1708

The Restoration newspaper, //Post Boy//, was originally entitled //Post Boy Foreign// when it was first published in May 1696 in England. The intent by Abel Roper, a bookseller, was to create competition to the //Flying Post// newspaper. //Post Boy// was published three times a week, it contained several news reports (usually kept to a single page), and it included a classified advertisement section at the end. The heading of the //Post Boy// displayed a post boy riding a horse and an angel playing a trumpet. The //Post Boy// was considered a high performance paper alluding that it contained more “hard” news and not just popular stories or “soft” news. The layout of the Post Boy (and other 18th Century newspapers) was to start with foreign news that is annotated by the place and date of origin. The home news (not necessarily with a dateline), ship news, and advertisements came after the foreign news. The places indicated in the //Post Boy// 1708 edition included many locations such as London, Florence, Paris, Bern, Genoa, Vienna, Bologna, Warsaw, Venice, Frankfurt, Brussels, Milan, Naples, Zurich, Copenhagen, Portsmouth, and Sardinia. Advertisements during this same time period focused on medicines that could cure multiple illnesses such as incontinence, distemper, kidney stones, and wounds; newly published books such //as A General History of all Voyages and Travels, Political Instructions for the Life of Gentlemen,// and //The Art of English Poetry//; and recreational items such as a pack of cards engraved on copper plates. The newspaper did not really address the theatre, focusing more on politics and religion. The Post Boy was no longer published after 1728. **__ Events in 1708 London __** To set the stage, England and Scotland were united into one kingdom – Great Britain – in 1707. Queen Anne was the monarch in England from 1702- 1714 and was married to Prince George of Denmark. The //Post Boy// articles commence with discussion on the activities of various rulers including King Auguflus (whom the allies believe wants to return to Poland), King Charles (who may resent the Court of Vienna wanting conquests in Italy), Queen Anne of Great Britain (who is engaging the King of Prussia on the Principality of Neufchatel), and the King of Sweden (who wants troops in Poland until the Treaty of Alt-Ranfladt is fully executed). There is the suggestion of an invasion so troops and warships are being readied. Queen Anne vetoed legislation (by withholding Royal Assent from the Scottish Militia Bill). The Duke of Marlborogh defeated the French in the Battle of Oudenarde. British troops occupied Menorca and Sardinia. The Great Alliance occupied Rijsl, Brussels, and Gent. **__ English Theatre in 1708 __** The 1708 theatre season included tragedies, comedies, operas, and a burlesque show. These plays could be seen at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, the Queen’s Theatre in the Hay-Market, or the New-Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields. Drury-Lane experienced management issues in 1708 due to rivalries with Queen’s Theatre (they were eventually corrected). The Queen’s Theatre was the first playhouse to be built in the 18th Century and had ~400 person capacity. The Lincoln-Inn-Fields Theatre was advertised to be used for non-theatrical events on September 7, 1708. The plays in the English theatre in 1708 included //Irene: or The Fair Greek, Prunella, The Persian Princess: or The Royal Villian, The Disappointment: or The Maid’s Mistress, The Fine Lady’s Air: or An Equipage of Lovers, Camilla, Love’s Triumph, The Royal Amazon,// and //Pyrrhus and Demetrius.//
 * __ //Post Boy// Newspaper __**

**__ Summary of //The Gamester// __** //The Gamester//, a comedy written by Susanna Centlivre, was performed in the New-Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields by Her Majesty's sevants. The male characters are: Sir Thomas Valere (father to Valere the Gamester), Dorante (the bother of Thomas who is in love with Angelica), Young Valere (a gentleman very much in love with Angelica), Mr. Lovewell (in love with Lady Wealthy), Marquess of Hazard (a supposed French Marquess), Hector (a Valet to Valere), Mr. Galoon (a teacher), three Gamesters – Count Codgie, First Gentleman, & Second Gentleman, and a Boxkeeper. The female characters are Lady Wealthy (vain widow and sister to Angelica), Angelica (in love with Valere), Betty (woman to Lady Wealthy), Favourite (woman to Angelica), Mrs. Security (one that lends money upon pawns), and Mrs. Topknot (a milliner). The satirical and witty play is about gambling and the reformation of several characters at the end of the story. However, by becoming reformed, some freedoms are also lost.Valere, a gambler, intends to gamble until he loses all his money as well as his future inheritance from his father. By the end of the play he stops gambling, not because it is the right thing to do, but because he won’t be able to get ahead. Similarly, Lady Wealthy, who enjoys attention from many men, ultimately agrees to settle down with just one man – Mr. Lovewell. However, she is reluctant to marry but does not want to ruin her reputation by continuing to be such a flirt.

**__ Connections/Conclusion __** Though there is not a direct correlation between the play //The Gamester// and the //Post Boy// articles published in 1708, there is a similarity in fees/taxes being levied. The theatres were required to pay licensing fees whenever a new company was established or whenever there was a change in management at the theatres. This could be equated to the financial discussions that were included in the //Post Boy// where there was discussion on levying taxes - towns wanted taxes on merchants (which could impact trade) much like licensing fees could cause theatre prices to increase. Additionally, one could draw a broad comparison that the //Gamester// character, Lady Wealthy, could be similar to Queen Anne since they are both in control – Lady Wealthy controls who can enter her home while Queen Anne controls England. When Lady Wealthy marries she must “answer” to her husband while Queen Anne should be accountable to her constituents. **__ References __** Brownlees, Nicholas, Lungo G. Del, and John Denton. //The Language of Public and Private Communication in a Historical Perspective//. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Pub, 2010. 214-216. Web. 8 July 2015.

Burling, William J. “A Checklist of New Plays and Entertainments on the London Stage, 1700-173.” //Associated University Presses Inc// [London, England]//,// 1993. 46-47. Web. 8 July 2015.

Centlivre, Susanna. //The Gamester//. 1708. //Eighteenth Century Collections Online.// Web. 8 July 2015.

“Post Boy.” 1708. //17th – 18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers.// Web. 8 July 2015.

“The London Stage, 1700-1729.” //The London Stage//. N.p., n.d. Web 8 July 2015.

Warren, Victoria. "Gender and Genre in Susanna Centilivre’s //The Gamester// and //The Basset Table//." //SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900// 43.3 (2003): 605-624. Web. 8 July 2015.