[ 77 ] 



to keep the ftage almoft exclufively ; while the author built his 

 hopes of fuf cefs, not on the intrinfic merit of his performance, but 

 on his felicity in hitting the fancy of the virtuofo, or virtuofa. — 

 An undefcribable ftyle of good-humoured abfurdity, and pleafant 

 nonfenfe, then produced pieces conceived in the fpirit of Chriftmas 

 gambols, whofe only aim was to produce a horfe-laugh, and fill 

 the pocket of the author,* and this, without putting the writer, 

 or his audience, to the trouble of much thinking. — The public 

 appetite began to be fated with nonfenfe, which now required, to 

 be reinforced by pradlical jokes, and corporal adivity, and pro- 

 duced a run of Comedies full of buftle and incident, ftage-trick, 

 flage fituation, and pantomimical furprifes. The German Drama, 

 with its, train of ghofts, goblins, fiends, and enchanlers, is the 

 reigning fultana of the hour, and no Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, 

 or Farce, may hope to fucceed,. at prefent, without a fpeflre, or 

 apparition, a trap door, an haunted tower, or an enchanted 

 chamber. 



Nor fhould we be furprifed at all this. The Drama is at the 

 mercy of managers, always interefted, often undifcerning, and ig- 

 norant. The writer for the flage, regardlefs of reputation, if he 

 looks for emolument, muft be an humble drudge, a verfatile flave, 

 anxioufly watching the fluduations of whim, the vagrant caprices 

 of the moment. To fuch creatures of a third night and a green- 

 room, 



• O'Keeffe, for inftamt. 



