University of Virginia Library

PREFACE.

It were an Imposition on the Town, and an Injustice to the Memory of the inimitable Ben Johnson; should I publish this Play, without acknowledging that most part of the Plot, some of the Scenes, and many of the Speeches, are almost literally copied from a dramatic Work of his, with the same Title. An Attempt at altering a Piece of his, is, I believe, unprecedented, and indeed bold, for one who never before, either burthen'd the Press with his Labours, or dar'd the Critic's Censure. I was allur'd to the Task, by a Number of very noble Sentiments, which are scattered through the Original in many Lines, neither harsh or unmusical; wherein there seems to breath the true inspir'd Spirit of Poetry; and fancy plays within her proper Sphere, under the Restraint of a well temper'd critical Judgment; but much more by the strong Contrast of virtuous and vicious Characters, with which I found it adorn'd; which is the most useful, laudable, and consequently the fundamental Part of the Drama.

To reduce the Multiplicity of Characters, the Train of Incidents, to make the Parts of Livia, and Agrippina, somewhat interesting, which in Johnson are very near despicable; to select his Beauties, and by proper Means to bring about the Catastrophe; seem'd, at first, an Enterprize as difficult, as toiling for Wealth in a Mine; and almost startled me from my Design; But however, as I had begun, I determined to proceed; and of my Success, the Perusal of the Piece will make you a Judge.

Johnson's strickt Adherence to History, in his two Plays of Sejanus and Catiline, would have been highly commendable, had it not been manifestly prejudicial to him; since he has been so scholastically nice, as scarcely to omit a single Person or Incident, mention'd in the Lives of these great wicked Men; nay he has even translated literally, in his Sejanus, several Lines from Cornelius Tacitus: By this Means his Tragedies became rather dramatic Histories, than Entertainments suited to a modern Theatre. From this I have ventur'd to deviate; I have kept Cæsar at Rome, to preside at the Conviction of Sejanus; as I think it adds much Spirit, to the closing the Catastrophe; I have drawn him of a Disposition much milder than he was in Reality. The pious Resolution of repealing the Oppressions, and healing the constitutional Wounds made by Sejanus, which I have put into his Mouth, in the last Speech of the Play, I thought necessary

to preserve Poetical Justice; to which I think History should give Way; for the real Use of dramatic Performances is, to instil Virtue, and raise an Abhorrence of Vice. Example is a strong Argument; nothing conduces so much to our Reformation, as punishing the Wicked and rewarding the Virtuous, 'tis then that the Moral is truly strong, indeed the Guiltless must sometimes fall, to heighten the Distress, and impress us with a just Pity.

If these Liberties should to the Critics appear Errors, I honestly confess them Errors of my Judgment; and for my Confession expect to be mildly treated. By the Critics, I would be understood to mean only the judicious, not such teizing Insects, such buzzing Drones of Society, as those at present distinguish'd by that Name.

Who fret and strut their Hour upon the Stage,
And then are heard no more.
Shakespeare. Each Wight who reads not, and but scans and spells
Each Word-catcher that lives on Syllables.
Pope.

From such I neither wish or expect Indulgence, let them be ridiculous at my Expence, if they please; my Pity they may move, but not my Anger. From the Penetration of the Judicious, I shall be glad to meet Correction, their Clemency I doubt not, for still like the Brave, they chuse rather to spare than destroy. My

asserting that I had a national Advantage in View, in this Subject may be thought chimerical, at first, but when the following Abstract from History, of the Life of Sejanus, is considered, what I have advanced may perhaps be allowed.

Ælius Sejanus the Son of Seius Strabo was born in Tuscany. He served, when young, with some Reputation, under Caius Cæsar, Nephew to Augustus, and afterwards in the Prætorian Band under the Command of Tiberius; to the various Turns of whose Disposition by conforming, he gradually crept into his closest Secrets, and was the first in his Esteem. When Tiberius mounted the Imperial Throne, he allowed this his favourite, such an Extent of Power, as rendered him the Terror of honest Men, and the Idol of Sycophants. The taking off Germanicus, Husband to the Agrippina, who is introduced in this Play, and Nephew to the Emperor, a Prince remarkable for the greatest Virtues, though the Odium of it was artfully flung on Gneius Piso, Germanicus's Lieutenant, was generally and justly attributed to him: This was his first close Attack upon the Liberty of Rome, and procured him the Hatred of the People. After this by the Means of Livia, Wife to Drusus, Eudemus her Physician, and Lygdus an Eunuch, who was Sejanus's Catamite, he contrived and effected the Death of Drusus, Son to Tiberius, and Heir apparent to the Empire. The

Reason assigned for his Hatred, was a Blow which Drusus one Day gave him; but his future Proceedings shewed, Ambition, not Revenge, was the Motive which urg'd to the Deed; for he had determin'd to remove every Bar, which lay between him and the Throne. This was but a Prelude to his future Villainies. Agrippina, her Sons, and all who were Friends to the Family of the dead Germanicus, were next to be disposed of. This was effected by representing them to Cæsar, who was naturally of a jealous Disposition, as aspiring and ambitious, and consequently dangerous. Caius Silius was first mark'd out for Sacrifice; who being, before the Senate, criminated by Varro the Consul, and finding his Death had been premeditately resolved on; by a voluntary Wound anticipated a public Execution.

