Event Comment: [By
Sir John Vanbrugh and
Colley Cibber.]
All the Characters new drest.
Mist's 13 Jan.: On Wednesday last a most horrid, barbarous, and cruel Murder was committed...upon a posthumous Child of the late
Sir John Vanbroog, by one who, for some Time past, has gone by the Name of
Keyber. It was a fine Child born, and would certainly
have lived long,
had it not f
allen into such cruel Hands.
Davies (
Dramatic Miscellanies, III, 260-61): In
all the tumults and isturbances of the theatre on the first night of a new play, which was formerly a time of more dangerous service, to the actors, than it has been of late,
Mrs Oldfield was entirely mistress of herself; she thought it her duty, amidst the most violent opposition and uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of
the Provoked Husband, Cibber's enemies tried
all their power to get the play condemned. The reconciliation scene wrought so effectu
ally upon the sensible and generous part of the audience, that the conclusion was
greatly and generously approved. Amidst a thousand applauses, Mrs Oldfield came forward to speak the epilogue; but when she
had pronounced the first line,-Methinks I hear some powder'd critic say-a man, of no distinguished appearance, from the seat next to tne orchestra, saluted her with a hiss. She fixed her eye upon him immediately, made a very short pause, and spoke the words poor creature! loud enough to be heard by the audience, with such a look of mingled scorn, pit, and contempt, that the most uncommon applause justified her conduct in this particular, and the poor reptile sunk down with fear and trembling. See also
Cibber, Apology, I, 310-11;
Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 105