And these are all your judgments. All. Honoured fathers— 1 Avoc. Which may not be revoked. Now you begin, When crimes are done, and past, and to be punished, VOLPONE comes forward. "The seasoning of a play is the applause. [Exeunt. Now, though the Fox be punished by the laws, [Exit. HIS Comedy was first acted in 1609, not, as Mr. Whalley says, "by the King's Majesty's servants," but by "the children of her Majesty's Revels." It would seem from the list of performers that a great change had taken place among the "children" since the appearance of The Poetaster, for, with the exception of Field, the names are altogether different from those subjoined to that drama. Salathiel Pavy, the poet's favourite, was dead; of the rest, some perhaps had ripened into men, and joined other companies, and some left the "quality" altogether. "Barksted," better known as a poet than an actor, "Carie, Attawel, and Pen," are among the principal performers in Beaumont and Fletcher's plays, and were undoubtedly of some eminence in their profession. Of "Smith, Allin, and Blaney," who complete the list, I can say nothing. The Silent Woman was printed in quarto with this motto: Ut sis tu similis Cali, Byrrhique latronum, Non ego sim Capri, neque Sulci. Cur metuas me? and went through several editions. I have one dated 1620. The Companion to the Playhouse mentions another, printed in 1609, (as does Whalley, in the margin of his copy,) which I have not been able to discover: the earliest which has fallen in my way, bearing date 1612. All these are exclusive of the folio, 1616. In a word, this has always been the most popular of Johnson's dramas. It was revived immeJon. III. 145 L |