A tragedy, _Agnes de Castro_, written by that philosophical lady, Catherine Trotter (afterwards Cockburn), at the early age of sixteen, and produced at the Theatre Royal, 1696, with Powell, Verbruggen, Mrs. Rogers in the principal parts, is directly founded upon Mrs. Behn. It is a mediocre play, and the same can even more truly be said of Mallet’s cold _Elvira_ (1763). This was acted, however, with fair success thirteen times. Garrick played Don Pedro, his last original part, and Mrs. Cibber Elvira. Such dull exercises as C. Symmons, _Inez, a tragedy_ (1796), and _Ignez de Castro_, a tragedy in verse, intended for _Hoad’s Magazine_ call for no comment. There is a French play by Lamotte on the subject of Ines de Castro, which was first produced 6 April, 1723. Voltaire found the first four acts execrable and laughed consumedly. The fifth was so tender and true that he melted into tears. In Italian we have, from the pen of Bertoletti, _Inez de Castro_, tragedia, Milano, 1826. In Spanish and Portuguese there are, of course, innumerable poems, treaties, tragedies, studies, romances. Lope de Vega wrote _Dona Inez de Castro_, and the beautiful episode of Camoens is deservedly famous. Antonio Ferreira’s splendid tragedy is well known. First published in _Comedias Famosas dos Doctores de Sa de Mirande_ (4to, 1622), it can also be read in _Poemas lusitanos_ (2 Vols., 8vo, Lisbon, 1771). Domingo dos Reis Quita wrote a drama, _Ignez de Castro_, a translation of which, by Benjamin Thompson, was published in 1800. There is also a play _Dona Ignez de Castro_, by Nicolas Luiz, which was Englished by John Adamson, whose version was printed at Newcastle, 1808. [Footnote 1: Mr. Arundell Esdaile in his _Bibliography of Fiction_ (_printed before 1740_) erroneously identifies this amusing little piece with Mrs. Behn’s _The Lover’s Watch_. It is, however, quite another thing, dealing with a pseudo-Turkish language of love.] [Footnote 2: i.e., Peter Bellon, Gent. Bellon was an assiduous hackney writer and translator of the day. He has also left one comedy, _The Mock Duellist; or, The French Valet_ (4to, 1675).] THE HISTORY OF _AGNES de CASTRO_. Tho’ Love, all soft and flattering, promises nothing but Pleasures; yet its Consequences are often sad and fatal. It is not enough to be in love, to be happy; since Fortune, who is capricious, and takes delight to trouble the Repose of the most elevated and virtuous, has very little respect for passionate and tender Hearts, when she designs to produce strange Adventures. Many Examples of past Ages render this Maxim certain; but the Reign of _Don Alphonso_ the IVth, King of _Portugal_, furnishes us with one, the most extraordinary that History can produce.