ALF in Babylon, and the plot is to be found in Quintus Curtius, Diodorus Siculus, Orosius, &c. 136. ALEXAS; or, The Chaste Galiant. By Philip Massinger. By this title Massinger's Bashful Lover seems sometimes to have been called. ALF entirely new-modelled by the latter; no part of the first being retained, except a few lines. Though excellently performed, it was not very successful. The Prologue was written by the Earl of Corke. -It has been said, that Mallet procured Alfred to be performed at Drury Lane, by insinuating to Garrick, that, in his intended Life of the Duke of Marlborough, he D. should, by an ingenious device, find a niche for the Roscius of the age. "My dear friend," said Garrick, "have you quite left off "writing for the stage?" The hint was taken, and Alfred was produced.. 137. ALEXIS AND DORINDA, Musical Piece. Acted at Lincoln's Inn Fields, 1725. N. P. 138. ALEXIS'S PARADISE. Op. 1680. 139. ALEXIS'S PARADISE; or, A Trip to the Garden of Love at Vauxhall; as privately acted by the Ladies of Honour. Com. by James Newton, Esq. 8vo. 1722, 1732, and N. D. 140. ALFRED. A Masque, by James Thomson and David Mal, let. 8vo. 1740. The scene of this play lies in Britain; and the story from the English history at the time of the Danish invasion, It was performed the 1st of August 1740, in the gardens of Cliefden, in commemoration of the accession of George I, and in honour of the birth-day of the Princess of Brunswick; the Prince and Princess of Wales, and all their court, being present. The Judgment of Paris, a Masque, and also several scenes out of Rich's pantomimes, were performed at the same time. 141. ALFRED. An Opera, as altered from the above play. Acted at Covent Garden. 4to. 1745. The principal vocal parts by Mr. Lowe, Mrs. Arne, Miss Young, and Mrs. Sybilla. 142. ALFRED THE GREAT. Musical Drama, acted at Drury Lane, 1745. 143. ALFRED. A Masque, by David Mallet. Acted at Drury Lane. 8vo. 1751. This is the play of Messrs. Thomson and Mallet, 144. ALFRED THE GREAT, DELIVERER OF HIS COUNTRY. Trag. 8vo. 1753. This is a despicable performance, written, as the titlepage declares, by the author of The Friendly Rivals. 145. ALFRED. Trag. altered from Mallet, by David Garrick. Acted at Drury Lane. 8vo. 1773. The alterations in this piece are but trifling, and its success was not greater than on its original performance. 146. ALFRED. Trag. by John Home. Acted at Covent Garden. 8vo. 1778. This play, which is the last production of its author, was so coldly received by the public, that it was performed only three nights. 147. ALFRED. An Historical Trag. 8vo. 1789. Printed in a Collection of Miscellaneous Poems at Sheffield; in which town it had been acted. 148. ALFRED; or, The Magic Banner. Drama, in three acts, by J. O'Keefe. Acted at the Haymarket, 1796. 8vo. 1798. 149. ALFONSO, KING OF CASTILE. Trag. by M. G. Lewis, Acted at Covent Garden, Jan. 15, ALL 1802, but previously published in 8vo. 1801. Many parts of this piece are sketched with ability and judgment, and it is not wanting in interest; the language, however, is unequal, being often elo quent and impressive, and not unfrequently turgid and bombastic; and there are some inconsistencies in the conduct of the drama. It was, nevertheless, well received, and is the best play that this author has produced. 150. THE ALGERINE SLAVES. Mus. Ent. by James Cobb. Acted, without success, at the Opera House in the Haymarket, 1792. This was merely an abridgment of The Strangers at Home, and has not been printed. 151. ALGONAH. Com. Opera, by James Cobb. Acted at Drury Lane, for Mrs. Billington's benefit, April 30, 1802, but not printed. It is an alteration from The Cherokee, with some new music by Kelly. Songs only published. 8vo. 1802. 152. Alive and MERRY. Farce. Acted at Drury Lane, May 1796, and ascribed to a Mr. Brown. It contained some broad humour, but had little other merit, and was performed four or five nights. We have heard Mr. Grubb (one of the proprietors of the theatre) mentioned as the author. Not printed. 153. ALL ALIVE AND MERRY. Com. by S. Johnson (the dancing master). This piece was acted at Lincoln's Inn Fields, about the year 1737, without any success, and has never been printed. For some judgment of this gentleman's writings in general, see HURLO THRUMBO. 154. ALL AT HOME; or, The Irish Nieces. Com. printed at Dublin. 12mo. 1904. Never performed. 159. ALL FOR LOVE; or, The World Well Lost. Trag. by John Dryden, written in imitation of Shakspeare's style, and acted at the Theatre Royal. 