A Collection of the Most Esteemed Farces and Entertainments Performed on the ...

COLLECTIO N

OF THE MOST ESTEEMED

FAR CE S

AND

ENTERTAINMENTS

PERFORMED ON THE

BRITISH STAG E.

VOLUME THE FIRST.

EDINBURGH:

Printed for C. ELLIOT, PARLIAMENT-SQUARE:

M,DCC,LXXXII,

T has long been a juft complaint, that copies of

ficult to be procured, even at the exorbitant charge of one fhilling each, the ufual fhop-price; and that many of them are often not to be procured for any price: A circumftance which arifes chiefly from Bookfellers having little inducement to keep any regular affortment of pieces of this kind, the demand even for those of the first merit, in a detached form, being inconfiderable and uncertain. Thefe inconveniences firft fuggefted the defign of the prefent publication: And as no Collection of the fame kind has hitherto appeared, it is hoped this will meet with a favourable reception from the PUBLIC; and will be peculiarly acceptable to those who are poffeffed of a good Collection of Plays, to which it will form a proper Companion or Supplement, as including the principal performances of a GARRICK, a FOOTE, &c. printed in an elegant and uniform manner, and attainable at a moderate expence.

THE Volume now published is intended as a specimen; and will be followed by three, four, five, or more, if the Publisher be encouraged to complete his Plan, which is meant to comprehend all the best petit pieces of the Stage that have appeared.

THE feveral Pieces are printed entire, according to the laft editions corrected by their refpective authors; and, by the affistance of fome gentlemen of taste and theatrical knowledge, thofe paffages ufually omitted in the reprefentation are uniformly diftinguished by inverted commas.

IT may be proper to mention, that the different Vofumes are meant to be fold feparately, as well as in fets; but that the particular Pieces cannot be fold in the fame way, as the manner of printing prevents their feparation.

AUGUST 1. 1792.

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

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