THE WORKS Of the late INGENIOUS. 2 Mr. GEORGE FARQUHAR: Containing all his POEMS, LETTERS, ESSAYS AND COMEDIES. In Two VOLUMES. VOL. I. The TENTH EDITION. Corrected from the LONDON: Printed for JOHN RIVINGTON, W. JOHNSTON, M E MOIRS O F Mr. GEORGE FARQUHAR. MR R. FARQUHAR, an ingenious comic Writer and Poet, was the Son of a Clergyman in Ireland, and born at Londonderry in the Year 1678. There he received the Rudiments of Education, and discovered a Genius early devoted to the Mufes. When he was very young, he gave Specimens of his Poetry ; and discovered a Force of Thinking, and Turn of Expreffion, much beyond his Years. His Parents, having a numerous Iffue, could beftow on him no other Fortune than a liberal and polite Education; therefore, when he was qualified for the Univerfity, he was fent to Trinity College in Dublin. This was in the Year 1694. He made great Progrefs in his Studies, and acquired a con-. fiderable Reputation: but his gay and volatile Difpofition could not long relish the Gravity and Retirement of a College-life; and therefore, foon quitting it, he betook himself to the Diverfions of the Stage, and got admitted into the Company of the Dublin Theatre. He had' the Advantage of a good Perfon, and was well received as an Actor, though his Voice was fomewhat weak: For which he was refolved to continue on the Stage, till fomething better fhould offer. But his Refolution was foon broken by an Accident, whereby he was near turning a feigned Tragedy into a real one : for being to play the Part of Guyomar, who kills Vafquez, in Mr. Dryden's Indian Emperor, and forgetting to exchange his Sword for a Foil, in the Engagement he wounded his brother Tragedian, who reprefented Vafquez, very dangeroufly; and tho' the wound did not prove mortal, yet Mr. Farquhar was fo fhock'd at it, that he determined never to appear on the Stage any more. A 2 Soon |