THE RIVAL QUEENS. Burney delint A.Smith sculp London Printed for John Bell British Library Strand May 25 1793. OR, THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. A TRAGEDY, BY NATHANIEL LEE. ADAPTED FOR THEATRICAL REPRESENTATION, AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE AND COVENT-GARDEN. REGULATED FROM THE PROMPT-BOOKS, THE Number and Nature of the Alterations, &c. in this Play, have induced the Editor to deviate from his general Plan, and present it to the Public as literally represented. LONDON: Printed for the Proprietors, under the Direction of JOHN BELL, British Library, STRAND, Bookseller to His Royal Highness the PRINCE of WALES MDCCXCIII. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN EARL OF MULGRAVE. Gentleman of His Majesty's Bedchamber, and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter. MY LORD, WHEN I hear by many persons, not indifferent judges, how poets are censured most even where they most intend to please, and sometimes by those too whom they address condemned for flatterers, sycophants, and little fawning wretches; I confess, of all undertakings, there is none more dreadful to me than a Dedication. So nicely cruel are our judges, that after a play has been generally applauded on the stage, the industrious malice of some after-observer shall damn it for an epistle or a preface. For this reason, my lord, Alexander was more to seek for a patron in my troubled thoughts than for the temple of Jupiter Ammon in the spreading wilds and rolling sands. 'Tis certain too he must have been lost, had not fortune, whom I must once at least acknowledge kind in my life, presented me to your lordship. You were pleased, my lord, to read it over act by act; and by particular praises, proceeding from the sweetness rather than the justice of your temper, lifted me up from my natural melancholy and diffidence to a bold |