The play bombed on opening night, was immediately withdrawn and extensively rewritten. Sheridan's Preface drops some interesting little tidbits of information about that. My favorite bit was the attitude of considering the "First night's audience … as [the] last rehearsal." I've sung in a lot of concerts and shows and we always say that opening night is the real dress rehearsal. ;-)

And I had to laugh at the harsh words for the "little puny critics" as opposed to audience members. "Spleen-swoln" indeed - LOL!