Kensington, and looking over the Gardens), that the
lieutenant-general was a noble and gallant soldier--and even that he had
been hardly used in the Wynendael affair. He took his revenge in talk,
that must be confessed; and if Mr. Addison had had a mind to write a poem
about Wynendael, he might have heard from the commander's own lips the
story a hundred times over.

Mr. Esmond, forced to be quiet, betook himself to literature for a
relaxation, and composed his comedy, whereof the prompter's copy lieth in
my walnut escritoire, sealed up and docketed, _The Faithful Fool_, a
Comedy, as it was performed by her Majesty's servants. 'Twas a very
sentimental piece; and Mr. Steele, who had more of that kind of sentiment
than Mr. Addison, admired it, whilst the other rather sneered at the
performance; though he owned that, here and there, it contained some
pretty strokes. He was bringing out his own play of _Cato_ at the time,
the blaze of which quite extinguished Esmond's farthing candle: and his
name was never put to the piece, which was printed as by a Person of
Quality. Only nine copies were sold, though Mr. Dennis, the great critic,
praised it, and said 'twas a work of great merit; and Colonel Esmond had
the whole impression burned one day in a rage, by Jack Lockwood, his man.

All this comedy was full of bitter satiric strokes against a certain young
lady. The plot of the piece was quite a new one. A young woman was
represented with a great number of suitors, selecting a pert fribble of a
peer, in place of the hero (but ill-acted, I think, by Mr. Wilks, the
Faithful Fool), who persisted in admiring her. In the fifth act, Teraminta
was made to discover the merits of Eugenio (the F. F.), and to feel a
partiality for him too late; for he announced that he had bestowed his
hand and estate upon Rosaria, a country lass, endowed with every virtue.
But it must be owned that the audience yawned through the play; and that
it perished on the third night, with only half a dozen persons to behold
its agonies. Esmond and his two mistresses came to the first night, and
Miss Beatrix fell asleep; whilst her mother, who had not been to a play
since King James the Second's time, thought the piece, though not
brilliant, had a very pretty moral.

Mr. Esmond dabbled in letters, and wrote a deal of prose and verse at this
time of leisure. When displeased with the conduct of Miss Beatrix, he
would compose a satire, in which he relieved his mind.