hath an enemy call'd ignorance.
[EXIT.

COR. How do you like his spirit, Mitis?

MIT. I should like it much better, if he were less confident.

COR. Why, do you suspect his merit?

MIT. No; but I fear this will procure him much envy.

COR. O, that sets the stronger seal on his desert: if he had no enemies,
I should esteem his fortunes most wretched at this instant.

MIT. You have seen his play, Cordatus: pray you, how is it?

COR. Faith, sir, I must refrain to judge; only this I can say of it, 'tis
strange, and of a particular kind by itself, somewhat like 'Vetus
Comoedia'; a work that hath bounteously pleased me; how it will answer the
general expectation, I know not.

MIT. Does he observe all the laws of comedy in it?

COR. What laws mean you?

MIT. Why, the equal division of it into acts and scenes, according to the
Terentian manner; his true number of actors; the furnishing of the scene
with Grex or Chorus, and that the whole argument fall within compass of a
day's business.

COR. O no, these are too nice observations.

MIT. They are such as must be received, by your favour, or it cannot be
authentic.

COR. Troth, I can discern no such necessity.

MIT. No!

COR. No, I assure you, signior. If those laws you speak of had been
delivered us 'ab initio', and in their present virtue and perfection, there
had been some reason of obeying their powers; but 'tis extant, that that
which we call 'Comoedia', was at first nothing but a simple and continued
song, sung by one only person, till Susario invented a second; after him,
Epicharmus a third; Phormus and Chionides devised to have four actors, with
a prologue and chorus; to which Cratinus, long after, added a fifth and
sixth: Eupolis, more; Aristophanes, more than they; every man in the
dignity of his spirit and judgment supplied something. And, though that in
him this kind of poem appeared absolute, and fully perfect, yet how is the
face of it changed since, in Menander, Philemon, Cecilius, Plautus, and the
rest! who have utterly excluded the chorus, altered the property of the
persons, their names, and natures, and augmented it with all liberty,
according to the elegancy and disposition of those times wherein they
wrote. I see not then, but we should enjoy the same license, or free power
to illustrate and heighten our i