Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/156

136 me to be Honet, and that every one may find me out for Ingratitude, when I don’t ay all that’s fit for me upon that Subject: he had a great Command of the Stage, and I have often wonder’d that he hould bury her Favourite Hero in a Novel, when he might have reviv’d him in the Scene.’ I have quoted this, becaue ’tis very uncommon with Authors to peak well of thoe they borrow from in their Writings, for I have known a great Man perpetually rail at the French Authors, and yet contradict his Reflections on them, by filling his Writings with their Wit and Deigns; and I have o often experienc’d this Particular, among the Writers of our Age, that when I hear any of them condemn, either our Ancient or Modern Authors, I conclude, he has been robbing there, and would deter us from finding out his Theft. But as to this Play of Oroonoko, you find our Poet has allow’d the Plot of it Mrs. Behn’s; for on that Prince he has compos’d the bet of her Novels: and as it mut be confes’d that the Play had not its mighty Succes without an innate Excellence; o in my Opinion, the neceary regularities a Dramatick Poet is obliged to oberve, has left many Beauties in the Novel, which our Author cou’d not transfer to his Poem. As Mrs. Barrey did the Poet all the Jutice o admirable an Actres, when he mot exerts her elf, could do, in the Innocent Adultery; o Mr. Verbruggen, in the Part of Oroonoko, by doing the Author Right, got himelf the Reputation of one of the bet Actors of his time.

Sir Anthony Love; or, The Rambling Lady; a Comedy, 4 to. 1690. acted at the Theatre Royal by their Majeties Servants; and dedicated to ''Tho. Skipwith, Eq; (now Sir Thomas''). This Play met with extraordinary Succes.

The Wives excue; or, Cuckolds make themelves; a Comedy, acted at the Theatre Royal, by their MajetesMajesties [sic] Servants, 1692. 4 to. This Play it eems did not take as well as was expected, but is uher’d into print by a Copy of Veres of his Friend, Mr. Dryden; in which he jutly reflects on the depraved Tate of the Age, epecially in thee Two Lines, on the Fault of thoe Poets, who debauch the Palate of the Audience.

For if there be not o intricate a Plot, there is certainly a gaity of Converation, and Purity of Language, which few of our Poets oberve. Thomas