ted, in the role of Daring must been
grotesque and distasteful to a degree. In such an accumulation of
unfortunate circumstances there could have been no other event than the
failure of the play, which was so complete as effectually to bar any
chance of subsequent revival. Indeed, there seems to have been only one
feature of any merit: Betty Currer, the original Aquilina in _Venice
Preserv'd_, acted the name part with the greatest spirit and abandon.

To the much Honoured

MADAM WELLDON.

Madam

Knowing Mrs. _Behn_ in her Life-time design'd to Dedicate some of her
Works to you, you have a Naturall Title, and claim to this and I could
not without being unjust to her Memory, but fix your Name to it, who
have not only a Wit above that of most of your Sex; but a goodness and
Affability Extreamly Charming, and Engaging beyond Measure, and perhaps
there are few to be found like you, that are so Eminent for
Hospitallity, and a Ready and Generous Assistance to the distress'd and
Indigent, which are Quallities that carry much more of Divinity with
them, than a Puritannicall outward Zeal for Virtue and Religion.

Our Author, Madam, who was so true a Judge of Wit, was (no doubt of it)
satisfyed in the Patroness she had pitcht upon: If ever she had occasion
for a Wit and Sense like yours 'tis now, to Defend this (one of the last
of her Works) from the Malice of her Enemies, and the ill Nature of the
Critticks, who have had Ingratitude enough not to Consider the
Obligations they had to her when Living; but to do those Gentlemen
Justice, 'tis not (altogether) to be Imputed to their Critticism, that
the Play had not that Success which it deserv'd, and was expected by her
Friends; The main fault ought to lye on those who had the management of
it. Had our Authour been alive she would have Committed it to the Flames
rather than have suffer'd it to have been Acted with such Omissions as
was made, and on which the Foundation of the Play Depended: For Example,
they thought fit to leave out a Whole Scene of the _Virginian Court of
Judicature_, which was a lively resemblance of that Country-Justice; and
on which depended a great part of the Plot, and wherein were many
unusuall and very Naturall Jests which would at least have made some
sort of People laugh: In another Part of the Play is Omitted the
appearance of the Ghost of the _Indian King_, kill'd by _Bacon_, and
tho' the like may have been Represented in other Plays, yet I n