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    Every One Has His Fault: 'Then why do you complain for the want of a family?''
    Every One Has His Fault: 'Then why do you complain for the want of a family?''
    Every One Has His Fault: 'Then why do you complain for the want of a family?''
    Ebook124 pages1 hour

    Every One Has His Fault: 'Then why do you complain for the want of a family?''

    By Mrs Inchbald

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    About this ebook

    Elizabeth Simpson was born on 15th October 1753 at Stanningfield, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

    Despite the fact that she suffered from a debilitating stammer she was determined to become an actress.

    In April 1772, Elizabeth left, without permission, for London to pursue her chosen career. Although she was successful in obtaining parts her audiences, at first, found it difficult to admire her talents given her speech impediment. However, Elizabeth was diligent and hard-working on attempting to overcome this hurdle. She spent much time concentrating on pronunciation in order to eliminate the stammer. Her acting, although at times stilted, especially in monologues, gained praise for her approach for her well-developed characters.

    That same year she married Joseph Inchbald and a few months later they appeared for the first time together on stage in ‘King Lear’. The following month they toured Scotland with the West Digges's theatre company. This was to continue for several years.

    Completely unexpectedly Joseph died in June 1779. It was now in the years after her husband’s death that Elizabeth decided on a new literary path. With no attachments and acting taking up only some of her time she decided to write plays.

    Her first play to be performed was ‘A Mogul Tale or, The Descent of the Balloon’, in 1784, in which she also played the leading female role of Selina. The play was premiered at the Haymarket Theatre.

    One of the things that separated Elizabeth from other contemporary playwrights was her ability to translate plays from German and French into English for an audience that was ever-hungry for new works.

    Her success as a playwright enabled Elizabeth to support herself and have no need of a husband to support her. Between 1784 and 1805 she had 19 of her comedies, sentimental dramas, and farces (many of them translations from the French) performed at London theatres. She is usually credited as Mrs Inchbald.

    Mrs Elizabeth Inchbald died on 1st August 1821 in Kensington, London.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStage Door
    Release dateMay 1, 2019
    ISBN9781787805347
    Every One Has His Fault: 'Then why do you complain for the want of a family?''

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      Book preview

      Every One Has His Fault - Mrs Inchbald

      Every One Has His Fault by Mrs Inchbald

      A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS

      AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN

      Elizabeth Simpson was born on 15th October 1753 at Stanningfield, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. 

      Despite the fact that she suffered from a debilitating stammer she was determined to become an actress.

      In April 1772, Elizabeth left, without permission, for London to pursue her chosen career.  Although she was successful in obtaining parts her audiences, at first, found it difficult to admire her talents given her speech impediment.  However, Elizabeth was diligent and hard-working on attempting to overcome this hurdle. She spent much time concentrating on pronunciation in order to eliminate the stammer. Her acting, although at times stilted, especially in monologues, gained praise for her approach for her well-developed characters.

      That same year she married Joseph Inchbald and a few months later they appeared for the first time together on stage in ‘King Lear’.  The following month they toured Scotland with the West Digges's theatre company.  This was to continue for several years.

      Completely unexpectedly Joseph died in June 1779.  It was now in the years after her husband’s death that Elizabeth decided on a new literary path.  With no attachments and acting taking up only some of her time she decided to write plays.

      Her first play to be performed was ‘A Mogul Tale or, The Descent of the Balloon’, in 1784, in which she also played the leading female role of Selina. The play was premiered at the Haymarket Theatre.

      One of the things that separated Elizabeth from other contemporary playwrights was her ability to translate plays from German and French into English for an audience that was ever-hungry for new works.

      Her success as a playwright enabled Elizabeth to support herself and have no need of a husband to support her.  Between 1784 and 1805 she had 19 of her comedies, sentimental dramas, and farces (many of them translations from the French) performed at London theatres. She is usually credited as Mrs Inchbald.

      Mrs Elizabeth Inchbald died on 1st August 1821 in Kensington, London. 

