18th Century Fanfiction Disclaimer?

[artekka]

The following Tragedy is, in many respects, imitated from M. LE MIERRE's celebrated Drama, entitled, LA VEUVE DU MALABAR, which had a most uncommonly long run in Paris, and which is now become, in a translation, a favourite Tragedy of the German:--Such being the case, the Authoress feels it necessary to apologise for not having contented herself with translating instead of imitating LA VEUVE DU MALABAR;, but she was well convinced, that neither the Plot, nor the long declamatory Scenes of the French Play, would have been approved, or even tolerated, by an English audience; therefore, she rejected all thoughts of a Translation, and has ventured to exhibit a Drama in some measure her own; trusting that the Public will be indulgent to a first Essay, and that if her Work should possess merit sufficient to be deemed worthy of criticism, it will be such criticism as may teach her to correct her errors without too severely wounding her self-love.

--The Widow of Malabar, Marianna Starke, 1791