Chapter XXIX: Epilogue: Spoken by Mr. Smith (1)

_So hard the times are, and so thin the Town, Though but one Playhouse, that must too lie down; And when we fail, what will the Poets do? They live by us as we are kept by you: When we disband, they no more Plays will write, But make Lampoons, and libel ye in spite; Discover each false Heart that lies within, Nor Man nor Woman shall in private sin; The precise whoring Husband’s haunts betray, Which the demurer Lady to repay, In his own coin does the just debt defray. The brisk young Beauty linked to Lands and Age, Shuns the dull Property and strokes the youthful Page; And if the Stripling apprehend not soon, Turns him aside, and takes the brawny Groom; Whilst the kind Man so true a Husband proves, To think all’s well done by the thing he loves; Knows he’s a Cuckold, yet content to bear Whatever Heaven sends, or Horns or lusty Heir. Fops of all sorts he draws more artfully, Than ever on the Stage did_ Nokes or Leigh: _And Heaven be prais’d when these are Scarce, each Brother O’ th’ Pen contrives to set on one another.

These are the effects of angry Poets Rage, Driven from their Winter-Quarters on the Stage; And when we go, our Women vanish too, What will the well-fledg’d keeping Gallant do? And where but here can he expect to find A gay young Damsel managed to his mind, Who ruins him, and yet seems wondrous kind? One insolent and false, and what is worse, Governs his Heart, and manages his Purse; Makes him whatever she’d have him to believe, Spends his Estate, then learns him how to live? I hope those weighty Considerations will Move ye to keep us altogether still; To treat us equal to our great Desert, And pay your Tributes with a franker Heart; If not, th’ aforesaid Ills will come, and we must part_.

NOTES.

NOTES ON THE TEXT.

ABDELAZER.

p. 8 _Dramatis Personae_. I have added ‘Ordonio, a Courtier. A Swain and Shepherds. Courtiers, Guards, Soldiers, Moors, A Nymph and Shepherdesses.’

p. 11, l. 7 _But thousand Eyes throw killing Looks at me_.

4tos--’But thousand Eyes
Throw killing Looks at me.’

p, 11, l. 26 _Than to lie fawning_. 4to misprints ‘Then’.

p. 12, l. 10 _reveng’d by penitence_. 1724 misprints ‘Patience’.

p. 12, l. 33 _Why star’st thou so_? 1724 wrongly ‘Why dar’st thou so?’

p. 13, l. 5 _wou’d they search her here_? 1724 ‘wou’d you search her here?’

p. 13, l. 25 _swounded_. 1724 ‘swooned’.

p. 13, l. 33 _more knocking_! [_knocking_. 1724 omits the stage direction.

p. 15, l. 4 _Sway’d Destiny as well as they, and took their trade of killing_.

4to--’Sway’d Destiny as well as they,
And took their trade of killing.’

p. 15, l. 16 _Pointing to his Sword_. 4to ‘Points.’

p. 15, l. 17 _Scene II. A Room in the Palace_. I have supplied this locale.

p. 15, l. 18 _Enter Ferdinand weeping_. 4to ‘Enter Fernando weeping.’

p. 19, ll. 33-4 _Covers a Soul more sanctify’d than this Moorish Robe_. 1724 gives this as one line.

p. 20, l. 8 _except Abdelazar, Florella_. 4to ‘manent Abdelazer, Florella.’

p. 20, l. 17 _honest and religious_. 1724 omits ‘and’.

p. 24, l. 2 _Scene I. A Chamber of State_. I have added the locale.

p. 27, l. 27 _To the Women, who go out_. 4to ‘Exeunt’.

p. 31, l. 15 _Madam, that Blessing_. 1724 omits ‘Madam’.

p. 33, l. 8 _Scene II. A Banqueting Hall_. I have added the locale.

p. 33, l. 15 _I have a double Cause_. 1724 omits ‘a’.

p. 34, l. 19 _though_. 1724 ‘tho’ throughout.

p. 34, l. 27 _thou lovest_. 1724 ‘lov’st’.

p. 35, l. 13 _Aside_. The 4to omits this stage direction.

p. 38, l. 18 _A Gallery in the Palace_. I have supplied this locale.

p. 40, l. 11 _Queen and Women_. 1724 ‘Woman’.

p. 40, l. 28 _subtle, and ambitious_. 4to ‘subtle as ambitious.’ 1724 is undoubtedly the best reading.

p. 42, ll. 23-4 _And then our Lives he may dispose, As he has done our Honours_. 1724 gives this as one line.

p. 45, l. 18 _The Queen’s Apartments_. I have added this locale.

p. 49, l. 10 _frightful_. 1724 ‘frighted’.

p. 50, l. 18 _were worth your care_. 1724 ‘was worth’.

p. 51, l. 24 _Oh Traitress!_ 1724 ‘Oh, Traitoress’.

p. 57, l. 2 _Act IV. Scene I_. 4tos and 1724 ‘Act IV. Enter Abdelazer...’. I have added the locale here and numbered the scenes throughout this Act.

p. 58, l. 4 _To gain your Heart_. 4tos 1677, 1693, print this to the conclusion of Abdelazer’s speech as prose. 1724 prints from ‘Thousand of Bigots’ as prose. I have metrically divided these last lines, and followed 1724 from ‘To gain your Heart’.

p. 61, l. 3 _afar off all the Scene_. 1724 omits this.

p. 64, l. 3 _some Moors_. 1677 reads ‘some Moor’.

p. 65, l. 22 _Scene VI_. Neither 4tos nor 1724 number this scene.

p. 65, l. 30 _Your Soldiers faint, are round beset_. 4tos omit comma.

p. 69, l. 12 _Exeunt all_. 1724 ‘Exeunt’.

p. 69, l. 13 _Scene VII_. Neither 4tos nor 1724 number this scene.

p. 69, l. 18 _illustriate Hand_. 1724 ‘illustrious’.

p. 75, l. 2 _Barbarian_. 4tos italic. 1724 roman.

p. 79, l. 2 _attendance_. 1724 ‘attendants’.

p. 79, l. 16 _Scene II_. 4tos and 1724 do not number this scene.

p. 80, l. 10 _with Roderigo_. 1724 ‘with Rod.’

p. 80, l. 18 _Exit Elv_. I have added this stage direction. Neither 4tos nor 1724 mark an exit here for Elvira, although she obviously goes out when the Queen says ‘retire’ as an entry is marked after the ensuing dialogue.

p. 80, l. 20 _roughly_. 1724 omits this.

p. 80, l. 34 _and other Women_. 1724 ‘and the Women.’

p. 81, l. 4 _Durst_. 1724 ‘Dares’.

p. 82, l. 23 _Weeps over her_. 1724 omits this.

p. 82, l. 29 _repaid_. 1724 ‘repair’d.’

p. 87, l. 12 _to any Shape_. 1724 ‘into any Shape’.

p. 87, l. 29 _cou’d not the Gods_. 1724 wrongly omits ‘not’.

p. 89, l. 4 _My Desire’s grown high_. 4tos ‘My Desires grow high’.

p. 92, l. i _Scene III_. Neither 4tos nor 1724 number this scene.

p. 92, l. 8 _Andromede_. 1724 ‘Andromeda’.

p. 93, l. 13 _through_. 1724 ‘thro’ throughout.

p. 94, l. 12 _your Friends_. 4tos misprint ‘your Friend’.

p. 95, l. 23 _upon my Name_. 1724 ‘upon thy Name’.

p. 96, l. 12 _that charming Maid_. 1724 ‘the charming Maid’.

p. 96, l. 12 _Whom I’d enjoy’d e’er now_. 4tos ‘whom I’de enjoy e’re now’.

