THE two little Dramas of A ROUGH DIAMOND and GOOD FOR NOTHING, would
not have been published but for the loss to the English Stage of one
of its greatest ornaments,--the original representative of Margery and
Nan. Whatever of goodness of heart, affection, cheerfulness, honesty,
and self-sacrifice may be found in those characters, the truthfulness
with which she pourtrayed such qualities may be mainly ascribed to the
fact, that they existed in her own genuine and most genial nature.
It was intended by the Author to keep these with other productions
unpublished, and solely for the professional use of the late Mrs.
Fitzwilliam; but the affliction he has suffered in losing one so dear
to him having changed this intention, and prevented him ever again
appearing as Cousin Joe or Tom Dibbles, he has been induced to print
the Dramas in the hope that the female characters may be found suited
to young and rising talent, of which the Stage at the present time
unfortunately stands so much in need.