Note 449 — Chapter XXV · THE DRAMA.

Verbruggen, although he died in 1708, played in Queen Anne's reign. But little is known of him, except that he was a tragedian, and was the original Oronooko. A contemporary character of him is 'A fellow with a crackt voice, he clangs his words, as if he spoke out of a broken drum.'[449] Downes says, 'his Person being tall, well built and clean, only he was a little In Kneed, which gave him a shambling Gate;' and he adds, 'Verbruggen was Nature without Extravagance—Freedom without Licentiousness—and vociferous without bellowing.'