4to. 1678, 1692, 1703. This is generally considered by the critics as the most complete dramatic piece of that justly-admired author. There needs, perhaps, no other reason to be assigned for its being so, than that it was the only one (amongst a very large number) which he was permitted to bring to that perfection which leisure and applcation, added to a great degree of genius, might be expected to attain. The plot and general design of it are undoubtedly borrowed from Shakspeare's Antony and Cleopatra; yet justice and candour require this confession at least from us, that as much as he has fallen short of his first model ALL in fire and originality, he has equally surpassed him in point of regularity and poetic harmony; and it may perhaps stand hereafter as a matter of contest, whether this tragedy is, or is not, to be esteemed as an invincible masterpiece of the power of English poetry. Dryden indeed tells us, that it is the only play he wrote for himself; the rest were given to the people. It is by universal consent (as Dr. Johnson observes) accounted the work in which he has admitted the fewest improprieties of style or character; but it has one fault equal to many, though rather moral than critical, that, by admitting the romantic omnipotence of love, he has recommended as laudable and worthy of imitation that conduct which, through all ages, the good have censured as vicious, and the bad despised as foolish. 160. "A moral and pitieful Co"medie, intitled ALL FOR Mo"NEY, plainly representing the manners of men and fashion of "the world, now-a-dayes." Compiled by Thomas Lupton. 4to. B. L. 1578. The characters of this piece are, Theology, Science, Art, Money, Adulation, Godly Admonition, Mischievous Help, Pleasure, Pressed for Pleasure, Sin, Swift to Sin, Virtue, Humility, Charity, All for Money, Damnation, Satan, Pride, Gluttony, Learning with Money, Learning without Money, Money without Learning, Neither Money nor Learning, Moneyless, Moneyless and Friendless, Nychol, Gregory, Graceless, Mother Crook, Judas, Dives, William, and the two Wives; but, as not more than two of these characters, or at most three, were ever on the stage at once, and generally, when they disappeared, VOL. II. ALL were seen no more, several parts. were performed by one person, and thus perhaps four or five actors served for the whole. 161. ALL FOR THE BETTER ; or, The Infallible Cure. Com. by F. Manning. Acted at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1703. 4to. N. D. The scene lies in Madrid, and the Prologue was written by Farquhar. Com. Printed at London, 162. ALL IN A BUSTLE. [by Francis Lathom]. Norwich. 8vo. 1795. 1800. Never acted. 163. ALL IN GOOD HUMOUR. Dram. Piece, in one act, by W. C. Oulton. Acted at the Haymarket. 8vo. 1792. It is a slight piece, but is not unamusing, and is still performed occasionally. 164. ALL IN THE RIGHT. F.. translated from Destouches, by Thomas Hull, and acted at Covent Garden Theatre, the 26th of April 1766, for the translator's benefit. Not printed. 165. ALL IN THE RIGHT; or, The Cuckold in good Earnest. F. 8vo. 1762. A low, stupid, and indecent piece. 166. ALL IN THE WRONG. Com. by Arthur Murphy. Svo. 1761. This comedy made its first appearance in the summer season, at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, under the conduct of Mr. Foote and the author. It met with success, and deservedly. The intention of it is to bring together into one piece, and represent at one view, the various effects of the passion of jealousy in domestic life, acting on different dispositions and different tempers, and under the different circumstances of husband and wife, lover and mistress. The author confesses, in his advertisement prefixed to the piece, that some of C his hints have been borrowed from "what hath happened this week the Cocu Imaginaire of Moliere. "at the Bank's Side. The King's The plot and conduct in general, "players had a new play, called however, must be allowed his own, "ALL IS TRUE, representing some and to have great merit. The cha- "principal pieces of the reign of racters are not ill drawn, though "Henry the Eighth, which was perhaps not perfectly finished; the "set forth with many extraordimisunderstandings and perplexities "nary circumstances of pomp and produced among them by the "majesty, even to the matting of wrong-headedness of this absurd "the stage, the knights of the passion, are natural and unforced; "order with their Georges and and the incidents are so happily "garter, the guards with their contrived, that, although the au- "embroidered coats, and the like, dience seem from time to time "sufficient in truth with a while to have some insight into what "to make greatness very familiar, should follow, yet something new "if not ridiculous. Now King and unexpected is perpetually start- "Henry making a masque at the ing up to surprise and entertain "Cardinal Wolsey's house, and them. In a word, it is one of "certain cannons being shot off the busiest plays we are acquainted "at his entry, some of the paper with; and, if we may be allowed" or other stuff wherewith one of to hint at a