Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/121

Rh HE Shepherds Paradie, a Patoral, 8 vo. 1649. This was privately acted before King Charles the Firt, by the Queen’s Majety, and Ladies of Honour; and was then well eteem’d. N Author now living, who, tho’ born and bred at Roan in Normandy, has made himelf o far Mater of our Language, as to be able to divert the Town in Two Plays, the firt call’d,

Love’s a Jet, a Comedy, 4 to. Acted at the new Theatre in Little Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, by his Majety’s Servants, 1696. and dedicated to Charles, Lord Clifford, of Lanesborough. The Author owns, in his Preface, himelf indebted to the Italians, for the hint of the two Scenes where Love is made in Jet; as alo ome Speeches and Thoughts here and there.

The Loves of Mars and Venus, a Play et to Muick, as it is acted at the New Theatre, in Little Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, by his Majety’s Servants, 4 to. 1696. and dedicated to the Honourable Collonel Codrington. In his Preface he owns the Story to be Ovid’s, and that he has taken the Dance of the Cyclops from Mr. Shadwell’s Pyche.

The Novelty, every Act a Play, being a hort Patoral, Comedy, Maque, Tragedy, and Farce; acted at the new Theatre in Little Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, by his Majety’s Servants, 4 to. 1697, and dedicated to Charles Cæar, of Bonnington, Eq; In the Preface he lets us know, that the Patoral, call’d, Thyris, is written by his ingenious Friend, Mr. J. Oldmixon. The Tragedy, which he calls, The Unfortunate Couple, is the latter and mot moving part of Dr. Filmer’s Unnatural Brother. That the Farce, call’d, Natural Magick, is an Imitation of Part of a French Comedy, of one Act, after the Italian Manner, as you may find many in the Theatre Italien. Hercules, the Maque, is his own, tho’ I have een one on the ame Subject by a French Author, and repreented at Bruels. The Comedy is his own too, call’d, All without Money.

Tho’ this bears the Name of The Novelty, it can be call’d o only as ome of our modern Opinions in Philoophy are call’d new, that is, becaue they have laid by unthought of a great while; for as thee are to be met with among the Old Philoophers, o is this Model to be found in Sir William Davenant’s Play-Houe to be Lett. I hall only add, That the greatet Novelty is the odd ort of