siderable disbursements; and therefore he never remitted of his filial piety, which his nearest relations agreed to be a shining part of his character. Mr. Fielding being thus unfortunately circumstanced, aggravated the evils of poverty by a strong propensity to extravagance and dissipation. Though under age, he found himself his own master, in a place where the temptations to pleasure were numerous, and the means of gratification easily attained. The brilliancy of his talents soon brought him into request with men of taste and literature; but it was not to men of taste and literature only that his acquaintance was confined. He united with the voluptuous, as well as with the learned and the witty, and plunged into excesses, the bad effects of which accompanied him all the remainder of his life *.

In the pecuniary difficulties experienced by Mr. Fielding, the bent of his genius, and the readiness of his wit, naturally led him to write for the stage; in doing which he might have risen to eminence, had his situation granted him the leisure and reflection which are necessary to the due perfection of dramatic productions. As, for several years, he made a considerable figure by the number, at least, if not by the excellence of his plays, we shall take a connected view of him in this capacity, before we proceed to other parts of his life. His first comedy was intituled, "Love in several Masks," and was acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-lane, in 1727-8, when he was only in the 21st year of his age. Though it immediately succeeded the long and crowded run of "The Provoked Husband," it met with a favourable reception; and considering, observes Mr. Murphy, that it was our author's first attempt, it had, no doubt, the marks of a promising genius. It probably derived no small advantage from its being represented by such actors and ac

*Murphy, ubi supra, pp. 7, 8. 10. 12. Biographia Dramatica, vol. I. pp. 160, 161. New octavo Universal Dictionary, yol. V. pp. 238. 330.

tresses

tresses as Mr. Wilks, Mr. Cibber, Mrs. Oldfield, and Mrs. Porter. - Mr. Fielding's next dramatic production, "The Temple Beau," was brought forwards in 1729 at Goodman's-fields. It was tolerably successful, and is allowed to contain a great deal of spirit and real humour. The character, however, of Wilding, is very inferior to that of Ranger, in Dr. Hoadly's "Suspicious Husband *." The Temple Beau" was followed, in the same year, by a comedy of three acts, called "The Author's Farce;" which contains a supposed rehearsal of another piece, intituled, "The Pleasures of the Town," which was principally designed to ridicule the prevailing fondness for the Italian singers. It was first acted at the little theatre in the Haymarket, with very considerable success; and in 1732 was revived at Drury-lane, after being revised and greatly altered. -In 1731, Mr. Fielding produced "The Lottery," a ballad farce, which is a lively and entertaining performance. It met with a good reception at Drurylane, and still remains on the list of acting farces. This is especially the case near the time of drawing the state-lotteries, when the scene of the wheels in Guildhall gives great pleasure to the nightly residents of the upper regions of the theatre.-Five other productions came from our author's pen in the year 1731. These "The Coffee-house Politician,' were, a comedy; "The Tragedy of Tragedies; or, the Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great;""The Letter Writers," a farce; "The Grub-street Opera," a ballad farce; and the "Modern Husband," a comedy. "The Coffee-house Politician" is said to have been performed with tolerable success at the Haymarket. To great success it had no just title. Of" The Tragedy of Tragedies" the following en

*Murphy, ubi supra, pp. 13, 14. ubi supra. Ibid. vol. II. pp. 199. 367.

10

Biographia Dramatica,

+ Biographia Dramatica, vol. II. pp. 25. 193, 194. Fielding's Works, vol. I. edit. 1783.-Since the above article was written, the drawing of the state-lottery has been removed from Guildhall.

comium is given by the writers of the Biographia Dramatica: "It is, perhaps, one of the best burlesques that ever appeared in this or any other language, and may properly be considered as a sequel to the Duke of Buckingham's Rehearsal,' as it has taken in the absurdities of almost all the writers of tragedy from the period where that piece stops. The scene between Glumdalca and Hunca Munca is a most admirable parody on the celebrated meeting between Octavia and Cleopatra, in Dryden's All for Love.' His" (the author's) "Love Scenes, his Rage, his Battle, and his Bloody Catastrophe, are such strong imitations of the tragic rules pursued by the writers of that time, that the satire conveyed in them cannot escape the observation of any one ever so little conversant with the writers of about a century past. His similes are beautiful, yet truly ludicrous, and point out the absurdity of a too frequent use of that image in speeches. In a word, this piece possesses in the highest degree the principal merit of the true burlesque; viz. that while it points out the faults of every other writer, it leaves no room for the discovery of any in itself. To those who can relish the satire conveyed in it, it is truly delightful: and to those who do not even understand every turn of its humour, it will ever appear at the least agreeable." The tragedy of Tom Thumb first made its appearance at the little theatre in the Haymarket, in the year 1730, in one act only. But the success it promised induced Mr. Fielding to enlarge it to the extent of three acts; in which form it was brought upon the stage again in 1731, at the Haymarket, and afterwards at Drury-lane. The "Letter Writers," the "Grubstreet Opera," and the "Modern Husband," may be passed over without farther notice; only it may be observed, to the honour of our author, that in the Prologue to the "Modern Husband" he expresses a sense of the irregularity and indecency of some of his former compositions:

