of the Prince's company, to which Samuel also belonged.

Langbaine says that "William Rowley was not only beloved by those great men, Shakespeare, Fletcher, and Johnson, but likewise writ, with the former, The Birth of Merlin." This last fact is not now credited. The only evidence of it is, that the drama is attributed to Shakespeare and Rowley by its first publisher in 1662. This and Langbaine's testimony, in 1691, are not sufficient authority for treating our great poet as the author of any part of The Birth of Merlin, of which an analysis may be seen in Mr. Knight's Supplementary Volume.

THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY.

OLD FORREST.

FRANK FORREST,

YOUNG FORREST,

OLD HARDING.

}

his sons.

PHILIP, his eldest son, married to SUSAN FORREST.

MRS. ANNE HARDING, second wife to OLD HARDING. SUSAN, daughter of old FORREST, wife of PHILIP

HARDING.

The SCENE, London, [and on the Sea.]

FORTUNE BY LAND AND SEA.

Act I. Scene I.

Old Forrest's House. Enter Rainsford, old Forrest, Frank Forrest, Susan Forrest, Goodwin, and Foster.

Rains. I prithee, Frank, let's have thy company to supper. Frank. With all my heart: if I can but give my father here the slip by six o'clock, I will not fail.

Rains. I'll talk with him. I prithee, old man, lend us thy son to-night. We'll borrow him but for some two hours, and send him home again to thee presently.

Good. Faith, do, Mr. Forrest; he cannot spend his time in better company.

Old For. Oh, gentlemen, this too much liberty

Breeds many strange outrageous ills in youth,

And fashions them to vice.

Rains. Nay, school us not, old man.

Some of us are too

old to learn; and being past whipping too, there's no hope of profiting. If we shall have him, say so.

If not, I prithee

keep him still, and God give thee good of him! Frank. Nay, will you be gone? I'll be at the heels of you, as I live.

Fos. 'Tis enough. Nay, come; and if we shall go, let us go.

Old For. Nay, gentlemen, do not mistake me, pray. I love my son, but do not doat on him;