Sabinus, another Adherent to the Family of Germanicus, was next taken off, by the Means of Latiaris, his Relation and profess'd Friend: who having often, with much seeming Sincerity, rail'd at the Oppressions and Tyranny of Sejanus, and thus, by touching him,

Ev'n on the tend'rest Point, the Master String
Which made most Harmony, or Discord in him.
Rowe.

Having wrought him up to join in his Invectives, He fix'd two Senators, who were Creatures to

Sejanus, in a secret Place, whence they might overhear the Discourse between Sabinus and him; who, on his too freely censuring the Conduct of Cæsar, rush'd from their Ambush, accused him of Treason, and after a formal Process, he was, by Death, eased of the Pains which he endured, for the Sufferings of his Country.

Sejanus next, with the Concurrence of Tiberius, removed Agrippina and her Sons, so that he had none now left to oppose his Interest with Cæsar, or Designs upon the Throne. Her he had banish'd to Pandateria an Island in the Tyrrhene Sea, Nero to the Island of Pontia near Naples, and Drusus confined in the most abject Part of the Palace.

Being thus successful in all his Schemes, what he aimed at became more and more apparent. To facilitate his Designs on the Emperor, he endeavoured to demean him in the Opinion of the People, by ridiculing his Defects and Imperfections on the public Theatre. This first induced Cæsar to examine more nearly into his Conduct; and he soon found it was absolutely necessary for his own Safety, to hurl this Colossus of the Roman State, suddenly down the Steep of Fate. To effect this appeared scarcely practicable, since he feared the Fall of this stupendous Pile, would drag down with it contiguous Ruin, in which he himself might be involved. However he at

last compassed this coveted end, by the Assistance of Macro, and a Shew of encreasing Friendship and Trust, which rendered Sejanus still more secure, when his Glory was on the Verge of expiring: He was, when even such an Attempt must have seem'd impossible, accused by a Letter from Tiberius then in Caprea, supported by Proofs in full Senate, of the most flagitious Crimes; condemned with Ignominy, and to the unexpected Joy and Surprize of every honest Roman, precipitated from the topmost Height of Fortune to the lowest Depth of Adversity and a shameful Death. It is generally and justly remarked, that the Sunshine of Prosperity animates a Number of buzzing Flies, who disappear with its Decline. The Truth of this Observation was never more apparent than in the Case of Sejanus, for not one of the Number of Sycophants and Dependants, who had been the Instruments of his villanies, and who held large Fortunes and Titles from his Bounty, offered to defend him at his Fall, or even wore the Face of Concern; nay so far from it, they were his most sanguine Enemies, and hurried him onward to his Fate.

Sejanus seemed to have been mark'd out by Providence as an Example to Futurity, of that Justice which will at one Time or other overtake the Great bad Man who uses his Power to oppress, or to curtail the Liberties of his Country. And were this his History

to be performed either publicly or privately for ministerial Amusement, an excellent and persuasive Instruction must ensue from it.

The same Soil which was blessed with a Brutus, a Cato and a Germanicus, was cursed with a Sejanus: Britain who feels herself happy in an Orrery, a Chesterfield, and had in the Person of her late generally and justly lamented Prince of Wales, all that Rome boasted in her Germanicus, knows not what Sejanus may rise in future Times to wound her Peace.

Business detaining me in the Country, I requested my Friend Mr. Derrick to present this Play to Mr. Garrick, which he accordingly did, and was promised by him an Answer in four or five Days. Mr. Derrick waited on him again about that Time, when with a Punctuality, which is not at all answerable to the Character generally given of theatrical Managers, he returned the Piece with some Compliments as to its Merits, alledging, that it had too much Declamation in it, to succeed on the Stage; and I am induced to believe, that though this Play was not introduced to Mr. Garrick under any particular prevailing Influence, he took the Trouble to peruse it, and on that alone founded his Answer.

However I suppose you expect to find me severe on the Manager, for presuming to repulse my Offspring; but you are mistaken; I am ever ready to receive, and thankful for Instruction. It being an approved Maxim with me, that Approbation is very pleasing; but Correction more profitable; and therefore say with Shakespeare's Brutus, though more in earnest,

I shall be glad to learn of able Men.