was printed in 1808 or 1809. George Washington Custis, of
Arlington, has, I am told, written a drama on the same subject."

An account of the riot is to be found in Durang's "History of the
Philadelphia Stage," and the reader, in order to gain some knowledge of
the popularity of "The Indian Princess," may likewise obtain interesting
material in Manager Wood's "Diary," the manuscript of which is now in
possession of the University of Pennsylvania. When the play was given in
Philadelphia, the advertisement announced, "The principal materials
forming this dramatic trifle are extracted from the General History of
Virginia, written by Captain Smith, and printed London, folio, 1624; and
as close an adherence to historic truth has been preserved as dramatic
rules would allow of."

It was given its first New York production at the Park Theatre on June 14,
1808.

[Illustration:

THE

INDIAN PRINCESS

OR,

_LA BELLE SAUVAGE._

AN OPERATIC MELO-DRAME.

IN THREE ACTS.

PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE.

BY J. N. BARKER.

FIRST ACTED APRIL 6, 1808.

PHILADELPHIA.

PRINTED BY T. & G. PALMER,

FOR G. E. BLAKE, NO. 1, SOUTH THIRD-STREET.

1808.

FAC-SIMILE TITLE-PAGE TO THE 1808 EDITION]

PREFACE

While I am proud to acknowledge my grateful sense of those flattering
marks of liberal kindness with which my dramatic entree has been greeted
by an indulgent audience, I feel so fully conscious of the very humble
merit of this little piece, that perhaps nothing but the peculiar
circumstances under which it was acted should have induced me to publish
it. In sending it to the press I am perfectly apprized of the probability
that it goes only to add one more to the list of those unfortunate
children of the American drama, who, in the brief space that lies between
their birth and death, are doomed to wander, without house or home,
unknown and unregarded, or who, if heeded at all, are only picked up by
some critic beadle to receive the usual treatment of vagrants. Indeed,
were I disposed to draw comfort from the misfortunes of others, I might
make myself happy with the reflection, that however my vagabond might
deserve the lash, it would receive no more punishment than those who
deserved none at all; for the gentlemen castigators seldom take the pains
to distinguish Innocence from Guilt, but most liberally bestow their
stripes on all poor wanderers who are unhappily of American parent