      Index of Contents

      REMARKS

      DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

      SCENE:—London

      EVERY ONE HAS HIS FAULT

      ACT THE FIRST

      SCENE I - An Apartment at Mr. Placid’s

      SCENE II - An Apartment at Mr. Harmony’s

      SCENE III - A Room at the Lodgings of Mr. Irwin

      ACT THE SECOND

      SCENE I - A Coffee or Club Room at a Tavern

      SCENE II - The Lodgings of Mr. Irwin

      ACT THE THIRD

      SCENE I - A Library at Lord Norland’s

      SCENE II - An Apartment at Sir Robert Ramble’s

      ACT THE FOURTH

      SCENE I - An Apartment at Mr. Harmony’s

      SCENE II - An Apartment at Lord Norland’s

      ACT THE FIFTH

      SCENE I - An Apartment at Lord Norland’s

      SCENE III - The Hall at Sir Robert Ramble’s

      MRS INCHBALD – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

      MRS INCHBALD – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

      REMARKS

      There is at present an opinion prevailing, in regard to dramatic works, which, if just, is wholly contradictory to every proof of cause and effect, which has been applied to the rise and fall of other arts, and sciences.

      It is said, that modern dramas are the worst that ever appeared on the English stage—yet it is well known, that the English theatres never flourished as they do at present.

      When it is inquired, why painting, poetry, and sculpture, decline in England? Want of encouragement, is the sure reply—but this reply cannot be given to the question, Why dramatic literature fails? for never was there such high remuneration conferred upon every person, and every work, belonging to the drama.

      A new play, which, from a reputed wit of former times, would not, with success, bring him a hundred pounds, a manager will now purchase, from a reputed blockhead, at the price of near a thousand; and sustain all risk whether it be condemned or not.

      Great must be the attraction of modern plays, to repay such speculation.

      It follows, then, if the stage be really sunk so low as it is said to be, that patronage and reward have ruined, instead of having advanced, genius. Or, is it not more likely, that public favour has incited the envious to rail; or, at best, raised up minute inquirers into the excellence of that amusement, which charms a whole nation; and criticism sees faults, as fear sees ghosts—whenever they are looked for.

      It is a consolation to the dramatist of the present age, that, while his plays are more attractive than ever those of former writers were, those authors had their contemporary critics as well as he; though less acute and less severe, indeed, than the present race. As a testimony—they often had not satire sharp enough to avert that bitterest punishment to an ambitious author—neglect.

      Of this play, Every One has his Fault, nothing, in modesty, can be said, beyond mere matter of fact. It has been productive both to the manager and the writer, having, on its first appearance, run, in the theatrical term, near thirty nights; during which, some of the audience were heard to laugh, and some were seen to weep—it may likewise with truth be added, that, whatever critics may please to say against the production, they cannot think more humbly of its worth, than

      THE AUTHOR.

      DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

      Lord Norland  Mr. Farren.

      Sir Robert Ramble Mr. Lewis.

      Mr. Solus  Mr. Quick.

      Mr. Harmony  Mr. Munden.

      Mr. Placid  Mr. Fawcett.

      Mr. Irwin  Mr. Pope.

      Hammond  Mr. Powell.

      Porter   Mr. Thompson.

      Edward   Miss Grist.

      Lady Eleanor Irwin Mrs. Pope.

      Mrs. Placid  Mrs. Mattocks.

      Miss Spinster  Mrs. Webb.

      Miss Wooburn  Mrs. Esten.

      Servants, &c.

      SCENE:—London.

      EVERY ONE HAS HIS FAULT

      ACT THE FIRST

      SCENE I

      An Apartment at Mr. Placid’s

      Enter MR PLACID and MR SOLUS.

      MR PLACID

      You are to blame.

      MR SOLUS

      I say the same by you.

      MR PLACID

      And yet your singularity pleases me; for you are the first elderly bachelor I ever knew, who did not hug himself in the reflection, that he was not in the trammels of wedlock.

      MR SOLUS

      No; I am only the first elderly bachelor who has truth and courage enough, to confess his dissatisfaction.

      MR PLACID

      And you really wish you were married?

      MR SOLUS

      I do. I wish still more, that I had been married thirty years ago. Oh! I wish that a wife and half a score children would now start up around me, and bring along with them all that affection, which we should have had for each other by being earlier acquainted. But as it is, in my present state, there is not a person in the world I care a straw for;—and the world is pretty even with me, for I don’t believe there is a creature in it who cares a straw for me.

      MR PLACID

      Pshaw! You have in your time been a man of gallantry; and, consequently, must have made many attachments.

      MR SOLUS

      Yes, such as men of gallantry usually make. I have been attached to women, who have purloined my fortune, and to men, who have partaken of the theft: I have been in as much fear of my mistress, as you are of your wife.

      MR PLACID

      Is that possible?

      MR SOLUS

      Yes; and without having one of those tender, delicate, ties of a husband, an excuse for my apprehension.—I have maintained children—

      MR PLACID

      Then why do you complain for the want of a family?

      MR SOLUS

      I did not say, I ever had any children; I said, I had maintained them; but I never believed they

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