Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Companion to the play-house, or, An historical account of all the dramatic writers (and their works) that have appeared in Great Britain and Ireland, from the commencement of our theatrical exhibitions, down to the present year 1764 > Volume 2

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certain Proportion of the Profits
of the Houfe on thofe Nights in
which he performed, he was al-
lowed a Right of reviving or get-
ing up iuch Plays as he imagined
wouhi turn out the moft to his
and the Managers joint Advan-
tages. — Among thofe which he
fix'd on as his Choice, was Mr.
Brooke's Earl of EJ/ix, which be-
ing licenced by the Lord Cham-
berlain was now brought on at
Drury Lane, and met with good
Succefs.
Thro' the whole oi Mr .Brooke' 5.
Writings there breathes a ilrong
Spirit of Liberty, and patriotic
Zeal, which, tho' the natural
and inborn Principles of every
Subjeft of thefe Realms, may
have fubjecled them to Mifrepre-
fentation, and, what is far from
an uncommon Cafe render'd ge-
neral Sentiment fufpefted as par-
ticular Refleftion. Yet thofe
who have the Pleafure of know-
ing this Gentleman perfonally,
muil be fo well aflur'd of the In-
tegrity of his Heart, and his
firm Attachment to the prefent
happy Succeflion, as Vv'ill entirely
clear him ft om the fligbteft Sup-
pofition of any Intent to excite
Corruption or awaken Difcontent
by any of his Writings.
His dramatic Pieces in them-
felves are independent of thefe
Kind of Confiderations, tho' not
to be ranked in the firft Clafs,
have undoubtedly a confiderable
Share of Merit. — His Plots are
iagenioufly laid and well con-
duced, his Charafters not ill
drawn, and his Language bold
and nervous ; tho' it muft be
acknowledged in the laft Parti-
cular the Author at Times feems
to pay too little Regard, to the
Correftnefs of Meafure, to that
I PoUih which the Language of
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Tragedy ought to receive front
Harmony of Numbers.
His dramatic Pieces are as fol-
low,
1 . The Betrayer of his Country,
T. — This was played at
Dublin uilder the Title of
the Earl of PFe/imor/avd.
2. Earlof Effex. T.
3. Cujia'vuz Vaja. T. — This
was as I think (tho' pro^
hitited in LoWow, a6ted at
Dublin by the Title of
the Patriot.)
4. Jack the Giant feller. F.
Brookes, Mrs. 'J his Lady,
whofe Maidea Name was Moore,
is the Daughter and Wife of a
Clergyman, and a Lady of great
Abilities, — She has written and
publilhed one Play, which was
never adled, entitled,
Virginia. Trag.
Brown, Anthony, Efq. — This
Gentleman was a Member cf the
Temple, and wrote a Play en-
titled.
The Fatal Retirement. T.
This Play was damn'd, and in-
deed very defervedly, there being
neither Plot, Incident, or Lan-
guage in it that had by any Means
a Right to recommend it to the
public Regard, — Yet its Want of
Succefs was the Occafion of fome
Infults being ihewn to an Aftor
of great Confequence, whofe fpi-
rited Behaviour on the Circum-
ftance may be feen more at large
in the Account of this Play in
the former Part of this Work.
Browne, Dr. — This Gentle-
man is a Clergyman and Doftor
in Divinity, and is pofi'effed of
fome Church Preferment in the
Northern Part of this Kingdom.
He has very juflly acquired a great
Reputation by fome of his Profe
Writings, more particularly by
his Eftimate of the Manners of the