DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

AS FIRST PERFORMED, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1858.

[French Knight], [Officer], [Herald]

Nobles, Knights, Ladies, Pages, Officers, Guards, &c., &c.

Lear, King of Britain,	Mr. CHARLES KEAN.
King of France,	Mr. BRAZIER.
Duke of Burgundy,	Mr. ROLLESTON.
Duke of Cornwall,	Mr. RAYMOND.
Duke of Albany,	Mr. J. F. CATHCART.
Earl of Kent,	Mr. COOPER.
Earl of Gloster [Earl of Gloucester],	Mr. GRAHAM.
Edgar, (Son of Gloster)	Mr. RYDER.
Edmund, (Bastard Son of Gloster)	Mr. WALTER LACY.
Curan, (a Courtier)	Mr. BARSBY.
Physician [Doctor],	Mr. F. COOKE.
Oswald, (Steward to Goneril)	Mr. DAVID FISHER.
Fool,	Miss POOLE.
Knight,	Mr. PAULO.
Gentleman,	Mr. G. EVERETT.
Herald,	Mr. COLLETT.
Old Man, (Tenant to Gloster)	Mr. MORRIS.
Messenger,	Mr. STOAKES.
Goneril, (Daughter of Lear)	Miss HEATH.
Regan, (Daughter of Lear)	Miss BUFTON.
Cordelia, (Daughter of Lear)	Miss KATE TERRY.

PREFACE.

The story of King Lear and his three daughters, belongs to an age preceding the time recorded by authentic history, and is only to be found in the fabulous traditions of our country. Shakespeare, through the sublimity of his genius, has immortalized the name of the passionate, “foolish, fond old man,” by a combination of poetic scenes, surpassing in grandeur all other creations of his stupendous mind. This play, perfect and unrivalled, as an embodiment of human misery, presents a harrowing picture of filial ingratitude and paternal despair aggravated into madness. The incidents of the tragedy are presumed to occur when the land was peopled with rude Heathens, and the minds and hearts of men, as yet unreclaimed by the softening influences of Christianity, were barbarous and cruel. It would be useless to attempt any chronological representation of the costume and architecture of Britain about the period when, if we could possibly credit the strange relations of Geoffrey of Monmouth, Romulus was yet unborn, Nitocris ruled in Egypt, and Isaiah prophesied in Israel. I have, however, deemed it advisable to fix upon some definite epoch as the supposed time of action, if only for the sake of securing uniformity of character

in the accessories of this great drama. The Anglo-Saxon era of the eighth century has been selected for the regulation of the scenery and dresses, as affording a date sufficiently remote, while it is, at the same time, associated with British soil. Ample information may be obtained respecting the military and civil habiliments of our early Saxon ancestors by referring to the delineations preserved in their manuscripts, which are without doubt real transcripts of their own days; and while it is to be regretted that the traces of all edifices anterior to the Norman Conquest are few and insignificant, we can yet, with such materials as we possess, attain a degree of approximate truth absolutely impossible in the mythical age to which Lear belongs. The tragedy, although essentially dependent on the exhibition of human feelings and passions, still affords scope for the introduction of those illustrative adjuncts which have been so successfully employed in many other Shakesperian revivals at this theatre.

In accordance, therefore, with the principle which has heretofore guided my efforts, and under the firm belief that accuracy of detail is on all occasions not only necessary, but advantageous on the stage, I trust that the attempt I have made in the present instance to realize a picture of early English history, will be again accepted as a pleasing and instructive appendage to the intellectual lessons of the author.

KING LEAR.

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