Dramatic Table Talk: Or, Scenes, Situations, & Adventures, Serious & Comic, in Theatrical History & Biography, Volume 3

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J. Knight & H. Lacey, 1830
 

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Page 174 - Ah ! let not Censure term our fate our choice, The stage but echoes back the public voice ; The drama's laws, the drama's patrons give, For we that live to please, must please to live. Then prompt no more the follies you decry, As tyrants doom their tools of guilt to die ; 'Tis yours, this night, to bid the reign commence Of rescued Nature and reviving Sense ; To chase the charms of sound, the pomp of show, For useful mirth and salutary woe ; Bid scenic Virtue form the rising age, And Truth diffuse...
Page 210 - I shall not experience as harsh treatment from you as from him. I have, as you know, a large sum of money to make up shortly ; by accepting my play, I can readily satisfy my creditor that way ; at any rate, I must look about to some certainty to be prepared. For God's sake take the play, and let us make the best of it, and let me have the same measure, at least, which you have given as bad plays as mine. " I am your friend and servant,
Page 97 - He rather prays you will be pleas'd to see One such to-day, as other plays should be ; Where neither chorus wafts you o'er the seas, Nor creaking throne comes down the boys to please ; Nor nimble squib is seen to make afeard The gentlewomen ; nor roll'd bullet heard To say, it thunders ; nor tempestuous drum Rumbles, to tell you when the storm doth come...
Page 23 - ... public sports do not well agree with public calamities, nor public stage-plays with the seasons of humiliation, this being an exercise of sad and pious solemnity, and the other being spectacles of pleasure, too commonly expressing lascivious mirth and levity...
Page 91 - I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood: I only speak right on; I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue In every wound of Caesar that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
Page 24 - Playes shall cease, and bee forborne. Instead of which, are recommended to the people of this land, the profitable and seasonable considerations of repentance, reconciliation, and peace with God, which probably may produce outward peace and prosperity, and bring againe times of joy and gladnesse to these nations.
Page 111 - They lived together on the Banke side, not far from the Play-house, both batchelors; lay together; had one wench in the house between them, which they did so admire; the same cloathes and cloake, &c., betweene them.
Page 100 - Act where his father's ghost appears, through the violent and sudden emotion of amazement and horror, turn instantly, on the sight of his father's spirit, as pale as his neckqloth ; when his whole body seemed to be affected with a tremor inexpressible, so that, had his father's ghost actually risen before him, he could not have been seized with more real agonies.
Page 45 - Tragedy called the Moor of Venice : " " I came unknown to any of the rest, To tell the news ; I saw the lady drest : The woman plays to-day ; mistake me not, No man in gown, or page in petticoat : A woman to my knowledge, yet I can't, If I should die, make affidavit on't.
Page 82 - At Christ- church marriage, done before the king, Lest that those mates should want an offering, The king himself did offer;— What, I pray ? He offered twice or thrice — to go away !" . A CONTRIVANCE IN DRAMATIC DIALOGUE.

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