many of our early comedies were, like the ancients, stained with gross indecency, he has endeavoured to avoid admitting into this volume whatever might be strictly detrimental to good morals. Since the Restoration, a distinguished amendmeut has taken place in this particular; indeed a new species of drama has been introduced, called Sentimental Comedy, directly the reverse of the licentious style that formerly prevailed. The Editor has not, however; pushed the principle of omission so far as the censors of the Portuguese stage, who rejected a translation of the Suspicious Husband, on account of the supposed immoral tendency of the character of Ranger. Furthermore, he conceived an advantage would be derived, by a chronological arrangement, and new classification, of plays. The dramatic collections, hitherto made, have too much resembled a cabinet in confusion; where shells and fossils, metals and gems, have been jumbled together without discrimination. The Editor has endeavoured to retrieve the theatrical cabinet from this disorder, and has distributed its various productions into the three classes of Tragedy, Comedy, and Farce, forming three separate volumes. Each volume may be considered as a whole to persons, exclusively attached to one particular line of reading, while the general scholar will find, in the entire work, a complete, though select, British DRAMA. CONTENTS Page. 1 Every Man in his Humour.............. Jonson ..............1598 The Alchymist ........ .........Ditto ......... .......1610 - A New way to Pay old Debts .......... MassiNGER .......... 1633 — The Great Duke of Florence............Ditto ................ 1636 - Rule a Wife and have a Wife · ........ BEAUMONT & FLETCHER 1640 — The Plain Dealer ....................WYCHERLY .......... 1677 — The Double Dealer .... ......CONGREVE ............ 1694 — The Provoked Wife ..... ........VAN BRUGI ..........1697 — Love makes a Man ..................CIBBER ..............1700 - · The Way of the World ...............CONGREVE ............ 1700 — Love for Love ......................CONGREVE ............1695 — The Inconstant .. ......... Ditto ................1702 She wou'd and She wou'd not ..........CiBBER ..............1703 - The Careless Husband ...... ......Ditto ....... .....1704 — The Double Gallant ........ ........Ditto ....... .......1707 The Recruiting Oficer .... ........ FARQUHAR.... • 1707 - .......Ditto ................1707 1 The Busy Body ......................CENTLIVRE ..........1708 - The Wonder .......... ........ Ditto ................1714 The Drummer ........... ....... ADDISON ............1715 - A Bold Stroke for a Wife ............CENTLIVRE ..........1717 . Page. 747 viji Year. .....1761 — .......KELLY ..............1774 779 RIDAN . THE BRITISH DRAMA, EVERY MAN IN HIS HUMOUR. BY JONSON. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. MEN. ROGER FORMAL, his clerk. KITELY, a merchant. Master MATTHEW, the town gull., CAPTAIN BOBADIL, a blustering coward. Cash, Kitaly's man. COB, a water-bearer. WOMEN. DAME KITELY. DOWNRIGHT, a plain squire. MRS BRIDGET, sister to Kitely. WELL-BRED, his half brother. TIB, Cob's wife. JUSTICE CLEMENT, un old merry magistrate. Scene - London. ACT І. [Erit. house. Kno. How bappy, yet, should I esteem myself, Could I, by any practice, wean the boy From one vain course of study he affects. Kno. A GOODLY day toward! and a fresh He is a scholar, if a man may trust morning! Brain-worm, The liberal voice of fame in her report, Call up young master. Bid him rise, sir. Of good account in both our universities; Tell him, I have some business to employ him. Either of which have favoured him with graces. Brain. I will, sir, presently. But their indulgence must not spring in me Kno. But hear you, sirrah! A fond opinion that he cannot err. If he be at his book, disturb him not. | Myself was once a student; and, indeed, VOL. II. |