fault in it, it appears "them was stopped, did light on to be, that, in consequence of the "the thatch, where, being thought variety of incidents and number of "at first but an idle smoke, and characters, the denouement seems "their eyes more attentive to the rather too much hurried on, and "show, it kindled inwardly, and to want somewhat of that distinct- "ran round like a train, consumness which the author, with a little "ing, within less than an hour, more pains, might have rendered "the whole house to the very it capable of. On the whole, how- "ground. This was the fatal peever, it is a very entertaining co"riod of that virtuous fabrique, medy; and we cannot help think- "wherein nothing did perish but ing the Lady Restless in this play "wood and straw, and a few formore truly a Jealous Wife, and, "saken cloaks; only one man for the importance of the scenes "had his breeches set on fire, she is introduced into, more high- "that would perhaps have broiled ly finished, than the Mrs. Oakley of Mr. Colman's comedy; for our sentiments in regard to which, see JEALOUS WIFE. It was afterwards brought again on this same stage by Mr. Garrick for the winter season, and met with the same approbation as in the summer. 167. ALL IS NOT GOLD THAT GLISTERS. Play, by Henry Chettle and Sam. Rowley, Acted 1600. 168. ALL IS TRUE. Wotton says, under date July 2, 1613, "I will "entertain you at the present with him, if he had not, by the be"nefit of a provident wit, put it "out with bottled ale." Of this piece there is no other account on record. 169. ALL MISTAKEN; or, The Mad Couple. Com. by the Hon. James Howard, Esq. acted at the Theatre Royal. 4to. 1672; 4to. 1710. The scene lies in Italy. This is a pleasant piece. 170. ALL MISTAKEN. Com. by William Shirley. This is an al teration of Shakspeare's Comedy 1 of Errors, with great additions. have heard, condemned on its first It has neither been printed nor acted. 171. ALL ON A SUMMER'S DAY. Com. by Eliz. Inchbald. Acted at Covent Garden, Dec. 15, 1787; but it was disapproved, and has not been printed. In a letter, which the lady published at the time, this piece was declared to have been " given to the theatre contrary to her inclination, and even contrary to her most ear"nest entreaties," by the mistaken friendship of the manager, It possessed some of the merits of Mrs. I.'s other dramas, but did not seem to have been finished with sufficient care. 172. ALL PLEAS'D AT LAST. Com. 8vo. 1783. Anon. This piece was acted and printed in Dublin. 173. ALL PLOT; or, The Disguises. Com. by Mr. Stroude. Acted at Lincoln's Inn Fields, bétween 1662 and 1671. This play is mentioned by Downes as having been performed only three times. It seems not to have been printed. 174. ALL PUZZLED. F. Anon. 1702. Whether such a piece exists is uncertain. Neither Jacob nor Whincop mention it; and it first appears in that doubtful authority, Chetwood's British Theatre. 175. ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE. Farce, by Isaac Jackman. Acted at Drury Lane. Svo. 1777. This farce has some humour, and is still represented. 176. ALL VOWS KEPT. Com. Acted at Smock Alley. 12mo. 1733. Printed at Dublin. Scene Verona. This comedy was written by Captain Downes, nephew and aid-du-camp of Primate Hoad-, ley, when he was one of the lords justices of Ireland. It was, we exhibition. 177. ALL UP AT STOCKWELL; or, The Ghost no Conjuror. Int. Acted at Drury Lane, for Mr.Weston's benefit, April 1772. Not printed. 178. ALL WITHOUT MONEY. Com. See THE NOVELTY. 179. ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE; or, A Match for the Lawyers. Farce. Acted at Covent Garden, April 29, 1803, for Mr. Munden's benefit, and well received. Not printed. 180. ALL'S LOST BY LUST. Trag. by William Rowley. Acted at the Phoenix, 1633. 4to. This play was well esteemed. Its plot is chiefly from Novel 3, of the Unfortunate Lovers. The tragic parts. are affecting, and the comic witty. 181. ALL'S ONE; or, One of the foure Plaies in One, called A Yorkshire Tragedy, played by the King's Players. 4to. 1608; 4to. 1619. This is one of the spurious plays ascribed to Shakspeare. 182. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. Com. by Shakspeare. Fol. 1623. This play, which is supposed to have been sometimes called Love's Labour Wonne, was originally taken from Boccace, but came immediately to Shakspeare from Painter's Gilletta of Narbon, in the first volume of The Palace of Pleasure, 4to. 1566, p. 88. Dr. Johnson says, it "has many de lightful scenes though not suf"ficiently probable, and some happy characters though not new, "nor produced by any deep knowledge of human nature. Pa"rolles is a boaster and a coward, "such as has always been the "sport of the stage, but perhaps "never raised more laughter or contempt than in the hands of ." Shakspeare. 66 |