of Poetry; for it is very well known the has been a very kind Mistress to you, the has not deny'd you the laft Favour; and the has been fruitful to you in a most beautiful Iffue --- If I break off abruptly here, I hope every Body will understand that it is to avoid a Commendation, which as it is your Due, would be most eafie for me to pay, and too troublesome for you to receive.

I have, fince the Acting of this Play harken'd after the Objections which have been made to it; for I was Conscious where a true Critick might have put me upon my Defence. I was prepared for the Attack; and am pretty confident I could have vindicated fome Parts, and excufed others: and where there were any plain Mifcarriages, I would moft ingenuously have confefs'd 'em. But I have not heard any thing faid fufficient to provoke an Anfwer. That which looks most like an Objection, does not relate in particular to this Play, but to all or most that ever have been written; and that is Soliloquy. Therefore I wil answer it, not only for my own fake, but to fave others the Trouble, to whom it may hereafter be objected.

I grant, that for a Man to talk to himfelf, appears abfurd and unnatural; and indeed it is fo in moft Cafes; but the Circumstances which may attend the Occafion, make great Alteration. It oftentimes happens to a Man, to have Designs which require him to himself, and in their nature,

A 3

can

cannot admit of a Confident. Such, for certain, is all Villany; and other lefs mifchievous Intentions may be very improper to be Communicated to a fecond Perfon. In fuch a Cafe therefore the Audience must observe, whether the Perfon upon the Stage takes any notice of them at all, or no. For if he fuppofes any one to be by, when he talks to himself, it is monftrous and ridiculous to the laft degree. Nay, not only in this Cafe, but in any Part of a Play, if there is expreffed any Knowledge of an Audience, it is infufferable. But otherwife, when a Man in Soliloquy reafons with himself, and Pros and Cons, and weighs all his Defigns: We ought not to imagine that this Man either talks to us, or to himself; he is only thinking, and thinking fuch Matter as were inexcufable Folly in him to fpeak. But be caufe we are conceal'd Spectators of the Plot in agitation, and the Poet finds it neceflary to let us know the whole Mystery of his Contrivance, he is willing to inform us of this Perfons Thoughts; and to that end is forc'd to make ufe of the Expedient of Speech, no other better way being yet invented for the Communication of Thought.

Another very wrong Objection has been made by fome who have not taken Leifure to diftinguith the Characters. The Hero of the Play, as they are pleas'd to call him, (meaning Mellefont) is a Gull, and made a Fool, and cheated. Is every Man a Gull and a Fool that is deceiv'd? At that rate

I'm

I'm afraid the two Claffes of Men will be reduc'd to one, and the Knaves themselves be at a lofs to juftifie their Title: But if an Open-hearted honeft Man, who has an entire Confidence in one whom he takes to be his Friend, and whom he has oblig'd to be fo; and who, to confirm him in his Opinion, in all Appearance, and upon feveral Trials has been fo: If this Man be deceiv'd by the Treachery of the other; muft he of neceffity commence Fool immediately only because the other has prov'd a Villain? Ay, but there was Caution given to Mellefont in the firft A&t by his Friend Careless. Of what Nature was that Caution? Only to give the Audience fome Light into the Character of Maskwell before his Appearance; and not to convince Mellefont of his Treachery; for that was more than Careless was then able to do: He never knew Mafkwell guilty of any Villany; he was only a fort of Man which he did not like. As for his fufpecting his Familiarity with my Lady Touchwood; Let 'em examine the Anfwer that Mellefont makes him, and compare it with the Condu&t of Mafkwells Character through the Play.

I would beg 'em again to look into the Character of Maskwell before they accufe Mellefont of Weakness for being deceiv'd by him. For upon fumming up the Enquiry into this Objection, it may be found they have mistaken Cunning in one Character, for Folly in another.

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But

But there is one thing, at which I am more concerned than all the falfe Criticifms that are made upon me; and that is, fome of the Ladies are offended. I am heartily forry for it; for I declare I would rather dif oblige all the Criticks in the World, than one of the fair Sex. They are concerned that I have reprefented fome Women Vicious and Affected: How can I help it? It is the Business of a Comick Poet to paint the Vices and Follies of Human- kind; and there are but two Sexes, Male, and Female, Men, and Women, which have a Title to Humanity: And if I leave one half of them out, the Work will be imperfect. I 1hould be very glad of an Opportunity to make my Compliment to thofe Ladies who are offended: But they can no more expect it in a Comedy, than to be Tickled by a Surgeon, when he's letting'em Blood. They who are Virtuous or Discreet, fhould not be offended, for fuch Characters as these diftinguish them, and make their Beauties more thining and obferv'd: And they who are of the other kind, may nevertheless pafs for fuch, by feeming not to be difpleas'd, or touch'd, with the Satire of this Comedy. Thus have they alfo wrongfully accus'd me of doing them a Prejudice, when I have in reality done them a Service.

You will pardon me, Sir, for the Freedom I take of making Answers to other People, in an Epistle which ought wholly to be facred to you: But fince I intend the Play

to

to be fo too, I hope I may take the more Liberty of Juftifying it, where it is in the Right.

I must now, Sir, declare to the World, how kind you have been to my Endeavours; for in regard of what was well meant, you have excus'd what was ill perform'd. I beg you would continue the fame Method in your Acceptance of this Dedication. I know no other way of making a Return to that Humanity you thew'd, in protecting an Infant, but by Enrolling it in your Service now that it is of Age and come into the World. Therefore be pleas'd to accept of this as an Acknowledgement of the Favour you have fhewn me, and an Earnest of the real Service and Gratitude of,