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 further 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, another 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.