Representative Plays by American Dramatists: 1765-1819 — Context and Discussion

Selection Criteria and Historical Scope

Moses states that the collection is the first of its kind offered to the general reader, covering the period from 1765 to 1911. For the Colonial and Revolutionary sections, he deliberately includes plays that were written for the stage but may never have been performed—or whose performance history is uncertain. For instance, he notes that there is no indication Ponteach was ever accepted by any theatrical company, and that The Group has only casual references to performances at Amboyne. Samuel Low's The Politician Out-witted is described as receiving scant treatment from managers and being published to please readers of closet drama. This transparency about the plays' production status sets expectations for the reader: the value of these works lies in their representativeness of contemporary themes rather than in their stage success.

The Editor's Role and Paratextual Framing

Moses positions himself as a curator who provides an introduction to each play, as indicated on the facsimile title page. The volume is illustrated with portraits and original title pages, and the table of contents lists ten plays from 1765 to 1819, each with its own introduction. The editor's general introduction (pages 1–10) and bibliographies (pages 11–18) precede the plays, offering a scholarly apparatus that guides the reader. Notably, the transcriber's note clarifies that this e-book contains only the front matter; the individual plays are posted separately. This means that a first-time reader of this record encounters only the editorial framework, not the dramatic texts themselves, which shapes the reading experience as one of orientation rather than immersion.

Bibliographic Density and Scholarly Context

The extensive bibliography (spanning multiple pages) includes works by early theater historians such as William Dunlap, Joseph N. Ireland, and George O. Seilhamer, as well as compilations by Charles Evans and Paul Leicester Ford. Moses also references contemporary studies like Thomas H. Dickinson's The Case of American Drama (1915) and his own The American Dramatist (1917). This bibliographic apparatus serves as a roadmap for readers who wish to explore the historical and critical context of the plays. The inclusion of sources on early theater in specific cities (Philadelphia, New Orleans, Albany) and on actor families suggests that Moses intended the collection to support further research, not just casual reading.

Evidence of Production Uncertainty and Reader Expectation

Moses repeatedly qualifies the production history of the plays he includes. For Ponteach, he states there is no indication it was ever accepted by any theatrical company. For The Group, he notes the lack of positive proof of performance, only casual references. For The Politician Out-witted, he implies it was published primarily for closet readers. These admissions are not apologetic; rather, they frame the plays as representative of the spirit of the times, helping to give a more comprehensive view of subjects treated in dramatic form. A first-time reader is thus prepared to evaluate the plays as cultural artifacts rather than as successful stage pieces, and to consider what their themes reveal about early American society.

Approaching this collection as a first-time reader, it is useful to note that the editor's introductions and bibliographies provide a lens through which to view each play's historical and thematic significance. The plays themselves are not included in this e-book, but the front matter offers a detailed map of the terrain. Readers may wish to consult the separate e-books for each play, keeping in mind Moses's emphasis on representativeness over performance history. The bibliographies also suggest avenues for deeper investigation into the development of American drama.

Reading Moses’s careful framing of those early plays, I kept thinking about how much a stage directions can quietly reveal a playwright’s hopes. It reminded me of the gentle, almost naive confidence in The Merchant Prince of Cornville: A Comedy — Story, Setting & Ideas, where even the scenery seems to breathe ambition. Both feel like fragile snapshots of someone trying to invent a tradition.