1766

__**About the Publication**__ //The Critical Review//, //or, Annals of Literature// was a monthly publication printed in London. It covered literary, scientific, moral, and political debates of its period. Tobias Smollett was the first editor (from 1756 to 1763). Smollett was charged with libel and sentenced to a fine and three months in prison. ProQuest still lists Smollett as the editor in 1766 (in fact, they list him as the editor until 1771.) Conversely, Wikipedia states that he left the publication in 1763 after he was charged with libel. However, Wikipedia does not list who replaced him as editor. No other editor was listed in the actual publication for the year of 1766.

__**Events Covered by //The Critical Review// in 1766**__

There were separate articles on The Stamp Act in //The Critical Review//in 1766. The articles were published early in the year (specifically January, February, and March.) One article reviewed a political pamphlet titled //Considerations Relative to the North-American Colonies// which advocated for the repeal of The Stamp Act but was “against the Americans being represented in the British Parliament.” The author of the pamphlet also commented that American Colonists were too vocal about liberty and representation without giving notice to the large amount of “blood and treasure” that their mother country had spent to “defend and establish them." The last article, published in March, concerned the repeal of The Stamp Act which occurred on March 17th of 1766.
 * The Stamp Act**

There were many, many articles about religious topics. There especially seemed an interest in proving Protestant Christianity as the one true religion and there were many letters and articles that questioned and often completely dismissed the validity of other religions. One article titled //The Morality of the East; extracted from the Koran of Mohammed// dismisses Islam as a “heap of jargon” which conflicts with “the genius of the Christian religion.” The author states that Mohammed’s principles are founded in “ignorance and prepossession” and claims that the translation of the Koran can be “of little use” since there should be no need for Englishmen to resort to “China or Arab for a system of morals”. Another article took a more sympathetic view of Islam and other Eastern religions. In //The Want of Universality; no Objection to the Christian Religion,// the author attempts to answer the question of why there are great empires that practice non-Christian belief systems if Christianity is the one true religion. Reverend Sharpe looks at the Eastern “false” religions and takes note of the Christ-like figures that are worshipped in them. He talks of Xaca and Krishnu and compares them to Christ by nothing that they were all born to virgins and had similar life stories, teachings, and performed similar miracles. He concludes by stating that since people in the East have some knowledge of Christ (just under a different name) that Christianity is actually much more universal than originally presumed. There were also a number of reviews of books on teaching morality and religion to British youth and several published sermons from English ministers.
 * Religious Debates**

New publications of anthologies of Shakespeare’s’ plays were produced and //The Critical Review// mentioned George Steevens’ publication //Twenty of the plays of Shakespeare, being the whole number printed in quarto during his life-time, or before the restoration, collated where there were different copies, and published from the originals, in four volumes.// Also, although Dr. Johnson’s anthology of Shakespeare (//The plays of William Shakespeare in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Sam Johnson//) was published in the fall of 1765 it was still being discussed in //The Critical Review// in 1766. It appears Dr. Johnson’s first edition on Shakespeare was so popular that it quickly sold out and was soon reprinted. Other reviews of interest include Laurence Sterne’s novel //Tristam Shandy//. This novel was reviewed quite negatively in //The Critical Review//. The critic states that the author of this novel forgets the “dignity of his characters and the solemnity of a Christian congregation.” Other novels discussed in the publication include //The Compleat Art of writing Love-Letters, or the Lover’s best best Instructor, Memoirs of a Magdalen: Or The History of Miss. Louisa Mildmay, The Adventures of Harriot Sprightly, a Lady of Pleasure.// In general, //The Critical Review// seemed quick to criticize any form of literature that showed elements of immorality or depravity.
 * Reviews of Book**

There were also several articles about health and the natural sciences sporadically published in //The Critical Review// throughout 1766. There was a short, informative article titled //An Essay on the Management of Bees// which described the basic lifecycle and social structure of the insect and warned against taking too much wax from their hives. Some other articles published on the sciences included: //An Account of East Florida, with a Journal, kept by John Batram of Philadelphia, Botanist to his Majesty for the Floridas// and //An Inquiry into the Merits of a Method of Inoculating the Small-Pox, which is now practiced in several Counties of England//.
 * Articles on Medical and Natural Science**

