THE

A

TRAGED Y.

Written by N. ROWE, Efq;

འ

Quin morere, ut merita es, ferroque averte dolorem.

Virg. Æn. Lib. 4.

The THIRD EDITION.

LONDON:

Printed for 7. Tonfon; and fold by J. Brown at the
Black Swan without Temple-Bar. 1718.

TO HER

GRACE the DUTCHESS

OF

OR MON D.

MADAM,

Right to

HE Privilege of Poetry (or it may be the Vanity of the Pretenders to it) has given 'em a kind of pretend, at the fame

time, to the Favour of those, whom

A 3

their

their high Birth and excellent Qualities have plac'd in a very diftinguishing manner above the rest of the World. If this be not a receiv'd Maxim, yet I am fure I am to wifh it were, that I may have at least fome kind of Excufe for laying this Tragedy at your Grace's Feet. I have too much reafon to fear that it may prove but an indifferent Entertainment to Your Grace, fince if I have any way fucceeded in it, it has been in defcribing thofe violent Paffions which have been always Strangers to fo happy a Temper, and fo noble and fo exalted a Virtue as Your Grace is Miftrefs of. Yet for all this, I cannot but confefs the Vanity which I have, to hope that there may be fomething fo moving in the Misfortunes and Diftrefs of the Play, as may be not altogether unworthy of Your Grace's Pity. This is one of the main Designs of Tragedy, and to

excite this generous Pity in the greateft Minds, may pass for fome kind of Succefs in this way of Writing. I am fenfible of the Prefumption I am guilty of by this Hope, and how much it is that I pretend to in Your Grace's Approbation; if it be my good Fortune to meet with any little Share of it, I fhall always look upon it as much more to me than the general Applaufe of the Theatre, or even the Praise of a good Critick. Your Grace's Name is the best Protection this Play can hope for, fince the World, ill-natur'd as it is, agrees in an univerfal Respect and Deference for Your Grace's Perfon and Character. In fo cenforious an Age as this is, where Malice furnishes out all the Publick Converfations, where every Body pulls and is pull'd to pieces of course, and where there is hardly fuch a thing as being merry, but at another's Expence; yet by a

publick