PREFACE

то

CLEO MENE S.

Ir is now seven or eight years since I de

8

signed to write this play of CLEOMENES; and my Lord Falkland (whose name I cannot mention without honour, for the many favours I have received from him,) is pleased to witness for me, that in a French book which I presented him about that time, there were the names of many subjects that I had thought on for the stage; amongst which this tragedy was one. This was out of my remembrance; but my Lord, on the occasion of stopping my play, took the opportunity of doing me a good office at court, by repre

Antony, fourth Viscount Falkland, who at this time was one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and died in 1694. He wrote the prologue spoken before Otway's comedy called THE SOLDIER'S FORTUNE, and another intended. for Congreve's OLD BACHELOR, and prefixed to that play, but not spoken, probably on account of its indecency. This nobleman, who succeeded his father, Henry, Lord Falkland, in 1664, is frequently mentioned in the lampoons of Charles the Second's time.

VOL. II.

senting it as it was, a piece long ago designed; which being judiciously treated, I thought was capable of moving compassion on the stage. The success has justified my opinion, and that at a time when the world is running mad after farce, the extremity of bad poetry, or rather the judgment that is fallen upon dramatick writing. Were I in the humour, I have sufficient cause to expose it in its true colours; but having for once escaped, I will forbear my satire, and only be thankful for my deliverance.

A great part of my good fortune, I must confess, is owing to the justice which was done me in the performance. I can scarcely refrain from giving every one of the actors their particular commendations; but none of them will be offended if I say what the town has generally granted, that Mrs. Barry, always excellent, has in this tragedy excelled herself, and gained a reputation beyond any woman whom I have ever seen on the theatre. After all, it was a bold attempt of mine

"Mrs. Barry (says Cibber) in characters of greatness had a presence of elevated dignity; her mien and motion. superb, and gracefully majestick; her voice full, clear, and strong, so that no violence of passion could be too much for her; and when distress or tenderness possessed her, she subsided into the most affecting melody and softness. In the art of exciting pity she had a power beyond all the actresses I have yet seen, or what your imagination can conceive. Of the former of these two great excellencies she gave the most delightful proofs in

to write upon a single plot, unmixed with comedy; which, though it be the natural and true way, yet

all the heroick plays of Dryden and Lee; and of the latter, in the softer passions of Otway's Monimia and Belvidera. In scenes of anger, defiance, or resentment, while she was impetuous and terrible, she poured out the sentiment with an enchanting harmony; and it was this particular excellence for which Dryden made her the above-mentioned compliment [that in the text,] upon her acting Cassandra in his CLEOMENES. But here I am apt to think his partiality for that character may have tempted his judgment to let it pass for her masterpiece; when he could not but know, there were several other characters in which her action might have given her a fairer pretence to the praise he has bestowed on her for Cassandra; for in no part of that is there the least ground for compassion, as in Monimia; nor equal cause for admiration, as in the nobler love of Cleopatra, or the tempestuous jealousy of Roxana. 'Twas in these lights I thought Mrs. Barry shone with much brighter excellence than in Cassandra." APOLOGY, &c. p. 133.

"And yet (says Antony Aston, in his curious Supplement to Cibber's work,) this fine creature was not handsome, her mouth opening most on the right side, which she strove to draw t'other way, and at times composing her face, as if sitting to have her picture drawn.—Mrs. Barry was middle-sized, and had darkish hair, light eyes, dark eyebrows, and was indifferently plump. ----- She had a manner of drawing out her words, which became her, but not Mrs. Bradshaw and Mrs. Porter, her successors. Neither she, nor any of the actresses of those times had any tone in their speech, so much lately in use. -In tragedy she was solemn and august; in free comedy alert, easy, and genteel; pleasant in her face and action;

is not to the genius of the nation. Yet to gratify the barbarous party of my audience, I gave them a short rabble-scene, because the mob (as they call them) are represented by Plutarch and Polybius with the same character of baseness and cowardice, which are here described in the last attempt of Cleomenes. They may thank me, if they please, for this indulgence; for no French poet would have allowed them any more than a bare relation of that scene, which debases a tragedy to show upon the stage.

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For the rest, some of the mechanick rules of unity are observed, and others are neglected. The action is but one, which is the death of Cleomenes; and every scene in the play is tending to the accomplishment of the main design. The place is likewise one, for it is all in the compass Alexandria, and the port of that city. The time might easily have been reduced into the 'space of twenty-four hours, if I would have omitted the scene of famine in the fifth act; but it pleased me to try how Spartans could endure it, and besides, gave me the occasion of writing that other scene betwixt Cleomenes and his suspected friend; and, in such a case, it is better to trespass on a rule, than leave out a beauty.

filling the stage with variety of gesture. She was woman to Lady Shelton, of Norfolk, (my godmother,) when Lord Rochester took her on the stage, where for some time they could make nothing of her. She could neither sing, nor dance, no not in a country-dance."

As for other objections, I never heard any worth answering; and least of all, that foolish one which is raised against me by the sparks, for Cleomenes not accepting the favours of Cassandra. They would not have refused a fair lady: I grant they would not; but let them grant me, that they are not heroes: -and so much for the point of honour. A man might have pleaded an excuse for himself, if he had been false to an old wife for the sake of a young mistress; but Cleora was in the flower of

9 In the GUARDIAN, N° 45, which was written by Steele, this remark of our author's assumes a more lively air, by being converted into an extempore saying. "As to the portraits (says the writer) which I would propose of men and women, if they are not imitated or regarded, I can only answer, as I remember Mr. Dryden did, on the like occasion, when a young fellow just come from the play of CLEOMENES, told him in raillery against the 'continency of his principal character, If I had been alone with a lady, I should not have passed my time like your Spartan.' That may be, (answered the bard, with a very grave face,) but give me leave to tell you, Sir, you are no

hero.'

Steele, as appears from the Matriculation-Register of the University of Oxford, was matriculated as a member of Christchurch, at the age of sixteen, March the 13th, 1689-90, and became one of the Post-masters of Merton College, August 27th, 1691: circumstances which have not been noticed by any of his biographers. He therefore at this time was a young Oxonian, not "the man of wit and pleasure about town ;" and therefore could only have heard this tale related, which most probably was formed on the passage before us.