THE RIVALS:

A COMEDY, BY THE RIGHT HON. RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN.

THIS Play affords one of the few instances in which a first night's condemnation has been completely reversed, by the unanimous approval of all future audiences: and it is rather a remarkable coincidence, that the most recent example of similar good-fortune has occurred to the author's godson and namesake, Mr. R. B. Peake; whose Farce of The Hundred Pound Note has now become both popular and attractive, though it was originally very unfavourably received. The Comedy of The Rivals was written when it's gifted author was only 23, and when sent to the Theatre was double the length of any acting-piece. After much curtailment it was produced at Covent-Garden, January 17th, 1775, when it's reception was particularly unfavourable, in consequence of it's extreme length, and the bad acting and and appearance of Lee as Sir Lucius O'Trigger, which rendered the character very unpopular. The contemporary criticisms generally condemned the piece, allowing, however, that it evinced genius, that the dialogue was natural and pleasing, and in some scenes far superior to that of the modern dramatic writers. Though announced for a second night, the Comedy was immediately withdrawn for alteration, which operated greatly in the author's favour; and it was reproduced on January 28th with considerable applause. The redundancies of the dialogue were then skilfully removed, the objectionable passages omitted, and the improved part of Sir Lucius transferred to Clinch, who performed it with universal satisfaction, as Johnstone has done since. The Comedy was acted 14 times the same season, and thus at once rose into that distinguished public favour which it has ever since retained. Shuter was the original Sir Anthony Absolute, Woodward the Captain, Lewis Faulkland, Quick Acres, Lee Lewes Fag, Dunstall David, Mrs. Green Mrs. Malaprop, and Miss Barsanti Lydia. Their most eminent successors have been Munden, Dowton, and W. Farren, as Sir Anthony; C. Kemble, Elliston, and Jones, as his son; Young, whose excellence in Faulkland is altogether unrivalled; Dodd, Bannister Jun., and Liston, as Acres; and Mrs. Davenport as Mrs. Malaprop.

The scene of The Rivals is Bath, the time of action five hours, and the fable, excepting where it was taken from real circumstances, was the invention of the author. Faulkland's character, in most of it's features, is supposed to have been drawn from his own; though the schemes for trying Julia's fidelity are to be found in stanzas 5, &c. of the old ballad of The NutBrown Maid, and in Smollett's Peregrine Pickle.

Sir Anthony. Come, Mrs. Malaprop, we'll not disturb their tenderness-their's is the time of life for happiness! Youth's the season made for joy-[Sings.] Hey! Odd's life! I'm in such spirits-I don't know what I could not do! Permit me, ma'am-[Gives his hand to Mrs. Malaprop.] [Sings.]-Tol de rol-'gad I should like to have a little fooling myself-Tol de rol! de rol!

[Exit, singing, and handing Mrs. Malaprop off.-Lydia sits sullenly in her Chair.

Captain Absolute. So much thought bodes me no good. [Aside.] So grave, Lydia! Act 4. Sc. 2.

Lydia. Sir!

Captain Absolute. He is a rival of mine-that is, of my other self's, for he does not think his friend, Captain Absolute, ever saw the lady in question; and it is ridiculous enough to hear him complain to me of one Beverley, a conceited, skulking rival.

Act 2. Sc. 1.

THREE WEEKS AFTER MARRIAGE:

A FARCE, BY ARTHUR MURPHY.

3-333

IN February 1762, the author of this entertaining piece commenced the publication of a weekly political paper entitled The Auditor, avowedly in defence of the Earl of Bute, and in opposition to The North Briton of Wilkes. During the next year, Murphy wrote two pieces, each in Two Acts, entitled No One's Enemy but His Own, and What We must All come to; which were produced together at Covent-Garden, January 9th, 1764. Though the first was of little merit, it contained much amusing and spirited dialogue, and several well-supported characters; but so great was the public animosity which had been excited by the author's opposition of Wilkes, that both pieces were received with the most violent hostility, by a party collected purposely for their condemnation, though neither of them contained a single political allusion. The former lived only to the author's third night, and the latter was immediately withdrawn: the scene which caused it's failure appearing to be that of Sir Charles and Lady Rackett's second quarrel. This fate, however, was afterwards remarkably reversed; for whilst No One's Enemy but His Own is almost entirely forgotten, What We must All come to, under the present name, continues on the stage: but the original title still forms the last words of the Farce, and the very censurable libel upon married life is still remaining.

