The British Theatre
Subtitle: Containing the Lives of the English Dramatic Poets; with an Account of all their Plays : Together with the Lives of most of the Principal Actors, as well as Poets : To which is prefixed, A short View of the Rise and Progress of the English Stage
By: [By William Rufus Chetwood] ....
Contributors: Percy, Thomas, 1729-1811.
Publisher: Printed for R. Baldwin, jun. in Pater-Noster-Row
Published: 1752
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Notes: Author supplied by H&L and ESTC.

'Appendix' (pp 199-200, vol. 2) precedes the 'Index of Plays', which bears an 'Errata' note on verso of final leaf.

The DNB article on William Rufus Chetwood, bookseller and dramatist, describes his career as appearing to have been continuously unfortunate; he was several times imprisoned for debt and died in poverty in 1766. His descriptions of the actors whom he kneware stated to have genuine value. 'The work which has incurred the strongest condemnation is "The British Theatre ... ", 1750. It is indeed a pitiful compilation, in favour of which it can only be urged that it was written and published by Chetwood whilein prison with little hope of escape'.

ESTC4310B1 [under British Theatre]; ESTC1887C2 [under Chetwood].