Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but
Cibber (see below) states that it was acted in January; the Dedication was signed 7 Feb. 1695@6, and the play was advertised in the
London Gazette, No 3157, 10-13 Feb. 1695@6. Two
songs were published separately:
Go home, unhappy wench, set by
Francks and sung by
Mrs Cross and the
Boy (in
Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696) and
What an ungratefull devil moves you, set by
Daniel Purcell (in
Deliciae Musicae, The First Book of the Second Volume, 1696). A separately-printed sheet of the second
song states that it was sung by "The Boy",
Cibber, Apology, I, 212-14: The next Year I produc'd the Comedy of
Love's last Shift; yet the Difficulty of getting it to the Stage was not easily surmounted; for, at that time, as little was expected from me, as an Author, as had been from my Pretensions to be an Actor. However,
Mr Southern, the Author of
Oroonoko, having had the Patience to hear me read it to him, happened to like it so well that he immediately recommended it to the Patentees, and it was accordingly acted in January 1695 [i.e., 1695@6]. In this Play I gave myself the Part of
Sir Novelty, which was thought a good Portrait of the Foppery then in fashion. Here, too, Mr Southern, though he had approv'd my approv'd my Play, came into the common Diffidence of me as an Actor: For, when on the first Day of it I was standing, myself, to prompt the Prologue, he took me by the Hand and said, Young Man! I pronounce they Play a good one; I will answer for its Success, if thou dost not spoil it by thy own Action....I succeeded so well in both, that People seem'd at a loss which they should give the Preference to.
A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 16:
Ramble: Ay, marry, that Play was the Philosopher's Stone; I think it did wonders.
Sullen: It did so, and very deservedly; there being few Comedies that came up to 't for purity of Plot, Manners and Moral: It's often acted now a daies, and by the help of the Author's own good action, it pleases to this Day