With many apologies for this long, but I hope, not inexcusable trespass on your Grace's attention, I have the honor to be, With the most profound, respect, My Lord Duke, Your Grace's Most obedient and most humble servant, MARTIN ARCHER SHEE. To this letter of remonstrance, his Grace the Duke of Montrose returned the following answer. SIR, (Copy.) Grosvenor Square, 19th February, 1824. THINKING Mr. Colman a very sufficient judge of his duty, and as I agree in his conclusion, (from the account he has given me of the Tragedy, called "ALASCO,") I do conclude, that at this time, without considerable omissions, the Tragedy should not be acted; and whilst I am persuaded, that your intentions are upright, I conceive that it is precisely for this reason, (though it may not strike Authors) that it has been the wisdom of the Legislature to have an Examiner appointed, and power given to the Chamberlain of the Household, to judge, whether certain plays should be acted at all, or not acted at particular times. I do not mean to enter into an argument with you, Sir, on the subject; but think that your letter, conceived in polite terms to me, calls upon me to return an answer, shewing that your Tragedy has been well considered. I remain, Sir, with esteem, MARTIN ARCHER SHEE, Esq. &c. &c. &c. Conceiving it possible, that the Lord Chamberlain. might not have contemplated the publication of his letter, I thought it my duty to give his Grace the following express intimation of my intention respecting it. (Copy) Cavendish Square, Thursday, Feb. 19, 1824. MY LORD DUKE, I HAVE this day received your Grace's answer to the appeal which I had the honor to address to your Grace, respecting the tragedy of "ALASCO," and I beg leave respectfully to offer my acknowledgments for the promptitude and politeness with which your Grace's decision has been communicated to me. I considered myself bound, in a matter so important to my honor and my interest, to address your Grace in your official capacity, conceiving that the Lord Chamberlain, before he gave his sanction to so harsh and injurious a measure as that which has excluded my Tragedy from the stage, might possibly think it his duty to resort to some other criterion of its demerits, than the report of the Officer whose judgment was called in question before him. Your Grace's official reply has undeceived me in this particular, and renders it improper for me to trespass farther on your Grace's time and attention, than by the respectful intimation, that I propose, in due time, to submit my appeal, with your Grace's answer, to the inspection of the Public. I have the honor to be, With the most profound respect, My Lord Duke, Your Grace's most obedient, And most humble servant, MARTIN ARCHER SHEE. His Grace the Duke of Montrose, &c. &c. To this letter the Lord Chamberlain did not do me the honor to make any reply. ADVERTISEMENT. THE reader is requested to observe, that the passages in the following tragedy, which have been condemned by the Licenser, are printed in Italics. The authority upon which they are thus pointed out, is an official copy of the play, sent by the Manager of Covent Garden Theatre to the Licenser, and returned by that officer, with his erasures marked in red ink-this copy is now in my possession. The passages distinguished by inverted commas were omitted by me, in the copy for the Theatre, in order to reduce the Play within the necessary acting limits;having taken the Tragedies of Shakspeare, in Johnson and Steevens's edition, as my guide, in judging of the length to which I should extend my composition; and not being aware how much they were curtailed for the stage, I was led into the error of writing nearly one thousand lines more than could be admitted within the usual limits of an acting play. I feel myself called upon, however, in consideration of the circumstances which have attended my production, to publish it as it was originally composed,—not a line omitted,—not a sentiment softened—not a word changed or suppressed; that the utmost extent of my delinquency," the very head and front of my offending," may be submitted to the public. |