OROONOKO
This tragedy by Thomas Southerne (1660–1746) was produced in 1696. See post, note to p. 303 (on Imogine), for conclusive proof of Hazlitt’s authorship of this notice.
[301]. The success of his Richard II. This passage, though the conclusion drawn by Hazlitt is somewhat different, may be compared with his notice of Kean’s Richard II. (vol. VIII. p. 223). ‘The melting mood.’ Othello, Act V. Sc. 2. [302]. ‘The devil has not,’ etc. Cf. Macbeth, Act V. Sc 3. [303]. Imogine. In Maturin’s Bertram. Cf. the notice of that play in A View of the English Stage (vol. VIII. p. 307). In one of Hazlitt’s theatrical papers in The London Magazine (ibid. p. 391), he says of Miss Somerville’s (Mrs. Bunn’s) voice that ‘it resembles the deep murmur of a hive of bees in spring-tide, and the words drop like honey from her lips.’ ‘The music of her honey-vows.’ Cf. ‘That suck’d the honey of his music vows.’ Hamlet, Act III. Sc. 1. ‘He often has beguiled us,’ etc. Cf. Othello, Act I. Sc. 3. Gray, the poet, etc. See a letter to Horace Walpole, September, 1737 (Letters, ed. Tovey, i. 8).