alsehood,
The wicked lying evidence of shame!'

"Her excellent clear voice of passion, with manner and action suiting,
us'd to make me shrink with awe, and seem'd to put her monitor Horatio
into a mousehole. I almost gave him up for a troublesome puppy; and
though Mr. Booth play'd the part of Lothario, I could hardly lug him
up to the importance of triumphing over such a finish'd piece of
perfection, that seemed to be too much dignified to lose her virtue."

* * * * *

Perhaps the reader may think that this chapter, like several others,
is (as the theatre-goer said of "Hamlet") too "deuced full of
quotation." Yet what can give a better picture of old stage life than
these quaint and often eloquent records of the past? Pray be lenient,
therefore, thou kindly critic, if the most faded books of the
theatrical library are taken down from the dusty shelf, and a few of
the neglected pages are printed once again. As these very books seem
all the better in their dingy bindings, so do the old ideas, the odd
conceits, the stories that charmed dead generations, take on a keener
zest when clothed in the formal language of other days.

If we want to get that formal language in all its glory, let us bring
from the library a copy of some early eighteenth-century tragedy.
Shall we close our eyes and choose one at random? Well, what have we?
The "Tamerlane" of our friend Nicholas Rowe, in which is set forth the
story of the generous Emperor of Tartary, the "very glass and fashion
of all conquerors." The play is prefaced by a fulsome "Epistle
Dedicatory," addressed to the sacred person of the "Right Honourable
William, Lord Marquis of Harrington," and showing, almost
pathetically, how frequently the literary workers of Queen Anne's
"golden age" were wont to beg the influence of some powerful patron.
The dedication seems absolutely grovelling when viewed from the
present standards, but Mr. Rowe and his friends saw therein nothing
more remarkable than respectful homage to one of the world's great
men. The republic of letters was then an empty name.[A]

[Footnote A: "Tamerlane" was brought out in 1702, with Betterton in
the title role.]

The author of "Tamerlane" fears that in thus calling attention to the
play he may appear guilty of "impertinence and interruptions," and,
he adds, "I am sure it is a reason why I ought to beg your Lordship's
pardon, for troubling you with this tragedy; not but that po