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The STAGE having been always accounted a most rational and inftructive Entertainment, has therefore met with Favour in the wifeft Governments, and been fupported by the wifeft Men.

The English Theatre has rifen under the Patronage of Princes, and appeared in the greatest Luftre: And what feems more extraordinary is, that fome of the most eminent Writers in the Dramatick Way, have themselves been Players; of which Shakespeare, Ben Johnfon, Otway, Lee and Farquhar, are immortal Inftances.

I believe no Nation in the World can boaft of having produced fo many excellent Writers for the Stage, nor fo many inimitable Performers, as our Own. The Memory of Mr. Betterton, Mr. Booth, Mr. Wilks; Mrs Barry, Mrs. Bracegirdle, and Mrs. Oldfield's Performances, are till fresh to many among us: And as their Merit rendered them univerfally admired, their Lofs is now as univerfally lamented.

But, it ought to be obferved, that as Wit, good Senfe, and Politenefs, were abfolutely ne ceffary to fupport the Dignity and Character of the Scene, it was always thought proper to truft the Management of the Theatre, to Perfons who were fupposed to be juftly qualified to judge of all Performances fit to be introduced in that Place, that Works of Genius might meet with fuitable Encouragement, and Dullnefs and Immorality be effectually excluded.

Mr. Betterton long had the Stage under his Direction; and he, undoubtedly, wanted no Abilities to diftinguish Merit; nor have I ever heard that he wanted Inclination to reward ic. And of late Years Mr. Booth, Mr. Wilks, and Mr. Cibber, as they were all eminent in their

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Profeffion, as Actors; their own Intereft, as well as the Honour of the Stage, made them induftrious to fupport it in full Credit.

King Charles II. immediately after his Reftorátion, granted two Patents, one to Sir William Davenant, and the other to Henry Killigrew, Efq; and their feveral Heirs and Affigns for ever, for the forming of two diftinct Companies of Comedians: The first were called the King's Servants, and acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane; and the other the Duke's Company, who acted at the Duke's Theatre in Dorset Garden About ten of the King's Company were on the Royal Houfhold Establishment, having each ten Yards of Scarlet Cloth, with a proper quantity of Lace allowed them for Liveries; and in their Warrants from the Lord Chamberlain, were ftiled Gentlemen of the Great Chamber: They were both in high Estimation with the Publick, and fo much the Delight and Concern of the Court, that they were not only fupported by its being frequently prefent at their publick Prefentations, but by taking cognizance even of their private Government, infomuch that their Difputes were generally ended by the King or Duke's perfonal Command. Befides their being thorough Masters of their Art, thefe Actors fet forward with two critical Advantages, which perhaps may never happen again: The one was, their immediate opening after the fo long Interdiction of Plays during the Civil War, and the Anarchy that followed it. What eager Appetites from fo long a Faft, muft the Guefts of thofe Times have had, to that high and fresh variety of Entertainments, which Shakespeare had left behind for them? How many fhining: Actors have the warm Scenes of his Genius given Ва

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o Pofterity? without being himself, in his Action, equal to his Writing! A strong Proof that Actors, like Poets, must be born fuch. Shakespeare could write Hamlet, but Tradition fays, that the Ghoft in the fame Play was his best' Performance as an Actor: Eloquence and Elo dution are quite different Talents: Nor is it: within the reach of Rule or Precept to complete: either of them. Inftruction may guard them equally against Faults and Abfurdities; but there it ftops, and Nature muft do the rest.

The other Advantage is, that before the Re.. ftoration, no Actreffes had ever been seen upon the English Stage. The Characters of Women, on former Theatres, were performed by Boys, or young Men of the most effeminate Afpect. And what Grace, or Mafter ftrokes of Action can we conceive fuch ungain Hoydens to have been capable of? This defect was fo well confidered by Shakespeare, that in few of his Plays he has any great Dependence upon the Ladies. The additional Objects then of real, beautiful Women, could not but draw a proportion of new Admirers to the Theatre. We may imagine too, that these Actreffes were not ill chofen," when it is well known, that more than one of them had Charms fufficient to mollify the Cares of Empire.

Befides these peculiar Advantages, they had a private Rule or Agreement, which both Houses. were happily tied down to, which was, that no Play acted at one Houfe, fhould be attempted at the other. All the capital Plays therefore of Shakespeare, Ben: Johnfon, and Fletcher, were: divided between them, by the Approbation of the Court, and their own alternate Choice: Sol that when Hart was famous for playing. Othello,. Betterton

Betterton had no, lefs a reputation for Hamlet. By this order the Stage was fupplied with a greater Variety of Plays, than could poffibly have been fhewn, had both Companies been employed at the fame time, upon the fame Play; which Liberty too, muft have occafioned fuch frequent Repetitions of them, by their oppofite Endeavours to foreftall and anticipate one another, that the best Actors in the World must have grown tedious and taftelefs to the Spectator: For what Pleasure is not languid to Satiety?

I know it is the common Opinion, That the more Play-houses, the more Emulation; I grant it; but what has this Emulation ended in? Why, a daily Contention which shall fooneft furfeit you with the beft Plays; fo that when what ought to pleafe, can no longer pleafe, your Appetite is again to be raised by fuch monftrous Prefentations, as difhonour the Tafte of a civilized People. If indeed we could raise a Number of good Authors fufficient to fupport the Spirit of our Theatres, then the Publick may profit from their Emulation: But while good Writers are fo fcarce, and undaunted Criticks fo plenty, I am of opinion a good Play will be a very great. Rarity. But to our Hiftory.

These two excellent Companies were both profperous for fome few Years, till their Variety of Plays began to be exhausted: Then of courfe, the better Actors, which the King's feems to have been allowed, could not fail of drawing the greater Audiences.

Sir William Davenant therefore, Master of the Duke's Company, to make head against the Succefs, was forced to add Spectacle and Munck to Action; and to introduce a new Species of Plays, fince called Dramatick Operas, of which

which kind were the Tempeft, Pfyche, Circe and others, all fet off with the most expensive Decorations of Scenes and Habits, with the best Voices and Dancers.

This fenfual Supply of Sight and Sound, coming into the Affiftance of the weaker party, it was no wonder they fhould grow too hard for Senfe and fimple Nature, when it is confidered how many more there are, that can see and hear, than think and judge. So wanton a Change of the publick Tafte, therefore, began to fall as heavy upon the King's Company, as their greater Excellence in Action, had before, fallen upon their Competitors: Of which Encroachment upon Wit, feveral good Prologues in those days: frequently complained.

But what can Truth avail, when its Dependence is much more upon the ignorant, than the fenfible Auditor? Taste and Fashion, with us;} have always had Wings, and fly from one publick Spectacle to another fo wantonly, that I have been informed, by thofe, who remember it, that a famous Puppet fhew, in Salisbury Change, then standing where Cecil street now is, fo far diftreft thefe two celebrated Companies, that they were both reduced to petition the King against it: Nor does this feem fo ftrange, when we confider, that Terence reproaches the Roman Auditors of his Time with the like Fondness for the Funambuli, or Rope-dancers.

The Audiences of both Houfes now falling off, and Mohun and Hart now growing old, for above thirty Years before, they had feverally born the King's Commiffion of Major and Captain in the Civil Wars, and the younger Actors being impatient to get into their parts, and growing intractable, the Audiences too of both

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