University of Virginia Library

Preface to the Reader.

The Beauties, of Nature, will be Beauties, everlastingly.—If they are, sometimes eclips'd, by a Cloud of ill Accidents, they disperse the dark Screen; and, again, become amiable.

But, unwilling to suppose, we are, now, under Influence of such a Cloud, with Regard to Dramatical Taste, I thought it more decent, (and juster) to charge its Degeneracy to the Stage, than to the Genius of the Nation.

Accounting in this manner for the Defect, I have often taken Pleasure, (when turning my Search towards a Remedy) to consider it, as no improbable Hope, that Young Actors, and Actresses, beginning, unseduc'd by AFFECTED Examples, might go some Length, toward what has been said, of a celebrated Writer,

“Who reach'd Perfection, in his first Essay.

It requir'd, methought, but the Assistance of a lively Imagination, join'd to an easy, and natural, Power; with a resolute Habitude, to BE, for an Hour or two, the very Persons, they wou'd seem.—Such a Foundation for accomplish'd Acting, lies so open, and so clearly in Nature, that they, who find it at all, must discover it at first: because, when Men are once got out of the Road, they, who travel the farthest, have but most Length of Way to ride back again.

Yet, the Interested in Playhouses were so positive, in the contrary Sentiment, that they submitted to reverence, as a Maxim, this extraordinary Concession, “That Actors must be twenty Years such, before they can expect to be Masters, of the Air, and Tread, of the Stage.

Now, there is but one View, in Nature, wherein I was willing to admit of this Argument: I was forc'd to confess, I had seen some particular Stage Airs, and Stage Treads, which a Man of good Sense might indeed, waste a long Life, in endeavouring to imitate, and, at last, lose his Labour!

However, since an Opinion, in Opposition to these Gentlemen's, wanted Weight to make That believ'd possible, which had not, yet, been reduc'd into Practice, I took a sudden Resolution, actually to try, Who was in the Right, by attempting the Experiment.—This, I knew, was a Design, which, succeeding, wou'd not fail to give Pleasure to the Publick; and, which, miscarrying, cou'd produce no worse Consequence, than my particular Mortification.

I imagin'd it reasonable to found a Trial, of this Nature, rather on a New Play, than an Old one: And, as it ought to be a Play, of unquestionable Merit, it must have been Presumption, and Vanity, to have cast a Thought toward any thing, of my own.—Upon the whole, that I might keep out of the Reach either of Prejudice, or Partiality, a Foreign Production seem'd the properest Choice; and, the ZAIRE, of Monsieur de Voltaire, offer'd me every thing that Nature cou'd do, on the Part of the Poet: But, I had still something to wish, with regard to that other Part of her Influence, which depended on the Player.

I had (of late) among the Rest of the Town, been depriv'd of all rational Pleasure from the Theatre, by a monstrous, and unmoving, Affection: which, choaking up the Avenues to Passion, had made Tragedy FORBIDDING, and Horrible!

I was despairing to see a Correction of this Folly; when I found myself, unexpectedly, re-animated, by the War which The Prompter has proclaim'd, and is now, Weekly, waging, against the Ranters, and Whiners, of the Theatre; after having undertaken to reduce the Actor's lost Art, into Principles; with Design, by reconciling them to the touching, and spirited, Medium, to reform those wild Copies of Life, into some Resemblance, at least, of their Originals.

Thus, confirm'd in my Sentiments, I ventur'd on the Cast of Two Capital Characters, into Hands, not disabled, by Custom, and obstinate Prejudice, from pursuing the Plain Track, of Nature.

It was easy to induce Osman, (as he is a Relation of my own, and but too fond of the Amusement) to make Trial, how far his Delight, in an Art, I shall never allow him to practise, might enable him to supply one Part of the Proof, that, to imitate Nature, we must proceed, upon Natural Principles.

At the same Time, it happen'd, that Mrs. Cibber was, fortunately, inclinable to exert her inimitable Talent, in additional Aid of my Purpose, with View to continue the Practice of a Profession, for which, Her Person, Her Voice, the unaffected Sensibility of her Heart, (and, her Face, so finely dispos'd, for assuming, and expressing, the Passions) have, so naturally, qualify'd her.

And, to give this bold Novelty of Design, all its necessary Furtherance, Mr. Fletewood, who professes the most generous Inclinations, for Improvement of his troublesome Province, very willingly concurr'd, in whatever cou'd, on His Part, be of Use, to the Experiment.

Behold, in this little Detail, from what Motive, I have taken upon me to throw one of the finest of French Plays upon the Publick.—If my Expectations are not strangely

deceiv'd, it will be found, by the Event, whether our Taste for true Tragedy is declin'd; or, the true Art of Acting it forgotten.

From the First, I can have nothing to conclude, but, that my Judgment has been weak, and mistaken.

But, if the Last proves the Case, I shall flatter myself, that those Persons of Quality, from whose imaginary Want of Discernment some People have not blush'd, to DERIVE their Dull Qualities, will, in Right of their insulted Understanding, EXACT, for the future, a warm, and, toilsome, Exertion, of the Strong and the Natural, tho' at the Cost of the Lazy, and Affected.

This would awaken, at once, the Reflexion, of many, who have it in their Power to be moving, and natural, Actors; and, by effectually convincing them, that their Present Opinion is wrong, bring 'em over (for their own, and the Publick Advantage) to embrace, and succeed by, a New one.

Such a Step, toward reforming the Theatre, wou'd draw on, (as a Consequence) many, of its nobler Improvements.— For, where Emotions are keenest, the Delight becomes greatest; and, to whatever most charms, we, most closely, adhere; and, encourage it, most actively.

If, in translating this excellent Tragedy, I have regarded, in some Places, the Soul, and, in others, the Letter, of the Original, Monsieur de Voltaire, who has made himself a very capable Judge, both of our Language, and Customs, will indulge me that Latitude; except, he shou'd, in observing some Alterations I have made, in his Names, and his Diction, forget, that their Motives are to be found, in the Turn of our National Difference.

After what I have said of the Playhouses, it wou'd be Injustice, not to declare, that I exclude from the Censure, of Speaking, or acting, unnaturally, Any One of the Persons,

who have been cast into ZARA.—And, in particular, I must say This, of TWO of them; that Mr. Milward, who is already a very excellent, and hourly rising to be an accomplish'd, Actor, has a Voice, that both comprehends, and expresses, the utmost Compass of Harmony.—And, Mr. Cibber, discerningly, pursued, thro' the numberless Extent of his Walks, is an Actor, of as unlimited a Compass of Genius, as ever I saw on the Stage: and, is, barely, receiv'd, as he deserves, when the Town is most favourable.