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THE
DRAMATIST;
OR,
STOP HIM WHO CAN!
A COMEDY,
IN FIVE ACTS;
By FREDERICK REYNOLDS.
AS PERFORMED AT THE
THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN.
PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERSFROM THE PROMPT BOOK.
WITH REMARKS
BY MRS INCHBALD.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN,
PATERNOSTER ROW.
Edinburgh:
Printed by James Ballantyne and Co.
REMARKS.
Plays of former times were written to be read, not seen. Dramaticauthors succeeded in their aim; their works were placed in libraries,and the theatres were deserted.—Now, plays are written to be seen, notread—and present authors gain their views; for they and the managersare enriched, and the theatres crowded.
To be both seen and read at the present day, is a degree of honour,which, perhaps, not one comic dramatist can wholly boast, exceptShakspeare. Exclusive of his, scarcely any of the very best comedies ofthe best of former bards will now attract an audience: yet the genius ofancient writers was assisted by various tales, for plots, of which theyhave deprived the moderns; they had, besides, the privilege to writewithout either political or moral restraint. Uncurbed by law ordelicacy, they wrote at random; and at random wrote some pages worthyposterity—but along with these, they produced others, which disgracethe age that reprints and circulates them.
[Pg 4]It might be deemed suspicious to insinuate, that those persons, perhaps,who so vehemently exclaim against modern dramas, give up with reluctancethe old prerogative of listening to wit and repartee, which would makethe refined hearer of the present day blush, and the moral auditorshudder.
To those who can wisely bear with the faults of their own time, northink all that is good is gone by, the representation of the presentcomedy will give high entertainment; particularly in those scenes inwhich Vapid is concerned.—Reynolds could hardly mistake drawing afaithful portrait of this character, for it is said—he sat for himself.
Yet those, who expect to be highly delighted with "The Dramatist," mustbring with them to the theatre a proper acquaintance with the stage, andalso of its power over certain of its votaries.
If attraction, if bursts of applause, and still less equivocalapprobation, bursts of laughter, constitute perfect success to a comicwriter, Mr Reynolds, in this, as well as in other of his comedies, hasbeen preeminently successful.
In this comedy, however, and, perhaps, in one or two more he haswritten, there is an obstacle to his independent merit as an author—anobstacle which too many dramatic writers willingly place in their pathto lasting reputation. He has written f