Remarks on Every One Has His Fault (1793)

1. Elizabeth Inchbald, “Remarks on Every One Has His Fault.” The British Theatre. Ed. Elizabeth Inchbald. 25 vols. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, 1808, 23. 3–4.

There is at present an opinion prevailing, in regard to dramatic works, which, if just, is wholly contradictory to every proof of cause and effect, which has been applied to the rise and fall of other arts and sciences.

It is said, that modern dramas are the worst that ever appeared on the English stage,—yet it is well known, that the English theatres never flourished as they do at present.

When it is enquired, why painting, poetry, and sculpture, decline in England? “Want of encouragement” is the sure reply—but this reply cannot be given to the question, “Why dramatic literature fails?” for never was there such high remuneration conferred upon every person, and every work, belonging to the drama.

A new play, which, from a reputed wit of former times, would not, with success, bring him a hundred pounds, a manager will now produce, from a reputed blockhead, at the price of a near thousand; and sustain all risk whether it be condemned or not.

Great must be the attraction of modern plays to repay such speculation.

It follows, then, if the stage be really sunk so low as it is said to be, that patronage and reward have ruined, instead of having advanced, genius. Or, it is not more likely, that public favour has incited the envious to rail; or, at best, raised up minute enquirers into the excellences of that amusement, which charms a whole nation; and criticism sees faults, as fear sees ghosts—whenever they are looked for.

It is a consolation to the dramatist of the present age, that, while his plays are more attractive than ever those of former writers were, those authors had their contemporary critics as well as he, though less acute and less severe, indeed, than the present race. As a testimony—they often had not satire sharp enough to avert that bitterest punishment to an ambitious author—neglect.

Of this play, “Every One has his Fault,” nothing, in modesty, can be said, beyond mere matter of fact. It has been productive both to the manager and the writer, having on its first appearance, run, in the theatrical term, near thirty nights; during which, some of the audience were heard to laugh, and some were seen to weep—it may likewise with truth be added, that, whatever critics may please say against the production, they cannot think more humbly of its worth, than

THE AUTHOR.

2. David Erskine Baker, Isaac Reed and Stephen Jones, “Every One Has His Fault.” Biographia Dramatica; or, A Companion to the Playhouse. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown, 1812), II.205–6.

An attack upon this piece produced the following letter to the printer of The Diary (Mr. William Woodfall): “Sir, after the most laborious efforts to produce a dramatic work deserving the approbation of the town; after experiencing the most painful anxiety till that approbation was secured; a malicious falsehood, aimed to destroy every advantage arising from my industry, has been circulated in a print called The True Briton; in which I am accused of conveying seditious sentiments to the public. This charge I considered of little importance, while an impartial audience were, every evening, to judge of its truth;—but my accuser having, in this day’s paper, taken a different mode of persecution, saying I have expunged those sentences which were of dangerous tendency, the play can, now, no longer be of its own evidence. I am therefore compelled to declare, in contradiction to this assertion, that not one line, or one word, has been altered or omitted since the first night of representation. As a further proof of the injustice with which I have been treated, had I been so unfortunate in my principals, or blind to my own interest, as to have written any thing of the nation of which I am accused, I most certainly should not have presented it for reception to the manager of Covent Garden theatre.

E. INCHBALD, Leicester Square, Feb. 1, 1793.

3. James Boaden, Memoirs of the Life of John Philip Kemble, Esq. Including a History of the Stage, from the Time of Garrick to the Present Period. 2 vols. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, * Green, 1825, 2.78–80.

We were making hasty strides to realize the new species of comedy. On the 29th of this month [January], the tragi-comedy of Every One Has His Fault, by Mrs. Inchbald, was acted with great applause at Covent Garden. The interest here is in a Captain Irvin, who, having married the daughter of Lord Norland, betakes himself to America to repair his circumstances, and comes back desperate at his ill success. His mind settles upon suicide, and he goes to a coffee-house to commit the act; but his better genius holds his hand, and in his way back to his lodging, he merely robs his father-in-law of his pocket-book, and a large quantity of stage bank-notes which it contains. But he is irresolute as to property he had been with regard to life, and returns the stolen goods by a servant… The peer is relentless, and resolves to prosecute … After many vain attempts to reconcile this unhappy family, Mr. Harmony succeeds by a pretended letter from the daughter, announcing her husband’s death. The old blockhead repents of his cruelty, and poetical justice is achieved by a compromise of the felony. Whether the search after great strength of interest, such as the above, has had a tendency to refine or debase the national taste, is a question which I have no right to determine. Pure comedy cannot be written on easier terms, than much observation of character and manners, and an elegant and pointed dialogue, if the portion of wit should fall below the abundance of Congreve and Sheridan. The German drama, however, was happily at hand to solve this and all other doubts as to dramatic composition, and settle us in a region of monstrous incidents and false morals, from which our escape is little to be expected. Satisfied with our new masters, we have learned to invent in their taste, and indeed our original productions might be almost taken for translations. The melo-drama, pure from the German, or the Germanized French stages, is the principal ornament of our splendid national theatres.

4. George Daniels, “Every One Has His Fault.” Cumberland’s British Theatre … Printed from the Acting Copies, as Performed at the Theatres Royal, London. 48 vols. London: John Cumberland, 1829–75, 7.5–8.  

COSTUME.

LORD NORLAND.—Full dress suit.

SIR ROBERT RAMBLE.—Blue coat, white waist-coat, buff pantaloons, silk stockings, and shoes.

SOLUS.—First dress—Brown suit. Second dress—White cloth suit, trimmed with silver wedding favours, &c.

HARMONY.—Plain brown suit.

PLACID.—Brown coat, white waistcoat, and white breeches.

EDWARD.—Drab-coloured jacket white waistcoat, and white trowsers.

HAMMOND.—Suite of black.

LADY ELEANOR IRWIN.—Dark sarsnet dress, trimmed with white lace.

MRS. PLACID.—Pink gauze dress, trimmed with white lace. MISS WOOBURN.—White
muslin dress, trimmed with white satin riband.

MISS SPINSTER.—First dress—Grey silk gown. Second dress—White silk gown and petticoat, trimmed with white satin.

The Diary, or, Woodfall’s Register. William Woodfall was the printer of the Morning Chronicle and arguably the most influential theatre critic in the daily press. He has a prodigious memory and his ability to memorize entire parliamentary debates earned him the nickname “Memory Woodfall”.