he Fourth_ (which yet I hope is far enough from Farce) hath very
hardly kept his Doublet whole; but affectation hath always had a greater
share both in the action and discourse of men than truth and judgement
have; and for our Modern ones, except our most unimitable Laureat, I
dare to say I know of none that write at such a formidable rate, but
that a woman may well hope to reach their greatest heights. Then for
their musty rules of Unity, and God knows what besides, if they meant
anything, they are enough intelligible and as practible by a woman; but
really methinks they that disturb their heads with any other rule of
Playes besides the making them pleasant, and avoiding of scurrility,
might much better be employed in studying how to improve men's too
imperfect knowledge of that ancient English Game which hight long
Laurence: And if Comedy should be the picture of ridiculous mankind I
wonder anyone should think it such a sturdy task, whilst we are
furnish'd with such precious Originals as him I lately told you of; if
at least that Character do not dwindle into Farce, and so become too
mean an entertainment for those persons who are us'd to think. Reader, I
have a complaint or two to make to you and I have done; Know then that
this Play was hugely injur'd in the Acting, for 'twas done so
imperfectly as never any was before, which did more harm to this than it
could have done to any of another sort; the Plot being busie (though I
think not intricate) and so requiring a continual attention, which being
interrupted by the intolerable negligence of some that acted in it, must
needs much spoil the beauty on't. My Dutch Lover spoke but little of
what I intended for him, but supplied it with a great deal of idle
stuff, which I was wholly unacquainted with until I had heard it first
from him; so that Jack-pudding ever us'd to do: which though I knew
before, I gave him yet the Part, because I knew him so acceptable to
most o'th' lighter Periwigs about the Town, and he indeed did vex me so,
I could almost be angry: Yet, but Reader, you remember, I suppose, a
fusty piece of Latine that has past from hand to hand this thousand
years they say (and how much longer I can't tell) in favour of the dead.
I intended him a habit much more notably ridiculous, which if ever it be
important was so here, for many of the Scenes in the three last Acts
depended upon the mistakes of the Colonel for Haunce, which the
ill-favour'd likeness of their Ha