_The Feign’d Curtezans_; or, _A Night’s Intrigue_ was produced at the
Duke’s Theatre, Dorset Garden, in 1679. The cast was a star one, and
Downes remarks that it was ‘well acted’. but though favourably received
it does not, for some unaccountable reason, seem to have met with the
triumphant success it certainly deserved. It continued to be played from
time to time, and there was a notable revival on 8 August, 1716, at
Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Galliard was acted by J. Leigh; Sir Harry, Smith;
Sir Signal, Bullock; Tickletext, Griffin; Pedro, Spiller; Julio, Bull
jun. Cornelia, Mrs. Cross; Marcella, Mrs. Thurmond; Laura Lucretia, Mrs.
Spiller. It was performed three times that season, but soon after
disappears from the repertory.
TO MRS. ELLEN GUIN.
Madam,
’.is no wonder that hitherto I followed not the good example of the
believing Poets, since less faith and zeal then you alone can inspire,
had wanted power to have reduc’t me to the true worship: Your permission,
_Madam_, has inlightened me, and I with shame look back on my past
Ignorance, which suffered me not to pay an Adoration long since, where
there was so very much due, yet even now though secure in my opinion, I
make this Sacrifice with infinite fear and trembling, well knowing that
so Excellent and perfect a Creature as your self differs only from the
Divine powers in this; the Offerings made to you ought to be worthy of
you, whilst they accept the will alone; and how Madam, would your Altars
be loaded, if like heaven you gave permission to all that had a will and
desire to approach ‘em who now at distance can only wish and admire,
which all mankinde agree to do; as if Madam, you alone had the pattent
from heaven to ingross all hearts and even those distant slaves whom you
conquer with your fame, pay an equall tribute to those that have the
blessing of being wounded by your Eyes, and boast the happiness of
beholding you dayly; insomuch that succeeding ages who shall with joy
survey your History shall Envy us who lived in this, and saw those
charming wonders which they can only reade of, and whom we ought in
charity to pity, since all the Pictures, pens or pencills can draw, will
give ‘em but a faint Idea of what we have the honour to see in such
absolute Perfection; they can only guess She was infinitely fair, witty,
and deserving, but to what Vast degrees in all, they can only Judge who
liv’d to Gaze and Listen; for besides Madam, all the Charms and
attractions and powers of your Sex, you have Beauties peculiar to your
self, an eternal sweetness, youth and ayr, which never dwelt in any face
but yours, of which not one unimitable Grace could be ever borrow’d, or
assumed, though with never so much industry, to adorn another, they
cannot steal a look or smile from you to inhance their own beauties
price, but all the world will know it yours; so natural and so fitted are
all your Charms and Excellencies to one another, so intirely design’d and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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