There were several lengthy articles that dissected the laws and government of Great Britain. //Commentaries on the Laws of England// by William Blackstone paid pays particular attention to the roles of royalty and also the “natural rights” of citizens. There was also a short article about a lawsuit with dealt with how Ireland’s laws fit into the British constitution (//A Solemn and Public Appeal to Magna Charta//). There was one other article that more extensively covered the history of British rule over Ireland titled //Observations on Affairs in Ireland from 1691//. The author of this article was an Irish Catholic living in Germany who listed extensive facts to describe the British-Irish relations.
 * Interest in National Laws and Contracts**

__**Theater**__ The popular actor James Quin died in January of 1766. //The Life of Mr. James Quin, Comedian// was an article in //The Critical Review// which provided a short biography about the actor. The article begins by discussing the disadvantageous character traits attributed actors. But the article then quickly changes tones in order to commend actors for being of “the most elevated ideas” who have the ability to “express every tender and noble passion”. James Quin is described as “one of the best actors and most facetious men." The essay was written shortly after Quin’s death and the author reveals that he wrote the piece “in hopes that some future biographer may from these materials… and others transmit to posterity the memory of” Quin.

The popular actress Mrs. Cibber also died in January of 1766. //The Critical Review// commemorated her life with an encomium in the form of a poem.

The plays that were reviewed or mentioned in //The Critical Review// were:
 * //The Double Mistake, a Comedy//
 * //The Plain Dealer; a Comedy,//
 * //The Merry Miller: or, the Country-Man’s Ramble to London//
 * //The Hobby-Horse: a Characteristical Satire on the Times//
 * //Neck or Nothing: a Farce//
 * //The Accomplished Maid: a Comic Opera//
 * //The Trifler. A Satire, inscribed to Lord---//
 * //The Earl of Warwick, a Tragedy//
 * //The Cunning Man, a Musical Entertainment, in two Acts//
 * //The Coach Drivers, a Political Comic Opera//
 * //The Clandestine Marriage, a Comedy//
 * //The Interview; or, Jack Falstaff’s Ghost//
 * //Falstaff’s Wedding, a Comedy[[image:James Quin, Comedic Actor width="358" height="583" align="right" caption="Actor James Quin"]]//

The season of 1765-1766 is assumed to have been prosperous but there is very little evidence of this since most of the account books are missing. The number of performances was 433, the number of performers employed was 231, and there were about 100 different plays performed. The hit of this season is stated by //The London Stage// to have been //The Clandestine Marriage//, which ran for nineteen nights before the end of the season//.// Another notable event in London theater occured on January 23, 1766 when the French philosopher and writer Jean Jacques-Rousseau visited Garrick’s box. The season of 1766-1767 left behind rich financial records. The London Stage lists that puffs (advertisements) cost the managers of Covent Garden 6 pence for each insertion in the //Ledger// and //Gazetteer//. The most popular puffs concerned Cautherly, Barry, and Miss Wilford. On October 27,1766 there was a variety show at the Haymarket which featured a “surprising and diverting performance on the tight rope by the Monkey” (//The London Stage//). This event led to the anonymous //Letter from the Rope-Dancing Monkey in the Haymarket to the Acting Monkey of Drury Lane.// This show itself and the letter were mentioned in //The Critical Review// and all sources indicate that the letter was meant to damn Franklin’s play //The Earl of Warwick// at Drury Lane. There was an increasing pattern in this season of “dressing the characters in the habits of their time” (//The London Stage//). There was press coverage on the noise and abuses of the occupants of the upper gallery. London in 1766-1767 had over 521 performances in the theatres and opera houses combined and there were over 238 performers employed. The opera season included 74 performances of five comic operas, five serious ones, and an oratorio. One-half of this number were performances of the comic pieces //La Buona Figliuola// and //La Buona Figliuola Maritata.//
 * Information on 1766 from //The London Stage//**

