ADDRESS. THE Editors of the Dramatic Magazine will not occupy their reader's time, or endeavour to prepossess themselves in his favour, by plausible assurances of the care and attention with which they intend to carry on this publication: if the work be not entitled to support on its own merits, any eulogium of this nature will but render it doubly contemptible. Though they avoid this beaten track, they think it nessary to say something respecting it; and, as brevity is the soul of wit, they will endeavour to be as concise as possible. Few causes have tended more to raise the stage to its present repute, and the professors to their present affluence, than the elegant and cl criticisms which Steele, Addison, and their friends introduced fi ime to time in the Spectator, Tatler, and other periodicals; for they not only corrected many errors that prevailed, and gave a firmness and respectability to the profession before unknown, but induced men of genius, such as Churchill, Lloyd, and many others, to devote their attention to the stage, by whose works we are enabled to gain some ideas of the style and manners of our departed actors; but though these works are eagerly sought after, they are far from affording so minute a statement as could be wished. Now had a Theatrical Review been established, giving an exact report of all theatrical proceedings, it would not only have been a great source of amusement to the public, but have proved of most essential service to the actor; for there are many minute circumstances in the exhibition of a character upon the stage, which do not appear from reading the poet, but must be supplied by the B player from his own observation of human life. These minute circumstances may be preserved in a Theatrical Review, as a gallery of pictures, in the dresses of the times, gives us a lively idea of the appearance of our ancestors. "Life's moving picture, well-wrought plays," would be still more lively, if every peculiarity of manners in every trait of character were preserved; and if not retained by writing, many characteristic minutiæ must fade away with the age that gave them birth, and be totally lost to after-times. The object of the Dramatic Magazine will be, therefore, to afford a complete history of the modern stage; but, in addition to this, the Editors purpose abridging from numerous publications a history of the British drama, including a biography of all the principal performers from its commencement. |
