Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/61

Rh to contemn them; unless it maybe pretended, that he has us'd them as Virgil did Ennius of old, to extract Gold out of their Dung. For I never found him in any Theft indeed, but what he gave a new Lustre too, when taken, ev'n from the best of the Ancients; and I may therefore believe the same of what he has taken from the French. I shall not therefore pursue Mr. Langbain's steps in his Excursions; only at the Foot of each Play, lay down the places from whence he has borrowed. But the Reader must not expect I shall give him all that he owes for in each Play, for that wou'd exceed the Limits of this Compendium; it must suffice that I give some Instances of each, to put him in mind of his own Deeds, and so mollify his Reflections on those young Men that are now coming up, and who may think it not below them to follow that Path which they have seen Conduct him to so much Glory; of which in their Order.

Albion and Albania, an Opera, fol. 1685. presented at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset-Garden.

All for Love, or The World well Lost, a Tragedy, 4to. 1678. For the Plot and some of the Descriptions, especially Cleopatras sailing down the Cydnus, see Plutarchs Life of Antony, Suetonius in Aug. Dion Cassius, lib. 48. 51. Orosius, lib. 6. c. 7. Cluny, lib. 4. c. 11. Appian de bellis Civilibus, l. 5.

Amboyna, a Tragi-Comedy, 4to. 1673. acted at the Theatre Royal, see Purchas's Pilgrimage, Vol. II. l. 16. c. 16. Sanderson's History of King James, p. 577. Stubb's Relation of the Dutch Cruelties to the English at Amboyna; Wanley's History of Man, lib. 4. c. 10. ex. 1. The Rape of Isabinda by Horman, is built on a Novel of Cynthais Gyraldi, Idea 5. Nov. 10.

Amphitryon, or, The Two Socia's, a Comedy, 4to. from Moliere and Plautus of the same Name.

Assignation; or, Love in a Nunnery, a Comedy, 4to. 1678. Acted at the Theatre Royal. Most of the Incidents borrowed, as well as Characters. The Characters of the Duke of Mantua, Frederick and Lucretia, from Constance the fair Nun in The Annals of Love, p. 81. those of Aurelian, Camillo, Laura, and Violetta, from Scarron's Comical Romance; San's Destiny, and Madam Star. cap. 13. p. 43. Benito's Affectation of Musick, from Quinault's Jadolet, in his Comedie sous Comedie, Frontonas throwing Water on Laura, from Les contes de M. de la Fontaine, Par. I. Nov. II. p. 74. See likewise ''Les Cent. Novelles, La Damoiselle a ceur ouvert'', &c.

Aureng-zebe, a Tragedy, 4to. 1676. Acted at the Theatre Royal; for the Plot consult Tavernier's Travels, vol. 1. part 2. C. 2. I will not determine with Mr. Langbain, that the Characters of Aureng-zebe and Nourmahal, are borrowed from Seneca's Phædra and Hippolytus; since I see nothing alike through their whole Story, but the Love of a Son-in-Law, and his Aversion; but that does