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    The Critic
    The Critic
    The Critic
    Ebook67 pages1 hour

    The Critic

    By Richard Brinsley Sheridan

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    About this ebook

    In "The Critic" Richard Brinsley Sheridan turns his attention to satirize the Theatre and all the people engaged in the business of the Theatre in late 18th century England. The critic of the story is a man by the name of Mr. Dangle and the play that is the subject of criticism is a horribly written production named "The Spanish Armada". Fans of Sheridan will delight in this lesser known work.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDigireads.com Publishing
    Release dateJan 1, 2010
    ISBN9781420920130
    The Critic
    Author

    Richard Brinsley Sheridan

    In need of funds, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816) turned to the only craft that could gain him the remuneration he desired in a short time: he began writing a play. He had over the years written and published essays and poems, and among his papers were humorous unfinished plays, essays and political tracts, but never had he undertaken such an ambitious project as this. In a short time, however, he completed The Rivals. He was 23 years old.

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    • 5/5
      This comedy reminds me of the movie "Twentieth Century," which is about as high a complement as I can give.

    Book preview

    The Critic - Richard Brinsley Sheridan

    THE CRITIC

    OR A TRAGEDY REHEARSED

    BY RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN

    A Digireads.com Book

    Digireads.com Publishing

    Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-2717-7

    Ebook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-2013-0

    This edition copyright © 2012

    Please visit www.digireads.com

    CONTENTS

    TO MRS. GREVILLE

    PROLOGUE

    DRAMATIS PERSONAE

    ACT I.

    ACT II.

    ACT III.

    TO MRS. GREVILLE

    Madam,—In requesting your permission to address the following pages to you, which, as they aim themselves to be critical, require every protection and allowance that approving taste or friendly prejudice can give them, I yet ventured to mention no other motive than the gratification of private friendship and esteem. Had I suggested a hope that your implied approbation would give a sanction to their defects, your particular reserve, and dislike to the reputation of critical taste, as well as of poetical talent, would have made you refuse the protection of your name to such a purpose. However, I am not so ungrateful as now to attempt to combat this disposition in you. I shall not here presume to argue that the present state of poetry claims and expects every assistance that taste and example can afford it; nor endeavour to prove that a fastidious concealment of the most elegant productions of judgment and fancy is an ill return for the possession of those endowments. Continue to deceive yourself in the idea that you are known only to be eminently admired and regarded for the valuable qualities that attach private friendships, and the graceful talents that adorn conversation. Enough of what you have written has stolen into full public notice to answer my purpose; and you will, perhaps, be the only person, conversant in elegant literature, who shall read this address and not perceive that by publishing your particular approbation of the following drama, I have a more interested object than to boast the true respect and regard with which I have the honour to be, Madam, your very sincere and obedient humble servant,

    R. B. Sheridan

    PROLOGUE

    By the honourable Richard Fitzpatrick

    The sister Muses, whom these realms obey,

    Who o'er the drama hold divided sway,

    Sometimes by evil counsellors, 'tis said,

    Like earth-born potentates have been misled.

    In those gay days of wickedness and wit,

    When Villiers criticised what Dryden writ,

    The tragic queen, to please a tasteless crowd,

    Had learn'd to bellow, rant, and roar so loud,

    That frighten'd Nature, her best friend before,

    The blustering beldam's company foreswore;

    Her comic sister, who had wit 'tis true,

    With all her merits, had her failings too:

    And would sometimes in mirthful moments use

    A style too flippant for a well-bred muse;

    Then female modesty abash'd began

    To seek the friendly refuge of the fan,

    Awhile behind that slight entrenchment stood,

    Till driven from thence, she left the stage for good,

    In our more pious, and far chaster times,

    These sure no longer are the Muse's crimes!

    But some complain that, former faults to shun,

    The reformation to extremes has run.

    The frantic hero's wild delirium past,

    Now insipidity succeeds bombast:

    So slow Melpomene's cold numbers creep,

    Here dullness seems her drowsy court to keep,

    And we are scarce awake, whilst you are fast asleep,

    Thalia, once so ill-behaved and rude,

    Reform'd, is now become an arrant prude;

    Retailing nightly to the yawning pit

    The purest morals, undefiled by wit!

    Our author offers, in these motley scenes,

    A slight remonstrance to the drama's queens:

    Nor let the goddesses be over nice;

    Free-spoken subjects give the best advice.

    Although not quite a novice in his trade,

    His cause to-night requires no common aid.

    To this, a friendly, just, and powerful court,

    I come ambassador to beg support.

    Can he undaunted brave the critic's rage?

    In civil broils with brother bards engage?

    Hold forth their errors to the public eye,

    Nay more, e'en newspapers themselves defy?

    Say, must his single arm encounter all?

    By number vanquish'd, e'en the brave may fall;

    And though no leader should success distrust,

    Whose troops are willing, and whose cause is just;

    To bid such hosts of angry foes defiance,

    His chief dependence must be, your alliance.

    DRAMATIS PERSONAE

    Sir Fretful Plagiary

    Puff

    Dangle

    Sneer

    Signor Pasticcio Ritornello

    Interpreter

    Under Prompter

    Mrs. Dangle

    Scenemen, Musicians, and Servants.

    Characters of the Tragedy

    Lord Burleigh

    Governor of Tilbury Fort

    Earl of Leicester

    Sir Walter Raleigh

    Sir Christopher Hatton

    Master

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