Early American Plays Part 9

HADAD. A Dramatic Poem, by James A. Hillhouse, author of _Percy's Masque_ and _The Judgment_. New York, 1825. 8vo, pp. 208.

DEMETRIA. A Domestic Tragedy in Five Acts.

This was written in 1813, but was not published until 1839, when it was included in the author's _Works_, Bost. 1839. 2 vols.

HITCHc.o.c.k, EDWARD

EDWARD HITCHc.o.c.k, born in Deerfield, Ma.s.s., May 24, 1793, died in Amherst, Ma.s.s., February 27, 1864. In 1816 he became princ.i.p.al of the academy in Deerfield, where he remained for three years. He was ordained minister of the Congregational Church at Conway, Ma.s.s., in 1821. In 1825 he was appointed Professor of Chemistry and Natural History in Amherst College. He continued his connection with the college, having been appointed to the presidency with the professors.h.i.+p of Natural Theology and Geology, until his resignation in 1854. He was the author of numerous scientific and theological works. The tragedy mentioned below is his first and probably his only dramatic production. He died in 1864.

EMANc.i.p.aTION OF EUROPE; OR, THE DOWNFALL OF BUONAPARTE. A Tragedy.

Greenfield, 1815. 16mo, pp. 108.

HODGKINSON, JOHN

JOHN HODGKINSON was born in Manchester, England, in 1767, died in Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., December 12, 1805. His real name was Meadowcraft.

His first successes were on the Bath stage. He came to America with the company of Hallam & Henry, and made his debut at the John Street Theatre in 1793. He bought out Henry's interest, and continued one of the managers until 1798. He went to Charleston, S. C., in 1803, but became a victim of yellow fever while travelling, and died near Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

THE MAN OF FORt.i.tUDE; OR, THE KNIGHT'S ADVENTURE. A Drama in Three Acts. New York, 1807. 16mo, pp. 32.

Played at the John Street Theatre, New York, June 7, 1797.

Dunlap says that this play was rewritten in prose upon the text of a ma.n.u.script in blank verse in one act called _The Knight's Adventure_, which Dunlap had submitted to Hodgkinson some years previously, and declares that the latter seemed unconscious of any wrong-doing.

ROBIN HOOD; OR, SHERWOOD FOREST. A Comic Opera in Two Acts, by Leonard Macnally, Esq. From Hodgkinson's Prompt-Book. New York, 1808. 16mo, pp. 68.

HOPKINSON, FRANCIS

FRANCIS HOPKINSON, born in Philadelphia, Pa., September 21, 1737, died there May 9, 1791, was the son of Thomas Hopkinson. Francis was educated at the College of Philadelphia, studied law under Benjamin Chew, and was admitted to the bar in 1761. His career belongs to the public history of the making of the United States. To enumerate his works and honors would transcend the scope of this book. He was a member of the Continental Congress in 1776, signed the Declaration of Independence, and was the first head of the treasury department of the new government. The first powerful satire of the British in Revolution, _The Battle of the Kegs_, was from his pen. A ripe scholar and a prolific writer of prose and verse in both humorous and earnest methods, skilled in music and in polite conversation, he was one of the most brilliant of the group of early jurists and writers of our country. He was United States District Judge of Pennsylvania at the time of his death. The authors.h.i.+p of the two anonymous college dialogues cited below is positively given to him in the Brinley Catalogue (New York, March, 1880), in view of which, and of the not less important fact that Thomas Hopkinson died in 1751, I think, notwithstanding the statement made by a contemporary newspaper, that the Dialogue of the 1776 commencement was his work. Of that occasion Sanderson's _Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence_ says in the memoir of Francis Hopkinson: "Among the records of a public commencement of that inst.i.tution [the College of Philadelphia], held on the twentieth of May, 1766, the board of trustees, comprising the governor, chief justice and most distinguished men of the province, pa.s.sed the following resolution: 'After the business of the commencement was finished, it was resolved that as Francis Hopkinson (who was the first scholar entered in this seminary at its opening and likewise one of the first who received a degree in it) was about to embark for England and has always done honor to the place of his education by his abilities and good morals, as well as rendered it many substantial services on all public occasions, the thanks of this inst.i.tution ought to be delivered to him in the most affectionate manner.'"

AN EXERCISE CONTAINING A DIALOGUE AND ODE SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF HIS LATE GRACIOUS MAJESTY, GEORGE II. Performed at the Public Commencement in the College of Philadelphia, May 23, 1761. The Ode Written and set to music by Francis Hopkinson. Philadelphia: W. Dunlap, 1761. 4to, pp. 8.

