By the early years of the nineteenth century, Inchbald had already achieved literary immortality. Encouraged by Inchbald's notoriety as an actor, readers had followed the new writer into the realms of playwriting and novel writing, and they were enthusiastic about her next projects as well. Her next large task would be The British Theatre series, on which she began work in 1806. As indicated at the end of Chapter 2, she did attempt to write a few more plays in 1807 and 1808, but she seems not to have been especially enthusiastic about the new work. Besides, she needed large blocks of time to work on The British Theatre and, subsequently, on other editorial projects. Eventually, she would write for a periodical called the Artist, and she would serve as editor for two more drama collections – A Collection of Farces and Other Afterpieces and The Modern Theatre.

The British Theatre

In 1806, Inchbald undertook the mammoth project of writing prefaces for all the plays to be published in a new collection whose full title would be The British Theatre; or, A Collection of Plays, which Are Acted at the Theatres Royal, Drury Lane, Covent Garden and Haymarket. Printed under the Authority of the Managers from the Prompt Books.