Event Comment: [
The following letter appeared in
the General Advertiser]: To
Mr Ryan, Sir: As
the Author whom you have judiciously, I think, call'd in to your Assistance on your Benefit Night is little known; his Name not having appeared upon
the Stage in our Days; and from whence some may be apt to think it scarce worth while to produce him now;--it was thought advisable by many of your Friends, of which Number I profess myself, to draw up
the following Account of him and his Dramatic Works, that such as are Strangers to him may have some fur
ther Inducement to favour you with
their Company.
Mr Thomas Randolph lived in
the Reign of King
Charles I, was Fellow of
Trinity College,
Cambridge; but died young. He was a Man of pregnant Wit, gay Humour and of excellent Learning; which gain'd him
the Esteem of
the Polite Part of
the Town, and particularly recommended him to
the Favour of
Ben Johnson, who adopted him one of his Sons, and held him in equal Esteem with
the ingenious
Mr Cartwright, ano
ther of
the Laureat's adopted Sons:--
The Plays he wrote were: [he lists 5 plays, commenting from
Cokayne and
Rich of
Christ's Church College,
Oxon, and
West on
the ethical quality of
the last one,
The Muses' Looking Glass]. In short, Sir, I doubt not but his old nervous Wit will still please, and join'd with
the New Masque you have added, excite Curiousity enough to answer your Design; since by your Steadiness it was absoluteley necessary you should hava Novelty, as well as Interest, to procure half so good a House, as we all wish you, and especially, Your Humble Servant,
I. M. [See 14 March afterpiece.