Early American Plays Part 1

Early American Plays.

by Oscar Wegelin.

PREFACE

In his ably written introduction to the first edition of this work, Mr. John Malone makes the following statement: "It may be set down as a safe rule of judgment as to dramatic quality that the plays which were printed were fit for no more than the use to which an indulgent Providence and the Dunlap Society have dedicated them--to serve as examples of the good-will and sympathy with which a few great and good men in the days of our country's fiery trial held out their helping hands to the gentle art of drama."

This statement, with a possible exception or two, is in the main correct. Few of the plays which are here catalogued have survived because of their literary excellence. We, however, must not look at the contents of this book from this view-point, but rather from the historical. Poorly written as many of the plays may be, they still possess to the student of American history an interest which far exceeds that of every other cla.s.s of writing, the purely historical excepted. The _first_ play written by a resident of what is now the United States was _Androboros_ (the Man-Hater) written by Robert Hunter, Colonial Governor of New York, a.s.sisted by Lewis Morris. This play, or rather dramatic satire, was written to ridicule sundry residents of that colony, princ.i.p.ally Dr. Vesey and several members of Trinity Church. This play, which was issued in 1714, was not followed by another dramatic production, as far as known, until _The Suspected Daughter_, a farce by "T. T.," was printed at Boston in 1751. Who "T. T." was is not known, nor can I trace a copy of the play. Little of importance came to light previous to the Revolution, but that event, stirring as it was, seems to have been a stimulant to native ambition, and a number of dramatic productions were written and printed. Among these may be mentioned _The Battle of Bunker Hill_ and _The Death of Montgomery_ by Brackenridge, then a schoolmaster; _The Adulateur_ and _The Group_ by Mercy Warren, afterwards well known as one of the foremost dames of the colonies; and several others, some from the Royalist side, as Sewell's _Cure for the Spleen_ and an anonymous production, _The Battle of Long Island_.

The second war with England was also celebrated by our early playwrights, as was the war with Tripoli.

The dramatic history of no country would be complete which did not celebrate the deeds and warlike exploits of its aboriginal inhabitants, and the American dramatist was not slow in recognizing the many-sided character of the North American Indian. His wars, his fluent oratory, his virtues, are all told, the best of these efforts being embodied in Stone's _Metamora_, made famous by the acting of Edwin Forrest.

But all of the dramatic productions which were written prior to 1830 did not relate to America, and a glance over the list will show many plays which take for their groundwork the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the Russian Empire and its people, while Love, that mysterious something which lays its finger upon all whether we will or no, is found, as in our fiction, in nearly all of them. What the dramatist, poet, and novelist would do without the help of the fickle G.o.ddess is an unsolvable problem.

As will be seen by a glance at the contents of this volume, few of the plays were acted, nor were many of them intended for public entertainment. A large number were written to serve a purpose--political or otherwise--and when that had been attained, were forgotten, even by their authors.

They show, however, what was and could be accomplished in this way, at a time when the average citizen had little time for aught but earnest, sober thought.

When looked at from this view-point we must really wonder that as much remains as has been discovered. Can any country besides ours show a better result--at least for quant.i.ty, if not for quality?

Among the interesting facts which will be discovered by a perusal of this list is that a number of the writers of early American plays were men who achieved success in other callings. Thus we find among those who found time to interest themselves in the drama and the production of plays, the names of Judge H. H. Brackenridge, Charles Brockden Browne, the first American novelist, Edward Hitchc.o.c.k, President of Amherst and foremost among the scientists of his era, David Humphreys, Revolutionary soldier and diplomat, John Neal, the friend of Poe, Jas. G. Percival, the poet, Jas. K. Paulding, coworker with Irving, Royall Tyler, and Samuel Woodworth, author of _The Old Oaken Bucket_.

This edition is issued at the solicitation of a number of collectors and librarians, who were unable to obtain a copy of the first edition, which was issued for members of The Dunlap Society in 1900.

I have endeavored to make this list as complete as possible, and it has been to me a labor of the greatest interest. Nothing that I have ever attempted in bibliographical work has given me more pleasure.

