to Dulwich College.  Towards the end of the XVIIth century Cartwright, the actor, bequeathed to the College a number of MS. plays, which the College authorities in the middle of the last century exchanged (horrendum dictu!) for tomes of controversial divinity.  Of all the plays left by the actor only one[280]—­and that imperfect—­remains.  The late Lord Charlemont was a friend of Malone, and it is well known that Malone had many of the Dulwich documents in his possession for years.  Mr. Warner’s theory is that Malone lent the volume to Lord Charlemont, and that it was never returned.  The objection that naturally suggests itself is, “How came so acute a scholar as Malone to fail to draw attention to a Collection of such considerable interest?” And I confess that I am not able to offer any satisfactory answer.

The volume contains in all fifteen plays, written in various hands.  One piece has the author’s initials attached, but the others have neither name nor initials.

First in order, leaves 1-29, stands Fletcher’s Elder Brother.  I have compared the MS. with Dyce’s text, and find the variations to be few and unimportant.  In III. 3 Dyce follows the old copies in reading:—­

    What a noise is in this house! my head is broken
    Within a parenthesis:  in every corner,
    As if the earth were shaken with some strange colic,
    There are stirs and motions.

As the words “within a parenthesis” were found in all the old copies Dyce did not feel justified in rejecting them, although he had only the most grotesque meaning to assign to them.  Theobald rightly saw that “within a parenthesis” was a marginal note, mistaken for a part of the text when the book was sent to press.  The MS. gives—­

    Sweet heart,
    What noyse is in this house? my head is broken
    In every corner, as the earth were shaken
    With some strange Collick:  there are stirs and motions: 
    What planet rules this house?  Whos there?

In III. 5 the MS. supports Mason’s correction “Their blue veins and blush disclose,” where Dyce followed the old reading “in blush.”—­At the end of the play, after the Epilogue, are written the three following Epigrams:—­

    A freemans life is like a pilgrimage: 
    What’s his life then that lives in mariage? 
    Tis Sisyphus his toyle that with a stone
    Doth doe what surely for ease must be done. 
    His labours journey’s endles; ’tis no riddle,
    Since he’s but halfe on’s way that stands inth’ middle.

Ad Janum.

    Take comfort, Janus; never feare thy head
    Which to the quick belongs, not to the dead. 
    Thy wife did lye with one; thou, being dead drunke,
    Then art no Cuckold though she bee a Punke.

    Tis not the state nor soveraintie of Jove
    Could draw thy pure affections from my love: 
    Nor is there any Venus in the skyes
    Could from thy lookes withdraw my greedy eyes.