"with the character-not but one could plainly dis"cover the scholar about the young man, and that "he perfectly knew what the author meant; but in "the exhibition of the passions, he was miserably "defective'his fate in Othello, though it did not "entirely cure him of his rage for Tragedy, induced "him to listen to the advice of his friends, and to "think of Comedy as more suitable to his figure, "talents, and natural feelings; but unfortunately "the part in Comedy which he adopted, seemed to "be nearly as much out of his reach as Othello was "in Tragedy *** as there is extant no criticism on "his performance of Lord Foppington, it can only "be spoken of from conjecture; and this will suggest "that it must have been very far short of a real re"presentation *** Miss Minors in Miss Hoyden "gave an early specimen of her abilities in the comic ❝line.

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"Disappointed in these two characters, his next attempt was in Pierre, in Venice Preserved; which turning out equally unsuccessful, at last induced "him to abandon for ever all thoughts of Tragedy-"he engaged the next winter at D. L., where he "successively appeared in Fondlewife, Sir Paul Plyant, Bayes," &c.

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It does not appear from the bills that Foote acted Pierre-but Cooke is probably right-in other respects he is quite incorrect-Foote was not engaged at D. L. till 1745-1746-and of the parts which he played at that time, Cooke knew very little.

DODSLEY-REED-AND COLLIER.

Dodsley in the early part of 1744 published 10 Vols. of Old Plays -the original price was £1 5 0 in sheets-he published 2 Vols. more in the course of the year—his preface contains a good deal of useful information.

Vol. 1st.

1. God's Promises-This Mystery is said to have been compiled in 1538; it is styled a Tragedy, or Enterlude the characters are-Pater Cælestis, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and John the Baptist-Bale, the author, (who was afterwards a bishop) speaks a sort of Prologue and EpiloguePater Cælestis is the principal speaker, which we should now consider as highly improper, and with great reason; but certainly no harm was meant by Bale, or conceived by the audience.

2. New Custom was printed in 1573-this morality was written to promote the Protestant religion-the D. P. are-Perverse Doctrine, an old Popish priest; Ignorance, another, but elder; New Custom and Light of the Gospel, two ministers; Hypocrisy, an old woman; &c.-at the conclusion, Perverse Doctrine is converted-the last speech is a prayer for Queen Elizabeth and her Council.

3. Four P's was written by John Heywood: it has a considerable share of humour, but is mere dialogue, without the shadow of a plot, or the slightest inci

dent--the Palmer,* the Pardoner, and the Poticary first contend who has sent most souls to heaven; and then they try who can tell the biggest lie-the victory is adjudged by the Pedlar to the Palmer, who says, that in all his travels he never saw a woman out of patience-Relics and indulgencies are well ridiculed the Pardoner produces the jaw-bone of AllHallows, and the great toe of the Trinity +-the third commandment is sadly broken; but this seems to have been rather the vice of the age than of any particular author-in New Custom one of the characters swears by G-d's guts.

4. Gammer Gurton's Needle-this C. is considered as having been written by John Still Master of Arts -it had been acted in Christ's College Cambridgeit contains a good deal of very low humour-Gammer Gurton, in mending her man Hodge's breeches, loses her favourite needle-Diccon tells her that Dame Chat had found it-she and Dame Chat fight -Gammer Gurton sends for Dr. Rat, the Curate, to consult with him-Diccon tells Dame Chat that

* A Palmer was a species of Pilgrim, so called from a bough of palm which he carried with him. He had no home or place of residence, but travelled and begged his bread till he obtained what he called the palm, or a complete victory over his sins by death. (Priestly.)

+ Some few years ago, at a public dinner, a young man came running into the room, and said that he had just seen an emblem of the Trinity-three persons in one gig-"You talk like a "blockhead," said Dr. R; "if, indeed, you had seen one person in three gigs, you would have had some foundation for "your joke."

Hodge means to slip into her house by a hole that was broken in it--she vows vengeance on himDiccon tells Dr. Rat, that he saw Dame Chat working with Gammer Gurton's needle, and that he may see her himself, if he will creep into the house by the hole-he attempts to do so, and gets his head broken-in the last scene, Diccon gives Hodge a good blow on the buttock, which drives the needle into him, when of course it is found-the Editor of the B. D. makes a great fuss about the author having been afterwards made a Bishop, but without sufficient reason; for tho' this piece is very indelicate, yet it is quite free from obscenity.

5. George a Greene, the Pinner (or Pindar) of Wakefield-the Earl of Kendall &c. are in rebellion against Edward King of England-much having been said to the Earl about George a Greene, he wishes to see him-he disguises himself with two of his friends-they turn their horses into the corn near Wakefield-George protests that he will pound the horses-several of the Earl's followers enter from an ambush, and George is obliged to give the Earl fair words-he afterwards by a strategem separates the Earl and his friends from their followers-he kills Sir Gilbert Armstrong, and takes the Earl and Lord Bonfield prisoners-King Edward hears so much of George a Greene, that he sets off in disguise to see him-George a Greene and Robin Hood fight—it proves a drawn battle-the last scene lies at Bradford - a Shoemaker insists that according to an old custom, no one should pass through the town with his staff upon his shoulder-the King submits to the

VOL. IV.

custom-George a Greene fights with the Shoemakers and beats them-the King is discovered-he rewards George a Greene liberally, and prevails on Grime to give his daughter to George-this play is supposed to have little or no foundation in history-it was printed in 1599-the author of it is unknown —it was revived at Wakefield in Sep. 1775 by Wilkinson, who thought the name would prove attractive-he made it into 3 acts.

6. Damon and Pithias-this play is in rhyme, and not divided into acts-it was printed in 1571 -it was written by Edwards who was Student of Christ Church Oxford-the story, on which it is founded, is circumstantially related by Polyænus in the 22d chap. of his 5th book-Dionysius, being offended at Euephenus, contrived to get him into his power, and condemned him to death-Euephemus requested leave to return to his own country, as he had an unmarried sister whom he wished to dispose of; and promised to return—all who were present laughed at the proposal; but Dionysius was struck with admiration, and demanded who would be his security?-Euephenus sent for Eucritus, who readily undertook to be answerable with his life for the return of Euephenus-Euephenus according to agreement returned at the end of 6 months-Dionysius, being greatly delighted with the virtue of the two friends, set them both at liberty, and requested to be accepted by them as a third friend -the generosity of Dionysius gained him the friendship of many of the Italians-Valerius Maximus relates the story in the 7th chapter of his 4th book but more concisely-Cicero calls the two friends