THE ORPHAN; OR, THE UNHAPPY MARRIAGE. A TRAGEDY. BY THOMAS OTWAY. ADAPTED FOR THE AT RICAL REPRESENTATION, AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE AND COVENT-GARDEN. REGULATED FROM THE PROMPT-BOOKS, "The Lines distinguished by inverted Commas, are omitted in the Representation." LONDON: Printed for the Proprietors, under the Direction of M DCC XCI. TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUTCHESS. 3 ว MADAM, AFTER having a great while wished to write something that might be worthy to lay at your Highness's feet, and finding it impossible: since the world has been so kind to me to judge of this poem to my advantage, as the most pardonable fault, which I had made in its kind, I had sinned against myself if I had not chosen this opportunity to implore (what my ambition is most fond of your favour and protection. For though fortune would not so far bless my endeavours, as to encourage them with your Royal Highness's presence, when this came into the world; yet I cannot but declare, it was my design and hopes, it might have been your divertisement in that happy season, when you returned again, to cheer all those eyes that had before wept for your departure, and enliven all hearts that had drooped for your absence. When wit ought to have paid its choicest tributes in, and joy have known no limits, then I hoped my little mite would not have been rejected, though my ill fortune was too hard for me, and I lost a greater honour, by |