AN EXERCISE, CONTAINING A DIALOGUE AND ODE ON THE ACCESSION OF HIS PRESENT GRACIOUS MAJESTY, GEORGE III. Performed at the Public Commencement in the College of Philadelphia, May 18th, 1762.

Philadelphia: Printed by W. Dunlap, 1762. 4to, pp. 8.

DIALOGUE [in verse] FOR THE COMMENCEMENT in the College of Philadelphia, May 30th, 1765. 8vo, pp. 4.

HOPKINSON, THOMAS

THOMAS HOPKINSON, born in London, England, April 6, 1709, died in Philadelphia, Pa., November 5, 1751, was son of a London merchant. In 1731, having been admitted to the bar, he settled in Philadelphia, where he became a deputy, and finally princ.i.p.al clerk of the Orphan's Court. For many years he was a member of the council of the province and a judge of court. Always interested in letters and science, he became the intimate friend of Franklin, to whom he suggested the use of metal points for the purpose of obtaining electric sparks. The Library Company, the College of Philadelphia, and the Philosophical Society named him among their incorporators and earliest officers.

Perhaps his greatest distinction now is that he was the father of Francis Hopkinson, who may have caused the under-mentioned dialogue to be produced "for remembrance."

AN EXERCISE, CONTAINING A DIALOGUE AND TWO ODES. Performed at the Public Commencement in the College of Philadelphia, May 20th, 1766. Philadelphia: Printed by W. Dunlap, 1766. Small 4to, pp.

8.

The _Pennsylvania Journal_ of June 5, 1766, is authority for the authors.h.i.+p of this exercise.

HOSMER, W. H. C.

WILLIAM HENRY CUYLER HOSMER was born at Avon, in the valley of the Genesee, New York, May 25, 1814, and died there May 23, 1877. He was graduated from the University of Vermont, and was for many years a well-known lawyer and writer on the subjects of North American Indians, and their lore. He contributed a number of articles to magazines, and also published several volumes of poetry. His poetical works were published in two volumes in 1854, when the author was a clerk in the Custom House of the port of New York.

THE FALL OF TEc.u.mSEH. A Drama. Avon, 1830. 12mo.

This play, written when the author was but sixteen years of age, was his first literary work.

HUMPHREYS, DAVID

DAVID HUMPHREYS was born in Derby, Conn., in July, 1753, died in New Haven, Conn., February 21, 1818. He was graduated from Yale College in 1767, and at the beginning of the Revolution entered the army. In 1778 he was attached to the staff of General Putnam, with the rank of major.

In 1780 he was made a colonel and aide-de-camp to Was.h.i.+ngton. He was custodian of the standards, surrendered at Yorktown and was presented with a sword by Congress.

In 1784 he was appointed Secretary to the Legation for concluding treaties with foreign powers.

He resided at Mount Vernon until the framing of the Const.i.tution, when he came to New York with the President.

In 1790 he was nominated Amba.s.sador to Portugal, and sailed for that country in 1791. He was afterwards appointed to represent the United States at Madrid, and during this time concluded treaties of peace with Tripoli and Algiers. He was the author of a number of works, including a Life of General Israel Putnam.

THE WIDOW OF MALABAR; OR, THE TYRANNY OF CUSTOM. A Tragedy in Five Acts. Translated from the French of M. Le Mierre.

This play was published in the _Miscellaneous Works_ of Humphreys, New York, 1790, pp. 115-176.

First played at the Philadelphia Theatre, 1790. The announcement of its performance at the John Street Theatre, New York, October 17, 1791, was in these words:

_The Widow of Malabar; or, The Tyranny of Custom._ A play in five acts, written by a citizen of the United States (acted at Philadelphia and Baltimore with great applause), with a prologue by J. Trumbull, LL.D.

Played at the John Street Theatre, New York, October, 1791.

THE YANKEY IN ENGLAND. A Drama in Five Acts. n. p., n. d. [Conn., 1815.] 12mo, pp. 110, 1.

Dunlap says he also wrote a comedy, and relates how he endeavored to persuade the manager, John Bernard, to bring it out, but was unsuccessful. _The Yankey in England_ was probably the play.

HUNTER, ROBERT

ROBERT HUNTER was born in England, and was appointed governor of New York in 1710. He was afterwards governor of Jamaica, where he died in 1734. He was the author of the celebrated letter on enthusiasm, which has been ascribed to Swift.

ANDROBOROS. A Bographical Farce, in Three Acts, viz., The Senate, The Consistory, And The Apotheosis. By Governour Hunter.

Printed at Monoropolis since 1st August, 1714.

The first dramatic piece published in America.

It is a severe criticism of the clergy, members, and others of Trinity Church, the princ.i.p.al among whom was Dr. Vesey.