Event Comment: [By
Sir John Vanbrugh and
Colley Cibber.] All
the Characters new drest.
Mist's 13 Jan.: On Wednesday last a most horrid, barbarous, and cruel Murder was committed...upon a posthumous Child of
the late
Sir John Vanbroog, by one who, for some Time past, has gone by
the Name of
Keyber. It was a fine Child born, and would certainly have lived long, had it not fallen into such cruel Hands.
Davies (
Dramatic Miscellanies, III, 260-61): In all
the tumults and isturbances of
the theatre on
the first night of a new play, which was formerly a time of more dangerous service, to
the actors, than it has been of late,
Mrs Oldfield was entirely mistress of herself; she thought it her duty, amidst
the most violent opposition and uproar, to exert
the utmost of her abilities to serve
the author. In
the comedy of uproar, to exert
the utmost of her abilities to serve
the author. In
the comedy of
the Provoked Husband, Cibber's enemies tried all
their power to get
the play condemned.
The reconciliation scene wrought so effectually upon
the sensible and generous part of
the audience, that
the conclusion was greatly and generously approved. Amidst a thousand applauses, Mrs Oldfield came forward to speak
the epilogue; but when she had pronounced
the first line,-Methinks I hear some powder'd critic say-a man, of no distinguished appearance, from
the seat next to tne orchestra, saluted her with a
hiss. She fixed her eye upon him immediately, made a very short pause, and spoke
the words poor creature! loud enough to be heard by
the audience, with such a look of mingled scorn, pit, and contempt, that
the most uncommon applause justified her conduct in t
his particular, and
the poor reptile sunk down with fear and trembling. See also
Cibber, Apology, I, 310-11;
Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 105