CHARLES JOHNSON WAS originally intended for the law, but that regulating the Drama was the only one he practisedHe was however entered of the Middle Temple, and as the reputation of a WIT in his day was conferred by a Coffee-House, so he never by a day's absence from Button's forfeited his pretensions. WILKS, by some means or other, he made his friend, and thus secured an easy reception to his productions-he accordingly availed himself of this advantage, and in thirty years produced nineteen Plays, Tragedies and Comedies.-Of the first I know nothing; the latter are neither at the top nor the bottom of the list-One DRAMA alone comes within the present selection, and that has long been upon the shelf. JOHNSON was little formed to struggle with active life-he loved the tavern comforts, and accordingly became the master of one in Bow-street, which at the demise of his wife he quitted for competence and retirement.-Poor Johnson had none of Cæsar's dangerous marks about him-he was "Sleekheaded, fat, and slept in peace o' nights." POPE, as was his wont, for something or for nothing, dishonoured himself by abusing him-but the man was beloved by those of better nature, and the satire is forgotten. COUNTRY LASSES. THIS Comedy is busy, sprightly, and of course entertaining; its incidents however are borrowed palpably from MIDDLETON and FLETCHER. There are two plots; one stolen from Aphra Behn, who had herself plundered "A Mad World my Masters;" the other was from "The Custom of the Country:" but it deserves infinitely more notice than the strange stuff by which Bickerstaff keeps possession of the stage; for it has character, incident, and in truth dialogue, extremely smart and whimsical. PROLOGUE. Spoken by a CHILD. MAKE me to speak a prologue! Is he wild? Plays, like ambassadors, in form are shewn, And moves your pity for the author's pangs; (I mean a curtsey) [Curtseying] beg the ladies' pity; He leads you to the rural scenes to prove Fam'd for consumption both of wit-and pills: We've bigger actresses are fitter for't Lord, how you laugh! as 'twere some naughty joke. How should I say such things, who never knew B |