THE GAMESTERS. A COMEDY, AS ALTERED FROM SHIRLEY AND C. JOHNSON. ADAPTED FOR THEATRICAL REPRESENTATION, AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE AND COVENT-GARDEN. REGULATED FROM THE PROMPT-BOOKS, *The Lines distinguished by inverted Commas, are omitted in the Representation." LONDON: Printed for the Proprietors, under the Direction of M DCC XCII. Gift Reddestamely 4-30-32 THE GAMESTERS. THIS Comedy is an alteration from SHIRLEY and C. JOHNSON by GARRICK. It is a busy Play, and contains that sort of involved incident, without which the finest dialogue and the purest sentiment is but thrown away upon an audience. The Critics have been divided touching the propriety of certain alterations in the present piece. The moderate opinion seems to be, that, from the pruning hand of our great Master of stage effect, it acts better, but that something is subducted from the pleasure of the closet perusal, given by the original. It has unquestionably scenes of considerable smartness, and incidents that interest very divertingly; but yet the language is generally rugged-it is an antique, but the original die was never of the purest execution. |