p. 97, l. 6 _preserve_. 4tos and 1724 here insert the stage direction ’.Kneels.’ But this is repeated at the line (11) ‘Thus low I take the Bounty from your Hands’ and is far more appropriate at the latter juncture. There can be no doubt that the stage direction ‘[Kneels’ should also be inserted at line 19--’Thus low I fall’--and it has been misplaced by the printer in the old copies. I have restored it.

p. 97, l. 18 _only me unhappy, when, Sir, my Crime
Was only too much faith?_
4tos punctuate: ‘only me unhappy? When, Sir, my Crime
Was only too much Faith;’

p. 97. l. 29 _Seas again_. At the conclusion 1677 prints ‘The End of the Play.’

p. 98, l. 18 _Sex’s_. 4tos ‘Sexes’.

p. 105 _To Philaster_. This Epistle Dedicatory only appears in the 4tos 1683, 1696.

p. 108 _Dramatis Personae_. I have added ‘_Geron_ the old Tutor to Orsames; _Gorel_, a Citizen; Keeper of the Castle; A Druid; Courtiers (men and women); Officers: Guards; Huntsmen; Assassins’. 4to 1698 misprints ‘Ismenis’ for ‘Ismenes’. ‘Thursander’ for ‘Thersander’. ‘the Court of Daca’ for ‘the Court of Dacia’. 1724 gives ‘a Rabble of the Mobile’. 4tos ‘all a Rabble of the Mobile’.

p. 109, l. 4 _never the Luck_. 4tos ‘never the ill Luck’.

p. 109, l. 15 _what’s thy Business_. 1724 ‘what’s the Business’.

p. 109, l. 28 _I spake_. 4tos ‘I speak’.

p. 110, l. 23 _conspire against him_. 4tos ‘’.ainst him’. But the metre requires 1724 ‘against’.

p. 111, l. 6 _him here_. 4to 1696 misprints ‘here him’.

p. 111, l. 14 _Virago he Daughter_. 1724 ‘Virago her Daughter’, which is excellent sense but lacks the point of ‘he Daughter’.

p. 112, l. 22 _Ly. You sigh_. 4tos and 1724 print as prose. I have arranged metrically.

p. 113, l. 16 _one of gentle Birth_. 4tos ‘of the gentle Birth’. 1724 ‘of genteel Birth’.

p. 114, l. 11 _Pim. Pox on her_. 4tos divide Pimante’s speech at ‘let her go.’ and commence a new line with ‘Well, Colonel,’ as if metrically. I have followed 1724 as it is obviously prose.

p. 114, l. 25 _Sem. That’s strange!_ 4tos wrongly print this speech as prose.

p. 115, l. 34 _Artabazes_. 4tos ‘Artabaces’.

p. 116, l. 3 _mistaken thing?_ 4tos punctuate ‘mistaken thing;’.

p. 116, l. 6 _fantastick_. 1724 wrongly ‘fanatick’.

p. 116, l. 24 _cruel Cause_. 4to 1696 misprints ‘crul Cause’.

p. 117, l. 9 [_Sem. looks about, finds the Cap and Feathers. _Sem_. See, Madam, what I’ve found. 4tos and 1724 give the stage direction after the speech. I have transposed these, as obviously such an arrangement is better.

p. 118, l. 20 _Ideas_. 4tos wrongly ‘Idea’s’.

p. 118, 1.29 _He rises_. 4tos and 1724 ‘[Rises.’ But it is Thersander who is kneeling, not Cleomena. The insertion of ‘He’ saves any confusion.

p. 119, L. 9 _who’re born_. 4tos ‘who are born’.

p. 119, L. 11 _Whom happy Fate_. 4tos misprint ‘Whose happy Fate’.

p. 120, l. 29 _Enter Vallentio Urania_. 4to 1696 misprints ‘Urina’.

p. 121, l. 3 _But one that_. 1724 omits ‘one’.

p. 121, l. 16 _we took her_. 4to 1696 ‘wa took her’.

p. 121, l. 20 _The Scythians_. 4tos ‘Th’ Scythians’.

p. 122, l. 30 _Arms across_. 1724 ‘Arms close’.

p. 123, l. 9 _I will be_. 4tos ‘And will be’.

p. 123, l. 12 _this Harmony_. 4tos ‘his Harmony’.

p. 124, l. 11 _Shore?_--4tos punctuate ‘Shore;’.

p. 126, l. 18 _no less_. 4tos ‘not less’.

p. 127, l. 36 _Amintas’ Apartment_. 4tos ‘Amin. Apartment.’ 1724 ’.mintas’s Apartment.’

p. 128, l, 7 _Amin. It is the King_. 1724 does not arrange this metrically.

p. 128, l. 21 _Ex. Amin_. 4tos ‘Amin. exit.’

p. 128, l. 25 _go bring_. 4tos ‘and bring’.

p. 128, l. 28 _effect_. 4tos ‘effects’.

p. 128, l. 30 _you’re lost_. 4tos ‘you are lost’.

p. 129, l. 27 _Unrest_. 1724 misprints ‘Undrest’.

p. 130, l. 10 _Not seeing_. 4tos print this line--’Not seeing a Woman I ne’er had bin.’

p. 130, l. 10 _Exeunt_. Not in 4tos and 1724.

p. 130, l. 11 _Another Room_. I have added the locale, unmarked in 4tos and 1724.

p. 131, l. 12 _dearest fair_. 4tos ‘dear fair’.

p. 132, l. 18 _Gods_. 4tos misprint ‘God’s’.

p. 134, l. 14 _He bows low_. 4tos ‘bows low.’

p. 134, l. 15 _I am_. 4tos ‘I’m’.

p.. 135, l. 13 _Rivulet_. 4tos ‘Rivolet’.

p. 136, l. 9 _Ah! Madam_. 4tos divide this speech metrically. 1724 prints as prose.

p. 137, l. 10 _to live_. 1724 ‘I live’.

p. 137, l. 11 _Passion_. 1724 ‘Person’.

p. 139. l. 8 _All go out but Ther. Hon. Lysan_. 4tos add ‘manent Thers. Ho. Lysan.’ which is entirely superfluous.

p. 139, l. 23 _Aside_. 4to 1698 omits this.

p. 139, l. 28 _Renders me too unartful_. 4tos ‘Renders unartfull’.

p. 140, l. 11 _Lys_. 4tos, misprinting, omit the speech-prefix ‘Lys.’

p. 140, l. 15 _Exeunt_. Omitted in 4tos and 1724.

p. 141, l. 15 _eighteen Tears_. 1724 misprints ‘Year’.

p. 141, l. 32 _then? Rage_. 1724 omits ‘Rage.’

p. 144, l. 5 _a Table. Geron near the Throne_. I have added ‘Geron near the Throne’, which occurs neither in 4tos nor 1724, It is extraordinary that the old copies do not give the name of the old tutor amongst the Dramatis Personae? nor do they mark his presence here.

p. 144, l. 13 _any other God but I?_ 4tos ‘any other God’s but I?’ 1724 ’.ny other here but I?’

p. 145, l. 30 _Exit Geron_. Neither 4tos nor 1724 mark this exit, although later in the scene the entrance of Geron (p. 148) is noted in all the old copies.

p. 147, l. 11 _Ors_. 4to 1696 by a strange misprint gives speech-prefix ’.er.’

p. 148, l. 9 _I have_. 4tos ‘I’ve’.

p. 148, l. 20 _--Itis not Sleep!--_ 4tos ‘Is it not Sleep!’. but 1724 is far better here.

p. 148, l. 31 _Arates_. 4tos misprint ‘Erates.’

p. 149, l. 4 _A Grove near the Camp_. 4tos and 1724 omit this locale.

p. 150, l. 5 _is he longer_. 1724 misreads ‘is he no longer’.

p. 150, l. 8 _Trumpets sound_. 4to ‘Trumpet sounds.’

p. 150, l. 18 _Trumpets sound. Exeunt_. 4tos ‘Trumpet sounds.’ 1724 ‘Ex.’

