PREFATORY MEMOIR. Sir William D'Avenant, although popular as a poet during the times in which Milton, Dryden, and many other men of note also lived-so much so, that he was deemed a fitting successor to Ben Jonson in the Laureateship,-has, for upwards of two hundred years, been suffered to pass unregarded, except in so far as his very vigorous Poem of Gondibert and some minor pieces have from time to time courted notice through the medium of several collected editions of the works of British Poets, under the editorship of Dr Anderson (1795), Chalmers (1810), Sandford (1819), &c.; and by the introduction of his Comedy called "The Wits" into Dodsley's collection of Old Plays, (1744 and 1825). This Comedy, Sir Walter Scott also reprinted in his Ancient Drama (1810). The cause of such neglect of a man, whose plays (nearly thirty in number) are ably constructed, and redolent of innumerable flashes of wit and high poetic imagery,-in every way comparable with most of the recognized best poets since the days of Shakespeare,―may, there is every reason to believe, be ascribed to the careless and garbled manner in which the Editor has dealt with the collected edition of his works, published in folio in 1673, five years after his decease. The Dramas of Albovine, The Cruel a Brother, and the Just Italian, which are printed in the present volume, as well as many of those which will appear in subsequent volumes, have had such unnecessary liberties taken with them as to render them scarcely to be identified with the original editions, the text having been converted from good blank verse into indifferent prose, while the typography employed is of a most uninviting character even for an antiquary, far less for the general reader. This book was put forth by Henry Herringham, bookseller, "at the sign of the Blew Anchor in the lower walk of the New Exchange," and purports to be the works of Sir William D'Avenant, "consisting of those which were formerly printed, and those which he designed for the press, now published out of the author's original copies." The dedication, which is subscribed by Lady D'Avenant, is as follows:: "TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS : "Your Highness is no sooner returned from exposing your person for the honour and safety of these kingdoms, but you are persecuted by a poor widow, who humbly begs you to protect the works of her deceased husband from the envy and malice of this censorious age. For whoever sees your Royal Highness's name in the front of this book, and dares oppose what you are pleased to defend, not only shews his weakness, but ill-nature too. "I have often heard, and I have some reason to believe, that your Royal father, of ever blessed. memory, was not displeased with his writings; that your most excellent mother did graciously take him into her family; that she was often diverted by him, and as often smiled upon his endeavours. I am sure he made it the whole study, and labour of the latter part of his life, to entertain his Majesty and his Royal Highness, and I hope he did it successfully. "Whenever we are, or whenever we fear to be, opprest, we always fly to your Highness for redress or prevention, and you were ever graciously pleased to protect us. "Tis that has emboldened me to present these papers to your Royal Highness, and I humbly beg pardon for the presumption of your most humble and obedient servant: MARY D'AVENANT." By "His Royal Highness" is of course meant the Duke of York, afterwards James II. The printer, in his address to the reader, says :"I here present you with a Collection of all those pieces of Sir William D'Avenant, ever designed for the press. In his lifetime he often expressed to me his great desire to see them in one volume, which, in honour to his memory, with a great deal of care and pains, I have now accomplished. "In this work you have Gondibert, Madagascar, &c., to which is added several poems and copies of verses never before printed; amongst them there is the Death of Astragon, called The Philosopher's Disquisition, directed to the dying Christian, which the author intended as an addition to Gondibert. In this volume you have likewise sixteen plays, whereof six were never before printed. "My author was Poet-Laureate to two great kings, which certainly bespeaks his merits; besides, I could say much in honour of this excellent person, but I intend not his panegyric. He was my worthy friend. Let his works, that are now before you, speak his praises, whilst I subscribe myself, your servant, HENRY HERRINGHAM." |