6.  The English Lawyer, a Comedy; acted at the theatre-royal 1678; this is only a translation of the celebrated latin comedy of Ignoramus, written by Mr. Ruggle of Clare-hall, Cambridge.  Scene Bourdeaux.

7.  The London Cuckolds, a Comedy; acted at the duke of York’s theatre.  This play is collected from the novels of various authors, and is esteemed one of the most diverting, though perhaps the most offensive play of the author’s; it was first acted 1682.  This play has hitherto kept possession of the flags, a circumstance owing to the annual celebration of the lord mayor’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