p. 151, l. 18 _Ismenes_. 4tos ‘Ismenis’ throughout.

p. 152, l. 12 _Horse’s_. 4to 1696 misprints ‘Horses’.

p. 152, l. 13 _Ura. Ex_. 4tos ‘Ura. Exit’.

p. 153, l. 11 _Cavalry_. 4tos ‘Chavalry’.

p. 153, l. 13 _yet-disputing_. 1724 weakly ‘yet-disputed’.

p. 153, l. 34 _to the Stranger_. 1724 omits ‘to’.

p. 154, l. 7 _Exeunt_. Not in 4tos nor 1724.

p. 156, l. 1 _drawing of_. 1724 omits ‘of’.

p. 156, l. 6 _Moment’s_. 4tos misprint ‘Moments’.

p. 157, l. 7 _reach_. 4tos ‘reaches’.

p. 157, l. 18 _Scene V. Changes_. 4tos and 1724 ‘Scene changes’. I have numbered this scene.

p. 158, l. 15 _Ism. goes in, Scene draws_. 1724 omits ‘Ism. goes in’.

p. 158, l. 33 _Thersander--Prince of Scythia_. 1724 omits this line, marking ‘[Faints.’ at conclusion of previous line.

p. 159, l. 19 _one end_. 4tos ‘one hand’.

p. 160, l. 28 _my Dagger to this Heart_. 1724 ‘this Dagger to my Heart’.

p. 160, l. 30 _these_. 4tos ‘those’.

p. 160, l. 31 _dear dead Prince_. 1724 misprints ‘dear dear Prince’.

p. 161, l. 6 _require_. 4tos ‘requires’.

p. 163, l. 1 _Scene II. Between the two Camps_. 4tos ‘Scene the Second.’ I have added the locale, which is unmarked in all the editions.

p. 163, l. 7 _te fight_. 4tos ‘to fight’.

p. 164, l. 7 _The Scythian Guards_. 4to 1698 misprints ‘The Scythian Guards of’.

p. 164, l. 13 _Exeunt_. Unmarked in 4tos.

p. 166, l. 6 _Aside_. This is not marked in 4tos.

p. 166, l. 27 _in the Earth_. 4tos ‘in Earth’.

p. 168, l. 7 _Exit Lysander_. No former editions mark this Exit, which, however, is obviously necessary.

p. 168, l. 10 _Habit that I left_. 4tos ‘Habit I left’.

p. 168, l. 16 _’.is_. 4tos ‘it is’.

p. 168, l. 18 _remain_. 4tos ‘remains’.

p. 168, l. 20 _my Dishonour_. 4to 1696 omits ‘my’.

p. 168, l. 26 _Enter King_. 4to 1698 has ‘Enter King. Lysander solus.’ Lysander is a misprint for Thersander, but the whole addition is quite unneeded.

p. 169, l. 6 _given_. 4tos ‘gave’.

p. 169, l. 26 _Herald_. 4tos ‘Herauld’.

p. 169, l. 27 _Scene V. Cleomena’s Apartments_. 4tos ‘Scene the Fifth.’ I have added the locale, which is unmarked in all former editions.

p. 170, l. 19 _Race_. 4to 1698 misprints ‘Rafe’.

p. 170, l. 26 _Exit_. 4tos ‘Queen Exit’.

p. 172, l. 18 _People’s_. 4to 1698 ‘Peoples’.

p. 173, l. 2 _my Foe_. 4tos omit ‘my’.

p. 173, l. 3 _Exit. Val_. 4tos ‘Vall, ex.’

p. 173, l. 23 _Scene VI. A Street_. The former editions do not mark or
number this Scene. Neither do they give locale. Their reading runs:--
‘[Exeunt.
Enter Vallentio passing over the Stage, is met’.

p. 174, l. 7 _’.ha_. 4tos ‘Sha.’

p. 174, l. 7 _though thats_. 1724 omits ‘though’.

p. I74, l. 17 _gather_. 410 1698 ‘gether’.

p. 174, l. 23 _Civil Wars_. 4to punctuates ‘Civil Wars?’

p. 174, l. 32 _Citizens goes out_. 4tos ‘Cit. goes out’.

p. 175, l. 13 _Scene VII_. 4tos ‘Scene the Seventh.’

p. 175, l. 17 _Exeunt Attendants_, This stage direction is omitted in 1724 and 4tos.

p. 176, l. 25 _King and Guards_. 4tos omit ‘and’.

p. 177, l. 3 _Murderer_. 4tos ‘Mutherer’.

p. 177, l. 11 _Act V_. 4tos ‘Act the Fifth.’

p. 177, l. 12 _Scene I_. 4tos ‘Scene the First.’

p. 177, l. 17 _with Guards_. 4tos ‘with the Guards’.

p. 177, l. 24 _any_. 4tos ‘my’.

p. 178, l. 4 _dy’d_. 4tos ‘di’d’.

p. 179, l. 14 _Scene II_. 4tos ‘Scene the Second.’

p. 180, l. 5 _crystal_. 4tos ‘chrystal’.

p. 180, l. 29 _rustick_. 4to 1698 misprints ‘ruistick’.

p. 180, l. 33 _now_. 4tos 1698 misprints ‘no’.

p. 181, l. 6 _dy’d_. 4tos ‘di’d’.

p. 181, l. 24 _Noise_. 1724 omits this stage direction.

p. 181, l. 29 _Gorel_. I have added this entrance. A speech-prefix ’.orel’ is marked by all old copies in this scene, but no entrance, neither is the name given in the Dramatis Personae.

p. 181, l. 30 _tearing_. 1724 ‘dragging’.

p. 182, l. 12 _terrably_. 4tos, 1724 ‘terribly’. ‘terrably’ no doubt denotes a clownish mispronunciation.

p. 182, l. 17 _It ought_. 4to 1698 reads:--

‘It ought to have been presented
In a more glorious order.’

p. 183, l. 1 _Dy’d_. 4tos ‘Di’d’.

p. 183, l. 18 _you’d_. 4tos ‘you wou’d’.

p. 184, l. 25 _Clemanthis_’. 4tos ‘Clemanthis’.

p. 184, l. 35 _of’s_. 4tos ‘of his’.

p. 185, l. 24 _from you one visit_. 4tos ‘one visit from you’.

p. 186, l. 18 _Oh, Madam_. 4tos, which I follow, metrically. 1724 prose.

p. 186, l. 27 _Clemanthis_’. 4tos ‘Clemanthis’.

p. 187, l. 6. _Scene V. Changes_. No former edition numbers this scene.

p. 187, l. 8 _Attendants to them_. 1724 misprints ‘Attendantsm.’

p. 187, l. 18 _all his Actions_. 4to 1698 omits ‘all’.

p. 187, l. 34 _swound_. 1724 ‘swoon’.

p. 188, l. 22 _With numerous_. 4tos divide thus:--

‘With numerous Troops
Which swiftly make their way.’

p. 188, l. 30 _I long to see_. 1724 prints as far as ‘fair Princess’ prosc. 4tos metrically.

p. 189, l. 1 _Ism. Geron_. All former editions omit Geron’s name here though they give speech-prefix later in the scene.

p. 189, l. 27 _Cleo. and Thers_. All former editions read ‘[Points to Cleo.’ I have added ‘and Thers.’, which is obviously required.

p. 191, l. 9 _is he_. 4tos ‘was he’.

p. 191, l. 17 _told you_, 4to ‘told him’.

