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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

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Thomas Southern

 

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Thomas Southern : Complete Plays

"'Putting Shakespeare and his immediate followers out of the way, whom do you think the best dramatist?' 'Otway, Lee and Southern, unquestionably. I speak, perhaps, from an old feeling of attachment, but, nevertheless, from deep conviction? Southern was a sweet and natural poet; he was the Goldsmith of tragedy.'"

Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Maturin      Print: Book

  

Thomas Southern : Fatal marriage, The; or, the innocent adultery

'The two [italics] wittiest [end italics] things in our Language in Verse & Prose are Dr Young's Conjectures on Original Composition I think, and Dr Swift's Ballad on the South Sea. The two Tragedies which go nearest one's Heart I think - in our Language I mean - are Southern's Fatal Marriage and Lillo's Fatal Curiosity. The two best Comic Scenes in our Language according to my Taste are the Scene between Squire Richard & Myrtilla in the Provoked Husband, and that between Sir Joseph Wittol, Nol Bluff and Sharper in the Old Batchelor - not the kicking scene but the friendly one. The two best [italics] Declamatory [end italics] Scenes where the Sentiments and Language are most perfect, seem to be the Scene between Juba and Syphax in Addison's Cato, & that between the two Ladies in Johnson's Irene. I know that both are unDramatic, the latter more peculiarly so, than ever was, or ever ought to have been hazarded - but for Language & Sentiment it is most Superb. - Superieure as the French say. Johnson says the finest Tragic Scene in our Language, for Drama sentiment, Language, Power over the Heart, & every Requisite for Theatre or Closet, is the Tomb Scene in the Mourning Bride. [italics] I [end italics] think, that trying to be [italics] every [end italics] thing it escapes being [italics] anything [end italics]'

Century:      Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale      Print: Book

 

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