ISABELLA; OR, THE FATAL MARRIAGE: A TRAGEDY, In Five Acts, BY THOMAS SOUTHERN. 1460 PRINTED FROM THE ACTING COPY, WITH REMARKS, To which are added, A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUME,-CAST OF THE CHARACTERS, ENTRANCES AND EXITS, RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORMERS ON THE STAGE, AND THE WHOLE OF THE STAGE BUSINESS. As now performed at the THEATRES ROYAL, LONDON. EMBELLISHED WITH A WOOD ENGRAVING, LONDON: JOHN CUMBERLAND, 19, LUDGATE HILL. REMARKS. THOMAS SOUTHERN was born in Dublin, în 1660, and received his education in that university. He quitted Ireland in the eighteenth year of his age, and entered himself of the Middle Temple; but soon quitted the study of the law, to pursue that of the Some compliments paid by him to James Duke of York, afterwards King James II., in his first dramatic production, called the The Persian Prince ; or, the Loyal Brother, procured for him speedy pre muses. ferment. After the accession of King James II., when the Duke of Monmouth made an attempt upon the crown, our author went into the army in a regiment raised by Lord Ferrers, which regiment was afterwards commanded by the Duke of Berwick. He had three commissions, viz. ensign, lieutenant, and captain, in the same regiment. During the reign of James, the year before the revolution, he brought out his tragedy called The Spartan Dame, which succeeded far beyond his expectations. He received from the bookseller, as the price of his play, 1507.; which at that time was a most extraordinary sum. Southern never failed to draw all imaginable profits from his poetical labours; he was the first who raised the advantage of play-writing to a second and third night. The most finished, and the most pathetic, of his tragedies, in the opinion of the critics, is Oroonoko. He was the author of about ten plays in all, two of which, Isabella and Oroonoko, still retain possession of the stage. COUNT BALDWIN.-Green shirt, crimson velvet aim-hole cloak, with sleeves to hang under, edged with white fur, and richly embroidered, red stockings and yellow shoes. BIRON.-Green Hussar dress, cap and feather, pelisse trimmed with fur, yellow.boots. BIRON'S SON.-Black tunic, black hose and shoes; second dress, green tunic, trimmed with silver, pink sash, white silk hose, white shoes. VILLEROY.-Crimson and gold doublet and breeches, trimmed with blue satin, blue satin sash, white silk hose, white shoes, black velvet cap, and white plumes; second dress, buff cassimere dress same shape, richly trimmed with silver, white satin sash, white shoes and roses. CARLOS.-Puce cloth doublet, sleeves slashed with blue satin, and slashed with the same down the front, large breeches to match, the dress trimmed all over with button-holes of silver, blue satin sash, white silk hose, yellow boots,,large drab beaver hat, blue band, rose and feathers. MAURICE.-Buff doublet and breeches, puffed with scarlet, and trimmed with silver, sash, white hose, yellow shoes. BELFORD.-Scarlet doublet and breeches, trimmed with silver, and puff'd with white, sash, yellow boots. SAMPSON-Blue livery, puff'd with yellow, porter's robe, with knots; second dress, purple livery, crimson puffs, and silver lace, to match Villeroy's servants. SHERIFFS' OFFICERS.-Black gowns with knots. ISABELLA.-Black velvet dress, black veil; second dress, white satin, trimmed with silver; third dress, white muslin. NURSE. Blue and white broad striped cotton gown, white apron. Cast of the Characters as performed at the Theatre Royal, |