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Show m T H E PREFACE TH E Succefs and Countenance that Debauchery has met with in Plays, was the moft fevere and reafonable Charge a^ainft their Authors in Mr. Collier s Short View; and indeed this Gentleman had done the Drama considerable Service, had he arraign'd the Stage only to punifh its Mifdemea-nours, and not to take a w a y its Life ; but there is an Advantage to be made fometimes of the Advice of an Enemy, and the only way to difappoint his Defigns, is to improve upon his Invective, and to make the Stage flourifh by Vertue of that Satyr, by which he thought to fupprefs it. I have therefore in this Piece, endeavour'd to fhow, that an Englifh Comedy mayanfwer the Strictnefs of Poetical Juftice, but indeed the greater Share of the Englifh Audience ; I mean, that part which is no farther read than in Plays of their o w n Language, have imbib'd other Principles, and ftand Vip as vigoroufly for the old Poetick Licence, as they do for the Liberty of the Subject. They take all Innovations for Grievances; and, let a Project be never fo well laid for their Advantage, yet the Undertaker is very likely to fuffer by'r. A Play without a Beau, Cully, Cuckold, or Coquet, is as Boor an Entertainment to fome Palates, as their Sundays >inner wou'd be without Beef and Pudding. And this I take to be one Reafon that the Galleries were fo thin during the R u n of this Play. I thought indeed to have footh'd the fplenetick £eal of the City, by making a Gentleman a Knave, and punifhing their great Grievance A Whore-ma fer ; but a certain Virtuofo of thatFraternity has told me fince, that the Citizens were never more difappointed in any Entertainment, fcr (laid he) however pious w e may appear to be at home, yet w e never go to that end of the Town, but with an Intention to be lewd. There was an Odium caft upon this Play before it appcar'd, by fome Perfons w h o thought it their Intereft to have it fup-prefs'd. dable St oriTehse o fL aa dMiiedsw wiefree, afrnidg hWtfedyH cf rtoolmd nfeoe idnogu bitt ,b tyh afto rtmmhuiey£ |
