Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Dance, James

by Charles John Robinson

DANCE, alias Love, JAMES (1722–1774), comedian, eldest son of George Dance [q. v.], city surveyor and architect, was born on 17 March 1721–2. He entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1732, and five years later was admitted a member of St. John's College, Oxford. But he left the university without graduating, and, having assumed the name of Love, contrived to attract the favourable notice of Sir Robert Walpole by replying, in a smart poem entitled 'Yes, they are; what then?' to a satirical piece, 'Are these things so?' directed against the minister and attributed (wrongly) to Pope. Sir Robert, however, does not seem to have done much more for his advocate than feed him with false hopes, and at length, bankrupt and disappointed, Love betook himself to the stage and to the composition of light comedies. About 1740 he wrote and published an heroic poem on 'Cricket,' which is interesting as throwing light upon the history of that popular game, and his earliest contribution to dramatic literature was a piece entitled 'Pamela,' published in 1742. He performed at the theatres of Dublin and Edinburgh, and resided for some years as manager in the latter city, where (1754) he issued a volume of poems. In 1762 he was invited to Drury Lane Theatre, and retained his connection with that house during the rest of his life, part of which was spent at Richmond, where, with his brother's help, he built a new theatre, involving him in considerable loss. He died early in 1774, and it cannot be said that either as an actor or a writer he secured or deserved much success. Falstaff was his best character; his attempts to improve Shakespeare and Beaumont and Fletcher were wretched. His brother was Sir Nathaniel Dance [q. v.]

He wrote:

1. 'Cricket; an heroic poem,' 1770 ('published about thirty years ago,' pref. to 2nd edit.).
2. 'Pamela,' comedy, 1742.
3. 'Poems on several Occasions,' 1754.
4. 'The Witches,' pant. 1762.
5. 'Rites of Hecate,' pant. 1764.
6. 'The Hermit,' pant. 1766.
7. 'The Village Wedding,' 1767.
8. 'Timon of Athens,' altered, 1768.
9. 'The Ladies' Frolic,' 1770.
10. 'City Madam,' 1771.
11. 'Rule a Wife and have a Wife,' altered, 1771.

[Baker's Biog. Dram. by Reed and Jones, i. 462; Robinson's Reg. of Merchant Taylors' School.]

C. J. R.