"At

"At length, repenting frolic flights of youth,
Once more he flies to Nature and to Truth:
In Virtue's just defence aspires to fame,
And courts applause without the applauder's
shame *."

His contrition was not productive of an entire reformation. In 1732, Mr. Fielding gave to the world four dramatic pieces, all of which were acted at Drury-lane. These were, "The Mock Doctor," a ballad farce; "The Covent Garden Tragedy," a burlesque; "The Debauchees," a comedy of three acts; and "The Miser," a comedy. The "Mock Doctor," with an exception to the songs, which are not very numerous, is taken from the "Médecin malgré lui" of Moliere. It is a very pleasant performance, and maintains its rank to this day, as one of the most constant and favourite after-pieces which the theatre affords. "The Covent Garden Tragedy" merits no attention, and little can be said in praise of the "Debauchees." Like the "Tartuff" of Moliere, and the "Non-Juror" of Cibber, its principal intention is to expose Monkish hypocrisy and villainy. The "Miser" may be considered as the most perfect comedy which our author has written; and it has maintained its ground upon the stage ever since it was first performed. Its excellency, however, chiefly belongs to Moliere, from whom it is for the most part taken. Mr. Murphy justly observes, that it has the value of a copy from a great painter, by an eminent hand. – -The Intriguing Chambermaid," a ballad opera, acted at Drury-lane, and "Don Quixote in England," a comedy, represented at the new theatre in the Haymarket, were the productions of the year 1733. "The Intriguing Chambermaid," which still continues on the list of acting farces, is almost entirely borrowed from the "Dissipateur." Its being one of the pieces in which

* Fielding's Works, vol. II. edit. 1783, p. 247. Biographia Dramatica, vol. II. pp. 60. 377. 187. 141. 240.

+ Fielding's Works, vol. III. pp. 1. 204. Biographia Dramatica, vol. II, pp. 239. 70. 83. 236. Murphy, ubi supra, p. 15. Mrs.

Mrs. Clive appeared, contributed not a little to its acceptance and success. Notwithstanding the difficulty of sustaining a character so wonderfully drawn by Cervantes, the "Don Quixote in England" met with a favourable reception.-A farce, intituled, "An old Man taught Wisdom," and a comedy, called "The Universal Gallant," were produced in 1734. "The old Man taught Wisdom,' say the writers of the Biographia Dramatica, "was acted with good success at Drury Lane Theatre, and continues on the acting list to this day. The characters are all outré to the greatest degree, and the piece is entirely devoid of even the shadow of a plot. Yet there is something laughable in it on the whole; and therefore, as it pleases the canaille, it is in general more frequently performed than many farces of an infinitely greater share of merit." "The universal Gallant" was condemned by the audience; and, we apprehend, not unjustly.-Our author was much happier in his next performance, which appeared at the Haymarket theatre in 1736. This was "Pasquin," a dramatic satire on the times: being the rehearsal of two plays, viz. a Comedy, called the "Election;" and a Tragedy, called "the Life and Death of Common Sense." Mr. Murphy is of opinion, that, if "Pasquin" were restored to the stage, it would perhaps be a more favourite entertainment with our audiences than the much admired "Rehearsal;" and that a more rational one it certainly would be, as it would undoubtedly be better understood. The "Pasquin" was followed, in 1737, by the "Historical Register," a production of a similar nature. These two pieces were the occasion of producing a great revolution in the state of the theatrical world; for, it was owing to some reflections thrown out in them on the ministry, that an Act of Parliament was passed for limiting the number of theatres, and submitting every new dramatic work to the inspection of the Lord Chamberlain, previously to its appearance on the stage *. Besides * Fielding's Works, vol. III. p. 205–336. vol. IV.p. 1–191.

the