ins
the Use of his Ears. He is insensible that his Wig is taken off his
Head; but yet is so happy as to hear the loud Mirth of the Courtiers,
and has still so much good Humour left as to join in Company with
them.--_Menalcas_ plays at Backgammon.--He calls for a Glass of Water;
'tis his Turn to throw; he has the Box in one Hand and the Glass in
the other; and being extremely dry, and unwilling to lose Time, he
swallows down both the Dice and almost the Box, and at the same
Time throws the Glass of Water into the Tables.--If this is not
to overstrain the Bow, to carry Things to an unnatural Excess and
Extravagance, and to make no Distinction between Absence of Mind and
Insensibility, or downright Folly, I confess, I know not what is. _Mr.
de la Bruyere_ should have consider'd, that a Man, who has lost his
Feeling, is not, in that Respect, a proper Subject for Ridicule,
and that 'tis no Jest to take away a Man's Senses. Extravagances of
this Nature are no Beauties in any Kind of Writing, much less in
Characteristics. In Performances of this Kind there must be Spirit and
Strength, but especially there must be Justice. The real Images of
Life must be represented, or the Probabilities of Nature must strictly
be observ'd.

[M] _Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo
Doctum imitatorem, & vivas hinc ducere voces._

These are the likeliest Copies, which are drawn
By the Original of human Life.
Ld. _Roscommon_.

[M: Horat. in Art. Poet. _v._ 317, &c.]

The Strokes which compose a Character must be bold, but not
extravagant. Nature must not be distorted, to excite either Ridicule
or Admiration. Reason must hold the Reins of the Imagination: Judgment
must direct the Fancy; otherwise we shall be apt to miscarry, and
connect inconsistent Ideas, at the very Time, when we think we hit the
Point of Humour to the Life.

The only Thing that can be said to excuse Mr. _de la Bruyere_ on this
Head, is what the Abbot _Fleury_ has alledg'd to his Praise; namely,
[N]that his Characters are sometimes loaded, on purpose that they
might not too nearly resemble the Persons design'd.

[N: On trouve dans ses Characteres une severe Critique, des
Expressions vives, des Tours ingenieux, des Peintures quelquefois
chargees expres, pour ne les pas faire trop ressemblantes.
_Discours prononce dans l'Academie Francaise._ 1696.]

'Tis very dangerous, I confess, to make free with the Characters of
particular Persons; fo