WITH THE ANNOTATIONS OF H. SCRIBLERUS
SECUNDUS

FIRST ACTED IN 1730, AND ALTERED IN 1731.

H. SCRIBLERUS SECUNDUS,


HIS PREFACE.

THE town hath seldom been more divided in its opinion than concerning
the merit of the following scenes. While some publickly affirmed that
no author could produce so fine a piece but Mr P----, others have with
as much vehemence insisted that no one could write anything so bad but
Mr F----.

Nor can we wonder at this dissension about its merit, when the learned
would have not unanimously decided even the very nature of this
tragedy. For though most of the universities in Europe have honoured
it with the name of "Egregium et maximi pretii opus, tragoediis tam
antiquis quam novis longe anteponendum;" nay, Dr B---- hath
pronounced, "Citius Maevii Aeneadem quam Scribleri istrus tragoediam
hanc crediderium, cujus autorem Senecam ipsum tradidisse haud
dubitarim:" and the great professor Burman hath styled Tom Thumb
"Heroum omnium tragicorum facile principem:" nay, though it hath,
among other languages, been translated into Dutch, and celebrated with
great applause at Amsterdam (where burlesque never came) by the title
of Mynheer Vander Thumb, the burgomasters receiving it with that
reverent and silent attention which becometh an audience at a deep
tragedy. Notwithstanding all this, there have not been wanting some