| Citation |
PJ.749.023
18 May 1749:22 (339)
London. Feb 11. Last Thursday night the two young Africans
which were lately brought to this place, made their
appearance in publick, at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-
Garden, to see the Tragedy of Oroonoko. When they came into
box, the polite audience (true English) received them with a
loud clap of applause, which they each of them acknowledged
by a very genteel bow, and took their seats. The case of
Ocoonoko's being made a slave, by the treachery of a
captain, was so familiar to their own, their seeing people
of their own colour on the stage seemingly in the same
distress themselves had been in, struck their young hearts
with wonder and surprize; the distress of Oroonoko, his
meeting with his Imoinda, the account of his barbarous
usage, all combin'd to raise in their youthful bosoms such
sentiments of humanity, that tears, those types of generous
minds, flowed plentifully from their eyes: The royal youth,
indeed, could stand it no longer; but retired at the end of
the fourth act, and returned again when the fifth act was
over, to see the entertainment. His companion remained, but
was the whole time drowned in tears, which seemed to have
such a sympathizing effect on the audience, that few there
were but joined him.
|