THE REVENGE :

A TRAGEDY, BY THE REV. EDWARD YOUNG, D.D.

ALTHOUGH the present piece be undoubtedly the best dramatic production of it's author, and will probably never cease to be admired, and occasionally represented, it was originally much less successful than his earlier Tragedy of Busiris, King of Egypt, which is now entirely forgotten. The Revenge was brought out at Drury-Lane, April 18th, 1721, "all the persons being new drest ;" and on the author's first night the boxes and pit were joined together, at 10s. 6d. admission. It ran to a sixth night and a second benefit, the first season, but was very frequently performed afterwards.

In plot, this Tragedy appears to have been taken partly from Shakspeare's Othello, and partly from Mrs. Aphora Behn's drama of Abdelazar, or the Moor's Revenge, produced in 1671; which was itself an alteration of Marlow's Lusts' Dominion, 1657. The actual story, however, is doubtless to be found in Hughes's fine critique on Othello, in No. 37 of The Guardian, published in 1713; at the close of which a narrative is given of a transaction said to have really occurred in Spain a few years before.

When The Revenge was first printed, the author dedicated it to the infamous Philip, first Duke of Wharton, in whose family he had been a tutor, and to whom he was indebted for both presents and promises; but as about this time his patron's character became known, and Pope began to describe him as "the scorn and wonder of his days," Dr. Young carefully suppressed this dedication in his collected Works. After taking Orders, he became also desirous of breaking off his connection with the stage, about 1725 withdrawing his Tragedy of The Brothers, when it was in actual rehearsal at Drury-Lane; and even when it was brought out there, March 3rd, 1753, he made up the produce to the amount of £1000, and presented it to the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

The Revenge may be fairly considered as standing in the very first rank of British Tragedy, both as it regards the language and the character of Zanga. Dark and malevolent as he is represented, some sympathy is excited for him, by the remembrance that his lofty and impatient spirit has been irritated by his father's death, his own conquest, captivity, loss of his crown, and the indignity of a blow,—all from the same person; against whom, an open and honourable atonement being impossible, he employs a subtle and a secret vengeance. Mossop represented this character to perfection; and it was also excellently performed by J. P. Kemble at Drury-Lane, December 4th, 1801, and by Kean at the same Theatre, May 24th, 1815.

SPENCE, in the words of Pope, relates, that this most celebrated piece originated in a remark made by Swift, "what an odd, pretty, sort of a thing a Newgate pastoral might make;" which Gay was for some time inclined to try, though he subsequently preferred a comedy on the same plan. Swift disliked the design, but Gay proceeded, shewing his work to both him and Pope, who occasionally suggested improvements, though they did not assist in the composition. When the piece was finished, neither Pope nor Swift thought it could succeed, and Cibber rejected it at Drury-Lane; though when Congreve perused it, he declared it would prove either a complete failure or an astonishing triumph. It was then taken to Rich, at the Little Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where Quin was fixed upon for Macheath; and, though he disliked the part, attended two rehearsals of it. At the close of the last, Walker was heard singing some of the airs with great spirit, when Quin pointed him out as far better qualified for the part, and he was immediately tried and adopted. Until almost the last rehearsal, it was intended to give the songs without music, and even when it was suggested by Rich, it was objected to; but being tried the next time before the Duchess of Devonshire, it was universally approved of.

The Beggars' Opera was produced on Monday, January 29th, 1728, and it's success remained doubtful until after the first Act; though Pope stated that he overheard the penetrating Duke of Argyle in the next box, say "It will do,—it must do; I see it in the eyes of them :" and after the chorus “Let us take the road," the audience became more and more favourable, until the house was at last in a clamour of applause. The success of the piece was so great that it ran 62 nights the first season, though the admirable Provoked Husband was in it's full career at Drury-Lane; and it was also played 30 and 40 times in several parts of the country, 24 times in Ireland, and 50 times at Bath and Bristol. The author's unsolicited profits were upwards of £600, and, according to a jest of the time, Rich became Gay, and Gay Rich." The most favourite songs and scenes of the piece were also engraven to decorate fans and screens, with the portrait of Lavinia Fenton, who performed Polly; whose pathetic style of singing Oh! ponder well," first attracted the Duke of Bolton, to whom she was ultimately married. Since her time, the most eminent performers of the same part have been Mrs. Cibber, Miss Brent, Madame Mara, and Mrs. Billington; whilst those of Macheath have been Beard, Lowe, Wilder, Vernon, and Incledon.

Polly. Will not my dear husband look upon his Polly? Why hadst thou not flown to me for protection? with me thou hadst been safe.

Macheath. What would you have me say, ladies?

affair will soon be at an end, without my disobliging either of you.

You see the

TOM THUMB :

A COMIC BURLESQUE, ALTERED FROM HENRY FIELDING.

EVEN to such as do not perceive the exquisite satire of this very favourite piece, it's broad humour and ludicrous costume generally render it irresistibly entertaining. The hero and his fate are also extensively familiar, both in the popular legend and the ballad; but whether he really lived “in Arthur's Court," early in the sixth century, or, as Hearne supposes, were a page to King Edgar late in the ninth, or were the ancient German Daumerling,— the usual costume of this piece is the full court-dress of the time of it's production; with an opera suit of armour for Tom Thumb, and an Amazon's habit for Queen Glumdalca. The Duke of Buckingham's very celebrated Rehearsal was intended to expose and ridicule those showy and bustling plays, which in his time were so greatly admired, and the present burlesque embraces the absurdities of nearly all the subsequent tragic authors. The interview between Queen Glumdalca and the Princess Huncamunca, in Act ii. Scene 7, is, in particular, a parody upon that between Cleopatra and Octavia in Dryden's All for Love, Act iii. Scene 1.; and the several other imitations are pointed out in the witty and curious notes which Fielding attached to this piece at his last alteration of it, under the name of H. Scriblerus Secundus.

Tom Thumb was originally produced at the Haymarket, April 24th, 1730, in Two Acts only; when it's success induced the author to add a third, and reproduce it at the same Theatre, March 20th, 1731, and at Drury-Lane, May 3rd, 1732. It was then entitled The Tragedy of Tragedies; or the Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great. In Three Acts: Containing, the Rise, Marriage, Victory, and Death, of Tom Thumb; the lawful and unlawful Loves of King Arthur, Queen Dollallolla, Princess Huncamunca, Queen Glumdalcha, Lord Grizzle, &c.; the Rivalship, Dispute, and Rebellion, of Lord Grizzle; the memorable Battles between Lord Grizzle and the Queen of the Giants; with the terrible Destruction of both Armies; the doleful and tragical Apparition of Gaffer Thumb; the Swallowing up of Tom Thumb by the Red Cow; and the direful, terrible, tremendous, and fatal, Catastrophe of all the Noble Personages in that Heroick Piece. The representation was announced "with proper habits, scenes, machines, and other decorations ;" and the day before it took place were advertised 'books of the Tragedy, with notes by way of key, will be published to-morrow at 5 in the evening."

Tom Thumb was altered from Fielding by Kane O'Hara, with the addition of songs, and brought out at Covent-Garden as a Musical Burletta in Two Acts, October 3rd, 1780, when it was very successful.

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