s inauguration: Though it seems to be
growing into a just disesteem. It was deprived of its annual appearance
at Drury-Lane Theatre, in the year 1752, by Mr. Garrick; whose good
sense would not suffer him to continue so unwarrantable and ridiculous
an insult, upon so respectable a body of men as the magistrates of the
city of London.

The citizens are exposed to the highest ridicule in it; and the scenes
are loose and indecent. The reason why the comic poets have so often
declared themselves open enemies to the citizens, was plainly this: The
city magistrates had always opposed the court, on which the poets had
their dependance, and therefore took this method of revenge.

8. Dame Dobson, or the Cunning Woman, a Comedy; acted and damn'd at the
duke's theatre, printed in quarto, 1684. This is a translation of a
French comedy.

9. The Canterbury Guests, or a Bargain Broken, a Comedy; acted at the
theatre-royal, in 1695.

10. The Anatomist, or the Sham Doctor, a Comedy; acted at the
theatre-royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, 1697.

11. The Italian Husband, a Tragedy; acted at the theatre in
Lincoln's-Inn-Fields 1698. To this play, besides the prologue, is
prefixed a dialogue, which the author calls the prelude, managed by the
poet, a critic, and one Mr. Peregrine the poet's friend. The author here
seems to be under the same mistake with other modern writers, who are
fond of barbarous and bloody stories. The Epilogue is written by Jo.
Haynes.

* * * * *

JOHN PHILIPS,

A poet of very considerable eminence, was son of Dr. Stephen Philips,
arch-deacon of Salop, and born at Brampton in Oxfordshire, December 30,
1676. After he had received a grammatical education at home, he was sent
to Winchester school, where he made himself master of the Latin and
Greek languages, and was soon distinguished for an happy imitation of
the excellences which he discovered in the best classical authors. With
this foundation he was removed to Christ's Church in Oxford, where he
performed all his university exercises with applause, and besides other
valuable authors in the poetical way, he became particularly acquainted
with, and studied the works of Milton. The ingenious Mr. George Sewel,
in his life and character of our author, observes, 'that there was not
an allusion in Paradise Lost, drawn from the thoughts and expressions of
Homer or Virgil, which Mr. Philips could not immediately refer to, and
by that h