THE CITY HEIRESS.

p. 199, l. 1 _To the Right Honourable_. The Dedicatory Epistle only occurs in 4tos 1682, 1698.

p. 199, l. 28 _Peaching_. 4to 1698 weakly reads ‘Preaching’.

p. 201, l. 14 _glout_. 1724 ‘glour’.

p. 202, l. 10. _Guinea_. 4to 1682 spells ‘Guinney’ here and in each other place the word occurs.

p. 203, l. 5 _Uncle to T. Wilding_. 4tos 1682, 1698, ‘He is Uncle to Tom Wilding’.

p. 203 _Dramatis Personae_. I have added to the list--’_Laboir_, Man to Tom _Wilding_; Boy, Page to Lady _Galliard_; Boy, Page to _Diana_; Guests; Mrs. _Sensure_, Sir _Timothy’s_ Housekeeper; _Betty_, Maid to _Diana_; Maid at _Charlot’s_ lodging.’

p. 205, l. 8 _huff_. 4to 1698 ‘hoff’.

p. 206, l. 33 _Feats_. 1724 misprints ‘Fears’.

p. 206, l. 35 _are you_. 1724 ‘you are’.

p. 209, l. 24 _when she loves_. 1724 ‘then she loves’.

p. 209, l. 32 _City-Heiress, Charles_. 1724 omits ‘Charles.’

p. 210, l. 5 _Exit_. 4tos and 1724 omit this ‘Exit’ which is obviously necessary.

p. 213, l. 32 _you had_. 4to 1682 ‘you’d had’.

p. 215, l. 5 _Legions_. 4tos 1682, 1698, misprint ‘a Legend’.

p. 216, l. 30 _Wild. Damn it_. 1724 prints these lines as prose.

p. 220, l. 24 _Mr. Foppington_. 4tos 1682, 1698, ‘Mr. Foping.’

p. 223, l. 14 _do your_. 4to 1682 ‘does your’.

p. 223, l. 33 _cunning in their
Trade of Love_.
1724 divides ‘cunning in their Trade of
Love.’

p. 224, l. 6 _Charl. To-night_. 4tos 1682, 1698, print the first two lines of Charlot’s speech as prose.

p. 224, l. 20 _hast inur’d_. 1724 misprints ‘hast injur’d’.

p. 225, l. 22 _cut his_. 4tos 1682, 1698, ‘cut’s’.

p. 225, l. 34 _Goes out with Fop_. 4tos 1682, 1698, misplace this direction in the midst of Wilding’s speech after ‘Farewell’, line 29.

p. 226, l. 27 _petty_. 1724 ‘pretty’.

p. 226, l. 29 _Wilding_. 4to 1682 misprints ‘Widling’.

p. 227, l. 18 _those_. 4tos 1682, 1698, ‘these’.

p. 227, l. 22 _New_. 4to 1682 ‘Now’.

p. 228, l. 4 _at Coffee-houses_. 4tos 1682, 1698, omit ‘at’.

p. 228, l. 31 _Manteau_. 4tos 1682, 1698, ‘Manto’.

p. 232, l. 19 _Scene III_. None of the former editions number this scene.

p. 234, l. 25 _Sir Charles his Uncle_. 1724 ‘Sir Charles’ Uncle’.

p. 235, l. 36 _quitting of the Town_. 4to 1698 and 1724 read ‘quitting the Town.’

p. 237, l. 14 _buy_. 4to 1682 ‘b’ye ‘.

p. 241, l. 1 _with Diana_. 4tos ‘and Diana’.

p. 241, l. 8 _catechize_. 4tos misprint ‘chastize’.

p. 244, l. 15 _she is_. 4tos ‘she’s’.

p. 242, l. 5 _shalt_. 4tos ‘sha’t’.

p. 242, l. 22 _shalt_. 4tos ‘sha’t’.

p. 242, l. 31 _shall I not have_. 1724 ‘shall I have’.

p. 243, l. 27 _Commendation_. 4tos ‘Commendations’.

p. 246, l. 27 _Enter Sensure_. This entrance, obviously necessary here, is not marked in any former edition, although all note the exit ‘Betty and Sensure.’

p. 248, l. 3 _convert from_. 4to 1698 and 1724 read ‘convert for’.

p. 248, l. 15 _Charms that_. 4tos 1698 and 1724 ‘Charms which’.

p. 249, l. 4 _Mester de Hotel_. 4tos ‘Mester de Hotell.’ 1724 ‘Maitre de Hotel.’

p. 249, l. 5 _Mater de Otell!_ 4tos ‘Meter de Otell.’

p. 249, l. 27 _This next_. 4to 1628 and 1724 ‘the next’.

p. 252, l. 31 _I’s tell_. 1724 ‘I’ll tell’.

p. 252, l. 33 _wondrous_. 4tos ‘wonderous’.

p. 253, l. 3 _wele aday!_ 1724 punctuates ‘wele aday?’.

p. 254, l. 2 _excellency_. 4to 1682 ‘excellently’. 4to 1698 ’.xcellensie’.

p. 254, l. 22 _this your fickle_. 4to 1682 and 1724 omit ‘this’.

p. 257, l. 16 _old_. 4tos 1682, 1698, ‘odd’.

p. 258, l. 5 _leav’st_. 4to 1682, 1698, ‘leavest’.

p. 258, l. 12 _Vizards_. 1724 ‘Vizors’.

p. 258, l. 25 _do you make as if you went to bed_. 1724 omits this sentence.

p. 258, l. 36 _Exeunt_. 4tos omit.

p. 259, l. 14 _Mien_. 4tos ‘Mine’.

p. 259, l. 15 _Hold thy fluent_. 1724 prints as prose.

p. 260, l. 1 _Who is a most_. 1724 prints this speech as prose.

p. 261, l. 2 _Twelve was_. 4tos italicize this line as a quotation. 1724 prints it roman.

p. 261, l. 8 _You_. 4tos ‘Ye’.

p. 262, l. 20 _Cue. 4tos ‘Que’.

p. 262, l. 23 _three_. 1724 ‘thee’.

p. 263, l. 29 _let ‘em_. 4tos ‘let them’.

p. 264, l. 7 _felt for_. 4to 1698 and 1724 ‘felt in’.

p. 264, l. 27 _know’t_. 1724 ‘know it’. and prints the speech as prose.

p. 265, l. 28 _I’m glad on’t_. 1724 prints as prose.

p. 267, _the unequal_. 4to 1698 and 1724 omit ‘the’.

p. 267, l. 16 _wou’d_. 1724 ‘shou’d’.

p. 268, l. 2 _Another Room_. None of the previous editions give the locale or number the scene.

p. 269, l. 6 _you_. 41to 1698 and 1724 ‘ye’.

p. 270, l. 20 _they go out_. 4tos ‘and goes out’.

p. 272, l. 28 _He goes out_. I have added this stage direction as we have ’.ild, returns’.

p. 273, l. 2 _Candles_. 4to 1698 and 1724 ‘Candle’.

p. 275, l. 8 _resolv’d no body_. 1724 ‘resolv’d that nobody’.

p. 276, l. 13 _Nay, that’s too much_. 1724 as prose.

p. 276, l. 27 _in a Rage_. 4tos ‘in Rage’.

p. 277, l. 9 _Exit_. Not in 4tos.

p. 277, l. 12 _Laboir_. I have added this name to the stage direction.

p, 278, l. 1 _I’d had_. 1724 omits ‘had’.

p. 278, l. 9 _nor_. 4to ‘or’.

p. 278, l. 13 _Portmantle_. 4tos ‘Portmantua’.

p. 278, l. 29 _conscious of Treasure_. 1724 ‘where any Treasure is.’

p. 279, l. 23 _Night-Cap_. 4to 1682 ‘Night-Caps.’

p, 279, l. 25 _feeling in_. 1724 ‘feeling of’.

p. 282, l. 4 _Dresswell, Laboir_. I have added these names to the stage direction.

p. 282, l. 26 _away with it_. 1724 ‘away with him’.

p. 284, l. 13 _Scene II_. None of the previous editions number this scene.

p. 284, l. 15 _to them_. 1724 ‘to him’.

p. 285, l. 18 _shall to Bed_. 4to 1698 and 1724 ‘shall go to Bed.’

p. 285, l. 29 _Scene III_. None of the previous editions number this scene.

