 | The Novelty |  |
The PREFACE.
Reader,
I hope several things will induce you to pass gently over the Defects in this entertainment. I was put on this bold Attempt, being hinder'd from giving you a better Play, which, waiting its Turn, cannot appear till next Winter. Most of the best Actors being engaged on ther Plays, I could not expect they would study mine. This made me think of something that might be got up by the by.
I writ the Masque of Hercules, and Mr. Eccles having set it with his usual Success, and yet more masterly than my Mars and Venus, if possible, I prevail'd with the ingenious Mr. J. Oldmixon to give me a short Pastoral, while I scribbl'd over a Farce after the Italian Manner, and an Imitation of part of a diverting French Comedy of one Act. (for such Plays are very common in Foreign Parts.) Then I wanted nothing but a Tragedy to have something of every kind. But, as I said already, the best Tragedians were engaged in other Plays.
At last I bethought my self of one already studied, called The Unnatural Brother, written by an ingenious Gentleman, and acted 6 Months ago, tho not with the success it deserv'd.
Yet the latter Part was extremely applauded: So I was perswaded to make bold with it, as I do, with thankful Acknowledgement; the rather, because I could easily contract the most moving Part of the Story into the Compass of one Act, with some Additions; yet without mutilating my Author's Sense, for which I have all the Veneration imaginable.
All this was done in a very short time, the warm Season threatening me with your Absence: And I got those Actors I could to study and rehearse for me by the by: But among them I must particularly mention Mr. Bowen, who has been singularly diligent in getting my heart a large Part, while he was studying several others.
I will only add, that you are not to expect a Plot in the Pastoral; That's chiefly to amuse you a while by its Innocence, and the softness of the Verse. As for the Masque, if it should be said that I have not altogether kept close to the Story of Hercules; the Judicious know, that a Poetic Licence will bear me out.
The foregoing Lines were published as a Preface to that Masque, some few Copies of which were printed for the use of the Audience, the first day of the Novelty's being Acted. I have nothing to add, but that altogether it has met with better success than I cou'd expect, since, (thanks to my friends) it was not only beneficial to me on the third, but also on the sixth day, and that in a Season when the Town is most empty. I know I ought to make amends, and I fancy I am not without hopes of doing better, since I have not the vanity of some, who think they have written well, when their bad Plays have succeeded better than they deserved.
You have here the Farce as 'twas Acted the first day; the latter part being left out afterwards; some few, of the Audience having been offended at it, but more at the length of that Act. I have seen most of the things that were mislik'd, much applauded when Acted by Harlequin and Scaramouch. But it must be own'd, that many fooleries pleas'd when grac'd by those incomparable Mimics which may not suit with the Genius of our Stage. The whole will I hope, at least be thought inoffensive, as is all that I have written hitherto; for I have always been of Opinion, that a Writer cannot be too careful in public Entertainments, tho we live in a licentious Age.
| The Novelty | |