Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The British Drama, a Collection of the Most Esteemed Dramatic Productions, With Biography of the Respective Authors, Vol. 8 of 14: Containing Lionel and Clarissa, Maid of the Mill, Beggars Opera, Love in a Village
Having, for some years, met with very great success in my productions of the musical kind; when I wrote the following Opera it was with unusual care and attention; and it was the general opinion of all my friends, some of whom rank among the best judges, that of all my trifles, Lionel and Clarissa was the most pardonable: a decision in its favour which I was the prouder of, because, to the best of my knowledge, through the whole, I had not borrowed an expression, a sentiment, or a character, from any dramatic writer extant.
When Mr. Garrick thought of performing this piece at Drury Lane Theatre, he had a new singer to bring out, and every thing possible for her advantage was to be done; this necessarily occasioned some new songs and airs to be introduced; and other singers, with voices of a different compass from those who originally acted the parts, occasioned still more; by which means the greatest part of the music unavoidably became new. This is the chief, and indeed the only alteration made in the Opera; and even to that I should, in many places, have been forced, much against my will, had it not given a fresh opportunity to Mr. Dibdin to display his admirable talents as a musical composer. And I will be bold to say, that his airs, serious and comic, in this Opera, will appear to no disadvantage by being heard with those of some of the greatest masters.
The School for Fathers is added to the title, because the plot is evidently double; and that of Lionel and Clarissa alluded to but one part of it, as the readers and spectators will easily perceive.
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