_The School of Action_ was the play which Steele was endeavouring to finish in 1723-5. The fragment which we have would have required a great deal of revising before it could have been put upon the stage. The MS., from which the piece was printed by Nichols, is in the British Museum (Add. MS., 5145c). It is not in Steele's writing, and the first few leaves are now wanting. I have restored the original reading in several instances in which Nichols made unnecessary alterations. There are several memoranda on the subject among the Blenheim MSS. Here is one of them:-- "Minutes for the play itself.--First Act. The beginning as I have it at Home in y^e Scheme between Brainwell and Lightfoot; after y^t y^e calling over y^e House w^{th} the actors, and y^e severall purposes y^t y^e Playhouse might be usefull for signified.--Act 2^{d.} The Country family wait as in an Inn at the playhouse; all that can be done by the playhouse to terrifie y^e Attorney and his Wife, and all that can delight y^e young Lady by Theatricall Powers is exposed and explained. A Critick upon various Actions.--Act 3^{d.} The Electra of Sophocles, where Mrs. Porter is to be the Queen, and y^e Tragedy of Sophocles to be made y^e Moddle is thoroughly set forth in a way attempted to be truly sublime.--Act 4^{th.} The Country Family, knowing of the Murder done there, resolved to bear Witness of it and prosecute it according to Law." And again, "Let Booth be Orestes, with all the prepossession and love of His Mother with the necessity upon Him of killing Her, and resolving upon it all of a sudden from passion to passion in an Hurry,--yet commanding all his Resentments to execute His design.--His regard for His sister and her urging Him." The following are other rough notes:--"Jenky to be instructed to be a ghost and torment His Brother--not to be y^t of Hamlet. Johnson to be the false Brother--Mrs. Willis, His Wife, urging to give up.--They miss the young lady for 2^{d.} Act--but don't value so y^t Her fortune is safe in His hands.... Let Pinsars ramble from place to place, and getting clear of the Play House--where he meets Evill Constable (?) and His Mirmidons.--Then Buntho's Ghost and all the other incidents possible--appears still in y^e House, and gives up to Severn, &c." And again:--"Introduce a Woman, Drunk, to be acted by Cibber, to talk at beginning Lewdly in a Mask, y^e rest in Whisper. Let Pinsars be assisted by an Army of y^e Playhouse to fight his way out; he and his man Ralph and his Wife Striking all in earnest, assisted by the Constable.... Let Him Threaten to demolish the Whore of Babylon--Speak of the Dragon and all the Cant of the Presbyterian Zeal against Plays, &c., but fight.... For the Prologue take notice of this play as a _Posthumous Work_ according to Dr. Partridge's freinds. Spider and Dotterell's Quality: Beasts made before men--Therefore the Dotterells must give way, for they were made before Spiders were in being, and not made before they were men."