Numerous corrections will be found by comparison with the earlier edition, and upwards of sixty new t.i.tles are included, discovered since the issue of the earlier volume.

Errors will, of course, be discovered, but I ask indulgence in those who find them, for as all who are interested will readily admit, no bibliographical work was ever perfect.

Probably the most complete collection of early American plays, at this writing in the hands of a private collector, is that owned by Evert Jansen Wendell, Esq., of New York. Several of the t.i.tles contained in this volume would be unknown to me at this time but for the kindness of Mr. Wendell, who has given me the opportunity to examine his collection. Another good collection is owned by the Brown University Library, Providence, R. I.

OSCAR WEGELIN.

EARLY AMERICAN PLAYS

ANONYMOUS t.i.tLES

A NEW SCENE INTERESTING TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, additional to the Historical Play of Columbus. By a Senator of the United States. [Line from Virgil] Lately performed with applause at the New Theatre, in Philadelphia.

Printed by Benj. Franklin Bache, No. 112 Market Street.

MDCCXCVIII. 8vo, pp. [3], 4-12.

ALFRED THE GREAT. An Historical Tragedy, in Five Acts, by a Young Gentleman of this City. New York, 1822. 16mo, pp. 107.

AMERICANA; OR, A NEW TALE OF THE GENII. Being an Allegorical Mask in Five Acts. Baltimore, 1802. 8vo, pp. 128.

Dedicated to Thomas Jefferson.

THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN. A Farce in Two Acts, as it was performed on Long Island on Tuesday, the 27th day of August, 1776, by the Representatives of the Tyrants of America a.s.sembled at Philadelphia. [6 lines of poetry] New York: Printed for J.

Rivington, in the Year of the Rebellion, 1776.

Reprinted in Brooklyn. 8vo, 1873.

THE BATTLE OF EUTAW SPRINGS. A Drama in Five Acts. Charleston [circa 1790] 8vo, pp. 52.

A play with a similar t.i.tle was written by W. Ioor.

THE BETTER SORT; OR, THE GIRL OF SPIRIT. A Farce. Boston, 1789. 8vo, pp. iv.-80.

THE BLOCKHEADS; OR, THE AFFRIGHTED OFFICERS. A Farce. Bost., Queen St., 1776. 12mo, pp.19[2].

Also, 16mo, pp. v.-43. New York, 1782.

Attributed to Mrs. Mercy Warren.

THE BLOCKHEADS; OR, FORTUNATE CONTRACTOR. An Opera in Two Acts. As it was performed at New York [during the Revolution.] New York, printed; London, reprinted for G. Kearsley. 1782. 2 plates, 8vo, pp. v.-43.

BLOW FOR BLOW. A Tragedy. Baltimore, 1805.

CATHARINE BROWN, THE CONVERTED CHEROKEE. A Missionary Drama, founded on fact. By a Lady. New Haven, 1819. 12mo, pp. 27.

CHARLES THE TWELFTH; OR, THE BATTLE OF PULTOWA. A military tragic piece; in Four Acts. By the Author. Printed and published at New York, 1818. 16mo, pp. 34.

COLUMBIA AND BRITANNIA. A Dramatic Piece, by a Citizen of the United States. New London: Printed by T. Green, 1786. 8vo, pp. 63.

Among the Characters in this play are Fabius (Washington) and Perjuris (Arnold). McKee copy dated 1787.

DRAMATIC PIECES Calculated to exemplify the mode of conduct which will render young ladies both amiable and happy, when their school education is completed. In three Volumes. New Haven: Printed by Abel Morse. 1791. 12mo.

The prefaces to these works are signed P. I.

Contents. Vol. 1. The Good Mother-in-Law, the Good Daughter-in-Law.

Vol. 2. The Reformation, The Maternal Sister: a Drama in three acts.

Vol. 3. The Triumph of Reason, The Contrast. Each piece is paged separately.

THE BLOCKHEADS: OR, THE AFFRIGHTED OFFICERS.