onstantly utilized over and
over again, not only his own material, but the materials of others, that
it is not surprising to find him often in dispute with dramatic authors
of the time. A typical disagreement occurred in the case of the actor John
Hodgkinson (1767-1805), whose drama, "The Man of Fortitude; or, the
Knight's Adventure," given at the John Street Theatre, on June 7, 1797,
was, according to Dunlap, based on his own one-act verse play, "The
Knight's Adventure," submitted to the actor some years before.

Only the play, based on the 1798 edition, is here reproduced. The
authentic documents are omitted.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The/Father;/or,/American Shandy-ism./A Comedy,/As performed at the
New-York Theatre,/By the/Old American Company./Written in the year
1788./With what fond hope, through many a blissful hour,/We give the soul
to Fancy's pleasing pow'r./Conquest of Canaan./New-York:/Printed by Hodge,
Allen & Campbell./ M, DCC, LXXXIX./

[2] Darby's Return:/A Comic Sketch,/As Performed at the New-York Theatre,/
November 24, 1789,/For the Benefit of Mr. Wignell. Written by William
Dunlap./ New-York:/Printed by Hodge, Allen and Campbell./And Sold at their
respective Bookstores,/and by Berry and Rogers./M, DCC, LXXXIX./

[3] Andre;/A Tragedy, in Five Acts:/As Performed by the Old American
Company,/ New-York, March 30, 1798./To which are added,/Authentic
Documents/respecting/ Major Andre;/Consisting of/Letters to Miss
Seward,/The/Cow Chace,/Proceedings of the Court Martial, &c./Copy Right
Secured./New-York:/Printed by T. & J. Swords, No. 99 Pearl-street./1798./

[4] One of Dunlap's best-known tragedies was "Leicester," published by
David Longworth in 1807.

[5] Freneau began a play, "The Spy" (Pattee, "Poems of Philip Freneau"),
in which Andre was a character.

[Illustration:

ANDRE;

A _TRAGEDY_, IN FIVE ACTS:

AS PERFORMED BY THE OLD AMERICAN COMPANY, NEW-YORK, MARCH 30, 1798.

TO WHICH ARE ADDED

AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS

RESPECTING

_MAJOR ANDRE;_

CONSISTING OF

LETTERS TO MISS SEWARD,

THE

COW CHACE,

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COURT MARTIAL, &c.

_COPY RIGHT SECURED._

NEW-YORK:

Printed by T. & J. SWORDS. No. 99 Pearl-street.

--1798.--

FAC-SIMILE TITLE-PAGE OF THE FIRST EDITION]

PREFACE

More than nine years ago the Author made choice of the death of Major
Andre as the Subject of a Tragedy, and part of what is now offered to the
public was written at that time.