//**The Country Girl**// David Garrick re-wrote Wycherley’s //The Country Wife// in 1766 and the advertisement at the beginning of the play clearly declares his reasons for altering the original play into //The Country Girl//. The advertisement from the edition as it was acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane states: “There seems an absolute necessity for reforming many plays of our most eminent writers: for no kind of wit ought to be received as an excuse for immorality, nay it becomes still more dangerous in proportion as it is more witty- Without such a reformation, our English comedies must be reduced to a very small number, and it would pall by a too frequent repetition of what is worse, continue shameless in spite of public disapprobation.” In //The Country Girl,// the protagonist is Peggy (the renamed and virginal version of Wycherley’s Margery). Overall, Garrick’s rewriting adds much more romance and dramatically reduces the level of wit. Peggy is not married but instead engaged to Moody (Garrick’s version of Pinchwife.) Horner’s character from //The Country Wife// is transformed dramatically in //The Country Girl.// His name has changed to Belville and he is no longer a rake but instead a tender youth who immediately falls in love with Peggy and follows through with the honorable intention of building a lasting relationship with her. Garrick provides a very happy ending to the play where Peggy exclaims, “I’m for always loving like a fool!” The play does not have very obvious interest in displaying any sort of wit. Instead, it is entirely concerned with the young romance between Belville and Peggy. Garrick also includes a letter exchange scene. In Garrick’s version, after he privately reads Peggy’s love letter, Belville slyly asks Moody to tell its author that he will obey her in everything. Moody believes that this obedience indicates that he will never see his betrothed again but the audience is aware that Peggy has proposed marriage to Belville. At the end of the play this sort of dramatic irony is continued when Moody stands before Belville’s house and he believes that he has escorted his sister Alithea to marry Belville. He discovers too late that he has brought his own fiancée to marry another man. Peggy has disguised herself as Alithea and thus tricked her fiancé into allowing her to marry Belville. This type of confusion is also present when on the way to Belville’s house, a very drunk Sparkish approaches the couple and deceived by Peggy’s disguise tries to remove the veil that covers her face. He regrets Moody’s lack of honor in allowing his fiancée to marry someone else but Moody is in a rush to complete the marriage between Belville and Alithea. Moody does not even notice this disguise since he is so concerned with rushing the marriage. Sparkish later on expresses great satisfaction when he sees Harcourt walking with Alithea and introducing her to others as his wife, Mrs. Harcourt. It is of little consequence to Sparkish that he will not marry Alithea for he does not truly love her in //The Country Girl.// The play is very careful to stay within respectable and moral boundaries. This is obvious when the play ends with Peggy justifying her behavior to the audience. She points out that even though she has tricked and deserted Moody this is preferable to the alternative of a loveless marriage: “’twas honest to deceive him. /More virtuous sure to cheat him than to grieve him.” __**Conclusion**__ The demand for moral entertainment and interest in defending a certain level of public taste can be found in the media and the play //The Country Girl.// The review of Garrick’s play in //The Critical Review// states that Wycherley left no single play that was fit to be shown on stage under the present regulations which have led to the “gradual refinement of the public taste.” Interestingly, in 1765 Mr. Bickerstaff produced a new, less crude version of Wycherley’s //The Plain Dealer. The Critical Review// seems to have mixed feelings on the alterations to these plays: “In both instances, we think that the original author has unavoidably lost almost as much on the side of wit, as he has gained on that of decency; for the wit and the ribaldry of ‘this wanton of Charles’ days’ are so blended, that it is often impossible to obliterate one without expunging the other.” However, the review goes on to add “It must be allowed…that the writer of //The Country Girl// has considerably improved on his original in the construction of the fable; not only by converting the libidinous Horner into the modest Mr. Belville, but by dissolving the marriage between Margery and Pinchwife, and representing his heroine as a simple spinster; in which situation he has, with great address, rendered her conduct only ridiculous, which, under the management of Wycherley, was criminal.” This demand for moral entertainment can be seen in an article from //The Critical Review// titled //Sermons to Young Women.// This particular article is didactic in nature and admits that young women should not be expected “to fly from every scene of fashionable entertainment” but they should “appropriate [their] leisure to some useful and entertaining author, who may contribute to refine her taste, direct her judgment, elevate her ideas, and inspire her with a love of virtue and religion.” A connection can also be noted between these factors and the general push that seems to be occurring in the publication to defend Christianity against outside forces. There were several articles in //The Critical Review// published in 1766 which attempted to provide a defense against nonbelievers arguments demoting Christianity. For example, there was one article titled //The Truth of the Christian Religion Vindicated From the Objections of Unbelievers; Particularly Mr. John James Rousseau: in a Series of Dissertations.// Another one is titled, //Dissertations on Subjects relating to the Genius and the Evidences of Christianity.// This is somewhat of a loose link but there perhaps there is some overarching correlation between this need to defend Christianity and the interest in presenting moral entertainment at London theaters.

