his
Country, are of constant Service in _upholding_ his Character.
These are a perpetual _Guard_ to the Knight, and preserve him from
_Contempt_ upon many Occasions.--All which corresponds entirely with
the fore-going _Remark_. For you would be fond of Sir _Roger's_
Acquaintaince and Company in _real Life_, as he is a Gentleman of
_Quality_ and _Virtue_; You love and admire him in the _Spectators_
for the _same_ Reasons; And for these also he would become, if he was
rightly exhibited, a _favorite_ Character in the _Theatre_.

It may be proper to observe in this Place, that the _Business_
of COMEDY is to exhibit the whimsical _unmischievous Oddities_,
_Frolics,_ and _Foibles_ of _Persons_ in _real Life_; And also to
_expose_ and _ridicule_ their _real Follies_, _Meanness_, and _Vices_.
The _former_, it appears, is more pleasurable to the Audience, but the
_latter_ has the Merit of being more instructive.

The _Business_ of TRAGEDY is to exhibit the _Instability_ of _human_
Grandeur, and the unexpected _Misfortunes_ and _Distresses_ incident
to the _Innocent_ and _Worthy_ in all Stations.--And also to shew the
terrible Sallies and the miserable Issue and Punishment of ungovern'd
Passions and Wickedness.--The _former_ softens the Heart and fills it
with Compassion, Humility and Benevolence.--Compositions of this Sort
are the highest, most admirable, and useful in all Nature, when they
are finish'd with Propriety and Delicacy, and justly wrought up
with the Sublime and Simplicity.--The _latter_ Species of _Tragedy_
terrifies and shocks us, in exhibiting both the Crimes and the
Punishments. It threatens us into Moderation and Justice, by shewing
the terrible Issue of their Contraries. Pieces of this Sort, conducted
with Propriety, and carrying Application to ourselves, can scarcely be
desireable; But as they are generally conducted, they amount only to
giving us an absurd Representation of a Murther committed by some
furious foaming _Basha_, or _Sultan_.

To return.--_Johnson_ in his COMIC Scenes has expos'd and ridicul'd
_Folly_ and _Vice_; _Shakespear_ has usher'd in _Joy_, _Frolic_ and
_Happiness_.--The _Alchymist_, _Volpone_ and _Silent Woman_ of
_Johnson_, are most exquisite _Satires_. The _comic_ Entertainments of
_Shakespear_ are the highest Compositions of _Raillery_, _Wit_
and _Humour_. _Johnson_ conveys some Lesson in every Character.
_Shakespear_ some new Species of Foible and Oddity. The one pointed
his Sati