# The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets/Aphara Behn

Aphara Behn.
This Authoress, whose Name was Aphara, not Astrea, as many have thought, was Born in the City of Canterbury in Kent, her Maiden Sirname Johnson; she was much admired in her Youth for her Beauty, as afterwards for her Poetick Works, in which ​she excell'd not only all that went before her of her own Sex, but great part of her Contemporary Poets of the other: She had a great Facility in Writing, and much of Nature in all she writ, was employ'd by Charles II. in the Discovery of the Dutch Intreagues, in the Dutch War; Liv'd belov'd, and Dy'd lamented by all that knew her, and lyes Buried in the Cloysters of Westminster Abbey, under a great Marble Stone, on which is inserted these two Verses:
Here lies a Proof that Wit can never be, Defence enough against Mortalitie.
Her Plays, Seventeen in Number, are as follow in their Alphabetical Order;
Abdelazer, or the Moor's Revenge, T. 4to. Compare this Play with one of Christopher Marlo's, call'd Lust's Dominion, 8vo. and you will find it almost the same.
Amorous Prince, or Curious Husband, T.C. 4to. Part of it taken from the Story of the Curious Impertinent in Don Quixot, Part 4. Ch. 6, 7, 8.
City Heiress, or Sir Timothy Treat-All, C. 4to. Part of it from a Play of Middleton's, call'd, A mad World, my Masters, 4to. and part from another of Massengers, call'd, the Guardian, 8vo.
Dutch Lover, C. 4to. Plot from Don Fenise, 8vo. See the Stories of Eusheme, Theodore, Don Jame, and Frederic in that Romance.
Emperor of the Moon, F. 4to. Taken from Harlequin, Empereur dans le Monde de la lune.
Forced Marriage, or The Jealous Bridegroom, T.C. 4to. The first Play she Writ.
False Count, or a New way to play an Old Game, C. 4to. Isabella's being deceiv'd by the Chimney Sweeper, taken from Molieres des precieuses Ridicules.
Feign'd Courtezans, or a Nights Intreague, C. 4to. This Play was well accepted, and accounted one of the best she writ.
Lucky Chance, or the Alderman's Bargain, C. 4to. Gayman's enjoying Lady Fulbank, and taking her for the Devil, taken from Mr. Alexander Kickshaw, and Lady Aritina, in the Lady of Pleasure, written by Shirley; 4to.
Rover, or The Banish'd Cavaliers, two Parts, C. 4to. Taken from Tho. Killegrew's Don Thomaso, or The Wanderer, fol.
Round Heads, or The good Old Cause, C. 4to. A Play of John Tateham's, call'd, The Rump, altered, 4to.
Sir Patient Fancy, C. 4to. Part of this Play taken from Richard Broom's Damoyselle, 8vo. and Le Malade Imaginaire.
​Town Fop, or Sir Timothy Tawdry, C, 4to. A great part of this Play borrowed from a Play, call'd, The Miseries of Forced Marriage, written by George Wilkins, 4to.
Widow Ranter, or The History of Bacon in Virginia, F. 4to. This Play was Published after her Death by G. J. Plot from the known Story of Cassius.
Young King, or, The Mistake: A Tragi-Comedy, 4to. 1683. This Play is Dedicated to a particular Friend of hers, under the name of Philaster. The Design is borrowed from Calpranedes Cleopatra. See the History of Alcamenes and Menalippa Part 8th.
Younger Brother, or The Amorous Jilt, C. 4to. This Play was Published after her Death (with her Life added); the Story was of her own Knowledge, and written above ten years before she dyed, it was much esteemed by her, and it must be owned, in spight of the ill success it met with, that there is a great deal of Wit at least in the beginning of it, the first two Acts being very well received; but the tedious Scenes in Blank Verse, betwixt Mirtilla and Prince Frederick, lost the Diversion they would have given in another more easie Dress. Taken from a true Story of the Brother of Coll. Henry Martin, and a Lady that must be nameless. See the Novel call'd Hatige.
These Plays were all written between the Years 1670. and 1690.