Thomas Morton (playwright)

Thomas Morton
Portrait (c. 1803), pastel, of Thomas Morton (1764–1838) by John Raphael Smith (1752–1812)
Born	1764
Died	28 March 1838
Nationality	British
Genre	Playwright
Notable works	Speed the Plough

Thomas Morton (1764 – 28 March 1838) was an English playwright.

Morton was born in the city of Durham. He was the youngest son of John and Grace Morton of Whickham, County Durham.

After the death of his father he was educated at Soho Square school at the charge of his uncle Maddison, a stockbroker. Here amateur acting was in vogue, and Morton, who played with Joseph George Holman, acquired a taste for the theatre. He entered at Lincoln's Inn, 2 July 1784, but was not called to the bar.

His first drama, Columbus, or A World Discovered, 8vo, 1792, an historical play in five acts, founded in part upon Les Incas of Marmontel, was produced with success at Covent Garden, 1 December 1792, Holman playing the part of Alonzo. Children in the Wood, a two-act musical entertainment, Dublin, 12mo, 1794 (a pirated edition), followed at the Haymarket 1 October 1793. It was well acted by Richard Suett, John Bannister and Miss De Camp, and was more than once revived. Similar fortune attended Zorinski, 8vo, 1795, a three-act play founded on the adventures of Stanislaus, renamed Casimir, King of Poland, Haymarket, 20 June 1795. In the same year appeared an anonymous pamphlet, Mr, Morton's "Zorinski" and Brooke's "Gustavus Vasa" Compared.

The Way to get Married, 8vo, 1796, a comedy in five acts, with serious situations, was produced at Covent Garden 23 January 1796, acted forty-one times, and became a stock piece. It supplied Munden with his favourite character of Caustic. A Cure for the Heart-Ache, a five-act comedy, 8vo, 1797, Covent Garden, 10 January 1797, furnished two excellent characters in Old and Young Rapid, and became also, with few other claims on attention, a stock play. Secrets worth Knowing, a five-act comedy, 8vo, 1798, Covent Garden 11 January 1798, though a better play than the preceding, was less popular.

Speed the Plough, a five-act comedy, 8vo, 1798, Covent Garden, 8 Feb. 1798, was acted forty-one times, and often revived. The Blind Girl, or a Receipt for Beauty, a comic opera in three acts (songs only printed), Covent Garden, 22 April 1801, was played eight times. Beggar my Neighbour, or a Rogue's a Fool, a comedy in three acts (unprinted), Haymarket, 10 July 1802, was assigned to Morton but unclaimed by him, being damned the first night. It was afterwards converted into How to tease and how to please. Covent Garden, 29 March 1810, experienced very little better fortune, and remained unprinted. Part of the plot of Beggar my Neighbour is said to have been taken from August Wilhelm Iffland. The School of Reform, or How to rule a Husband, 8vo, 1805, a five-act comedy, was played with remarkable success at Covent Garden, 15 January 1805, and was revived so late as 20 November 1867 at the St. James's, with Mr. John S. Clarke as Tyke and Mr. Irving as Ferment. Tyke was the greatest part of John Emery.