discovered to be on fire, and in a short time was a heap of
ruins. This conflagration burnt out all my dramatic fire and
energy, since which I have been, as you well know, peaceably
employed in settling the affairs of the nations, and mildly
engaged in the political differences and disagreements which are
so fruitful in our great state.

I still, however, retain a warm interest for the success of the
drama, and all who are entitled to success engaged in sustaining
it, and to none greater than to yourself, who have done more, in
actual labour and successful efforts, than any man in America.
That you may realize all you have promised yourself, and all
that you are richly entitled to, is the sincere wish of

Dear sir,
Your friend and servant,
M. M. NOAH.

Wm. Dunlap, Esq.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] John Kerr wrote "The Wandering Boys; or, The Castle of Olival"
(1823), which Dr. Atkinson believes was taken from the same French
source as Noah's piece.

[2] She Would Be A Soldier,/or the/Plains of Chippewa;/An Historical
Drama,/In Three Acts./By M. M. Noah./Performed for the first time on the
21st/of June, 1819./ New-York:/Published at Longworth's Dramatic
Repository./Shakspeare Gallery./ G. L. Birch & Co. Printers./1819./[At
one time, Edwin Forrest played the Indian in this piece.]

[3] Catherine Leesugg married James H. Hackett, the American actor, in
1819. As early as 1805, some critics in England spoke of her as the
Infant Roscius. Of her, the newspaper versifier proclaimed:

"There's sweet Miss Leesugg--by-the-by, she's not pretty,
She's a little too large, and has not too much grace,
Yet there's something about her so witching and witty,
'Tis pleasure to gaze on her good-humoured face."

[Illustration: SHE WOULD BE A SOLDIER,

OR THE

PLAINS OF CHIPPEWA;

_AN HISTORICAL DRAMA,_

IN THREE ACTS.

BY M. M. NOAH.

PERFORMED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE 21ST OF JUNE, 1819.

NEW-YORK:

Published at Longworth's Dramatic Repository, Shakspeare Gallery.

_G. L. Birch & Co. Printers._

1819.

FAC-SIMILE TITLE-PAGE TO 1819 EDITION]

PREFACE

The following dramatic _bagatelle_ was written in a few days, and its
reception, under every circumstance, far exceeded its merits. I had no
idea of printing it, until urge