Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/72

52 this Play is prefix'd a Letter to the Author in Defence of it; and with that I do agree, that this is by much the best of his Comedies, tho' I can never allow the rest of that Epistle free from Flattery; and we may conclude that Friendship, or some other Motive blinded his Eyes very much, when he made so large an Encomium of it.

The Richmond Heiress; or, a Woman once in the Right, a Comedy, Acted at the Theatre Royal by their Majesties Servants, 1693. 4to. Dedicated to the Honourable, and my very good Friend Sir Nicholas Garrard, Bar. whom he is pleas'd to inform, that in the piece offer'd him, there appears no defect of Genius, whatever there might be of Judgment; whether the Poet be in the Right or no the Reader must Determine; but 'tis evident, it was not Received with an Applause Answerable to his Expectations; tho' upon a Revival and Alterations he has pleas'd the Town.

The Royallist; a Comedy, 4to. 1682. Acted at the Dukes Theatre. Camillas Trick of Sir Oilver Old-Cut, for Sir Charles King-Love, borrowed from Boccace's Novels, Day 7. Nov. 9. and the Song of Hey boys up go we, stollen from an Ecclogue, 4to. in The Shepherd's Oracle.

The Siege of Memphis; or, The Ambitious queen, a Tragedy, 4to. 1676. Acted at the Theatre Royal, and Dedicated to Henry Chivers, Esq; This Play met not with that Success the Author desired.

Sir Barnaby Whig; or, No Wit like a Womans; a Comedy, 4to. 1681. Acted at the Theatre Royal by their Majesties Servants, and Dedicated to the Right Honourable George, Earl of Berkley, Plot from The Fine Companion, a Play of Marmion's, and part from a Novel call'd The Double Cuckold, 8vo.

Trick for Trick; or, The Debauch'd Hypocrite, a Comedy, 4to. 1678. This is only Monsieur Thomas (a Play of Fletcher's) Reviv'd.

The Virtuous Wife; or, Good Luck at last; a Comedy, 4to. 1680. Several Hints stollen from other Plays (viz.) The Fawn, Marriage A-la-mode, &c.

He has written besides the above-mentioned Plays, some Volumes of Songs and Poems, as Butler's Ghost, Collins's Walk, &c.

E Edw.