The prologue to Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer" was written by Garrick, to be spoken by Woodward, the actor, "dressed in black, and holding a handkerchief to his eyes;" the prologue to "The School for Scandal" was also the work of Garrick.

Sheridan, it may be noted, supplied a prologue to Savage's tragedy of "Sir Thomas Overbury," on the occasion of its revival at Covent Garden, thirty-four years after the death of its author.

Among the last of the prologues was one written by Mr.Charles Dickens to Dr.Westland Marston's poetic drama, "The Patrician's Daughter." Prologues have now vanished, however, and are not likely to be reintroduced.

It must be added that they showed symptoms of decline in worth long before they departed.

Originally apologies for players and dramatists--at a time when the histrionic profession was very lightly esteemed--they were retained by the conservatism of the stage as matters of form, long after they had forfeited all genuine excuse for their existence.