circumstances ever arifen to bring that paffion violently into action. I have endeavoured also diftinctly to discriminate the inferior characters, because they, not being allowed to exhibit violent paffion, left they fhould too much interfere with the principal object, had more need of fuch diftinct discrimination to prevent them from being altogether infignificant, and to prevent each play from becoming a mere picture of paffion which might be tedious and heavy to an audience accustomed to variety of character and incident. This I have done, how unskilfully foever I may have done it, with a hope, which I will not yet abandon, that fome of the dramas belonging to that work may hereafter be thought worthy of being admitted into that clafs of plays to which I am so defirous of adding fomething. However, I am fenfible that, were those plays more fuccefsful than I dare flatter myself to expect, they all require too much power of expreffion and delicacy of difcrimination in the actor who represents the principal character-the whole depends too much on the exertion of one individual, and fuch a one too as can very rarely be found, ever to become plays that will commonly be brought upon the stage*. Convinced of this,

Let it not be fuppofed from the above that I have the flightest intention of difcontinuing the "Series of Plays." So far from it, I hope that work will go on the better for being occafionally broke in upon by pieces of a different kind; and though I admit they are not altogether well

as well as wishing fometimes to vary my employment, I have long fince proposed to myself not to confine my pen entirely to one tafk, but to write from time to time, as inclination might lead me or circumftances fuggeft, an unconnected or (may I fo call it?) a free, independent play, that might have a chance of pleasing upon a stage, circumftanced as ftages generally are, with no particular advantages. I have wished to leave behind me in the world a few plays, fome of which might have a chance of continuing to be acted even in our canvafs theatres and barns; and of preferving to my name fome remembrance with those who are lovers of that fpecies of amufement which I have above every other enjoyed.

I am well aware, however, that having fucceeded in one fpecies of writing gives us no fure grounds to presume that we shall be equally fortunate in any other; no, not even in that which most nearly approaches to it. Not only the epic poet may write a bad tragedy, but the fonnet writer may find himself greatly at a loss in compofing a few tender couplets for mufic. I have feldom feen any piece, not appearing to me to poffefs great merit (for fuch things I have feen), fucceed upon the stage, without feeling inclined to fay to myself, "don't defpife this: very probably in

fitted for the ftage, as it is commonly circumstanced, I ftiil think plays upon that plan are capable of being made upon the ftage more interefting than any other fpecies of drama.

attempting, even upon no higher grounds, fuch fuccefs as the prefent, and giving to it also the whole bent of your thoughts, you would find yourself miferably disappointed." I offer to the public, therefore, a work of a kind fo nearly related to that in which I have already had fome degree of fuccefs and encouragement, with almost the diffidence of an entirely inexperienced writer.

To publish a volume of miscellaneous plays, I am very fenfible, is making a large demand upon the attention of my readers, and expofing the plays themselves likewife to the danger of being read in a way that will diminish their effect, and in every way prove a great difadvantage to them. People are in the habit of reading but one new play at a time, which by this means makes a full undivided impreffion upon the mind; and though we are not obliged to read all the plays of a volume, one following another, fo that they must crowd, and joftle, and tread upon one another's heels; yet who, with a new work in his hands, if he be at all pleafed with it, will shut up the book after the first portion of it is over, and wait till he has properly digefted what he has got before he proceed with the remainder? I am inclined to believe that each of the plays in the feries has at first fuffered confiderably from being read in this manner; but in pieces connected with one another this mode of publication is in fome degree necessary, at least there is in it more propriety. So much am I convinced of this, that it was at one time my intention to publifh these

plays only one at a time, and it is with fome difficulty that I have been prevailed upon to give up this intention. May I then beg of my reader to pardon, in the first place, fo great a demand upon his attention by offering at once a volume of plays to his perufal; in the next place, to have the goodnefs not to read it hastily, but to paufe, fome days at least, between each play, that they may have in this refpect the fame advantages which new plays generally have. Let him not fmile: this laft is a request which I earnestly make, and if it is not complied with, I fhall almost be tempted to think myfelf hardly treated*.

I must alfo mention, that each of the plays contained in this volume has been, at one time or other, offered for representation to one or other of

It may be urged, indeed, that unconnected poems bound up together, and almost every other species of com position must fuffer for being read in hafty fucceffion in the fame way. And fo in fome degree they do. But in reading defcriptions of nature, fucceffions of thoughts, and narratives of every kind, the ideas they reprefat to the mind are as troops drawn out before it in loofe marfhalled array, whofe moft animated movements it furveys till as a fpectator; whilst in reading a drama, where every character fpeaks immediately in his own perfon, we by sympathy rufh, as it were, ourselves into the battle, and fight under every man's coat of mail by turns. This is an exercile of the mind fo close and vigorous, that we retire from it exhausted; and if curiofity fhould urge us on without fiffcient reft to the next engagement that calls for us, we enter the field bewildered, and spiritlefs, and weak.

our winter theatres, and been rejected. This my reader will readily believe is not done in the fpirit

of vanity; and I beg of him alfo to believe, that neither is it at all done in that of complaint. I merely mention it, because otherwise it must have appeared abfurd to introduce from the prefs what has been expressly written to come before the public in a different manner, without making any attempt to present it in its own peculiar mode. I muft, in this cafe, have either appeared pufillanimoufly timid in fhrinking from that open trial to which my contemporaries fubmit, or fullenly and ungraciously faftidious.

The chief thing to be regretted in this failure of my attempts is, that having no opportunity of feeing any of my pieces exhibited, many faults refpecting ftage effect and general impreffion will to me remain undiscovered, and thofe I may hereafter write be of courfe unimproved. Another difadvantage, perhaps, may prefent itself to the mind of my reader; viz. that not having the trial of their merits immediately in profpect, I may become careles or forgetful of thofe requifites in the drama that peculiarly refer to the ftage. But if I know any thing at all of my own character, this will not be the cafe. I fhall perfevere in my tafk, circumstanced as I am, with as anxious unremitting an attention to every thing that regards the theatre as if I were there forthwith to receive the full reward of all my labours, or complete and irretrievable condemnation. So ftrong is my attachment to the