Murphy's next productions were a serious satire entitled An Ode to the Naiads of Fleet Ditch, wherein he retaliated on Churchill, Lloyd, Colman, Shirley, &c.; and a successful alteration of his second piece, acted at Dublin, Edinburgh, &c. with great success, under the name of Marriage à la Mode. On March 30th, 1776, the same Farce was re-produced at CoventGarden for the benefit of Lewis, with the present title; when it was successful, and was acted 15 nights the first season. In it's original form Shuter played Drugget, Dyer Sir Charles, and Mrs. Green Lady Rackett; and the same parts were afterwards filled by Quick, Lewis, and Mrs. Mattocks. The best recent performers in this piece have been Munden and Mrs. Davenport, as Drugget and his Wife, and Mrs. Glover as Lady Rackett.

The peculiar taste of the Citizen for the old Dutch style of gardening, appears to have been adopted from Pope's catalogue of evergreen effigies, in No. 173 of The Guardian, published in 1713; the Earl of Cork's account of a Londoner's rural retreat, No. 33 of The Connoisseur, printed in 1754; and Lloyd's poem of " The Citizen's Country Box," No. 135 of the same paper, written in 1756.

Sir Charles. Death and confusion! [Moves his chair away.]-There's no bearing this. [Looks at her angrily.] It won't take a moment, if you will but listen. [Moves towards her.] Can't you see, that, by forcing the adversary's hand, Mr. Jenkins would be obliged to

Lady Rackett. [Moving her shair away from him.] Mr. Jenkins had the best club, and never a diamond left. Sir Charles. [Rising.] Distraction! Bedlam is not so mad. Be as wrong as you please, madam. May I never hold four by honours, may I lose every thing I play for, may fortune eternally forsake me, if I endeavour to set you right again.

Act 2. Sc. 2.

Dimity. [Laughing.] What do you think it was all about? Ha! ha! the whole secret is come out, ha! ha! It was all about a game at cards. -Ho! ho! ho!-It was all about a club and a diamond!

Act 2. Sc. 2.

THE Contemporary critics observe of this amusing Afterpiece, that it's intent was not so much to ridicule the general passion for dramatic entertainments of inferior persons, as to expose the follies arising from those scenic exhibitions which took place in the country-mansions of those of higher rank, during the summer season and the Long-Vacation. It is added that this species of amusement was patronised by the beau-monde of the time, to promote a more unrestrained intercourse between the sexes; but that, whilst it rendered that advantage too common, it often utterly destroyed the respect, the distinction, and even the decencies, of ranks, and ridiculously suspended the ordinary duties of domestics. These evils were, doubtless, greatly exaggerated in the present Farce; and it is to be hoped that the very coarse incident mentioned in Act the Second and Scene the Third, is altogether without foundation.

But though the fable and character of this piece are both improbable and extravagant, the extreme drollery of many of the speeches and situations is almost irresistible. The tragic mania of Diggery is especially humourous, and through the whole production are to be seen traits of genuine comic talent, united to a high degree of dramatic conception.

After having been refused at all the London Theatres, the Farce of All the World's a Stage was produced for the benefit of the daughters of Hopkins the Prompter, at Drury-Lane, April 7th, 1777; and succeeded so well as to be played eleven nights even at that late period of the season. It was also bought from the author, and though it was originally refused by all the managers, yet it has since been frequently played by all; and still remains a convenient and favourite Afterpiece, both on the London and on the provincial stages.

The original performers were Farren as Charles, or Captain Stanley, Palmer as Harry, or Captain Stukely, Parsons as Diggery Ducklin, Baddeley as Sir Gilbert Pumkin, Mrs. Hopkins as Bridget, and Miss P. Hopkins as Kitty Sprightly. Some of their best successors have been Blanchard as Sir Gilbert, Mrs. Davenport as Bridget, and Liston, whose humour could never have been exceeded, as Diggery. In the more modern representations of this piece an additional scene is occasionally performed, wherein Diggery is represented as drilling his fellow-servants for the intended performance.

The general scene is laid at Shrewsbury, and Sir Gilbert's mansion near it; and the time of action is within one day.