ny others of the like nature.

'Should the very individuals he has celebrated, make their appearance
together, they would be sufficient to fill the play-house. Pretty Peg of
Windsor, Gilian of Croydon; with Dolly and Molly; and Tommy and Johny;
with many others to be met with in the musical Miscellanies, would make
a great benefit.

'As my friend, after the manner of the old Lyrics, accompanies his works
with his own voice; he has been the delight of the most polite companies
and conversions, from the beginning of king Charles the IId's reign,
to our own times: Many an honest gentleman has got a reputation in his
country, by pretending to have been in company with Tom D'Urfey.

'I might here mention several other merits in my friend, as his
enriching our language with a multitude of rhimes, and bringing
words together, that without his good offices, would never have been
acquainted with one another, so long as it had been a tongue; but I must
not omit that my old friend angled for a trout, the best of any man in
England.

'After what I have said, and much more that I might say, on this
subject, I question not but the world will think that my old friend
ought not to pass the remainder of his life in a cage, like a singing
bird; but enjoy all that Pindaric liberty, which is suitable to a man of
his genius. He has made the world merry, and I hope they will make him
easy, as long as he stays amongst us. This I will take upon me to say,
they cannot do a kindness, to a more diverting companion, or a more
chearful, honest, good-natur'd man.'----

The same author, Numb. 82. puts his readers in mind when D'Urfey's
benefit came on, of some other circumstances favourable to him. 'The
Plotting Sisters, says he, is this day to be acted for the benefit of
the author, my old friend Mr. D'Urfey. This comedy was honoured with the
presence of King Charles II. three of the first five nights. My
friend has in this work shewn himself a master, and made not only the
characters of the play, but also the furniture of the house contribute
to the main design. He has made excellent use of a table with a carpet,
and the key of a closet; with these two implements, which would perhaps
have been over-looked by an ordinary writer, he contrives the most
natural perplexities (allowing only the use of these houshold goods
in poetry) that ever were represented on a stage. He also made good
advantage of the knowledge of the stage itself; for in the ni