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In May 1775 Henry Man, at the age of 25, published a twenty-three page verse drama called Cloacina, a tragi-comedy. There is no record whether the piece was ever actually performed, but was probably not intended to be. The work makes many allusions to contemporary political and literary figures which easily elude the modern reader. This version of the 'play', which is available here in PDF, has not been annotated although it is hoped that at some point a fully annotated version will be produced which will allow the reader to know at whom Henry is aiming his literary barbs. Like most of his work, it is blusterous, light hearted, and would probably have been left to gather dust on the shelves of history were it not for his descendants who have been sufficiently interested in the man and his work to preserve it digitally and to publish it on this web site. The dedication to E________ V_________ is Edward Venn. I read, but cannot recall where that Henry was in love with Edward's sister. At the time this 'play' was written Henry was still a bachelor. Two years after the work was published Henry married Eleanor Thompson. The microfilmed copy of the play from which this transcription was made is said to have belonged to Horace Walpole and the hand writing that appears in various points on the original is that of Walpole's. This claim needs to have a source to support it and is being tracked down (I believe it is on the catalog record for Cloacina at Harvard University). David Man, |