The tragedy is now reduced to three acts, and has gained nothing by amputation. It can not be said to resemble the oak-tree in Horace, that gained new life and vigour from the pruning knife.

Per dama, per cædes ab ipso

Ducit opes animumque ferro.

It has been observed by a sensible writer, that,

66

I

Though Doctor Hawksworth has greatly "amended the play in point of omission, yet "the litttle further extent that he has given "to the characters of Aboan and Hotman, "seems not sufficient to fill up the hiatus, "which those omissions have occasioned. "cannot, therefore, help thinking it still to “be wished, that some writer of ability would "consider it worth his while, to revive this "admirable ground-work of a tragedy, and "by

by interweaving with its present texture, "such additional incidents as Mrs. Behn's ex

"tensive novel might very amply furnish,

"render the whole highly interesting, and the

piece entitled to that immortality, which its "merit deserves. This would be paying a

66

grateful tribute to the memory of an author,

" whose value seems likely to sink almost into "oblivion, for want of some such care.".

CHAP. XXIX.

The Farce of POLLY HONEYCOMBE, the first Dramatic Production of GEORGE COLMAN-The WAY TO KEEP HIM, a Comedy, enlarged to Five Acts--The JEALOUS WIFE, a Comedy, by Mr. COLMAN-Its great Success SHAKESPEARE'S Play of CYMBELINE, with considerable Alterations by GARRICK JOHNSON'S Criticism on that Play-ALL IN THE Wrong, a Comedy-The CITIZEN, a Farce-The OLD MAID-SHERIDAN engaged at Drury-lane-Produces the EARL OF ESSEX, a Tragedy, by Mr. BROOKE, the Author of GUSTAVUS VASSAPleasant Observation of Dr. JOHNSON, another of SAMUEL FOOTE-The Tragedy of KING JOHN-GARRICK in the BASTARD SHERIDAN KING JOHN-Mrs. CIBBER's great excellence in the part of LADY CONSTANCE-Quarrel between SHERIDAV and GARRICK-WHITEHEAD'S Comedy of the SCHOOL FOR LOVERS-Dr. HAWKSWORTH'S Farce of EDGAR and EMMELINE-The FARMERS RETURN TO LONDON by GARRICK-Produced for Mrs. PRITCHRD'S Benefit.

September

ABOUT the middle of Novem

1760 to ber, Mr. Colman, who had written

June 1761.

the Connoiseur in conjunction

with Doctor Thornton, launched his first dra

matie

matic production. This was the farce of Polly Honeycombe; a piece designed to ridicule the follies of a young girl, whose imagination was bewildered by romances and novels from circulating libraries. The prologue was spoken by Mr. King, on whom the office of ambassador on such occasions devolved from that time, and continued long in his department. The farce was well received, and Miss Pope, in the part of Polly Honeycombe, gained great applause.

IN January 1761, the comedy of The Way to keep Him, enlarged, according to the author's original plan, to five acts, appeared again on the boards of Drury-lane. Lovemore, with considerable additions, was finely performed by Garrick; and the part of Sir Bashful Constant, a new character inter

woven with the plot, received every advantage of stage effect from the excellent acting of Mr. Yates.

In the beginning of February, Mr. Colman, who had lately fleshed his maiden sword in the farce of Polly Honeycombe, came forward flushed with success, and produced a comedy in five acts, entitled The Jealous Wife. I am not willing to enter into a criticism on this play, as, at that time, a quarrel broke out between the author and myself, and the breach was never healed. Mr. Colman had entered into a league with Churchill and Bob Lloyd, and that triumvirate, he thought, would be able to bear down all before them. Some certain artifices in Colman's conduct came to this author's knowledge, and, as they appeared to him in a bad light, he never listened to any

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