The famed actress, Mrs. Oldfield, performed the part of Mrs. Sullen, when the comedy was first produced; and being highly interested in its success, from the esteem she bore the author; when it drew near the last rehearsal, she desired Wilkes, the actor, to go to him, and represent--that she advised him to make some alteration in the catastrophe of the piece; for that she was apprehensive, the free manner in which he had bestowed the hand of Mrs. Sullen upon Archer, without first procuring a divorce from her husband, would offend great part of the audience. "Oh," replied Farquhar, gaily, when this message was delivered to him, "tell her, I wish she was married to me instead of Sullen; for then, without the trouble of a divorce, I would give her my bond, that she should be a widow within a few days." In this allusion he was prophetic;--and the apparent joy, with which he expected his dissolution, may be accounted for on the supposition--that the profligate characters, which he has pourtrayed in "The Beaux Stratagem," were such as he had uniformly met with in the world;--and he was rejoiced to leave them all behind. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. DRURY LANE. COVENT GARDEN. AIMWELL _Mr. Holland._ _Mr. Brunton._ SIR CHARLES FREEMAN _Mr. Bartley._ _Mr. Claremont._ ARCHER _Mr. Elliston._ _Mr. Lewis._ SULLEN _Mr. Powell._ _Mr. Murray._ FOIGARD _Mr. Johnstone._ _Mr. Rock._ BONIFACE _Mr. Palmer._ _Mr. Davenport._ GIBBET _Mr. Wewitzer._ _Mr. Emery._ HOUNSLOW _Mr. Maddocks._ _Mr. Atkins._ BAGSHOT _Mr. Webb._ _Mr. Abbot._ SCRUB _Mr. Bannister._ _Mr. Munden._ LADY BOUNTIFUL _Mrs. Sparks._ _Mrs. Emery._ MRS. SULLEN _Mrs. Jordan._ _Mrs. Glover._ DORINDA _Miss Mellon._ _Miss Brunton._ CHERRY _Miss De Camp._ _Mrs. Martyr._ GIPSEY _Mrs. Scott._ _Mrs. Beverly._ _SCENE,--Litchfield._ THE BEAUX STRATAGEM. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. _An Inn._ _Enter_ BONIFACE, _running.--Bar Bell rings._ _Bon._ Chamberlain! Maid! Cherry! Daughter Cherry! All asleep? all dead? _Enter_ CHERRY, _running_. _Cher._ Here! here! Why d'ye bawl so, father? d'ye think we have no ears? _Bon._ You deserve to have none, you young minx:--The company of the Warrington coach has stood in the hall this hour, and nobody to show them to their chambers. _Cher._ And let them wait, father;--there's neither red coat in the coach, nor footman behind it. _Bon._ But they threaten to go to another inn to-night. _Cher._ That they dare not, for fear the coachman should overturn them to-morrow--[_Ringing._] Coming! coming!--Here's the London coach arrived. _Enter several_ PEOPLE _with Trunks, Bandboxes, and other Luggage, and cross the Stage_. _Bon._ Welcome ladies.