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ADVERTISEMENT.*

HAVING, for some years, met with very great success

in my productions of the musical kind; when I wrote the following Opera, it was with unusual care and attention; and it was the general opinion of all my friends, some of whom rank among the best judges, that of all my trifles, LIONEL AND CLARISSA was the most pardonable: a decision in its favour, which I was the prouder of, because, to the best of my knowledge, through the whole, I had not borrowed an expression, a sentiment, or a character, from any dramatic writer extant.

When Mr. GARRICK thought of performing this piece at Drury-lane theatre, he had a new singer to bring out, and every thing possible for her advantage was to be done; this necessarily occasioned some new songs and airs to be introduced; and other singers, with voices of a different compass from those who originally acted the parts, occasioned still more; by which means the greatest part of the music unavoidably became new. This is the chief, and indeed the only alteration made in the Opera : and even to that, I should in many places have been forced, much against my will, had it not given a fresh opportunity to Mr. Dibdin to display his admirable talents as a musical composer. And I will be bold to say, that his airs, serious and comic, in this Opera, will appear to no disadvantage by being heard with those of some of the greatest masters.

The SCHOOL FOR FATHERS is added to the title, because the plot is evidently double; and that of Lionel and Clarissa alluded to but one part of it, as the readers and spectators will easily perceive.

ISAAC BICKERSTAFF.

*This Advertisement was prefixed to the edition of this Opera in 1770, when it was brought out at Drury Lane Theatre by Garrick.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

MEN.

Sir JOHN FLOwerdale.

Colonel OLDboy.

JESSAMY, Son to Col. Oldboy.
LIONEL, Tutor to Clarissa.

HARMAN, in love with Diana.

JENKINS, Steward to Sir John Flowerdale.

WOMEN.

Lady MARY OLDBOY, wife to Col. Oldboy.
CLARISSA, daughter to Sir John Flowerdale.
DIANA, daughter to Col. Oldboy.
JENNY, maid to Clarissa.

Scene, The Country.

Time, One Day and part of the next.

ACT I.

SCENE I. A Chamber in Colonel Oldboy's House. Colonel OLDBOY at breakfast, reading a newspaper; at a little distance sits JENKINS; and on the opposite side, DIANA, playing upon a harpsichord. A GIRL attending.

AIR.

Diana. Ah! how delightful the morning,

How sweet are the prospects it yields!
Summer luxuriant adorning

The gardens, the groves, and the fields.

Be grateful to the season,

Its pleasures let's employ;

Kind Nature gives, and Reason

Permits us to enjoy.

Col. Well said, Dy; thank you, Dy. This, master Jenkins, is the way I make my daughter entertain me every morning at breakfast. Come here and kiss me, you slut; come here and kiss me, you baggage.

Diana. Oh! papa, you call one such names

Col. A fine girl, master Jenkins, a fine girl! she has got my eye to a twinkle. There's fire for you!-spirit! -I design to marry her to a duke: how much money do you think a duke would expect with such a wench?

Jen. Why, Colonel, with submission, I think there is no occasion to go out of our own country here; we have never a duke in it, I believe; but we have many an honest gentleman, who, in my opinion, might deserve the young lady.

Col. So you would have me marry Dy to a count 'squire, eh! How say you to this, Dy? Would you rather be married to a duke?

Diana. So my husband's a rake, papa, I don't ca

what he is.

Col. A rake! you little baggage; why, you wou not wish to marry a rake, would you? So her husba is a rake, she does not care what he is!-Ha, ha, ha, h

Diana. Well, but listen to me, papa-When you out with your gun, do you take any pleasure in shooti the poor tame ducks and chickens in your yard? N the partridge, the pheasant, the woodcock, are t game; there is some sport in bringing them down, b cause they are wild; and it is just the same with an hu band or a lover. I would not waste powder and shot wound one of your sober pretty-behaved gentleme but to hit a libertine, extravagant, madcap fellow, take him upon the wing

Col. Do you hear her, master Jenkins! Ha, ha, h Jen. Yes, Colonel, many a sprightly, and I belie many a good, young lady has married a rake, in t hope of reforming him; and has found, to her cost, th libertine principles are not so easily corrected, nor f male charms so infallible in their operation.-But, god Colonel, what do you say to my worthy and honou able patron here, Sir John Flowerdale? He has a estate of eight thousand pounds a year, as well pa rents as any in the kingdom, and but one only daught to enjoy it; and yet he is willing, you see, to give th daughter to your son.

Diana. Pray, Mr. Jenkins, how does Miss Clariss and our university friend, Mr. Lionel? That is th only grave young man I ever liked, and the only hand some one I ever was acquainted with, that did not mak love to me.

Col. Ay, master Jenkins, who is this Lionel? The say he is a witty, knowing fellow; and I think him we enough for one brought up in a college.

Jen. His father was a general officer, a particula friend of Sir John's, who, like many more brave me

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