ROBERT HUNTER was born in England, and was appointed governor of New
York in 1710. He was afterwards governor of Jamaica, where he died
in 1734. He was the author of the celebrated letter on enthusiasm,
which has been ascribed to Swift.
ANDROBOROS. A Bographical Farce, in Three Acts, viz., The Senate,
The Consistory, And The Apotheosis. By Governour Hunter.
Printed at Monoropolis since 1st August, 1714.
The first dramatic piece published in America.
It is a severe criticism of the clergy, members, and others of
Trinity Church, the principal among whom was Dr. Vesey.
The piece is excessively rare, and mentioned by few
bibliographers, and then only by the first word of the title. It
was published anonymously, and printed by Wm. Bradford in 1714.
Only one copy is known, now in the collection of the Duke of
Devonshire. A manuscript copy of it is in the collection of Evert
Jansen Wendell, Esq., of New York.
The copy owned by the Duke of Devonshire formerly belonged to John
Philip Kemble, the tragedian. It contains a number of manuscript
corrections, probably from the hand of the author, among them the
word "Bographical" on the title-page, which is changed to
"Biographical"; "Monoropolis," which is changed to "Moropolis."
The title-page has been torn at the bottom, and the figures 14
appear in ink.
The following lines have been written in this copy by Kemble:
"Androboros, etc. Printed at Mosicropolis. Whoever made the
correction meant, I suppose, to imply that it was printed at Moros
Polis--'Foolstown.' The corrections that run all through the
piece, and the key to the characters, make me suppose that this
was the author's copy."
On the title, Kemble has written, "Collated and perfect, J. P. K.,
1798."
Gov. Hunter was assisted in the writing of this piece by Chief
Justice Lewis Morris.