Thomas Nabbes, died about 1645, is called by Langbaine a third-rate poet, and by Cibber a fifth-rate poet. Sir John Suckling, his patron, and other wits of the day, either thought better of his plays or liked the author for his personal merits. Among the best-known of his pieces are: 1. “Microcosmus; a Morall Masque,” London, 1637, 4to…. 2. “Hannibal and Scipio; a Tragedy,” 1637, 4to. 3. “Covent-Garden; a Comedy,” 1638, ’39, 4to. 4. “The Unfortunate Mother; a Tragedy,” 1640, 4to. A volume of his Plays, Masks, Epigrams, Elegies, and Epithalamiums was published 1639, 4to.

—Allibone, S. Austin, 1870, Dictionary of English Literature, vol. II, p. 1397.    

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General

  A writer in the Reign of Charles the First, who we may reckon amongst Poets of the Third-rate; and One who was pretty much respected by the Poets of those Times; Mr. Richard Brome, and Mr. Robert Chamberlain, (before mention’d) having publickly profest themselves his Friends; and Sir John Suckling being his Patron.

—Langbaine, Gerard, 1691, An Account of the English Dramatick Poets, p. 379.    

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  A Writer in the reign of Charles I, whom we may reckon, says Langbaine, among poets of the third rate, but who in strict justice cannot rise above a fifth. He was patronized by Sir John Suckling. He has seven plays and masks extant, besides other poems, which Mr. Langbaine says, are entirely his own, and that he has had recourse to no preceding author for assistance, and in this respect deserves pardon if not applause from the critic…. As he was in some degree of esteem in his time, we thought it improper to omit him.

—Cibber, Theophilus, 1753, Lives of the Poets, vol. II, p. 24.    

3

  Nabbes, a member of the Tribe of Ben, and a man of easy talent, was successful in comedy only, though he also attempted tragedy. “Microcosmus” (1637), his best-known work, is half-masque, half-morality, and has considerable merit in a difficult kind. “The Bride,” “Covent Garden,” “Tottenham Court,” range with the already characterised work of Brome, but somewhat lower.

—Saintsbury, George, 1887, History of Elizabethan Literature, p. 422.    

4

  Nabbes displays a satisfactory command of the niceties of dramatic blank verse, in which all his plays, excluding the two earliest comedies, were mainly written. Although he was far more refined in sentiment than most of his contemporaries, he is capable at times of considerable coarseness. As a writer of masques Nabbes deserves more consideration. His touch was usually light and his machinery ingenious.

—Lee, Sidney, 1894, Dictionary of National Biography, vol. XL, p. 18.    

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