p. 286, l. 15 _barricado’d_. 4tos ‘baracado’d’.

p. 288, l. 2 _naming_. 1724 omits.

p. 288, l. 6 _followed by Betty_. I have added Betty’s exit to this stage direction.

p. 288, l. 6 _Scene IV_. None of the previous editions number this scene.

p. 289, l. 24 _at Galliard’s Door!_ 1724 ‘at Lady Galliard’s Door!’.

p. 289, l. 33 _meet_. 4tos ‘meets’.

p. 290, l. 29 _of your_. 1724 ‘on your’.

p. 290, l. 33 _Hopes_. 1724 ‘Hours’.

p. 291, l. 1 _Scene V_. None of the previous editions number this scene.

p. 291, l. 12 _You are mistaken_. 1724 prints this speech as prose.

p. 292, l. 27 _As far as_. 1724 prints this as prose.

p. 292, l. 29 _to Ladies_. 4to 1698 and 1724 ‘to the Ladies’.

p. 293, l. 18 _Care of_. 1724 ‘Care on’.

p. 293, l. 21 _fond_. 1724 omits.

p. 294, l. 12 _nought_. 1724 ‘not’.

p. 294, l. 22 _took_. 1724 ‘taken’.

p. 294, l. 23 _of Grace_. 4to 1682 ‘a Grace’.

p. 295, l. 1 _made_. 1724 omits.

p. 298, l. 32 _Exeunt_. Not in 4tos, which, however, mark ‘The End.’

p. 299, l. 30 _of_. 4tos ‘in.’.

THE FEIGN’D CURTEZANS.

p. 301 _The Feign’d Curtezans_. 4to 1679 gives ‘The Feign’d Curtizans’ and so throughout.

p. 305, l. 1 _To Mrs. Ellen Guin_. The Dedication only occurs in 4to 1679.

p. 309, l. 1 _Dramatis Personae_. I have added ‘_Silvio_, Page to _Laura Lucretia_. _Antonio_, an Attendant to _Laura Lucretia_. Page to _Julio_. Page to _Fillamour_.’ In both 4to 1679 and 1724 there is great confusion between _Silvio_ and _Sabina_. These characters are sometimes intermingled as one, sometimes disentangled as two. This will be duly noticed as it occurs. I have no doubt the confusion existed in Mrs. Behn’s MS. cf the play.

p. 310, l. 2 _A Street_. I have added the locale, unmarked in previous editions.

p. 310, l. 27 _Exeunt Lau. and Ant_. All previous editions reads ‘Exeunt Lau.’

p. 311, l. 35 _and the_. 1724 omits ‘and’.

p. 312, l. 12 _Viterboan_. 4to 1679 ‘Vitterboan’. and Viterbo_ ‘Vitterbo’ throughout.

p. 312, l. 16 _Why, faith_. 4to 1679 ‘Whe faith’.

p. 312, l. 28 _with him_. 4to 1679 omits ‘him’.

p. 312, l. 32 _me it would_. 4to 1679 ‘assur’d me wou’d’.

p. 313, l. 7 _in yours_. 4to 1679 ‘to yours’.

p. 313, l. 21 _you out_. 4to 1679 ‘out you’.

p. 314, l. 16 _Francis_. 4to 1679 ‘Frances’.

p. 314, l. 34 _Fool’s_. 4to 1679 ‘Fool’.

p. 315, l. 17 _Inamorata_, 4to 1679 ‘Inamorato.’

p. 315, l. 18 _young Lady_. 4to 1679 omits ‘young’.

p. 316, l. 3 _use of_. 4to 1679 ‘use on’.

p. 316, l. 31 _Allons_. 4to 1679 ‘Aloone.’ 1724 omits.

p, 317, l. 1 _to a room in Tickletext’s lodging_. I have added this locale.

p. 317, l. 3 _Petro snaps_. 4to 1679 ‘and Petro snaps’.

p. 320, l. i _remember a fart these_. 1724 ‘remember these’.

p. 320, l. 21 _Pusilage_. 1724 ‘Pupilage’.

p. 321, l. 23 _voluntiero_. 4to 1679 ‘vollentiero’.

p. 323, l. 10 _wou’d_. 4to 1679 ‘will’.

p. 326, l. 15 _The Gardens of the Villa Medici_. This locale is unmarked in all previous editions.

p. 326, l. 16 _Morosini_. 4to 1679 misprints ‘Murismi’.

p. 326, l. 25 _Marcella and Cornelia_, 4to 1679 ‘Marcella nor Cornelia.’

p. 328, l. 12 _dozen years_. 4to 1679 ‘dozen year’.

p. 329, l. 2 _down-right_. 4to 1679 ‘right down’.

p. 330, l. 9 _St Teresa’s_. 4to 1679 ‘St. Teretia’s’.

p. 330, l. 15 _garb_. 4to 1679 ‘garbo’.

p. 330, l. 27 _with Silvio, Antonio, and_. I have added these words to the stage direction.

p. 331, l. 3 _Sans Coeur_. 1724 omits. 4to 1679 reads ‘San’s Coeure.’

p. 332, l. 22 _Exit with Silvio and her Train_. 4to 1679 ‘Exeunt with her train.’ 1724 ‘Exit with her Train.’

p. 333, l. 24 _pray for infinitely_. 4to 1679 ‘pray infinitely for’.

p. 335, l. 11 _for his Falshood_. 4ti 1679 ‘for Falshood’.

p. 335, l. 24 _Bills_. 4to 1679 ‘Bill’.

p. 337, l. 4 _of us_. 4to 1679 ‘on’s’.

p. 338, l. 5 _Cinquante per cent_. 4to 1679 ‘Cinquant par cent’. I have not in any place modified and corrected the spelling of the Italian as it stands in the old editions.

p. 340, l. 1 _Oblige_. 4to 1679 ‘Obliges’.

p. 342, l. 11 _un Bacio_. 4to 1679 misprints ‘un Bacoi’.

p. 332, l. 14 _you are all a little_. 1724 ‘you are a little’.

p. 343, l. 2 _The Corso_. I have supplied the locale which all previous editions omit.

p. 343, l. 20 _Enter Mor. and Octa_. 4to 1679 ‘Enters Mur. and Octa.’ 1724 ‘Enters Mor. and Octa.’

p. 344, l. 21--_nay, was contracted to him, fairly contracted in my own Chappel_;’ 1724 ‘--nay, was contracted to him, fairly contracted to him, fairly contracted in my own Chappel ;’.

p. 345, l. 5 _This fine_. 1724 prints this speech as prose.

p. 346, l. 11 _with Silvio and_. I have added these three words to the stage direction.

p. 348, l. 15 _with Phillipa_. I have added an entrance for Philiipa here, although it is not marked in the former editions, as later in the scene she speaks to Cornelia, and obviously must be in attendance on her in the balcony.

p. 349, l. 6 _so good_. 1724 omits these words.

p. 350, l. 9 _Exit Crap_. I have added Crapine’s exit here as he re-enters anon with Octavio, and his exit is required by the business of the scene.

p. 351, l. 6 _false-souled_. Both 4to 1679 and 1724 read’false souly’, which I have ventured to alter.

p. 352, l. 12 _They are going_. 4to 1679 and 1724 both read ‘They go out...’, but it is obvious from Galliard and Fillamour’s conversation with Tickletext that they do not actually leave the stage, as also from the direction later ‘Offering to go.’

p. 352, l. 13 _Aside_. 4to 1679 and 1724 both read ‘Aside to Mar.’ An obvious mistake.

p. 352, l. 18 _Exit_. Both 4to 1679 and 1724 have ‘Exeunt.’ We may suppose Phillipa to have entered with Marcella and the former direction to be ‘Aside to Phil.’ but it seems more in accordance with the scene to make these two slight changes.

p. 354, l. 22 _Exeunt Fil. and Gal_. 4to adds ‘and Lau.’ but the 1724 ’.xit’ at the end of her next speech is obviously correct.

