r to jealousy of Frederick. Ridolpho is
banished court for murder.

Act IV. Frederick is distressed by Wirtemberg's discontent. The Empress,
seeking to learn the reason for it, is infected by Wirtemberg's
suspicions. Adelaid overhears Ridolpho and Waldec plotting to slay
Frederick, but hesitates to accuse her own brother. Wirtemberg
reproaches her for her supposed yielding to Frederick, and resolves to
leave her forever.

Act V. Adelaid, in order to warn him, sends to ask the Emperor to visit
her. Waldec intercepts the letter and resolves to murder Frederick in
her chamber. Wirtemberg learns that he has been duped and defends the
Emperor. Waldec and Ridolpho are killed, though not before they succeed
in mortally wounding Frederick, who dies amid tears.

Genest says with truth that the love scenes are dull, and that the
subject is not well calculated for dramatic representation. The play was
acted only the usual three times, and fully deserved the deep damnation
of its taking off.

In 1730 Mrs. Haywood took part in the "Rival Father, or the Death of
Achilles," written by her friend, the actor and playwright William
Hatchett, and performed at the Haymarket.[13] Three years later she
joined with him to produce an adaptation of Fielding's "Tragedy of
Tragedies, or the Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great" on the model of
Gay's popular "Beggar's Opera." The "Opera of Operas" follows its
original closely with a number of condensations and omissions. Almost
the only additions made by the collaborators were the short lyrics,
which were set to music by the ingenious Mr. Frederick Lampe.[14] The
Hatchett-Haywood version was acted at the Haymarket on 31 May, 1733, and
according to Genest, was repeated eleven times at least with Mrs. Clive
as Queen Dollalolla.[15] It was published immediately. On 9 November a
performance was given at Drury Lane. Although unusually successful, it
was Mrs. Haywood's last dramatic offering.[16]

The aspiring authoress apparently never found in dramatic writing a
medium suitable to her genius, and even less was she attracted by a
stage career. The reasons for her abandoning the theatre to develop her
powers as a writer of fiction are stated in a characteristic letter
still filed among the State Papers.[17]

_Sir_

The Stage not answering my Expectation, and the averseness of my
Relations to it, has made me Turn my Genius another Way; I have
Printed some Little things which have mett a