Beaumont and Fletcher on the Restoration Stage

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Harvard University Press, 1926 - 299 pages
 

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Page xix - Jonson derived from particular persons, they made it not their business to describe ; they represented all the passions very lively, but above all, love. I am apt to believe the English language in them arrived to its...
Page 38 - ... knowledge of him, by that means setting his brains at work to find out who she was, and did give him leave to use all means to find out who she was, but pulling off her mask. He was mighty witty, and she also making sport with him very inoffensively, that a more pleasant rencontre I never heard. But by that means lost the pleasure of the play wholly, to which now and then Sir Charles Sedley's exceptions against both words and pronouncing were very pretty.
Page 48 - Jonson crept and gathered all below. This did his love, and this his mirth digest; One imitates him most, the other best. If they have since out-writ all other men, 'Tis with the drops which fell from Shakespeare's pen The storm which vanished on the neighb'ring shore, Was taught by Shakespeare's Tempest first to roar.
Page 65 - She was so fond of humour, in what low part soever to be found, that she would make no scruple of defacing her fair form, to come heartily into it; for when she was eminent in several desirable characters of wit and humour, in higher life, she would be in as much fancy, when descending into the antiquated Abigail, of Fletcher, as when triumphing in all the airs, and vain graces of a fine lady; a merit, that few actresses care for. In a play of D'Urfey's, now forgotten, called The Western Lass...
Page xix - ... unexpectedly in upon us, it overflows us: but a long, sober shower gives them leisure to run out as they came in, without troubling the ordinary current. As for comedy, repartee is one of its chiefest graces; the greatest pleasure of the audience is a chase of wit kept up on both sides, and swiftly managed.
Page 69 - The Prophetess; or The History of Dioclesian, with alterations and additions, after the manner of an opera, represented at the Queen's Theatre, and printed 4to.
Page 68 - Though I have given up writing plays, I should be glad to read a good one, wherefore pray let Will Richards send me Mr.
Page 280 - The Second Part of Mr. Waller's Poems; containing his alteration of The Maids Tragedy, and whatever of his is yet unprinted; together with some other Poems, Speeches, &c., that were printed severally, and never put into the First Collection of his Poems.
Page 69 - an Opera, wrote by Mr. Betterton; being set out with Coastly Scenes, Machines and Cloaths: The Vocal and Instrumental Musick, done by Mr. Puree/; and Dances by Mr. Priest; it gratify'd the Expectation of Court and City; and got the Author great Reputation.
Page 65 - Nothing, though ever so barren, if within the bounds of nature, could be flat in her hands. She gave many heightening touches to characters but coldly written, and often made an author vain of his work, that, in itself, had but little merit.

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