Title page HAMLET, PRINCE of DENMARK. A TRAGEDY, by SHAKESPEARE. AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN. Regulated from the PROMPT-BOOK, With PERMISSION of the MANAGERS, By Mr. YOUNGER, Prompter. An INTRODUCTION, and NOTES CRITICAL and ILLUSTRATIVE, ARE ADDED BY THE AUTHORS of the DRAMATIC CENSOR. LONDON: Printed for JOHN BELL, near Exeter-Exchange, in the Strand; and C. Etherington, at York. MDCCLXXIII.

INTRODUCTION. Hamlet has long been counted one of our first-rate dramatic productions, and must continue to enjoy that praise; and indeed with great justice, for it contains many unparalleled beauties, with some egregious blemishes. As originally written, it must take up four hours in action; an intolerable time; however, from this, as well as all his plays, it may be surmised, that the vitiated taste of Shakespeare's audiencee required occasional trifling; that, going to the play so early as four o'clock, they did not mind an hour extraordinary, and possibly wanted as much as they could get for money. The plot of this, is rather irregularly carried on, and the winding up exceeding lame; the Dramatic Censor points out this, more at large, than our scheme will admit. Therefore to that work we refer, for further information. We may assert, that the principal character, which makes it a great weight for an actor to bear, is not only the chief, but sole support; however, he is furnished with excellent materials, for that purpose.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

[Player], [Prologue], [Sailor 1], [Sailor 2], [Messenger], [Priest], [Gentleman]

Drury-Lane.	Covent-Garden.
King [Claudius],	Mr. Jefferson.	Mr. Gardner.
Hamlet,	Mr. Garrick.	Mr. Smith.
Polonius,	Mr. Baddeley.	Mr. Shuter.
Horatio,	Mr. Packer.	Mr. Hull.
Laertes,	Mr. J. Aickin.	Mr. Davis.
Rosencraus [Rosencrantz],	Mr. Davies.	Mr. R. Smith.
Guildenstern,	Mr. Fawcett.	Mr. Lewis.
Ostrick [Osric],	Mr. Dodd.	Mr. Dyer.
Marcellus,	Mr. Ackman.	Mr. Thompson.
Bernardo,	Mr. Wrighten.	Mr. Bates.
Francisco,	Mr. Griffith.	Mr. Holtom.
Player King,	Mr. Keen.	Mr. Wignell.
Ghost,	Mr. Bransby.	Mr. Bensley.
Two Gravediggers [Clown 1], [Clown 2],	Mr. Parsons.	Mr. Dunstall.
Mr. Waldron.	Mr. Stoppelaer.
Queen [Gertrude],	Mrs. Hopkins.	Miss Miller.
Ophelia,	Mrs. Smith.	Mrs. Mattocks.
Player Queen,	Mrs. Johnston.	Mrs. Pearce.
Ladies attending on the Queen.

SCENE, ELSINOOR.

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