Thomas Southern.
A Gentleman now living, who, as I have been inform’d, made his firſt Application to the Law; but quitted thoſe rougher Studies for the more pleaſing Entertainment of the Muſes; and after the writing of two Plays, with no ill Succeſs, at leaſt with very good Judges, mov’d by his active Temper, he left, for ſome Years, the calmer retreat of Poetry for the War; till, in the Year 1690. he preſented the Town with that diverting Comedy of Sir Anthony Love, and Six more, but of all in their order:
The Diſappointment; or, The Mother in Faſhion; acted at the Theatre Royal, 1684. 4 to. and dedicated to the o Honourable, James, Earl of Oſſery (the preſent Duke of Ormond). The Curious Impertinent of the incomparable Hiſtory of Don Quixot, ſeems to have given our Author an Hint of the Plot.
The Loyal Brother; or, The Perſian Prince; a Tragedy, acted at the Theatre Royal, by their Majeſties Servants, 1682. 4 to. and dedicated to his Grace, the Duke of Richmond. This was his firſt Play, and is built on the Novel of Tachmas, Prince of Perſia, 8 vo.
The Fatal Marriage; or, The Innocent Adultery; a Play, acted at the Theatre Royal, by their Majeſties Servants, 1694. 4 to. and dedicated to Anthony Hammond, of Somerſham Place, Eſq; In the Dedication our Author owns his taking a hint of the Tragical part of this Play, from a Novel of Mrs. Behn’s, call’d, The Nun; or, The Fair Vow-breaker. This Play was receiv’d with vaſt Applauſe, and is yet acted with Succeſs; the Diſtreſs of the Story being extreamly moving, and the Paſſions very well touch’d by the Author; tho’ had he made Villeroy and Biron Friends, it wou’d have ſomething heighten’d the Diſtreſs. In the Comical part, the Hint of Fernando being perſuaded to believe that he had been dead, buried, and in Purgatory, ſeems to be owing to The Little Thief of Fletcher.
The Maids Laſt Prayer; or, Any thing rather than Fail; a Comedy, acted at the Theatre Royal, by their Majeſties Servants, 1693. 4 to. and dedicated to the Honourable, Mr. Charles Boyl.
Oroonoko, a Tragedy, acted at the Theatre Royal, by his Majeſty’s Servants, 1696. 4 to. and dedicated to his Grace, William, Duke of Devonſhire, &c. in which the Author makes this ingenuous Acknowledgement, which few Poets have formerly done; viz. ‘I ſtand engaged to Mrs. Behn for the occaſion of a moſt paſſionate Diſtreſs in my laſt Play, (which was The Innocent Adultry) and in a Conſcience that I had not made her a ſufficient Acknowledgment, I have run farther into her Debt, with a Deſign to oblige
