Читать книгу The Perplex'd Lovers - Susanna Centlivre - Страница 3

Table of Contents

I am oblig'd to trouble my Reader with a Preface, that he may not be carried away with false Notions, to the Prejudice of this Play, which had the ill Fate to introduce a new Custom, viz. in being acted the first Day without an Epilogue: It seems the Epilogue design'd wou'd not pass; therefore the Managers of the Theatre did not think it safe to speak it, without I cou'd get it licens'd, which I cou'd not do that Night, with all the Interest I cou'd make: So that at last the Play was forc'd to conclude without an Epilogue. Mr. Norris, who is an excellent Comedian in his Way, was desired to speak six Lines-Extempore, to intreat the Audience to excuse the Defect, and promised them an Epilogue the next Night; but they apprehending that it was the Epilogue design'd for the Play, were pleas'd to show their Resentment. It is plain the want of the Epilogue caus'd the Hiss, because there had not been any thing like it during the whole Action; but on the contrary a general Clap attended the Conclusion of the Play. The next Day I had the Honour to have th' Epilogue licens'd by the Vice-Chamberlain, but by this Time there was a Rumour spread about Town, that it was a notorious Whiggish Epilogue; and the Person who design'd me the Favour of speaking it, had Letters sent her to forbear, for that there were Parties forming against it, and they advis'd her not to stand the Shock; here was a second Blow greater than the first: The sinking of my Play cut me not half so deep as the Notion I had, that there cou'd be People of this Nation so ungrateful as not to allow a single Compliment to a Man that has done such Wonders for it. I am not prompted by any private sinister End, having never been oblig'd to the Duke of Marlborough, otherwise than as I shou'd in common with my Country; as I am an English Woman, I think myself oblig'd to acknowledge my Obligation to his Grace for the many glorious Conquests he has attained, and the many Hazards he has run, to establish us a Nation free from the Insults of a Foreign Power. I know not what they call Whigs, or how they distinguish between them and Tories: But if the Desire to see my Country secur'd from the Romish Yoke, and flourish by a firm, lasting, honourable Peace, to the Glory of the best of Queens, who deservedly holds the Ballance of all Europe, be a Whig, then I am one, else not. I have printed the Epilogue, that the World may judge whether 'tis such as has been represented. So much for that. Now I must acquaint my Reader, that I shall not pretend to vindicate the following Scenes, about which I took very little Pains, most of the Plot being from a Spanish Play, and assuring myself Success from Mr. Cibber's Approbation, whose Opinion was, that the Business wou'd support the Play; tho' Mr. Wilks seem'd to doubt it, and said, there was a great deal of Business, but not laughing Business; tho' indeed I cou'd not have dress'd this Plot with much more Humour, there being four Acts in the Dark, which tho' a Spanish Audience may readily conceive, the Night being their proper Time of intriguing; yet here, where Liberty makes Noon-day as easy, it perplexes the Thought of an Audience too much; therefore I shall take Care to avoid such Absurdities for the future; and if I live I will endeavour to make my Friends amends in the next.