p. 354, l. 35 _and Crapine_. I have added this entrance. 4to 1679 and 1724 omit this, but both mark his exit.

p. 365, l. 7 _to steal to a Wench_. 1724 ‘to steal a Wench’.

p. 363, l. 26 _’.is Love_. Both 4to 1679 and 1724 print this speech as prose. It is obviously verse.

p. 365, l. 21 _Fil.--I’ve_. 4to 1679 wrongly gives this speech to Galliard.

p. 369, l. 13 _Papish_. 1724 ‘Papist’.

p. 372, l. 30 _Ex. Pet. with Tick_. I have added this stage direction which is unmarked in the former editions, but obviously necessary here.

p. 374, l. 22 _Scene II_. I have numbered this scene. Former editions read ‘The Scene changes to...’.

p. 383, l. 3 _Phil_. 4to 1679 and 1724 both wrongly give these two lines to Fillamour.

p. 383, l. 15 _Exeunt_. Omitted in all former editions.

p. 383, l. 17 _The Corso_. I have added the locale.

p. 386, l. 19 _no Sword_. 4to 1679 and 1724 here needlessly repeat a stage direction ‘Enter Julio and Octavio fighting.’

p. 386, l. 32 _Signior, gentle Signior_. 4to 1679 reads ‘Signior, a gentle Signior’.

p. 387, l. 3 _and Silvio_. I have added this entrance of Silvio’s here, which is not marked in the former editions, but later Laura addresses him.

p. 387, l. 4 _He’s gone_. 4to 1679 and 1724 give this speech as prose but I have arranged it metrically.

p. 389, l. 25 _from Silvianetta_. 4to 1679 ‘from the Silvianetta’.

p. 391, l. 17 _But e’er_. 1724 prints this speech as prose. I have followed 4to 1679.

p. 392, l. 7 _and Sabina_. I have added Sabina’s exit. There exists in the former editions great confusion between Silvio and Sabina here. 4to 1679 and 1724 give Silvio’s three speeches to Galliard with prefix ‘Sab.’

p. 393, l. 1 _Scene II_. I have numbered the scene. 4to 1679 reads ‘Enter Laura, as before, in a Night-Gown. Scene, A Chamber.’

p. 393, l. 8 _Enter Silvio_. The confusion between Silvio and Sabina continues in the former editions. 4to 1679 and 1724 both give Silvio’s entrance but mark his speech ‘Sab.’ In Laura’s speech (line 14) both read ’.abina, see the Rooms’, which I have altered to ‘Silvio, see the Rooms’. Both read (line 18) ‘Enter to Sil....’.

p. 394, l. 32 _and Silvio_. I have added Silvio’s entrance. The confusion continues.

p. 399, l. 7 _Aside_. Omitted in 1724. 4to 1679 reads ‘and laughing.’

p. 400, l. 1 _Scene III_. I have numbered this scene.

p. 400, l. 18 _Aside_. 4to omits.

p. 401, l. 18 _Hold, much mistaken_. 4to 1679 and 1724 as prose. I have arranged metrically.

p. 401, l. 24 _Aside_. 4to 1679 omits.

p. 401, l. 36 _This is_. 4to 1679 and 1724 as prose. I have arranged metrically.

p. 402, l. 10 _Ex. Jul. Fil_. 4to 1679 omits this.

p. 402, l. 26 _Exeunt_. 4to 1679 gives no stage direction. 1724 reads ’.xit’, but obviously all go out.

p. 403, l. 23 _Scene IV_. I have numbered this scene.

p. 403, l. 3 _I a wandring_. 4to omits ‘a’.

p. 406, l. 31 _And here I vow_. I have arranged this speech metrically. Former editions print as prose.

NOTES: CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY.

ABDELAZER.

p. 6 _Montero-Caps_. Spanish _montero_ = a hunter. A Spanish hunting-cap with two flaps for the cars. Pepys, 20 March, 1660, sees ‘two monteeres for me to take my choice of’.

p. 7 _Beasts_. 17th century French _beste_ = an obsolete card game said to have resembled Nap; also certain penalties at Ombre and Quadrille. The word most frequently occurs in connection with Ombre, which is derived from the Spanish _hombre_=man. The one who undertakes the game has to beat each of the other two; if he fails he is said to have been beasted and pays a forfeit to the pool. It has been suggested that ‘unable to sustain himself as a man, Hombre, he becomes beast.’ c.f. _The Feign’d Astrologer_, iii, I (4to 1668), where Lewis speaks of

A kind of Lady-ordinary
Where they were beasting it, for that game’s in
Fashion still, though _Hombre_ be more courtly.

Butler, _Hudibras_ (1678), iii, 1, l. 1007, has--

These at Beste and Ombre woo
And play for love and money too.

Lestrange, _Quovedo_ (1708), talks of spending ‘whole nights at Beste or Ombre with my Lady Pen-Tweezel.’

p. 8 _Isabella, Queen of Spain. Mrs. Lee_. ‘About the year 1670, Mrs. Aldridge, after Mrs. Lee, after Lady Slinsgby’ was ‘entertain’d in the Duke’s House.’ Her husband, John Lee, joined the company at the same time. But whilst his wife became the leading tragedienne of the day, he himself never rose above the most minor and insignificant roles. A woman of superb and Junoesque beauty, haughty mein and imperious manners, Mrs. Mary Lee soon won a prominent place in the theatre. Although effective in comedy, especially in its higher flights, it was as tragedy queen she obtained her greatest triumphs. In December, 1670, she made her debut at Lincoln’s Inn Fields as Olinda, a small part in Mrs. Behn’s maiden effort, _The Forc’d Marriage_, and early the following year acted Daranthe, Chief Commandress of the Amazons, in Edward Howard’s dull drama, _The Women’s Conquest_. A few months later, in April, she played Leticia in Revet’s _The Town Shifts_. In 1672, at Dorset Gardens, she was Aemelia in Arrowsmith’s amusing _The Reformation_; 1673, Mariamne in Settle’s heroic tragedy, _The Empress of Morocco_, a role she acted with such excellence that it gave every token of her future greatness and advanced her to the very front rank. 1674, ahe was Amavanga in Settle’s _The Conquest of China_; Salome, Herod’s sister, in Pordage’s bombastic _Herod and Mariamne_. 1675, Chlotilda, disguised as Nigrello, in Settle’s _Love and Revenge_; Deidamia, Queen of Sparta, in Otway’s first and feeblest tragedy, _Alcibiades_, of which play she also spoke the epilogue. 1676, Roxolana in Settle’s _Ibrahim_, produced in May; and late the same month or very early in June the Queen of Spain in Otway’s magnificent _Don Carlos_, a powerful play which, supported by Betterton as Philip II, Smith as Carlos, Harris as Don John of Austria, and our great tragedienne ‘succeeded much better than either _Venice Preserved_ or _The Orphan_, and was infinitely more applauded and followed for many years.’ In November she played Madam Fickle in D’Urfey’s comedy of the same name; in December Corisca in Settle’s _Pastor Fido_. In 1677 Mrs. Lee’s only rival, Mrs. Marshall, the leading lady of the King’s House, retired.[1] Mrs. Barry’s star was but just faintly rising on the theatrical horizon; and it is noticeable that even when this famous actress was at the height of her great reputation, we still find Mrs. Lee cast for those rôles she made so peculiarly her own, and in which no one could approach her. In February, 1677, she acted Berenice in Otway’s _Titus and Berenice_, a rather tame adaption of Racine. Mrs. Barry is named for the small character of the queen’s confident, Phoenice, and was also Lucia in a farce from Molière, _The Cheats of Scapin_, which followed the drama. Mrs. Lee naturally took no part in this afterpiece, but there is a smart epilogue, ‘spoken by Mrs. Mary Lee, when she was out of Humour,’ which commences:--

How little do you guess what I’m to say!
I’m not to ask how you like Farce or Play:
For you must know I’ve other Business now;
It is to tell you, Sparks, how we like you.

