higan.

_Jess Byrd_
_Salem College_

* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *

THE
BUSIE BODY:

A
COMEDY.

As it is Acted at the
THEATRE-ROYAL
in
_DRURY-LANE_,

By Her Majesty's Servants.

Written by Mrs. SUSANNA CENTLIVRE.

Quem tulit ad scenam ventoso Gloria curru,
Exanimat lentus Spectator, sedulus inflat.
Sic Leve, sic parvum est, animum quod laudis avarum
Subruit aut reficit--

Horat. Epist. Lib. II. Ep. 1.

_LONDON_,

Printed for BERNARD LINTOTT, at the _Cross-Keys_
between the Two _Temple-Gates_ in _Fleet-street_.

* * * * *

To The
RIGHT HONOURABLE

_JOHN_ Lord _SOMMERS_,

Lord-President of Her HAJESTY's most
Honourable Privy-Council.

_May it please Your Lordship,_

As it's an Establish'd Custom in these latter Ages, for all Writers,
particularly the Poetical, to shelter their Productions under the
Protection of the most Distinguish'd, whose Approbation produces a kind
of Inspiration, much superior to that which the _Heathenish_ Poets
pretended to derive from their Fictitious _Apollo_: So it was my
Ambition to Address one of my weak Performances to Your Lordship, who,
by Universal Consent, are justly allow'd to be the best Judge of all
kinds of Writing.

I was indeed at first deterr'd from my Design, by a Thought that it
might be accounted unpardonable Rudeness to obtrude a Trifle of this
Nature to a Person, whose sublime Wisdom moderates that Council, which
at this Critical Juncture, over-rules the Fate of all _Europe_. But then
I was encourag'd by Reflecting, that _Lelius_ and _Scipio_, the two
greatest Men in their Time, among the _Romans_, both for Political and
Military Virtues, in the height of their important Affairs, thought
the Perusal and Improving of _Terence_'s Comedies the noblest way of
Unbinding their Minds. I own I were guilty of the highest Vanity, should
I presume to put my Composures in Parallel with those of that Celebrated
_Dramatist_. But then again, I hope that Your Lordship's native Goodness
and Generosity, in Condescension to the Ta