In eighteenth-century London, three young Scots—James Boswell, Andrew Erskine, and George Dempster—turned a night at Drury Lane into a gleeful literary ambush. Their Critical Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira is both a prank and a pointed act of criticism, aimed at David Mallet's tragedy and at the vain, opportunistic figure many contemporaries believed him to be. The pamphlet traces the play's borrowed French origins, its melodramatic tangle of secret marriage, court intrigue, rescue, imprisonment, pardon, and poisoning, and then tears into its awkward construction, recycled sentiments, and implausible reversals. With sharp wit, the authors mock Elvira's reliance on spectacle, sentimental children, and manufactured pathos, arguing that theatrical noise cannot substitute for genuine dramatic power. They also praise the actors—especially Garrick—for rescuing what the writing nearly destroys, even as they conclude that no performance can save lifeless characters and foolish verse. Framed by scholarly notes, attribution, and theatrical commentary, this rare satire offers a vivid glimpse into Augustan literary politics, rivalry, and national tension. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.