THE EDITOR's PREFACE.

JOHN VANBRUGH,* one of the Authors of the

Comedy of The Provok'd Husband, was the son of Mr. Giles Vanbrugh, of London, Merchant, and was born in the parish of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, in the year 1666. The Family of Vanbrugh were for many years Merchants of great credit and reputation at Antwerp, and came into England, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, on account of the persecutions for religion. John received a very liberal education, and, at the age of nineteen, was sent by his father to France, where he continued some years. He became very eminent for Poetry, to which he discovered an early propensity. "And, pity it is," says his Biographer, "this agreeable Writer had not discovered his Wit, "without any mixture of that Licentiousness, which, tho' "it pleased, tended to corrupt the Audience." p. 4.

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The first play which our Author produced, was The Relapse, or, Virtue in Danger, though it was not the first which he had written, for at that time he had all the scenes in The Provok'd Wife by him. The reason of his bringing out this play was, that, on his entrance into life, when only an Ensign in the army, he happened, somewhere in his winter quarters to receive a particular obligation from Sir Thomas Skipwith, though only upon a slender acquaintance. Many years afterwards, when Sir Thomas's interest in a Theatrical Patent (in which he had a large share, though he gave himself little con

* These particulars of the Life of Vanbrugh are taken principally from An Account of him prefixed to an edition of his Plays in two volumes, printed for J. Rivington, &c. 1776.

The Author of the Biographia Dramatica says, that he "Was "descended from an ancient family in Cheshire, which came originally from France; though, by his name, he should appear to "be of Dutch extraction." Vol. I. p. 455.

cern in the conduct of it) was rising but very slowly, Vanbrugh thought that to give it assistance by a new Comedy might be the best return he could make for his former favours; and he accordingly finished The Relapse, which was acted at the Theatre in Drury-Lane, in 1696, with great applause.

Upon the success of The Relapse, Lord Halifax, who was a favourer of Betterton's Company, having formerly heard some scenes of The Provok'd Wife read to him, engaged Vanbrugh to revise it, and give it to that company. The Provok'd Wife was accordingly acted at the Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, in 1697, with equal success.

But, though these plays met with so favourable a reception, they were not without their censurers. In the year 1698 appeared the celebrated JEREMY COLLIER'S work entitled A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage, in which he censures with great severity and great justice the two Comedies of Vanbrugh just mentioned. As the publication of this work forms an era in Dramatic History, and as it was perhaps owing to Collier's exertions in the cause of morality that we are indebted to Vanbrugh for the Comedy of The Provok'd Husband, I shall give a short sketch of the Life of its Author.

JEREMY COLLIER was born at Stow-cum-Qui, (or Quire) in Cambridgeshire, Sept. 23, 1650. He was

first educated under his father who was master of the Free-School at Ipswich, and afterwards, in 1669, admitted a poor Scholar at Caius College, in the University of Cambridge, where he took the degree of A. B. in 1672 and of A. M. in 1676. Having finished his studies he entered into Holy Orders, in 1676, and for some time officiated as chaplain to the countess dowager of Dorset, till he obtained the small rectory of Ampton near Bury St. Edmund's in Suffolk, in 1679, which he resigned to come to London in 1685, where he was made Lecturer of Gray's-Inn; but the change of government that followed, soon rendered the public exercise of his function impracticable. From this time he became one

of the most eminent writers among the non-juring party, and maintained the declining cause with great vigour and spirit. He was committed to Newgate for writing against the Revolution; and again, for carrying on a correspondence, which that change of events made treasonable; but was released both times, without trial, by the intervention of friends. At the execution of Sir John Friend and Sir William Perkins in 1696 for the assassination plot, he, with two other non-juring clergymen, attended them to the place of execution, where they gave them public absolution. Absconding for which, he continued under an outlawry to the day of his death, April 26, 1726. In Queen Anne's reign he was offered considerable preferment if he would submit to the government; but, being a non-juror upon principle, he resolutely declined it.

Besides his Tracts on the Stage, he published a translation of Moreri's great Historical and Geographical Dictionary, in 4 volumes folio, brought out at different times, a work of extraordinary labour: An Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain, chiefly of England, in 2 volumes folio, which is allowed to be written with great judgment, and even with impartiality: Also Essays upon several Moral Subjects, in Four Parts, published at different times; a translation of The Meditations of Marcus Antoninus, in 1702; and a volume of Discourses in 1725.

On the appearance of Collier's "Short View" &c. in 1698, (which reached at least the second edition in the same year, and the fourth in the year following) CONGREVE published his Amendments of Mr. Collier's False and Imperfect Citations, &c. From the Old Batchelour, Double Dealer, Love for Love, Mourning Bride. And VANBRUGH A Short Vindication of The Relapse and the Provok'd Wife, from Immorality and Profaneboth in the year 1698. In answer to these Collier published A Defence of the Short View, &c. Being a Reply to Mr. Congreve's Amendments, &c. And to the Vindication of the Author of the Relapse. 1699. This produced The Ancient and Modern Stages surveyed, a work I have not been able to procure.

ness,

Collier, in 1700, published A Second Defence of The Short View of the Profaneness and Immorality of the English Stage, &c. Being a Reply to a Book, Entituled, The Ancient and Modern Stages Surveyed, &c.

Also A Dissuasive from the Playhouse, in a Letter to a Person of Quality, occasioned by the late Calamity of the Tempest. 1704.

And A Farther Vindication of the Short View, &c. In which the Objections of a late Book, Entituled, a Defence of Plays, are considered. 1708.

DENNIS also entered into the controversy and published a tract intitled The usefulness of the Stage, to the Happiness of Mankind. To Government, and Ta Religion. Occasioned by a late Book, written by Jeremy Collier, M. A. 1698. In the same year also was published A Defence of Dramatic Poetry: Being a Review of Mr. Collier's View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the Stage. And A Farther Defence of Dramatic Poetry: Being the Second Part of, &c. EDWARD FILMER, Doctor of the Civil Laws, published in 1707, A Defence of Plays: or, The Stage vindicated from several Passages in Mr. Collier's Short View, &c. Wherein is offered The most_Probable Method of Reforming our Plays. With a Consideration How far Vicious Characters may be allowed on the Stage.

These are probably only a few of many Tracts to which Collier's Work gave rise.

On the merits of that and the issue of this controversy there is, I believe, very little difference of opinion amongst persons of any taste and piety. I have already noticed the subject in my Discourses on the Stage, and shall not repeat what I have there said. I shall, however, give Dr. Johnson's opinion of the matter, from his Life of Congreve, (Works, Vol. x. p. 190.) "About "this time began the long-continued controversy between

Collier and the poets. In the reign of Charles the "First the Puritans had raised a violent clamour against "the drama; which they considered as an entertainment "not lawful to Christians, an opinion held by them in