the modest Josephs and qualmy prudes who
censured these lively scenes. Steele has mention of this in an archly
humorous paper, No. 51, _Spectator_, Saturday, 28 April, 1711. He
pictures a young lady who has taken offence at some negligent expression
in that chastest of ice-cold proprieties, _The Funeral_, and he
forthwith more or less seriously proceeds to defend his play by quoting
the example of both predecessors and contemporaries. Amongst the
writers who are 'best skilled in this luscious Way', he informs us that
'we are obliged to the Lady who writ _Ibrahim_ [33] for introducing a
preparatory Scene to the very Action, when the Emperor throws his
Handkerchief as a Signal for his Mistress to follow him into the most
retired Part of the Seraglio.... This ingenious Gentlewoman in this
piece of Baudry refined upon an Author of the same Sex, who in _The
Rover_ makes a Country Squire strip to his Holland Drawers. For _Blunt_
is disappointed, and the Emperor is understood to go on to the
utmost.... It is not here to be omitted, that in one of the
above-mentioned Female Compositions the _Rover_ is very frequently sent
on the same Errand; as I take it above once every Act. This is not
wholly unnatural; for, they say, the Men-Authors draw themselves in
their Chief Characters, and the Women-Writers may be allowed the same
Liberty.'

[Footnote 33: _Ibrahim, the Thirteenth Emperor of the Turks_,
produced in 1696 (410, 1696), a commendable tragedy by Mrs. Mary
Pix, _nee_ Griffiths (1666-1720?). The plot is based on Sir Paul
Ricaut's continuation of the Turkish history.]

Early in 1678, in either the first or second week of January, _Sir
Patient Fancy_ was received with great applause. A hint from Brome, more
than a hint from Moliere, much wit, vivacity, and cleverness make up
this admirable comedy. Throughout the whole of her career it is amply
evident that Mrs. Behn, an omnivorous reader, kept in constant touch
with and profited by the French literature and theatre of her day. The
debt of the English stage to France at this period is a fact often not
sufficiently acknowledged, but one which it would really be difficult to
over-emphasize. No adequate critical knowledge of much of our English
song, fiction and drama of the Restoration can be attained without a
close study of their French models and originals.

During the latter part of this year Mrs. Behn found time to revise and
write up the romantic scenes she had co