The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets/George Granville
George Granville, Esq;
This Gentleman is of the Noble Family of the Right Honourable the Earl of Bath, and his Nephew: A Person of uncommon Qualifications, and one that gives as much Honour to the Name he bears, as he has receiv’d from it; whose Wit, Personal Bravery, and Sweetness of Temper, have made him the Delight of all that know him. The great Mr. Waller has expressed his Esteem of him, in a Copy of Verses in return of some made to him by Mr. Granville. He has already given the World Two Plays.
Heroick Love, a Tragedy, Acted at the Theatre in Little Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields. This Play is one of the best of our Modern Tragedies, and writ after the manner of the Ancients, which is much more natural and easie than that of our Modern Dramatists. The Plot is built on the First Book of Homer, &c.
The She-Gallants, a Comedy, Acted at the Theatre Royal in Little Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, 1696, 4 to.
This Play has, next the Plain Dealer, more just and substantial Reflections and Satyrical Observations, than any of our English Comedies; the Dialogue is not only easy, but nervous; and indeed he makes his Persons speak more Wit than the Stage is generally us’d to, which arm’d a Faction against it, tho’ ev’n that was not sufficient totally to suppress its Success, for it was very often Acted to the Satisfaction of most that saw it with impartiality, and would be contented to be pleas’d. The Episode of the Four Sisters is taken out of the French Marquiss, in the Romance of Ibraim.