately just; Indulge no passion, and deceive no trust : Let never man be bold enough to say, Thus, and no further, shall my passion

stray:

The first crime past compels us into more, And guilt grows fate that was but choice

a

I

i

1

1

a

Notwithstanding the acting of Mr. Kemble it was laid aside after night. We have been after Mr. Boaden had lay in the green-room, , that he knew nothing as reading a piece becritical audience. Mrs. actress, remarked, that One thing much more What can that be?" the author. "To be " said she, " to sit and This may, however, en-room scandal. RENGE-ZEBE; or, The ul. Trag. by J. Dry1 at the Theatre Royal. 4to. 1692. This play being the worst of the our great poet. The at Agra, the capital of 's territories in India, t may be found in TaJoyages, vol. i. part 2, Langbaine accuses the having borrowed his of Aurenge-zebe and from the Hippolytus a of Seneca, and also stolen several hints n's Sampson Agonistes. first of these charges, acob takes some pains = him. gedy, as Dr. Johnson founded on the actions

r

afford the same conveniencies t poet as length of time.

This play is in rhyme, and the appearance of being the m elaborate of all the dramas of Dr den. The personages are imp rial; but the dialogue is oft domestic, and therefore susceptib of sentiments accommodated to f miliar incidents. The complai of life is celebrated, and there a many other passages that may b read with pleasure.

419. AURORA'S NUPTIALS. dramatic performance, occasione by the nuptials of William, Princ of Orange, and Anne, Princes Royal of England. Acted at Drury Lane. 4to. 1734. The music by John Frederic Lampe.

420. THE AUTHOR.

Com. of

two acts, by S. Foote, Esq. Acted at Drury Lane. 8vo. 1757. This piece was written only for the sake of affording to the writer of it an opportunity of exerting his talents of mimicry, at the expense of a gentleman of family and fortune, Mr. Aprice; whose particularities of character, although entirely inoffensive, were rendered the butt of public ridicule in the part of Cadwallader. The eager fondness which the world will ever show to personal slander, added to the inimitable humour of this writer and performer in the representation, for some time brought crowded

Lampe.

UTHOR.

Com. of

Foote, Esq. Acte. 8vo. 1757. This n only for the sake he writer of it an xerting his talents the expense of a mily and fortune, ose particularities ough entirely inrendered the butt e in the part of e eager fondness will ever show to added to the inif this writer and ▸ representation, ought crowded cro

:

atiou

(Foote's benefit at Drury Lane, Dec. 1758), an additional scene was intended to have been introduced, which is printed in The Monthly Mirror, vol. vii. p. 39

41.

421. THE AUTHOR AND THE BOOKSELLER. Dram. Piece, by Charlotte M'Carthy. 8vo. N. D. [1765.] This was merely designed as an introduction to proposals for printing a book, entitled "Justice "and Reason faithful Guides to "Truth. A Treatise under thirty"seven Heads."

422. THE AUTHOR'S FARCE. Com. of three acts, by H. Fielding, Esq. 8vo. 1730. This comedy contains a supposed rehearsal of another piece, entitled The Pleasures of the Town, designed principally to ridicule the then prevailing fondness for the Italian singers. It was first acted at the Little Theatre in the Haymarket with very considerable success, and afterwards revised and altered.

423. THE AUTHOR'S TRIUMPH; or, The Managers managed. A

Ims nageuy, says

ator, " is of a singular and very different from ng that remains to us of menian theatre: the best nave ranked it among the agedies of Euripides, and ect of its composition it out to us it is the least Fing of any of them; for not so far assume the Ces and sentiments of a a audience, as to be afwith a story of their Bacd his frantic Menades; can be sensible to fine ; and the distress of Cadnd Agave, in the last is touched with a masand. But it is peculiarly e for its learning, as it e best account now exthe orgies of Bacchus; tes, even to the dress and 's of the Bacchæ, are so arly described, that later en contemporary writers › have taken their ac froni hence. The first ode is truly tragic in the acceptation of the word, only remarkable for the e of its composition, but s as a religious relic; all nains to us of those songs our of Bacchus, from tragedy derived its oriits name: the religious h which it is prefaced

ng of the satiric piece, I

" be not altogether one, as we "as the Cyclops; but withou "reason: he judges better, wher " from the subject and the turn o "most of the scenes, he conjec "tures it to be a sacred tragedy " and to have been exhibited during "the jollity of the feast of Bac "chus.

"The scene is at Thebes, be "fore the vestibule of the palace "of Pentheus."

3. THE BACCHANALIANS. Trag translated from Euripides, by Michael Wodhull. 8vo. 1782.

4. THE BALL. Com. by James Shirley. Acted in Drury Lane. 4to. 1639. Chapman assisted Shirley in this comedy.

5. BAND, RUFF, AND CUFF. See EXCHANGE WARE.

6. THE BANDITTI; or, A Lady's Distress. A Play, by T. Durfey. Acted at the Theatre Royal. 4to. 1686. The scene lies in Madrid, and a part of the plot is taken from Shirley's Sisters. This play met with some opposition in the performance, from persons with catcalls; on which account Durfey has prefixed to it a humorous dedication; in which he seems to aim at some particular character, under the title of Sir Critic Catcall.

7. THE BANDITTI; or, Love's Com. Op. by John Acted at Covent Gar

Labyrinth. O'Keefe.

ether one, as well ps; but without dges better, when, ect and the turn of cenes, he conjec a sacred tragedy, en exhibited during the feast of Bac

is at Thebes, beDule of the palace

HANALIANS. Trag.
Euripides, by Mi
Svo. 1782.

. Com. by James
in Drury Lane.
man assisted Shir-
dy.

UFF, AND CUFF.
WARE.

ITTI; or, A Lady's
ay, by T. Durfey.
eatre Royal. 4to.
ne lies in Madrid,
the plot is taken
isters. This play
opposition in the
om persons with
ich account Dur-
to it a humorous
which he seems to
rticular character,
of Sir Critic Cat-

DITTI; or, Love's m. Op. by John ed at Covent Gar

and his Queen.

9. THE BANISHMENT OF CICERO. Trag. by Richard Cumberland. 4to. 1761. This play was never acted, having been refused by Mr. Garrick, to whom it was offered. The plot of it is founded on history, and on the enmity and machinations of Calphurnius Piso, and the family of Clodius, against the famous father of his country, Tully. The language of the piece in general is nervous, sentimental, and poetical, and the characters are well drawn : yet we cannot help thinking those of Clodius and his sister too vicious and shocking to come within the decent clothing of the tragic muse; or, if they did, the punishment of their crimes is not sufficiently striking; especially that of Clodius himself, who has not only apparently had an incestuous correspondence with his sister, but is moreover an atheist of that time; a character which, by the way, we do not remember meeting with in ancient history, but rather seems a refinement in wickedness reserved for the politeness of our more enlightened age. The expectations of the readers, moreover, are raised in one place concerning the consequences of some fact, for which Clodius makes the most horrid preparations before they are