he modesty of their
sex. This objection I foresaw, and at the same time contemned; for
I judged it both natural and probable, that Octavia, proud of her
new-gained conquest, would search out Cleopatra to triumph over her;
and that Cleopatra, thus attacked, was not of a spirit to shun the
encounter: And it is not unlikely, that two exasperated rivals
should use such satire as I have put into their mouths; for, after
all, though the one were a Roman, and the other a queen, they were
both women. It is true, some actions, though natural, are not fit to
be represented; and broad obscenities in words ought in good manners
to be avoided: expressions therefore are a modest clothing of our
thoughts, as breeches and petticoats are of our bodies. If I have
kept myself within the bounds of modesty, all beyond, it is but
nicety and affectation; which is no more but modesty depraved into
a vice. They betray themselves who are too quick of apprehension in
such cases, and leave all reasonable men to imagine worse of them,
than of the poet.

Honest Montaigne goes yet further: Nous ne sommes que ceremonie;
la ceremonie nous emporte, et laissons la substance des choses. Nous
nous tenons aux branches, et abandonnons le tronc et le corps. Nous
avons appris aux dames de rougir, oyans seulement nommer ce qu'elles
ne craignent aucunement a faire: Nous n'osons appeller a droit nos
membres, et ne craignons pas de les employer a toute sorte de
debauche. La ceremonie nous defend d'exprimer par paroles les choses
licites et naturelles, et nous l'en croyons; la raison nous defend de
n'en faire point d'illicites et mauvaises, et personne ne l'en croit.
My comfort is, that by this opinion my enemies are but sucking
critics, who would fain be nibbling ere their teeth are come.

Yet, in this nicety of manners does the excellency of French poetry
consist. Their heroes are the most civil people breathing; but their
good breeding seldom extends to a word of sense; all their wit is in
their ceremony; they want the genius which animates our stage; and
therefore it is but necessary, when they cannot please, that they
should take care not to offend. But as the civilest man in the
company is commonly the dullest, so these authors, while they are
afraid to make you laugh or cry, out of pure good manners make you
sleep. They are so careful not to exasperate a critic, that they
never leave him any work; so busy with the broom, and make so clean
a