In April she gave a fine performance of Cleopatra, Sedley’s _Antony and Cleopatra_; in June she was acting Circe, the title-rôle of Charles Davenant’s gorgeously mounted opera; in August, Astatius in a bucolic, whose scene is Arcady, entitled _The Constant Nymph; or The Rambling Shepherd_, ‘written by a Person of Quality,’ which proved anything but a success. In the autumn she created the Queen in _Abdelazer_; in November, Roxana in Pordage’s tumid _The Siege of Babylon_, a play founded upon the famous romance, _Cassandra_. In January, 1678, she played Priam’s prophetic daughter, a very strong part, in Banks’ melodrama, _The Destruction of Troy_; August of the same year, Elvira in Leanerd’s witty comedy, _The Counterfeits_, whence a quarter of a century later Colley Gibber borrowed pretty freely for _She Wou’d and She Wou’d Not_. That autumn Mrs. Lee acted Eurydice in Dryden and Lee’s _Oedipus_. It was this year that her husband died, and she was left a widow. In April, 1679, she played Cressida in Dryden’s _Troilus and Cressida_, and probably in the same month, Cleomena in Mrs. Behn’s _The Young King_; later in the autumn, Laura Lucretia in _The Feign’d Curtezans;_ in October, Bellamira, the heroine of Lee’s excellent if flamboyant tragedy, _Caesar Borgia_, to the Borgia of Betterton and Smith’s Machiavel. In 1680 her rôles were Arviola in Tate’s _The Loyal General;_ Julia in Lawrence Maidwell’s capital comedy, _The Loving Enemies;_ Queen Margaret in Crowne’s _The Misery of Civil War_, a version of 2 _Henry VI_. In the winter of this year Mrs. Lee re-married, and thenceforward is billed as Lady Slingsby, our first titled actress. Her husband was probably Sir Charles Slingsby, second baronet, of Bifrons in Kent, a nephew of Sir Robert Slingsby, Comptroller of the Navy, who had died 26 October, 1661. Sir Charles is recorded to have sold Bifrons in 1677, but we know practically nothing about him.[2] Dr. Doran supposes Lady Slingsby to have been connected with the Slingbys of Scriven, but he adduces no authority. In 1681 Lady Slingsby performed Queen Margaret in Crowne’s _Henry VI, the First Part with the Murder of Gloucester_, an adaption of Shakespeare’s I _Henry VI_, suggested by the great success of his previous alteration. She also played Regan in Tate’s foolhardy tinkering with _King Lear_; Sempronia in Lee’s powerful _Lucius Junitis Brutus;_ and in December, Marguerite in the same author’s excellent _The Princess of Cleves_. In 1682 she acted another Roman rôle, Tarpeia, in an anonymous tragedy, _Romulus and Hersilia_, produced 10 August. She also spoke Mrs. Behn’s famous epilogue reflecting upon the Duke of Monmouth. Two days later a warrant was issued for the arrest of ‘Lady Slingsby, Comoedian, and Mrs. Aphaw Behen,’ to answer for their ‘severall Misdemeanours’ and ‘abusive reflections upon Persons of Quality.’ Even if they were actually imprisoned, of which there is no evidence, the detention both of actress and authoress was very brief. On 4 December of the same year, after the union of the two companies, Lady Slingsby created Catherine de’ Medici in Dryden and Lee’s stirring tragedy, _The Duke of Guise_, produced at the Theatre Royal, In 1683 Lady Slingsby had no original part which is recorded, but her genius successfully helped the numerous revivals of older plays that belong to that year. In 1684 she sustained Calphurnia to the Caesar of Cardell Goodman, the Antony of Kynaston, the Brutus and Cassius of Betterton and Smith, the Portia of Mrs. Sarah Cook, in a notable revival of _Julius Caesar_ (4to 1694), marred, however, by stagey alterations said to be the work of Davenant and Dryden two decades before. The same year she played Lucia in _The Factious Citizen;_ Lady Noble in Ravenscroft’s _Dame Dobson_. In August, 1685, Clarinda in D’Urfey’s plagiarism of Fletcher’s _The Sea Voyage_, which he called _A Commonwealth of Women_. Shortly after she appears to have retired from the stage. Dame Mary Slingsby, widow, from St. Mary’s parish, was buried in old St. Pancras graveyard, 1 March, 1694. Careless historians and critics even now continually confuse Mrs. Mary Lee, Lady Slingsby, with Mrs. Elizabeth Leigh, the wife of the celebrated comedian, Antony Leigh. The two actresses must be carefully distinguished. Geneste curiously enough gives a very incomplete list of Lady Slingsby’s roles, a selection only, as he allows; he makes several bad mistakes as to dates, and entirely fails to appreciate the merits and importance of this great actress in the Restoration theatre. These errors have been largely followed, and it is become necessary to insist somewhat strongly upon the fact that Lady Slingsby was one of the leading performers of the day. In a contemporary _Satire on the Players_ (1682-3), which has never been printed, she heads the list of actresses, and Mrs. Barry is vilipended second. The lines run as follows:--

Imprimis Slingsby has the fatal Curse
To have a Lady’s honour with a Player’s Purse.
Though now she is so plaguy haughty grown |
Yet, Gad, my Lady, I a Time have known |
When a dull Whiggish Poet wou’d go down. |
That Scene’s now changed, but Prithee Dandy Beast
Think not thyself an Actress in the least.
For sure thy Figure ne’er was seen before,
Such Arse-like Breasts, stiff neck, with all thy Store,
Are certain Antidotes against a Whore.

The ‘dull Whiggish Poet’ alluded to is Elkanah Settle, with whom at the beginning of her theatrical career Lady Slingsby was on terms of considerable intimacy. Scandal further accused her of an intrigue with Sir Gilbert Gerrard, which is referred to when the knight was attacked in _A Satyr on Both Whigs and Tories_, (1683, unprinted MS.)

Thou Thing made up of Buttons, Coach, and Show,
The Beasts that draw thee have more sense than thou.
Yet still thou mightst have fool’d behind the Scenes,
Have Comb’d thy Wig and set thy Cravat Strings,
Made love to Slingsby when she played the Queen,
The Coxcomb in the Crowd had passed unseen.

p. 9 _Song_. Poets and critics have been unanimous in their praise of this exquisite lyric, which, had she written nothing more, would alone have been amply sufficient to vindicate Aphara Behn’s genius and immortality. It was a great favourite with Swinburne, who terms it ‘that melodious and magnificent song’. Mr. Bullen is warm in its praise, whilst Professor Saintsbury justly acknowledges it to be ‘of quite bewildering beauty’.

p. 70 _Stout Sceva_. The centurion M. (Valerius Max. iii. ii. 23.) Cassius Scaeva at the battle of Dyrrachium, B.C. 48, showed heroic valour and maintained his post although he had lost an eye, was deeply wounded in shoulder and thigh, and his shield was pierced in 120 places. He survived, however, and lived until after Cassar’s assassination, v. _Casar B.G_. iii 53. _Suet. Caes_, 68. _Flor_. iv. 2. 40. _Appian_, B.C. ii. 60. He appears as a character in Fletcher’s _The False One_.