Works Cited:

1. '11. the Charters of the Following Provinces of North-America; Viz.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 66-7. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 2. '14. the Coach-Drivers, a Political Comic Opera.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 228-32. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 3. '15. an Account of East Florida, with a Journal, Kept by John Bartram of Philadelphia, Botanist to His Majesty for the Floridas; upon a Journey from St. Augustine Up the River St. John.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 308-11. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 4. '17. an Essay on the Management of Bees.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 313-5. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 5. '17. the Country Girl, a Comedy.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 378-9. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 6. '18. A Solemn and Public Appeal to Magna Charta, and the Common Law of England, upon the Subject of Inheritance to the Lands of Intestates by Descent; and also Relative to a Genuine Case Annexed.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 143-4. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 7. '18. the Cunning Man, a Musical Entertainment, in Two Acts.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 379-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 8. '20. the Merry Miller: Or, the Country-Man's Ramble to London.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 395-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 9. '28. the Accomplished Maid: A Comic Opera.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 468-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 10. '29. Neck Or Nothing: A Farce.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 468-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 11. '33. the Adventures of Harriot Sprightly, a Lady of Pleasure.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 237-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 12. '35. the Interview; Or, Jack Falstaff's Ghost.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 77-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 13. '35. the Trifler. A Satire, Inscribed to Lord-.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 470-1. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 14. '36. A Poem to the Memory of the Celebrated Mrs. Cibber.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 155-6. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 15. '36. the Hobby-Horse: A Characteristical Satire on the Times.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 471-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 16. '38. Falstaff's Wedding, a Comedy: As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 319-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 17. '39. Considerations Relative to the North-American Colonies.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 80-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 18. '41. A Letter from the Rope-Dancing Monkey in the Hay-Market, to the Acting Monkey of Drury-Lane, on the Earl of Warwick.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 472-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 19. '42. the Morality of the East; Extracted from the Koran of Mohammed Digested Under Alphabetical Heads.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 157-8. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 20. '47. the Whole Duty of Youth, with Respect to their Religious Conduct in Life. Adapted to the Capacities of the Youth of both Sexes.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 159-60. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 21. '48. the Compleat Art of Writing Love-Letters, Or the Lover's Best Best Instructor, &c. &c.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 400-. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 22. 'ARTICLE I. Commentaries on the Laws of England.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 241-9. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 23. 'ARTICLE I. Dissertations on Subjects Relating to the Genius and the Evidences of Christianity.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 81-7. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 24. 'II. the Confessional; Or, a Full and Free Inquiry into the Right, Utility, Edification, and Success, of Establishing Systematical Confessions of Faith and Doctrine in Protestant Churches.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 329-38. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 25. 'III. Sermons to Young Women: In II Vols.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 18-31. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 26. 'III. Twenty of the Plays of Shakespeare, being the Whole Number Printed in Quarto during His Life-Time, Or before the Restoration, Collated Where there were Different Copies, and Published from the Originals, by George Steevens, Esq; in Four Volumes.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 26-33. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 27. 'IX. the Plain Dealer; a Comedy.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 61-2. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 28. 'The Plays of William Shakespeare, with the Corrections and Illustrations of various Commentators; to which are Added Notes by Samuel Johnson.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 81-8. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 29. 'V. the Earl of Warwick, a Tragedy, as it is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 425-30. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 30. 'V. the Truth of the Christian Religion Vindicated from the Objections of Unbelievers; Particularly of Mr. John James Rousseau: In a Series of Dissertations.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 193-200. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 31. 'VI. A Large Collection of Ancient Jewish and Heathen Testimonies to the Truth of the Christian Religion, with Notes and Observations.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 417-23. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 32. 'VI. the Sermons of Mr. Yorick.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 49-54. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 33. 'VI. the Want of Universality no Objection to the Christian Religion.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 200-3. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 34. 'VII. an Historical Account of the Expedition Against the Ohio Indians, in the Year 1764.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 268-9. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 35. 'VIII. the Double Mistake; a Comedy.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 55-61. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 36. 'X. an Inquiry into the Merits of a Method of Inoculating the Small-Pox, which is Now Practised in several Counties of England.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 139-41. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 37. 'XI. Observations on Affairs in Ireland, from the Settlement in 1691, to the Present Time.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 302-5. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 38. 'XI. the Life of Mr. James Quin, Comedian.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 212-9. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 39. 'XIII. Memoirs of a Magdalen: Or the History of Miss Louisa Mildmay.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 22 (1766): 373-5. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 40. 'XIII. the Clandestine Marriage, a Comedy.' The Critical review, or, Annals of literature 21 (1766): 221-5. British Periodicals. Web. 14 Aug. 2012. 41. //The London Stage, 1660-1800: A Calendar of Plays, Entertainments & Afterpieces, Together With Casts, Box-receipts and Contemporary// Comment//: Part 4, 1747-1776.// 1st ed. Ed- George Winchester Stone, Jr. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1960.

- Ashley Auer