PREFACE.
The late Mr. Henry Jones, author of the
now acted Earl of Essex, and several other poetical
productions, had left in the hands of Mr. Reddish,
a very affecting piece in three acts, call'd
The Cave of Idra, founded on a narrative in the
Annual Register.—It was, according to his composition,
all under ground, which gave to it a
tiresome and disgusting monotony, unfit for a stage
representation.
A conviction of this obvious and striking defect,
induced Mr. Reddish, (and this application
gave being to the present drama,) to submit it to
the inspection of, for a new moulding, and amplifying
of the subject by Dr. Hiffernan, author of
an Essay on Dramatic Genius.
He determined to encrease the number of characters,
which in the original were only Alberti,
Constantia, Lorenzo, Everard, Faulkner, Clermont,
and the Jailor.—He next broke through the ensabling
uniformity of a continued, subterraneous
gloomy scene, and from time to time, admitted,
upon what otherwise would prove a moped audience,
the chearing light of day.—In short, all the underground
part, except the solemn hymn, which closes
the second act, and the slave Clermont's exit
speech in act third, are Mr. Jones's; in which,
are many instances of the true pathetic, and poetically
sublime, that would do honour to the
foremost pens that have ever written for the
Theatre.—
Dr. Hiffernan's additional improvements to this
piece, consist in adding several new characters to the
above.—The first and fifth acts are entirely his; and
the beginning of the second, till Constantia goes off
from Vienna; as, are also, the first scenes of the
third act, and of the fourth act.—In fine, all
the under-ground scenes, except, as already premised,
were composed by the deceased author;
and all the above-ground, with the Prologue and
Epilogue, by the living.—This Tragedy was
acted for the first time, on Saturday, March 19th,
1774, for the benefit of Mr. Reddish, at the
Theatre-Royal of Drury-Lane; and, was three
times performed, last summer, on the Bristol
Theatre, with repeated applause.
In regard to the performers, Mr. Reddish acquitted
himself with the most critical propriety,
with just dramatic energy, and throughout the
part of Alberti, appeared a more consummate
actor, than in any other character he hath as yet
performed.—Miss Younge has, in Constantia,
so far tower'd above her usual excelling, that it
will be dangerous for any but a capital actress to
undertake, or hope to be endured in this character
after her.—The parts of less importance, were,
be it said, to the credit of the several actors, well
and judiciously represented: Mr. Cautherly's was
most happily suited to him.