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THE ORPHAN; OR, THE UNHAPPY MARRIAGE :

A TRAGEDY, BY THOMAS OTWAY.

To the natural and domestic character which this piece exhibits, and to the powerful interest which it excites in the affections, Dr. Johnson attributes entirely it's long and successful possession of the stage; since he observes that "it is not written with much comprehension of thought, or elegance of expression." The melancholy plot was founded on the history of Brandon, in a Novel entitled English Adventures, published in 1667; and the scene of the play is stated to be in Bohemia, though the names of the characters are all Italian one day, a night, and the following morning, comprise the time supposed to be occupied by the action.

This Tragedy was originally produced at the Duke's Theatre, DorsetGardens, previously to the return of James, Duke of York, from Bruxelles, in October, 1679, as it is implied in the Author's dedication to the Duchess, which was printed with the piece in 1680, quarto. The Prologue, however, was composed after the Duke had come back, or the lines in it referring to that event, were subsequently inserted. Otway is said to have gained an hundred pounds by the performance of The Orphan.

Davies supposed that many features in the character of Acasto, in the present drama, were taken from the life of James Butler, Duke of Ormond; the old, neglected, and faithful, servant of Charles II. The resemblance he considers will be found in Acasto's devotion to his King, who has abandoned the old nobleman; and in the discourse of Paulino and Ernesto in the original first scene, wherein his unmerited disgrace is related. The "canker-worm of peace," by whom he is said to have been supplanted, Davies supposed to refer to Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, to gratify whom Ormond was recalled from the government of Ireland, and slighted at Court.

The principal original actors in The Orphan, were Betterton in Castalio, Williams in Polydore, Smith in Chamont, and Mrs. Barry, who raised her reputation to the highest degree, as Monimia. After these, Mills was once particularly celebrated in Chamont, and Booth unequalled in Polydore, though the part was also well sustained by Walker, his pupil: but for two winters only the piece was cast with the greatest combination of talent, when Garrick was Chamont, Barry Castalio, and Mrs. Cibber Monimia. To those who had not seen Mrs. Barry, her performance was said to be inimitable; and to such as witnessed Miss O'Neill's delineation of the same part, on the revival of this Tragedy at Covent-Garden, December 2nd, 1815, there could be little regret that they were no longer upon the stage.

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That would be kindness, and against thy nature!

Acasto. What means Castalio? Sure thou wilt not pull
More sorrows on thy aged father's head!

Tell me, I beg you, tell me the sad cause
Of all this ruin.

Aet 5. Sc. 2.

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VENICE PRESERVED; OR, A PLOT DISCOVERED:

A TRAGEDY BY THOMAS OTWAY.

THE original of this piece is the Abbé Cæsar Vichard de St. Real's interesting Histoire de la Conjuration des Espagnols contre la Republique de Venise, en 1618, by the Marquis de Bedmar and the Duke d'Ossuna, published at Paris in 1674, 12mo. though it is considerably altered to connect the action with Jaffier, Priuli, and Belvidera; the last of whom is a fictitious character. Voltaire has naturally enough asserted, that the Abbé's work is equal to the writings of Sallust, and far superior to either Venice Preserved or Manlius, a French Tragedy on the same subject, wherein the characters are disguised under Roman names; but, though the narrative be well told, and the principal characters effectively delineated, the graphic force and language of the present drama are almost entirely wanting.

Venice Preserved was first performed at the Duke's Theatre, in DorsetGardens; and a passage in the Epilogue, in praise of James, Duke of York, shews that it was before his return from Scotland, April 8th, 1682, and after the mutilation of his picture at Guildhall, the Corporation's order concerning which is dated January 27th in the same year. The second title of A Plot Discovered, is said to have been adopted from the Popish Conspiracy against Charles II. The whole scene of this piece is, of course, laid in Venice; and the action passes on part of one day, the ensuing two nights, and part of the third day.

This drama was written the last but one of the theatrical works of Otway, when his imagination had become stronger, and his language more energetic; the Tragedy is undoubtedly it's author's master-piece, and still remains one of the greatest favourites of the public. It is now purified from the disgusting character of Antonio, who was originally introduced to stigmatise the follies and vices of Anthony, first Earl of Shaftesbury, in some despicable comic scenes; and it is also farther improved by Barry's omission of the appearance of the Ghosts of Jaffier and Pierre.

Some of the greatest ornaments of the stage who have appeared in Venice Preserved have been Betterton, the original Pierre, succeeded by Mossop, Wilks, J. P. Kemble, and Young; William Smith, the first Jaffier, by Booth, Garrick, Barry, and Charles Kemble; and Mrs. Barry, the primary Belvidera, by Mrs. Cibber, Mrs. Siddons, Miss O'Neill, who first appeared in the character at Covent-Garden, October 13th, 1814, and Miss Fanny Kemble, who came out in the part at the same house, December 9th, 1829, and ranks second to none in her delineation of the character.

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OROONOKO:

A TRAGEDY, BY THOMAS SOUTHERne.

A NOVEL by the celebrated Mrs. Aphora Behn, entitled Oroonoko, or The American Prince, published without a date, contains the principal features of this once-popular Drama; the circumstances of which are said to have really occurred in the reign of Charles II. The scene is laid in the Island of Surinam, a colony in the West Indies, at the time it was in the possession of the English. This was but for a short period only, since the French vacated the Colony in 1660, on account of the numerous invasions of the Carribean Indians, who were irritated by their cruelties; and Francis, Lord Willoughby, of Parham, received permission to send vessels thither to take possession of it in the king's name. In 1662, it was granted to him by charter; but in 1667, the Dutch, who had been driven from the Brazils, captured Surinam from the English, and in 1669, had the possession finally ceded to them.

In the dedication of this piece to William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, after acknowledging his former and present obligations to the works of Mrs. Behn, Southerne observes that he had "often wondered that she should bury her favourite hero in a novel, when she might have revived him upon the stage, of which she had so great command. But she thought,” he continues, "that no actor could represent him properly, or she could not bear to see him represented: and I believe the last, when I remember what I have heard from a friend of her's, that she told his story more feelingly than she had written it." Southerne, however, was advised by his patron to give the part to Verbruggen, who played it in a very admirable manner; and the piece met with great success: it was first performed at Drury-Lane, in 1696.

The tragic parts of this drama have been always applauded, being manly, tender, and undepraved. The loose vulgarity of the comic scenes can be palliated only by the corrupt taste of the age when the author first attempted dramatic composition; which he is said in his latter days heartily to have regretted having ever complied with, especially in the present instance, where he considered that the objectionable parts were unnaturally attached to the principal plot. After Verbruggen, Thomas Elrington was most eminent in his performance of Oroonoko, adding to his imitation of the original a rough dignity which wonderfully became him; and Mr. Kean appeared in the princely slave at Drury-Lane, with considerable effect, January 20th, 1817. In 1759, Dr. Hawkesworth altered Oroonoko by omitting all the comic parts, and in 1760, Francis Gentleman produced another alteration at Edinburgh.

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