M&HOPKINS in the Character of ARETHUSA,

Yas_I must have thy Kingdoms _» thy Kingdoms _ must have thee:

PHILASTE

A TRAGEDY.

As altered from BEAUMONT and FLETCHER,

AND PERFORMED AT THE

Theatre Royal in Covent-Garden.

DISTINGUISHING ALSO THE

VARIATIONS OF THE THEATRE,

Regulated from the Prompt-Book,

By PERMISSION of the MANAGERS,

By Mr. WILD, Prompter.

IB

LONDON:

Printed for JoHN BELL, near Exeter-Exchange, in the Strand.

MDCCLXXVIII.

On comparing this play with the original, the reafons affigned by the editor in his advertisement, for the alterations he had prefumed to make, were fo obvious, it was judged to be more acceptable to the reader in its prefent form, than as originally written.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE

HE prefent age, though it has done honour to its own difcernment by the applaufes paid to Shakefpeare, has, at the fame time, too grofsly neglected the other great masters in the fame school of writing. The pieces of Beaumont and Fletcher in particular, (to fay nothing of Jonfon, Maflinger, Shirley, &c.) abound with beauties, fo much of the fame colour with those of Shakespeare, that it is almost unaccountable, that the very age which admires one, even to idolatry, should pay fo little attention to the others; and, while almost every poet or critic, at all eminent in the literary world, have been ambitious of distinguishing themselves, as editors of Shakespeare, no more than two folitary editions of Beaumont and Fletcher, and one of thofe of a very late date, have been published in the prefent century.

The truth is, that nature indeed is in all ages the fame; but modes and customs, manners and languages, are fubject to perpetual variation. Time infenfibly renders writings obfolete and uncouth, and the gradual introduction of new words and idioms brings the older forins into disrepute and difufe. But the intrinfic merit of any work, though it may be obfcured, must for ever remain; as antique coins, or old plate, though not current or fashionable, ftill have their value, according to their weight.

The injuries of modern innovation in the state of letters may be in a great measure repaired, by rendering the writings of our old authors familiar to the public, and bringing them often before them. How many plays are there of Shakespeare, now in conftant acting, of which the directors of the theatres would scarce hazard the representation, if the long-continued, and, as it were, traditional approbation of the public had not given a fanction to their irregularities, and familiarized the

A 2:

diction ;;

[4]

diction! The language even of our Liturgy and Bible, if we may venture to mention them on this occafion, would perhaps foon become obfolete and unintelligible to the generality, if they were not conftantly read in our churches. The file of our authors, efpecially in this play, is often remarkably plain and fimple, and only raited or enriched by the fentiments. It is the opinion of Dryden, that even "Shakefpeare's language is a little "obfolete in comparison of theirs; and that the English language in them arrived to its highcft perfection; "what words have fince been taken in, being rather fuperfluous, than neceflary."

Philafler has always been esteemed one of the best productions of Beaumont and Fletcher; and, we are told by Dryden, was the firft play that brought them into great reputation. The beauties of it are indeed fo ftriking and fo various, that our authors might in this play almof be faid to rival Shakespeare, were it not for the many evident marks of imitation of his manner. The late edi tors of Beaumont and Fletcher conceive, that the poets meant to delineate, in the character of Philafter, a Hamlet racked with the jealoufy of Othello; and there are feveral paffages, in this play, where the authors have manifefily taken fire from fimilar circumstances and expreffions in Shakespeare, particularly fome, that will readily cccur to the reader, as he goes along, from Othello, Hamlet, Cymbeline, and Lear.

To remove the objections to the performance of this excellent play on the modern ftage, has been the chief labour, and fole ambition, of the prefent editor. It may be remembered, that The Spanish Curate, The Little French Lawyer, and Scornful Lady, of our au thors, as well as The Silent Woman of Jonfon, all fas vourite entertainments of our predece flors, have, within thefe few years, encountered the feverity of the pit, and received fentence of condemnation. That the uncommon merit of fuch a play as Philafter might be univerfally acknowledged and received, it appeared neceffary to clear it of ribaldry and obfcenity, and to amend a grofs indecency in the original conftitution of the fable, which must have checked the fuccefs due to the rest of the