= =3 == = John Baily: Northumberland Boman: Worcester -Freeman: Westmoreland Pack: Owen Glendower Hodgson: Douglas = Arnold: Sir Walter Blunt Trout: Sir Richard Vernon Harris: Bardolph Bright Francis Bowen: Katherine Percy Mrs. Boman: Hostess Mrs. Leigh :-Lady Mortimer is omitted to Poins, Mortimer &c. there are no names-the alteration of this play is attributed to Betterton--it does him credit as he has only made some judicious omissions--the speeches in the 2d act between the Prince and Falstaff, when each of them speaks as the King, are very properly retained-as also the character of Glendower, with great part of the scene at the beginning of the 3d act-no good reason can be assigned why the scene between the Prince and Falstaff should be curtailed, and the other scene totally omitted, on the modern stage. The great success, with which Betterton had revived the 1st part of Henry the 4th, induced him to revive the 2d part-it was not however printed till after his death-but it is pretty clear that it was revived not long after the 1st part, and that Betterton acted Falstaff-see D. L. Dec. 17 1720-Betterton acted Falstaff in the Merry Wives at Court in March 1704, and at L. I. F. for his benefit on May 16. "When Falstaff stands detected in a lie," Shakspeare makes him only say " By the Lord, I knew ye as well as he that made ye❞—on the stage Falstaff has for many years past begun his speech with— "Do ye think I did not know you?"-it does not appear who was the author of this happy additionthe words are not in Betterton's alteration. Measure for Measure as altered from Shakspeare, was next revived-Malone supposes in Feb. 16991700-Shakspeare has borrowed the plot and conduct of his play in a great degree from the old play of Promos and Cassandra in 2 parts-but with this material difference, that Cassandra (Isabella) sacrifices her virtue to save her Brother-Promos breaks his promise and orders Andrugio (Claudio) to be killed he is saved by the kindness of the JailerCassandra appeals to the King for justice, who sentences Promos (Angelo) first to marry Cassandra and then to be executed-Andrugio shows himself alive, and Promos is pardoned at Cassandra's request. Measure for Measure, or Beauty the best Advocate. Angelo Betterton: Claudio Verbruggen: Duke of Savoy Arnold: Escalus Berry: Provost Freeman: Balthazar - Pack: Friar Thomas= ***: Isabella Mrs. Bracegirdle: Julietta Mrs. Bowman: Mariana Mrs. Prince :-scene Turinthis alteration is attributed to Gildon-in order to make Shakspeare more palatable he has introduced 4 musical entertainments-as each of these has a dance, they must in representation have occupied a very large portion of the play-all the comic characters are omitted-Claudio is represented as privately married to Julietta, and Angelo to Mariana---the Duke is reduced to a part of no great importance = = = -Davenant soon after the Restoration altered Measure for Measure to the Law against Lovers from Davenant Gildon has borrowed whatever suited him, but without any acknowledgment. Act 1st-the whole of the original first act is omitted, except the scene between the Duke and Friar, part of which is transposed-Balthazar is informed by a friend of Angelo's severity-Angelo and Escalus then enter; and soon after follows the first scene between Isabella and Angelo-Escalus encourages Isabella instead of Lucio-at the close of it Isabella asks when she shall come again—Angelo answers as soon as the Opera is over-the act finishes with the 1st entertainment. Act 2d begins with the 2d scene between Angelo and Isabella-she refuses his proposal-and he says "Consider on it, and at ten this evening "If you'll comply, you'll meet me at the Opera." The 2d musical entertainment comes next-then the scene changes to the prison-the Duke and Friar enter the Duke explains his motives for having made Angelo his deputy-he has then an interview with Claudio, and afterwards with Julietta-these two scenes are by Gildon. Act 3d. the Duke, Friar and Claudio enter-and then Isabella-this scene is from Shakspeare with alterations-that between Claudio and Isabella is enlarged, partly from Davenant-the scene between the Duke and Isabella is altered-the 3d entertainment is next performed at the close of it Isabella enters. Act 4th begins with a 3d scene betwen Angelo and Isabella—the first part of it is from Davenant, the conclusion is by Gildon-Angelo gives Isabella a casket of jewels, and she promises to meet him at the royal grotto-in the next scene the Duke and Isabella settle their plan with Mariana-then comes the prison scene--the Provost receives Angelo's letter he is prevailed on to let Claudio and Julietta have a fare well-meeting-Isabella enters to the Duke nearly as in the original. Act 5th. Angelo and Escalus enter, and then the Duke-this act is sadly mutilated-the Duke does not re-enter as a Friar-Isabella tells the Duke Angelo had promised her marriage-here Gildon is guilty of an inexcusable blunder-in Davenant's alteration Angelo offers to marry Isabella; but in Gildon's he does not give the most distant hint of marriage if Gildon was aware of the contradiction and meant Isabella to assert a falsehood, he is equally to blame the Duke in his last speech desires Angelo (as in Shakspeare) to forgive the Provost for having showed him the head of Ragozine for Claudio's -here we have another instance of the manner in which Shakspeare has been improved-the scene between the Provost and the Duke in the original 4th act, where Ragozine is mentioned, had been omitted -and according to Gildon, it is not clear that the Provost had sent Angelo any head at all-the play concludes with the 4th entertainment-on the whole this is a very bad alteration-a good deal however of the original play is retained. Generous Choice. It appears from the Prologue that this C. came out in Lent-it is an indifferent play by Manning-from the Motto it seems not to have been successful-there are no performers' names to the D. P.-Don Philip had been contracted to Donna Cornelia-and had also seduced Donna Olivia under a promise of marriage - the Ladies, who are both in love with him, follow him to Valencia, disguised as men--their brothers call Don Philip to an account for his conduct-he fights with them, and disarms them at the conclusion, Don Philip marries Olivia, and Don Frederick marries CorneliaEleanora, who is a woman of intrigue, and an important character, goes into a nunnery-two Servants of the name of Anthony are introduced-they prove to be twin brothers, and are so like as not to be distinguished the one from the other-this produces some confusion, but no particularly comic effectManning may have borrowed these characters from the Comedy of Errors, but it seems more probable that he has borrowed them from the Two Harlequins, an Italian piece which was brought out at Paris in 1691, and which was acted in French at L. I. F. in 1718. Way of the World. = Mirabell = = Verbruggen: Fainall Betterton: Witwoud Bowen: Sir Wilfull Witwoud Underhill: Petulant Bowman: Waitwell = Bright: Mrs. Millamant = Mrs. Bracegirdle : Mrs. Marwood Mrs. Barry: Lady Wishfort Mrs. Leigh Mrs. Fainall = Mrs. Bowman: Foible = Mrs. Willis:-Dryden, in a letter dated March 12th, speaks of this play as lately brought out-tho' Congreve was at this time at the height of his reputation, yet this admirable Comedy was coolly received--at which he was so highly offended and disgusted, that he resolved to commit his quiet and his fame no more to the caprices of an audience. Dr. Johnson says" whatever objections may be "made either to Congreve's comic or tragic excel"lence, they are all at once lost in the blaze of ad"miration, when it is remembered, that he had pro"duced his first four plays, before he had passed his “25th (27th) year-before other men, even such as |