Produced by David Starner, Charles Bidwell and the PG Online
Distributed Proofreading Team
The Augustan Reprint Society
Thomas Baker
(1709)
With an Introduction by
John Harrington Smith
Publication Number 25
Los Angeles
William Andrews Clark Memorial LibraryUniversity of California1950
H. RICHARD ARCHER, Clark Memorial Library
RICHARD C. BOYS, University of Michigan
EDWARD NILES HOOKER, University of California, Los Angeles
JOHN LOFTIS, University of California, Los Angeles
W. EARL BRITTON, University of Michigan
EMMETT L. AVERY, State College of Washington
BENJAMIN BOYCE, Duke University
LOUIS I. BREDVOLD, University of Michigan
CLEANTH BROOKS, Yale University
JAMES L. CLIFFORD, Columbia University
ARTHUR FRIEDMAN, University of Chicago
SAMUEL H. MONK, University of Minnesota
ERNEST MOSSNER, University of Texas
JAMES SUTHERLAND, Queen Mary College, London
H.T. SWEDENBERG, JR., University of California, Los Angeles
In the first decade of the eighteenth century, with comedy in train to bealtered out of recognition to please the reformers and the ladies, one ofthe two talented writers who attempted to keep the comic muse alive insomething like her "Restoration" form was Thomas Baker.[1] Of Baker's fourplays which reached the stage, none has been reprinted since theeighteenth century and three exist only as originally published. Of thesethree the best is The Fine Lady's Airs; hence its selection for theReprints.
Baker's career in the theatre was as successful as should have beenexpected by any young man who after his first play attempted to swimagainst rather than with the current of taste. His first effort, entitledThe Humour of the Age, was produced at D.L. c. February 1701, andpublished March 22,[2] the author having then but reached his "TwentyFirst Year" (Dedication). It must have been well received, for Bakerspeaks of "the extraordinary Reception this Rough Draught met with."Indeed, it has in it, despite some "satire," a number of motifs whichwould recommend it to the audience. Railton, the antimatrimonialist andlibertine of the piece, is given the wittiest lines, but his attempt toseduce Tremilia, a grave Quaker-clad beauty, is frowned on by everyone,including the author; and when the rake attempts to force the lady,Freeman, a man of sense, intervenes with sword drawn and gives him a sternlecture. In the end, when Tremilia, giving her hand to Freeman, turns outto be an heiress who had assumed the Quaker garb to make sure of getting adisinterested husband, the error of Railton's ways becomes apparent. Atthe same time his cast mistress, whom he had succeeded in marrying off toa ridiculous old Justice, is impressed by Tremilia's "great Example.""How conspicuous a thing is Virtue!" says she, in an aside; and sheresolves to make the Justice a model wife. Despite much wit the play isthus, in its main drift, exemplary.
Baker followed with Tunbridge-Walks: Or, The Yeoman of Kent, D.L. Jan.1703, a play good enough to pass into the rep