p. 98 _little Mrs. Ariell_. This actress doubtless belonged to the Nursery, a training theatre for boys and girls intended for the stage. Established under Royal Letters Patent issued 30 March, 1664, it is frequently alluded to in contemporary literature. There was only one Nursery, although, as it not infrequently changed its quarters, two are sometimes stated to have existed simultaneously, an easy and plausible mistake, The Nursery was originally in Hatton Garden, About 1668 it was transferred to Vere Street, and thence finally to the Barbican. Mr. W. J. Lawrence in an able history of _Restoration Stage Nurseries_, shows that Wilkinson’s oft-engraved view of the supposed Fortune Theatre is none other than this Golden Lane Nursery on the site of the old Fortune Theatre. Mrs. Ariell, a young girl, probably performed Fanny in _Sir Patient Fancy_. Occasionally the names of other Nursery actresses occur. We have a certain Miss Nanny, of whom nothing is known, billed as Clita, a small part in D’Urfey’s _The Commonwealth of Women_, produced August, 1685. The prefix ‘Miss’ as meaning a young girl occurs here in a bill for the first time. A decade later we have Miss Allinson as Hengo, a lad, in an alteration of Fletcher’s _Bonduca_, and Miss Cross as Bonvica, Bonduca’s youngest daughter. In 1693 Miss Allison, who took the part of Jano, a page boy, in Southerne’s _The Maid’s Last Prayer_, is billed as Betty Allison. In 1696 again, Miss Cross, with Horden, spoke the prologue to D’Urfey’s _Don Quixote_, Part III. In the cast, however, when she enacted Altisidora, she is described as Mrs. Cross, A Miss Howard acted Kitty in Motteux’s _Love’s a Jest(1696) and, ‘in page’s habit_,’ spoke the epilogue to Dilke’s _The Lover’s Luck_ the same year. After that date ’.iss’ instead of the heretofore ‘Mrs.’ became more general.

The name of the child actress, doubtless from the Nursery, who took the young Princess Elizabeth in Banks’ _Virtue Betray’d; or, Anna Bullen_ (1682) has not come down to us. _Wits led by the Nose; or, A Poet’s Revenge_, an alteration of Chamberlaine’s unacted _Love’s Victory_ (4to 1658), produced at the Theatre Royal in the summer of 1677, has indifferent performers such as Coysh, Perrin, in the leading roles; whilst other parts are cast thus: Sir Jasper Sympleton, Stiles; Jack Drayner, Nathaniel Q.; Heroina, Mrs. Baker, Jun.; Theocrine, Mrs. F[arlee?]. Stiles, Nathaniel Q., Mrs. Baker, Jun., Mrs. F[arlee?] were all temporary recruits from the Nursery. In the spring of 1678 the younger members act again in Leanerd’s _The Rambling Justice_. Powre played Sir John Twiford; Disney, Contentious Surley; Mr. Q., Spywell; Mrs. Merchant, Petulant Easy; Mrs. Bates, Emilia. The Nursery disappears about 1686. Certainly in 1690 it was the custom for young aspirants to the sock and buskin to join the regular theatres without preliminary training elsewhere.

FOOTNOTES:

1. Her last original rôle was Berenice in Crowne’s _The Destruction of Jerusalem_, a heroic tragedy in two parts.

2. There was a Sir Arthur Slingsby, a younger son of Sir Guildford Slingsby, Bart. Both Pepys (20 July, 1664) and Evelyn (19 July, 1664) mention the lottery he held with the King’s permission in the Banqueting House at Whitehall. Evelyn judged him to be ‘a mere shark.’

THE YOUNG KING.

p. 107 _Tartarian war_. Brawls and free fights, sometimes of a serious character, in the pit (Tartarus) of a Restoration theatre were of frequent occurrence. There is a well-known instance in Langbaine: ‘At the acting of this tragedy [_Macbeth_] on the stage, I saw a real one acted in the pit; I mean the death of Mr. Scroop, who received his death’s wound from the late Sir Thomas Armstrong, and died presently after he was remov’d to a house opposite to the Theatre, in Dorset Garden.’ This was in 1679. In April, 1682, in the pit at the Theatre Royal, Charles Dering and Mr. Vaughan drew on each other and then clambered on to the stage to finish their duel ‘to the greater comfort of the audience’. Dering being badly wounded, Vaughan was held in custody until he recovered. In Shadwell’s _A True Widow_ (1678) Act iv, i, there is a vivid picture of a general scuffle and battle royal in the pit. cf. Dryden’s Prologue to _The Spanish Friar_ (1681):--

Now we set up for tilting in the pit,
Where ‘tis agreed by bullies chicken-hearted
To fright the ladies first, and then be parted.

p. 107 _Half crown my play_.... There are many allusions to the price of admission to the pit. Pepys mentions it, and on one occasion notices ’.rdinary’ prentices and mean people in the pit at 2s 6d a-piece’. cf. Epilogue to Carye’s _The Generous Enemies_:--

There’s a nest of devils in the pit,
By whom our plays, like children, just alive,
Pinch’d by the fairies, never after thrive:
‘Tis but your half-crown, Sirs: that won’t undo.

p. 133 _antick_.--here used in its strict and original sense, ‘baroque’, ’.ococo’. A favourite word with Mrs. Behn.

p. 181 _Life it self’s a Dream. This is the very title of Calderon’s comedia, _La Vida es Sueño_.

p. 183 _J. Wright, esq_. James Wright (1643-1713), barrister-at-law and miscellaneous writer, is now chiefly remembered by his famous pamphlet, _Historia Histrionica_ (1699), a dialogue on old plays and players, reprinted in various editions of Dodsley. Wright was a great lover of the theatre, and ‘one of the first collectors of old plays since Cartwright.’

p. 192 _spoken ... at his Royal Highness’ second exile_. This note fixes the date of the play as being between the latter end of March, 1679, and August of the same year. It was probably produced in April. The Duke of York sailed for Antwerp on 4 March, 1679. From Antwerp he went to the Hague and thence to Brussels. In August he was summoned home as Charles was attacked by a severe fit of ague. He returned to Brussels to escort the Duchess back, and on 27 October left for Scotland.

THE CITY HEIRESS.

p. 199 _Henry, Earl of Arundel_. Henry Howard, 1655-1701, son of Henry, sixth Duke of Norfolk, succeeded his father 10 January, 1684. From 1678 to 1684 he was styled Earl of Arundel, although summoned to Parliament on 27 January, 1679 as Lord Mowbray.

p. 200 _Then let the strucken Deer. Hamlet_, Act iii, ii.

p. 201 _to roar_. To be tipsily boisterous, deoauchcd and wantonly destructive. The word is common.

p. 201 _to glout_. To stare at; to make eyes at. Not here to frown or scowl, the usual meaning, and the sole explanation given by the _N.E.D_. For ‘glout’ in this sense cf. Orrery’s _Guzman_ (1679) iv, ‘Guzman glouts at her, sighs, and folds his arms.’

p. 201 _Convenient_. ‘Blowing, Natural, Convenient, Tackle. Several names for a Mistress or rather a Whore.’--’An Explanation of the Cant’ prefixed to Shadwell’s _The Squire of Alsatia_ (4to, 1688). The word occurs more than once in the course of the play. cf. Act iv, where we have

‘_Enter_ Margaret _and Mrs_. Hackum _with a Cawdle_.
_Belf. Sen_. Oh my dear _Blowing!_ my _Convenient!_ my _Tackle!_’

p. 201 _In Reverend Shape_. The allusion throughout this prologue is to Titus Oates. After his abominable perjuries this wretch was lodged at Whitehall, assigned £1200 a year and a special posse of officers and attendants.

p. 201 _The Oaths_ ... cf. Dryden’s description of Oates as Corah. _Absalom and Achitophel_, Part I--especially--

Who ever asked the witnesses’ high race
Whose oath with martyrdom did Stephen grace?

p. 202 _Pug_. A quasi-proper name for a fox. cf. R.S. Surtees’ _Ask Mamma_ (1857-8), xv. ‘Pug ... turns tail and is very soon in the rear of the hounds.’

p. 202 _silken Doctor_. Oates pretended to have taken the degree of D.D. at the University of Salamanca.

The spirit caught him up! the Lord knows where,
And gave him his Rabbinical degree
Unknown to foreign university.--_Absalom and Achitopbel_, i.

Silken of course alludes to his black silk Doctor’s gown.